Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Wednesday walked down the stairs in irritated concern.

“Good morning, my little storm cloud!” beamed a happy man with a black mustache.

“Gomez, darling, let her sit down first.” said a tall and graceful woman setting down a black plate in front of Wednesday. “Can’t you see she’s paler than usual?”

Paler. Frustrated. Concerned. Humiliated.

“What happened, Wends?” asked her brother Pugsley shoving a spoonful of cereal in his mouth. “Did you see a nightmare or something? Was it that dream with the field full of flowers and cute, little puppies again?”

Wednesday looked at him mortified. “Worse.” she hesitated. “I believe I saw the Dream.”

Silence fell upon the Addams’ family table. Everybody exchanged glances and then…

“By George, it finally happened!” smiled Gomez happily.

“Wait, the dream? As we say, THE dream?” asked Pugsley.

“Congratulations, dear.” wished Morticia proudly.

“I always said… the Addams Curse…” started Gomez.

“What are you feeling?” Pugsley pressed on. “Are you feeling any different? Are you-”

“Uncle Fester!” shouted Morticia upstairs. “Wednesday just had the Dream!”

“Really?” shrieked the bald man out of sight. “Wait! I need to come down.”

Wednesday rolled her eyes. She sighed.

The Dream.

She heard stories of it since she was little. And since she turned fifteen two days ago, she feared she might see it.

People say you don’t remember anything when you wake up. You only have this vague feeling in your chest. That’s what happens when you see your soulmate.

Once you turn fifteen, you meet the love of your life in your dreams. Of course, not everyone has this dream. But it isn’t unlikely to happen either.

It was a mysterious process. You turn fifteen years old. You have shared dreams with your soulmate. You don’t remember anything when you wake up. Not discussions, not the face of your soulmate, not the environment in which you meet them in your sleeping state. Not anything. You just wake up having only a feeling in your chest. The shared dreams continue until you meet your soulmate in real life. Then, they stop. The first time you see them in person, something clicks inside you. You know this is the one. Some might even remember what happened in those dreams after they met them in reality.

“Ahh Tish…” sighed Gomez reflecting. “Remember that swamp where we met? That dream-swamp was kinda like our own, now that I think of it. And you said to me, querida-” he turned his loving eyes at his wife.

“Not in front of the children, mon amour.” Morticia let out a shy smile.

“Tish! That was French!” Gomez shot up from his chair and strolled to his wife. He passionately placed kisses on her arm, until Morticia stopped him with a gentle kiss on his lips.

Wednesday huffed. Of course her parents were soulmates. They met in their dreams as soon as they turned fifteen. Like every other member of the Addams family.

When one full uneventful day -and night- passed after her fifteenth birthday, Wednesday almost believed she made it. With sheer stubbornness and a detailed plan for her future, she thought she had escaped the Dream.

But today, her excellent memory failed for the first time to recover her dream of last night. Combined with this heavy feeling in her chest and a great distress she felt upon waking up, she just knew: Her whole plan of living alone, in peace and solitude, while becoming an acclaimed author and detective was burn to pieces. She would become what she feared the most: her parents.

“Come on, my little scorpion.” soothed Gomez. “Don’t mourn. It is a day of celebration!” he pointed at the air with his index finger.

“Aren’t you even a little excited to meet someone that matches your freak?” asked Pugsley. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love you. But someone out there -who isn’t us that tolerate you-” he stopped to dodge off one of Wednesday’s daggers that flew past the table. “someone really waits to love you back, unconditionally. Imagine what you could do together. The results would be explosive.”

“Spoken like a true Addams.” grinned Gomez right before a huge BAM! shook the whole house. As Uncle Fester explained he blasted his way downstairs -literally- Wednesday couldn’t but be a little curious about the identity of her so-called soulmate. She was a detective after all. She was always inclined to solve mysteries, to know things that weren’t meant to be known. Maybe Pugsley was right.

What was her dark nature destined to be a pair with?

What could go well with… absolute terror?

---    ---    ---

“Howdie, soulmate!” smiled a blond girl full of excitement. “I’m Enid Sinclair and this is the dreaming state-”

Wednesday turned around and walked away. She changed her mind. Pugsley was wrong. She didn’t want a soulmate assigned to her. She wanted to be alone.

“You already said that yesterday.” deadpanned the ravenette.

“I know. I thought maybe you didn’t hear me.” Enid smiled naively. “I don’t know anything about you, actually. If you’re deaf or-”

“My hearing is at normal if not above average levels.” monotoned Wednesday starting to run as she noticed the other girl had already caught up with her.

“Okay, great. That’s a start. Not that I would have a problem if you were.” The blonde clarified and ran, too. “Uhm, question. You know you can’t actually escape this place, right? I mean, it’s in our heads.” She took a leap and managed to stand in front in Wednesday. The dark haired girl didn’t have the time to stop and both fell to the ground.

The so-called “ground” was plain whiteness. As was the whole environment surrounding them. White default sky and a plain white surface serving as the floor. There was nothing to be seen for miles and miles. Maybe even for eternity.

“Wow, you’re cold.” noticed Enid as Wednesday lay on top of her. “No, I meant, your body. Oh, that sounded wrong. I meant, your… attitude? Well, you are a bit unfriendly-”

“Enid.” Wednesday stared at her meaningfully. “Breathe.” she said slowly, but reassuringly. She didn’t know why she did it. Normally, she wouldn’t do that to anyone. Only her family, with strong exceptions.

The ravenette cleared her throat when she noticed the position they were in. Uneasiness crawled to her, because she wasn’t someone who liked physical contact in real life. More so, she avoided it at all costs, except when it came from her family sometimes, which she tolerated.

Then, a thought came. There was something about the other girl. Something familiar and comforting, but Wednesday couldn’t exactly pinpoint how or what it was. She shook the feeling away.

“Yes. Sorry.” apologized the blonde, also noticing the position they were in. “Wait, you remembered my name?” she asked getting up.

“I remember everything you said in these nightmares people call dreams.” stated the shorter girl also getting up. “Just because I’m unresponsive, it doesn’t mean I’m not listening.” She straightened her black clothes.

Enid lifted her eyebrows in her “oh boy, what am I gonna do with her” face. She scratched her head awkwardly.

Wednesday realized something. “You’re a werewolf.”

Enid’s eyebrows shot up. “How did you know?”

“Energetic. Overly happy. Jumps on strangers, although having good intentions. Scratching your head sideways. That canine behavior is a characteristic trait of werewolves.” explained Wednesday.

“Wow. Okay.” Enid let out a nervous laugh. “But, since you know I have good intentions…” she quoted the phrase in the air with her fingers. “Then, why are you avoiding me two nights now?”

“I’m not avoiding you.” lied the ravenette.

“You were literally running away from me.” pointed out the blonde.

Wednesday bit the inner side of her mouth. “I needed space to think and you were a distraction.”

“Oh, is that so, Miss…” Enid gave her a once-over and tried to find words. “Goth-Girl-Lowkey-Pretty-Highkey-Psychopath?”

Wednesday blinked. An unusual feeling rose in her chest. Was that amusement?

“I never said that it was a negative distraction.” she clarified.

Enid looked at her skeptically. “Really?” she let out a hopeful smile.

“I never said it, but it was implied.” monotoned Wednesday.

“Well, your eyes implied other things back when we were in that… position.” provoked Enid.

“In what position are you referring to?” the ravenette played dump.

“You know what position.”

“Are we in that stage of the relationship already?” monotoned Wednesday. “Sadly, I should inform you that I am not looking for a partner at the present moment. Even if I did, I would buy you a drink first. Or a poison, which is more suitable for our current situation.”

“Yeah? You’re doing threats? I can do that, too.” Enid took a step forward and unleashed her claws. “This kitty’s got claws and is not afraid to use them.”

“Are these supposed to frighten me?” asked Wednesday. “I have ten daggers twice the size of your nails in my boots, right now. Don’t make me use them.”

Enid opened her mouth to speak, but decided against it and closed it. “I was gonna say something, but it would imply something else and I don’t want to do that.”

“Were you going to imply that size-”

Enid stopped her. “It doesn’t matter!”

Wednesday smirked. “Exactly.”

“No, I meant, forget it!” said the werewolf. “Aaargh, you’re so – so…” she angrily dropped her hands at her sides. “I don’t even know your name!”

Wednesday opened her mouth to speak. “Well, wouldn’t you like to know?” she teased.

“Aaargh!” exploded Enid. “Listen…” she searched for words. “Goth Barbie.”

“Oh, the nicknames become more inventive as we go on.” noticed Wednesday flatly.

The blonde took a breath calming herself. “Listen. When I first saw you, I had the same thought as you.”

Wednesday’s face became stoic again. “What thought?”

“That hey, maybe this is a mistake. This isn’t... How will this work out?” explained Enid with honest eyes. “But then I thought: souls don’t meet by accident, right? So, maybe this is like ying and yang. Or marshmallow with graham cracker. An unexpected combination which shouldn’t work, but it somehow does.”

“What are you implying?” asked the ravenette.

“I’m implying…” started Enid and took Wednesday’s hand in her own. “That we should give this a chance. Give us a chance. I mean, the universe chose us for a reason, right?”

Wednesday’s gaze was fixated on their hands together. Somehow, she didn’t feel the urge to pull away. That familiar feeling washed over her again.

She sighed. “Fine. Let’s give… this a chance.” She met Enid’s eyes. Were they always that blue?

Wednesday let her hand drop down and extended it again. “I’m Wednesday. Wednesday Addams.”

Enid smiled and completed the handshake. “I’m Enid-” her expression changed to panic. “I’m waking up!”

“Enid Waking-Up? Well, that’s highly unusual. I thought you were Enid Sinclair.” teased Wednesday seeing the werewolf slowly fading away. “My suggestion is that you should make up your mind already.”

“Aarh, don’t do this. I don’t want to wake up mad.” exasperated Enid.

“But we’re soulmates.” responded Wednesday flatly as Enid was only a faint image of herself. “We’re mad about each other. Goodmorning.” she stated feeling her own body waking up, too.

Chapter Text

“Okay, let’s see if we have something in common.” proposed Enid as she and Wednesday strolled in that white, empty space.

It was the third night in a row that they met each other in their dreams. Wednesday wanted to explore the dreaming state to find its border. She didn’t understand this world, so her inner detective urged her to explore it. Enid wanted company, so she walked alongside her.

“Like, what are your hobbies?” asked the blonde.

“Playing the cello, writing my novel and torturing my brother.” deadpanned the ravenette looking ahead.

“Okay, we have music and writing in common!” smiled Enid. “I like K-pop, writing my blog and dancing.”

Wednesday looked at her with a frown. “I hate K-pop.”

“And I get bored with classical music, but that’s a start, right?” the taller girl did not lose hope.

Wednesday sighed. She said she would try to give this a chance. So, she forced herself to speak. “Yes.” she monotoned.

“So… we both have brothers.” continued the blonde.

“Half the population has a sibling. A nuclear family is still prevalent in many parts of the world.” stated Wednesday, still looking ahead.

Enid resisted a loud sigh. “Where do you live?”

“New Jersey.” answered Wednesday.

“Oh.” The werewolf lowered her eyes sadly. “I live in San Francisco, California. It’s in the opposite side of the country.”

And that was not the only thing that was opposite about them. The more they talked the more they discovered they had nothing in common. The way they viewed the world, what they liked, what they disliked, everything was the complete antithesis of the other. Maybe the universe had made a mistake. How could they be soulmates?

“Well, it is deduced that we are polar opposites.” commented Wednesday walking.

“Like polar bears!” Enid lightened up the mood.

“Just because ‘polar’ is in their name, it doesn’t mean-” Wednesday looked at Enid’s blue, disappointed eyes. Try, Wednesday, try. thought the ravenette. “Your comment is very… humorous.”

The blonde smiled. “Thank you.”

“Was it to break the ice?” jested Wednesday flatly.

Enid laughed. “Oh, I just thought it was something cool.”

Wednesday shuddered. “Pardon me. The brain’s structures that process social and aversive experiences made me withdraw from the conversation.”

Enid’s eyebrows joined in a questioning manner.

“I cringed, Enid.” Wednesday quoted the word in the air with her fingers.

The blonde let out a playful huff and then-

“Wednesday, look!” she pointed in front of her.

“Oh, my, it’s nothing.” deadpanned the shorter girl.

“No, look! Don’t you see it? I think I’ve found the border!” Enid’s pitch increased.

“The border? Where?” Wednesday’s eager eyes searched the emptiness.

“Oh, no, wait. That was my patience I lost two hours ago.” joked Enid and eyed Wednesday expectedly.

The ravenette’s eyes were blank when she looked at her.

“Oh, come on! We’re walking for three hours-”

“Only 21 minutes.” corrected her the shorter girl who had excellent time perception.

“And nothing has changed. This place is empty and infinite.” said Enid.

“Maybe we should try a different approach.” Wednesday furrowed her eyebrows and knelt down touching the ground. It was the same, white surface like everywhere. No texture, no temperature, nothing. “We should first understand the space around us, so later we can discover its limitations and rules. Note number one: the ground is plain- What are you doing?”

Enid lay down on her back with her hands behind her head. “I’m trying a different approach, like you said.” She closed her eyes. “This place is in our heads, right? So, maybe we can imagine something and it will appear here.” A smile appeared making her nose crinkle.

Wednesday thought it was cute.

She cleared her throat. “What are you imagining right now?” asked the ravenette.

She thought before she answered. “A blue sky. Like the one we have in San Francisco, when the weather is warm and all the birds are singing.” Enid still held her eyes closed and felt a presence beside her. Wednesday had lain down next to her for a reason unknown even to herself. Sometimes, she caught herself doing things here that she wouldn’t normally do in real life. Like, not correcting Enid for the wrong use of the word “polar” or lying on the ground close to her.

The blonde shifted a little in her place to be more comfortable. “You know, we have this bench in our backyard.” she continued. “My grandfather made it. It’s not something special or anything, just a simple wooden bench. But it’s sturdy and has that quality of handmade, you know? I have good memories of it, because when my grandparents were alive, they would come on Sundays for a visit and we would talk and laugh there. Now, I like to sit on it by myself and just… watch the sky. Whether it’s a clear blue one or a night sky with stars. It’s peaceful and-” she softly opened her eyes and looked at Wednesday with a little surprise. “Pretty.” she smiled with bright, blue eyes.

Wednesday knew the reason why she did all these things. She never wanted to see those eyes get clouded.

“The sky is always clouded at my place.” said the ravenette.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” apologized Enid.

“No, I like it.” commented Wednesday. “It’s reassuring. Peaceful. It’s always grey, so I always know what to expect.” she exhaled relaxing a bit. “There’s a bench at my place, too. It’s also handmade, but from a skillful blacksmith. It’s metallic, painted black and has gothic arches for a back. Its legs seem like they are twisted stems of roses with all their thorns pointing at you. I always found it dangerously and elegantly beautiful.”

Her black eyes softened. She hesitated. “I, too, like to sit on it. Thinking. Enjoying my solitude. Occasionally sharing it with my brother when he tells me about his day. Or his next science project and whether or not to put real explosives in his model volcano. Of course, like his older sister, I advised him to put TNT inside to accomplish a blast of wider range.” she noted like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “The bench is also where I plot the next way of torturing him.”

“That sounds nice.” said Enid. “Except the last part.”

“No, he enjoys it.” reassured her Wednesday.

The blonde lifted her eyebrows. She opened her mouth to speak, but-

“Wednesday, look!”

“I’m not falling for it again, Enid.” monotoned the shorter girl.

“No, look!” the blonde got up. Wednesday mimicked her and turned her eyes to the direction Enid was pointing at.

“Impossible.” Wednesday’s eyes widened.

In that emptiness, in all that infinite whiteness, stood a bench.

Enid let out a happy sound. “See? I told you if we imagined something, it would appear! This world is indeed in our heads.”

Wednesday took a careful step towards the bench. “Maybe it isn’t in our heads, but in our hearts.” she stated. “Maybe if we both truly love something, it will appear here.”

“What do you mean?” asked Enid.

“Look at its body. It has simple wooden planks for a seat and a back.” she explained. “But its legs are black, metallic and have thorns. It appears to be a hybrid of your bench and my own.”

Enid touched the rough wood of the seating and smiled. “So, this place is based on love.” she realized. “You say we can’t make things appear here because we think of them, but because we love them. And it’s not just love, but mutual, honest and pure love.” She turned her soft eyes at Wednesday. She was unable to look away.

“It’s true love.” whispered the ravenette, as she saw her body slowly fading away. She woke up with an unsettling feeling in her chest.

---    ---    ---

Wednesday met Enid in their shared dreams several times since then. Every night, they would explore that white world to see if they could find its border, but they would always return to sit on the bench and talk.

Slowly, these walks became shorter and their talks longer. It wasn’t love at first sight. But a seed of curiosity had been planted inside Wednesday’s chest and it grew every night she met the other girl. She wanted to learn more about her. As a detective, of course. Not something else.

And maybe those times when their shoulders touched accidentally or when Enid touched her hand spontaneously during her excitement on some topic, the ravenette didn’t mind. On the contrary, it seemed like the blonde was lowering down her walls brick by brick and she sat there, letting her do so.

---    ---    ---

Enid was crying.

“What happened?” asked Wednesday in a half flat-half worried tone.

“I’m sorry, I must’ve slept this way.” sniffed the blonde on the ground and wiped her nose with her sleeve. “I’m fine.” She moved to a sitting stance.

“You’re not fine.” acknowledged the ravenette and knelt down to face her. Enid turned her head the other way.

“Crying won’t make it go away. It doesn’t solve anything.” she monotoned.

“I know, Wednesday!” Enid’s eyes were bloodshot and tired. “I’m just upset.” Her voice cracked. “Haven’t you ever been upset? Or cried? Are you above that or something?”

Wednesday’s walls were half down. Well, now they were right back up. “I know you’re not angry at me.” she said in a restrained tone. “You’re just projecting your anger onto me, because you feel you can’t express it to the person that deserves it.”

Enid’s eyes were clouded with hopelessness. A sadness made them heavy. “I’m sorry.” She rested her head on her hands. “I’m just- I… you didn’t deserve that. I’m sorry.” A tear glistened its way down her cheek. A black sleeve absorbed it before it fell down.

“It’s okay. Apology accepted.” whispered Wednesday retrieving her hand. She didn’t know why she wiped the tear away. It just occurred without having much time to think about it.

“I had a fight with my parents.” blurted Enid.

Wednesday nodded.

“It’s not like it’s new or something.” she sniffed again. “But it was worse, since it was a full moon and everybody wolfed out again and I didn’t-”

“Wait. You didn’t transform?” Wednesday had a puzzled expression on her face.

“Yeah.” Enid laughed bitterly. “Didn’t I tell you? I’m a werewolf and I can’t even wolf out. Everybody else already has in my age. But me? No. Not even the best Lycanologists can help me.”

“But is it so deplorable if you don’t transform?” asked the ravenette.

“Yes, Wednesday. It will be…” Enid looked upwards searching for words. “Humiliating. The end of me. Just like my mother said: No one will ever want to mate with me. I’m not a real werewolf. I’m not a real human either. Just something in between nobody wants.’ ”

“Your parents- this is not a pedagogical way to speak to your child.” fumed the shorter girl. “You’re not like that. And don’t your parents know about these dreams? That you already have a soulmate?”

“They know. They just don’t believe me.” said the blonde bitterly. “They say there’s no chance I’m seeing these dreams. That I’m making things up so I can feel better about myself and not try to wolf out anymore.”

“Well, heaven forbid a child wants to feel good about themselves!” Wednesday shot up from the ground. “And with the truth also.”

Enid shook her head from side to side. Her lips turned down to a sad smile. “You know what my greatest fear is? To die alone.” She slowly got up from the ground. “I know I met you, now. I know this is irrational. But even now I have this fear that nobody-”

“No. Don’t you dare believe them, Sinclair.” stressed Wednesday. “These imbeciles you call parents - sorry for the expression. You won’t remember it tomorrow anyway. - don’t know you.” She took a step towards Enid. “For some reason, they don’t see you as you are. As a beautiful, funny, kind-hearted and lovable person. They don’t see that the universe moved all the strings and made things possible, so you could meet another soul, defying all geographical and societal obstacles, to be loved the way you deserve to be.” Her black eyes were fiercely honest.

Enid’s eyes welled up again. Wednesday took another step forward and, with great hesitation, placed her hands on top of the blonde’s.

“You said that souls don’t meet by accident.” The ravenette took a breath. “The universe chose us for a reason. And it was not to tear us apart. And it was not for you to die alone and unhappy.” She searched Enid’s eyes. “Have faith, soulmate.”

Enid let out a wet laugh. A moment passed until stormy eyes met gentle black ones. “I thought you didn’t want a soulmate."

"I... didn't." replied Wednesday simply.

"Well, anyway..." the blonde shook her head. "Thank you. For the talk. And for trying."

The ravenette nodded.

Silence conveyed them for a while. It became awkward just standing there, so they sat on their bench.

Suddenly, Wednesday’s voice sounded. “I have cried.”

“What?” asked Enid.

“I have cried, like you said before.” repeated the shorter girl with a hesitant tone. “I’m not above it. I cried once when I was six. But it didn’t change anything and I vowed to never do it again.”

The werewolf looked at her with questioning eyes.

“I’m a seer, Enid. A Raven.” revealed Wednesday.

“You can see the future?” asked the blonde.

“I can see visions of the future. When I touch people or creatures.” she explained. “But a Raven means that I only see visions of death. Not my own death, that’s prohibited by the universe. But other’s, yes. There are also Doves, seers who see only the happiest events of those who touch them. My mother is a Dove.”

The blonde nodded encouraging her to move on.

“That’s why I…” started Wednesday, but changed her mind. “I had a pet scorpion, Nero.” She waited to hear remarks about her choice of pet, but they never came. Not from Enid. So, she continued. “I loved him very much when I was a child. I found him in the attic of our family’s mansion and since then we were inseparable. One day, while we were playing, I saw a vision. But I didn’t know about my powers yet and I believed I just had a bad thought. I saw him get killed by bicycle wheels and I was so afraid, since I also had a bicycle, which I used very often. So, I didn’t tell anyone, not even my parents. Then, the next day, some boys from the town came by with their own bicycles. They held me down and forced me to watch how they crushed Nero with their wheels. They were laughing and they said that ‘only freaks have a scorpion as a pet’. ”

Enid made a pained expression as she understood her hurt.

Wednesday took a breath. “I cried my black heart out that day. But it didn’t bring Nero back. So, I took a vow at his grave to never cry again.” She shook her head. “But the visions continued. When I was seven, my family and I were at a market. I stumbled upon a man who I’ve never met before and I saw that his neck had been broken after a car accident. In a vision, of course. I was terrified, my mother noticed my distress and I told my parents the truth. She explained my powers to me. And the next day, the vision came true. The man was killed in a car accident, because he broke his neck due to the collision. From that day on, I…” her voice trailed off.

Enid squeezed the shorter girl’s hand reassuringly. “It’s okay. You can stop if you want.”

“No, I… I want you to know.” expressed Wednesday. “That’s why I don’t like… touching people.” She eyed Enid. “If I’m being honest with myself, I am terrified that I will see them dying. And I don’t want it to happen ever again. Not after Nero.” She straightened her posture. “So. No touching, no visions, no crying.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that.” comforted the blonde and upon realizing, she retrieved her hand from Wednesday’s. The latter took Enid’s hand back in her own.

“With you, it doesn’t happen.” noted Wednesday a little surprised. “Or until now, at least. Maybe it’s this place, but I haven’t seen any vision with you, because that would’ve been-” she blinked. “Do you know what happens when a seer has a vison of the most extreme event he can bear?”

“No.” Enid’s forehead creased.

“Doves cry silver tears.” explained the ravenette. “For example, my mother cried silver tears when she touched my father and saw their wedding. Or when she saw the birth of me and later of my brother. These were the happiest moments of my father’s life as well as hers, too.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet.” smiled the blonde. “But what about you?”

“Ravens? They cry black tears when they see or experience something so bad that their heart is about to break. It’s a physical manifestation of an unbearable emotional pain no person should be allowed to go through.” deadpanned Wednesday.

“And, have you…” started Enid hesitantly.

“No. I don’t cry, Enid.” monotoned the seer. “I thought we already talked about that.”

“Right. Of course.” She waved her hand. “How could I forget?”

Enid’s hands were slowly fading away. She was waking up and so was Wednesday who was now a faint image of herself.

---    ---    ---

After that dream, something changed between them. Enid stopped trying so much, Wednesday relaxed her posture. Both were more open with each other. The conversations became more organic and the silences more comfortable. They would sit on the bench talking and talking, ultimately forgetting their mission to discover the border of that world. Other nights they would be talking and then not talking, which sometimes was the best, because eyes always conveyed more than words.

If their walls were already being lowered down, now they had been shattered completely.

Chapter Text

One snowy day in winter, Pugsley screamed. “Mom! Dad! Call 911!”

“What happened, dear?” a worried Morticia ran to the kitchen. An equally concerned Gomez followed her.

“It’s Wednesday!” explained her brother. “She’s… smiling.”

“How humorous of you.” Wednesday’s face became bland again.

Her parents let out a relieved sigh.

“Pugsley, don’t ever do that again.” said Morticia, her face relaxing. “Next time, tell us to bring a camera. We haven’t seen Wednesday smile since she’d found Nero in the attic.”

“I know, right?” grinned Pugsley. “At this point I even forgot she had dimples!”

The ravenette rolled her eyes trying to suppress the smile that threatened to appear again.

“Aah, I know that face.” smiled Gomez knowingly. “Every time I saw your mother in my dreams, I always woke up with this lovestruck expression.” he glanced at Morticia with a lovestruck expression. “Oh my, I think I have goo-goo eyes right now.”

“Yes, you have mon chéri.” confirmed Morticia.

“Tish! That was French!” exclaimed Gomez and ran to her, peppering kisses along her arm.

“Okay, this conversation is getting off topic.” commented Pugsley.

“Agreed.” deadpanned Wednesday. “And to note, I don’t have ‘goo-goo eyes’ and I never will.”

“And what was that smile on your face? Is it because you saw your soulmate again?” Pugsley fluttered his lashes as if being in love.

Wednesday resisted throwing a dagger at him and cleared her throat. “According to my frustratingly persistent inability to remember my last night’s dream-” and that new soft, fuzzy feeling in her chest upon waking up which she won’t mention. “Your hypothesis seems to be… correct.”

Gomez and Morticia exchanged a meaningful look.

“What is it?” asked the ravenette.

“Nothing bad, dear. On the contrary.” reassured her mother. “It’s highly unusual for two souls to meet every night. Normally, they share dreams only once or twice a week.”

“Even me and your mother, who shared a very strong connection, saw each other every three nights.” he lightened his cigar thinking. “How long is it? Five months? And you see your soulmate each night, without exception.” His expression softened into a smile again. “You two share something truly special.”

He gently took Morticia’s hand in his own. Her parents seemed happy about her.

Wednesday sighed. “I just hope I didn’t reveal too much about myself to my… soulmate.” That word still felt strange saying out loud.

“Why? It’ll be good for you.” said Pugsley. “Relax a little, be more open.”

“Open is like an open wound. It’s dangerous, painful and inevitably lethal.” monotoned the ravenette.

“Then be open like a flower blossoming.” suggested her brother. “Something beautiful.”

Wednesday eyed him with a murderous expression. “You’re lucky you’re not old enough for those dreams or else I would be returning the favour of your torture. With blades.”

Pugsley let out a laugh. “You know, you may not want to hear it, but…” he leaned forward. “You’re going soft, Goo-Goo Eyes. Or else there would be already ten daggers up my throat. Wait. Did you remove them from your boots, as well?”

Wednesday worked her jaw. Just when she opened her mouth to speak-

HSSS!

Sharp winds shook the Addams Mansion. Outside, a snowstorm started raging blurring everything in white.

“Finally, some nice weather.” Wednesday stood up from the kitchen chair grabbing her black coat. “I need to think. I’m going to the bench.”

“Don’t think too much!” Pugsley shouted cupping his hands around his mouth. “It kills the romance!”

SWOOSH!

A silver dagger pierced the wall near his face. He smiled as he heard the front door close behind his sister.

---    ---    ---

“Enid, I can see your hand moving.” deadpanned Wednesday.

“Really? But I was so subtle!” exclaimed Enid who, for the past ten minutes, tried to slowly touch the ravenette’s hand with her own.

They were sitting on their bench in the dreaming state like every other night. But tonight, something playful and brave had sparked inside the blonde.

It started with faint movements. A small shuffle to her left. A soundless slide of her palm on the bench’s planks. Then, a careful lift of her pinky, but Wednesday turned her head catching her red handed.

“As subtle as a honking truck running over a reindeer.” stated Wednesday. “For a werewolf, I thought you had quieter attack methods.”

“Yeah? Methods change, but not the outcome!” Enid emphasized the last word and cupped the ravenette’s hands like a predator pouncing on prey. On Wednesday’s eyes, it seemed more like a puppy jumping on a cuddly toy.

It was painful to admit, but since some time now, the ravenette didn’t mind touching hands with the blonde anymore. Either accidentally or purposefully. Wednesday’s DNA, her built-in code alarmed her to pull back when people were about to touch her. But even the best codes have errors. For her, it was Enid Sinclair.

“A ha!” the werewolf shouted in victory as broad hands touched small ones.

“Oh no, you got me.” deadpanned the shorter girl resisting a smirk. Involuntarily, that comfortable, familiar feeling rose in her chest again. Wednesday huffed. She wasn’t going soft. And she didn’t mean to play along. She never did. “Your attack was calculated.” But she did now. “My defense was flawed.”

Enid smiled. “Well, to be honest, your defense was just sitting there… waiting.”

“Inaccurate.” objected Wednesday. “Staying motionless to confuse the predator is a proven practice of many animals.”

Enid waved one hand. “Yeah, sure… if you’re, like, a chameleon.” She put her index finger on her lips. “Now, shh… be quiet.”

“Why?” asked Wednesday.

“Someone told me I must be quiet to attack.” whispered the blonde.

“And what are you planning to attack now?” inquired the ravenette.

Enid’s gaze was steady. “Your heart.”

Wednesday’s still heart betrayed her as it skipped a beat. What an accident-prone organ, uncovering emotions.

Enid met her gaze with a quiet surprise. Had her werewolf hearing caught that sudden irregularity?

Silence filled the dreaming state. Until-

“You were playful today.” The ravenette changed the subject.

Enid smiled honestly. “Yeah, uhm…” she let out a small huff. Almost like she didn’t believe it herself. “Actually, it was a good day today. I hadn’t had this much fun with my brothers since… well, since my grandparents were alive.” She looked downwards. “You know, it was snowing in San Francisco.”

Wednesday nodded. “We had a snowstorm in New Jersey.”

“Whoa, really? Terrifying.” grimaced Enid.

“Beautiful.” corrected her Wednesday.

The blonde caught her eyes thinking about it for a moment. Then, she smiled after a thought unknown.

She melted back to the bench bringing today’s events in her mind. “Today was amazing.” sighed Enid. “Everything was covered in snow and the schools were closed. So, we decided to play outside. We had a huge snowball fight and then we made some snow angels. It was fun.” she shook her shoulders simply. “Just a nice, normal day, you know? Without fighting or family drama. Oh!” Enlightenment brightened up her eyes and she clapped her hands in excitement.

“We even discovered our old snow globe collection! My mother had moved it up in the attic, because it would remind her of my grandparents. Besides presents, they would always bring one snow globe to each one of my brothers and me for Christmas.” Enid’s blue eyes were softly looking ahead as if seeing the scene playing out in front of her. “I used to rearrange them on my desk at home, so it seemed like they were telling a story. A small snow globe with an old town, then one with a wooden bench and then a…” she blushed a little. “A couple sitting on the bench holding hands.”

“I understand the fascination.” noted Wednesday. “When I was younger, I used to be entranced by the miniaturized scenes in them. Whether it was a crow on a tombstone or a more standard one, like a Christmas sleigh with reindeers.” Her black eyes softened. “There was always something magical about them. A moment frozen in time. Alive for only as the snow needed to fall down.” She glanced at Enid. “My mother even had two or three snow globes with a couple dancing in the snow or, as you said, sitting on a bench.”

“Ah, you had those, too?!” grinned Enid enthusiastically.

“Unfortunately, yes.” monotoned Wednesday.

“What about the one with the couple kissing in snow?” asked the blonde.

“That was the most atrocious one.” deadpanned the ravenette.

“I think it was a collection or something.” laughed Enid. “They were three of them, I think. One with the couple sitting on a bench holding hands, one with them dancing and one with them kissing. And they all had the same black base, right?”

“A premium choice of color in contrast with the cliché and overused thematic.” commented Wednesday.

“Come on, they were cute.” Enid crinkled her nose. “They touched hands like this.” She put her hand on top of Wednesday’s with a dramatic, playful air.

“Oh my, what a connection.” monotoned the shorter girl.

“It is!” smiled Enid. “And then, the date lent his coat to the woman, like this.” She took out her bright pink jacket and draped it around Wednesday’s shoulders. Accidentally, she brushed her fingers against the ravenette’s exposed neck. Their eyes met again for that night.

The blonde let out a small laugh. “I mean, she was obviously cold.”

“And he was a gentleman.” monotoned Wednesday.

“He was!” laughed Enid. “And then, he extended his hand to her.” she extended her hand to her.

“Let me guess. She accepted.” smirked the Wednesday. “Like this.” she placed her hand on Enid’s standing up.

“Exactly! And then they danced.” continued the werewolf.

“In what way?” asked the ravenette.

Enid looked at her with a goofy smile. “The romantic one.”

Wednesday exhaled through the nose, the closer she could get to laughter. “I thought you were going to say ‘Like this’ trapping us in an unfortunate situation of dance.”

“But I told you, I attack quietly now.” Enid winked. She slowly joined their hands in a dancing position she had seen from other couples dancing waltz. Always slowly, allowing Wednesday to draw back or to carry on if she wanted. “Surrender?” she asked.

“It depends. Is this going to be a play?” the ravenette gracefully repositioned their hands to a proper waltz like she had practiced all those years with the Addams. She slowly lowered the blonde’s hand from her shoulder to her back. “Or is this going to be a dance?”

Enid looked at her happily, like she couldn’t actually believe Wednesday would accept.

Wednesday looked at her surprised she actually did accept.

It started slow and with no music. Just two heartbeats -one wilder than the other- contrasting shy glances. Joined hands and hesitant steps… it was a trustfall in motion. Only somehow, after a while they were both letting themselves fall without trying to stop it. Their bodies came closer with each sway. Their emotions were dancing as well. It was a waltz, after all.

Then, Wednesday’s gaze stumbled upon Enid’s. And time seemed to freeze.

It was intimate, that look. Like the one someone reads about in books. Or the one Wednesday always saw her father have before he kissed Morticia. Or the one that’s displayed on her mother’s snow globe figures who are sitting on a bench holding hands, dancing or… kissing.

Judging by the silent surprise that dawned in Enid’s eyes, Wednesday’s eyes revealed equal intimacy.

Neither moved. Neither broke the moment. It was too rare, too irreplaceable to be wasted or treated carelessly.

Then, something small and flickery landed on the blonde’s eyelashes. She blinked. The snowflake fell gently down. The two girls exchanged a startled glance and looked up.

It was snowing. White flakes glistened their way from the sky of the dreaming space to the plain floor. It wasn’t cold and somehow the snow didn’t pool on the ground. It seemed like it was swirling. Wednesday caught a glassy shine a few feet away from the bench and looked around.

A huge snow globe with a black base had materialized having them and the bench at its center. Snow fell only from its spherical top in slow movements, almost as if it was floating, enclosing the two girls in mid-dance and their promise of a kiss in its beauty.

A moment frozen in time. Alive for only as the snow needed to fall down.

Wednesday realized she had started to fade away. She was waking up.

Enid didn’t let go of her hands, not until she was also fading away, the real world claiming her back.

Chapter Text

One month later, something was wrong.

In the dreaming space, Enid was sitting on the bench with her knees pulled close to her chest. She didn’t chirp a happy “Howdie, soulmate!” nor did she fake-gasp with a huge grin “OMG, you’re here again? What a total coincidence!” attempting to make the ravenette smirk. Tonight her eyes were glassily sad when they met Wednesday’s gaze.

“Is… something the matter?” asked the shorter girl.

“No. Nothing.” Enid absentmindedly scratched her forehead. “It’s just… something with my parents again.”

Silence stretched in that vast, empty space. Until-

“Enid.” Wednesday slowly sat on the other side of the bench. “What’s wrong?”

During the six months of meeting her in their shared dreams, Wednesday’s inner detective had methodically analyzed the blonde’s emotional distress patterns. A curled up position, unusual body language and quietness were clear indicators of Enid’s emotional ill-being. She had also concluded that denial always preceded her emotional outbreak and the reciting of sadness-inducing events. So, the seer waited in silence letting the next phases unfold.

“My parents…” the blonde broke the quietness. “Urgh, I don’t know what they’re thinking sometimes.” she shook her head. “Today, at the start of the spring semester, they suddenly announced during dinner that I’m gonna transfer to a new school next year.”

“And the reason behind the sudden will to exchange schools?” asked Wednesday.

Enid’s eyes became watery again. “They think…” she lowered her head. “They think that it would be better for me to go to some fancy school of outcasts, so I can have more werewolf friends and wolf out already.”

“But you can’t pressure the werewolf transformation. It’s a natural process.” monotoned the ravenette. “Furthermore, if the proximity with werewolves would somehow accelerate your transformation, you would have already wolfed out as you live with two grown up werewolves and eight werewolf brothers.”

“I know.” agreed the blonde in exasperation. “And they don’t even care that I’m gonna leave all my friends behind or that some teachers are actually really good and care about me learning stuff.”

Enid let out a laugh that had a wrong tune to it. “Okay, say I wolf out. Then what? I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do-” she cut the sentence short, her hands waving animatedly.

“Haven’t your parents or brothers informed you about the first time transforming?” asked Wednesday in a genuine tone.

Enid met the ravenette’s eyes. She blinked. “No. I mean, that kinda never came up as a topic. Yet.”

Wednesday maintained her stoic expression and nodded. How the topic of wolfing out wasn’t properly discussed in a werewolf home - except the straightforward concept that every werewolf will transform one full moon during their teenage years – was entirely inexplicable.

“Enid.” started the ravenette flatly. “Do you want to possess the knowledge of what to expect and what to do upon transforming into a werewolf?”

Enid blinked. “Yeah.”

“And do you wish to be ready in the case of wolfing out?” asked Wednesday.

“Yeah, of course.” answered the blonde.

The ravenette had a decisive tone in her voice. “Then, I suggest we take a direct approach to solve the issue. Avoidance of it hasn’t led you to emotional stability nor knowledge of any form.”

Only when Wednesday found Enid’s eyes, she realized the uncertainty in them. For this reason, against her automatic urge to disengage from the situation, she did what she had done the night she’d found Enid crying about her fight with her parents a few months ago. Only this time, it wasn’t unmistakably spontaneous, but a conscious decision to open up.

“You are already informed that…” the ravenette started hesitantly. “When I was a child, I didn’t know about my powers. Before I told my parents about the visions of Nero and that man dying… I was petrified of them.” Her words contained vulnerability as she uncovered herself emotionally. “But when my mother explained to me what a Raven was, at least I knew what to expect. I was offered an explanation and a way to react.” She avoided Enid’s gaze.

Wednesday felt as if she was disassembling her own armor, leaving herself raw underneath. Her fight or flight mode still gnawed at her, but she let herself bleed truth, be vulnerably honest to the person she… tolerated.

“My avoidance in touching people might not be-” the shorter girl corrected herself. “It isn’t the best solution or even a solution at all. But at least, when visions occurred upon accidentally touching someone, I always knew there was a safety net to catch me. No matter how insufferable my mother was, she offered guidance and tried to enhance the sense of safety after visions. I was terrified, but I didn’t have to be alone.”

Wednesday found Enid’s eyes again and reestablished her stoic expression on her face. “So.” She took a breath. “However exhilarating it is to drown in your own emotions, a helping hand with proper guidance will prove itself important when dealing with your powers. Seeing that your family is inadequate to provide such assistance-” she straightened her posture with determination. “I suggest we start werewolf training tomorrow.”

Enid thought she didn’t hear correctly. Her heart melted right then and there. Wednesday was offering to be her safety net? She was putting beside her dislike of human contact - whether emotional or physical - to help her? While showing that amount of vulnerability for the first time, since the night Enid had a fight with her parents about her not wolfing out?

“Thank you.” The blonde tried to express everything that she felt into those words. “I truly appreciate it. No, it sounds like I’m downplaying it. I love it.”

Wednesday blinked at the softness of her words. She nodded.

And maybe it was the effortlessness in the way Enid said “love” or the gentleness in her voice. Either way, a new-found warmth enfolded the ravenette’s heart.

Enid’s own heart started hammering. Had she said the wrong thing? Had the word slipped out too fast, too casual? “So, hey, don’t get me wrong-” she changed the subject stating a fact. “You’re not… a werewolf.”

Wednesday’s expression was blunt, although internally she was relieved at the change of subject. “Oh my, how did you find out? I wasn’t trying to reveal it a few months ago, when I said I was a seer.” she jested flatly. “Really, I was planning to hide behind a bush during full moons and hope the rest would resolve itself.”

Enid laughed dryly. “Ha. Ha. You know what I mean.” she said. “You don’t know… about werewolves. How will you train me?”

“Wrong.” stated Wednesday. “My knowledge of werewolves is encyclopedic, as I was quite fascinated by them as a child. There is no book about them I haven’t thoroughly studied.” she explained. “Furthermore, I possess empirical knowledge, because my Aunt Luna is a werewolf, who has strong bonds with my family and visits us every other weekend. When she trained her children to fight like lycans, me and my brother were participating and ultimately winning in almost every sparring match.”

Enid laughed. “Wow, really? I mean, those poor little werewolves…”

“Those werewolves were left in quite a poor condition, indeed.” smirked Wednesday.

Enid let out a laugh, before her expression changed to something approaching sadness again. “But what if I never wolf out? Then the training will be for nothing.”

“No. It won’t be.” answered the ravenette with intention. “At worst, you will have learned how werewolves fight and gained valuable knowledge about the species you’re a part of.”

Enid’s blue eyes revealed she wasn’t entirely convinced about that. She sighed and hesitantly revealed a deeper truth. “I just don’t wanna be a lone wolf my whole life, because I can’t transform. I don’t want to be kicked out of the pack. Then- then what?” she searched Wednesday’s eyes for answers, but the latter didn’t reply.

Silence fell between them. It stretched so much that Enid thought the ravenette didn’t have an answer to that.

Then, Wednesday spoke in a low voice. Not because she was uncertain, but because her words contained a truth she believed in.

“Being alone is an opportunity to grow and learn about ourselves. But during your life, you’ll also have meaningful connections.” She looked up to find Enid’s eyes again. “As far as I’m concerned, I won’t let you become a lone wolf, regardless of your pack’s actions.”

Slowly, with that promise, both girls started to fade away. They were waking up.

---    ---    ---

“Lesson number one: Transforming.” deadpanned Wednesday in their next shared dream.

Enid shook her hands and legs as if she was preparing for a workout.

“Once a month, a full moon occurs. When your time will come, you will feel the need to wolf out.” Wednesday started at the basics. “Some say it feels like prickling of the skin on a cold night. Others claim that you will feel a natural urge, like when you need to go to the bathroom.”

Enid blushed a little with that idea.

“However…” continued Wednesday unfazed. “It always starts with a crack.”

“A crack?” gulped the blonde.

“Yes. That’s your first bone breaking.” explained the ravenette flatly. “When you transform, you will involuntarily fall on your knees and hands, while bones break and rearrange themselves. That’s good.” she assured her. “Don’t try to fight against it as werewolves are more agile on all fours.”

“Okay…” Enid became more terrified with each new piece of information.

“You’ll also feel the need to shout or growl.” continued Wednesday. “Do it. It will be an effective outlet for your pain.”

“Pain?” Enid turned pale.

“It can be a painful experience, however short it may be.” answered Wednesday and slowly noticed the signs of discomfort in Enid.

Maybe presenting a pleasant piece of information would help restore Enid’s positive emotional state. thought the ravenette.

“The majority of werewolves claim that it’s a freeing experience.”

“Really?” Hope glimmered in Enid’s eyes.

“After a few years.” commented Wednesday.

“A few years?!” whimpered the blonde.

Note: This was not a pleasant piece of information.

“During these first few years, you learn to properly breathe and relax, so the process of transforming happens more effortlessly, therefore less painful.” explained Wednesday.

“So, how do I… relax?” asked Enid.

“Allow the transformation to happen and think of something enjoyable.” answered the ravenette.

Visible confusion accompanied Enid’s fear in her eyes.

Only words don’t help. noted Wednesday mentally. Maybe a change in the approach will. she thought.

“Allow me to demonstrate.” monotoned the ravenette and took a hesitant step away from the blonde to have more space to move.

“Now, imagine a full moon rises.” Wednesday said flatly. “You feel like you need to shit.”

Enid laughed.

So, humor helps. smirked Wednesday from the inside.

“And now, crack.” The ravenette touched her own right hand with her left. “The first bone breaks. Aunt Luna always says it starts in the hands. Then, you fall on all fours.” Wednesday gracefully fell on her knees and hands. “Remember to breathe and think of something pleasant. For example, decapitating dolls or walking with wet socks.” she commented and looked at Enid to make sure she understood.

The blonde let out a smile. A warm, fuzzy feeling encompassed her heart. “Can I think of… a person?” she asked blushing a little.

“Of course.”  answered Wednesday, who was still on all fours.

Enid seemed happy at that answer. “So, what happens then?”

“Then…” explained the shorter girl. “The transformation continues in the arms…” she bent her arms a little. “The shoulders, head, back and legs.” she moved each part upon mentioning. Somehow, she made it look easy and graceful. “Finally, you will feel the need to growl.” she let out a human growl imitating that of a wolf. “And the transformation is complete.”

Enid clapped her hands decisively. “Great! I think I got it.”

“Excellent.” Wednesday rose from the ground. “Now repeat what I demonstrated.”

“What?!”

“Practice is essential to build muscle memory.” Wednesday gave a stoic explanation. “Repeat after me.”

The ravenette did the steps first and Enid tried to follow after, although a lot less gracefully and a lot more awkwardly. Somehow, she kept messing up with them.

Enid growled completing the final step. “AaaarghAaa… I feel stupid.”

“Better to feel stupid now, than be unprepared later.” Wednesday side-eyed her in all fours. “Now, let’s try again.”

---    ---    ---

“Lesson number two: Howling.” monotoned Wednesday the next night they met in the dreaming space.

“Howling is essential to communicate with your pack.” she explained. “It can also be used to warn a predator that a werewolf is in the area. Werewolves are dangerous and physically big creatures, so weaker species are naturally afraid of them.”

“Weaker species… like what for example?” Enid wanted to know.

“Gnomes, werecats, unicorns…” answered Wednesday. “On the other hand, creatures like Hydes can see it as a challenge and not as a warning. They are bigger than werewolves and history has shown that it isn’t easy to predict which one will be the winner after these two beasts fight.”

“Why?” asked Enid.

“Werewolves are brave and agile, while Hydes are strong and blinded by rage. The one or the other always ends up dead.” Wednesday’s stoic expression became serious. “Avoid a Hyde at any cost.”

The blonde nodded casually. “Okay.”

“Am I clear, Sinclair?” pressed the shorter girl trying to underline the seriousness of the situation.

Enid blinked. “Yeah, I’m not gonna fight a Hyde. I don’t even know a Hyde. Don’t worry.”

Wednesday nodded. “So. Howling.” she returned the conversation to the previous topic. “A good howl is like a good handshake: people realize your strength and confidence. To produce a strong howl, always use the diaphragm.”

“And how do I do that?” asked Enid.

“Stand straight and exhale fully. Then, take a deep breath and howl engaging your abdominal muscles. Like this.” Wednesday did what she described and produced a deep - although human - howl. “When you howl from your throat, it sounds like this.” She howled again, although more shallow. “Notice the difference?”

“Yeah.” responded Enid, her werewolf hearing catching the stark contrast. “The first one was more… powerful.”

“Correct.” said Wednesday. “Now, let’s hear you howl.”

Enid shook her hands and legs to prepare. She stood with the straightest back she could, exhaled, inhaled and… howled hoarsely and miserably before a cough got caught up in her throat interrupting her in total embarrassment.

Wednesday blinked stoically. “The first try… is the first step to accomplishment. Try again. Imagine there’s a full moon, you wolfed out and need to transfer a serious message to your pack. Howl.”

Enid tried again. Even though she was a werewolf, her wolf howl didn’t sound as powerful as human Wednesday’s. Urgh, why was this so difficult?

“Try again. Say your message. Howl.” encouraged her Wednesday.

Enid howled again. Hey, was that an improvement?

Satisfaction glinted in the ravenette’s eyes. “Better. Now louder. Engage your diaphragm.” She took a few steps away from Enid.

The blonde produced the same, kinda miserable, but improved howl.

Wednesday stepped further back growing the distance between them. “Again. I can’t hear you.”

Enid howled in persistent mediocrity. Anger started to build up in her chest.

“Again.” Wednesday let the distance between them grow more, so that she was merely a black dot in the white horizon. “I’m in the woods. I can’t hear you.”

“Awooo…” Enid howled angrily, but terribly.

Silence.

And then-

“Was that the wind?” jested Wednesday flatly.

“Aaargh!” exploded the blonde.

The ravenette cupped her hands over her mouth. “Enid, that was shouting, not howling.”

“I know, Wednesday!” shouted Enid, so the ravenette could hear her over the ridiculous distance she had created.

“If you know it, then howl!” responded Wednesday. “I’m dying to know what your message conveys and I can’t hear it!”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t have gone that far away!” said Enid back.

“A wolf’s howl can be heard from six to ten miles away! I’m not even half a mile away! Transfer your message!” shouted the ravenette, so the blonde could hear.

“Fine!” answered Enid and howled miserably once again.

Silence.

“We will attend to that matter again!” shouted Wednesday at the same time Enid noticed that her hands were fading away. She was waking up.

---    ---    ---

“Lesson number three: the Killing Bite.” monotoned Wednesday the next night.

“When fighting against opponents, keep in mind that they may have life-threatening intentions. When claws and fangs prove insufficient to hinder their attack, you may be forced to utilize the Killing Bite.” she explained impassively.

“And is the Killing Bite… actually killing someone?” gulped Enid in worry. She didn’t want to kill anyone.

“It can be used as a lethal act or as a warning. The opponent may be frightened due to the possibility of death, so they retreat.” Wednesday made clear.

“Okay, so what do I do?” asked Enid.

“Aim for the carotid arteries that’s located on each side of the neck, secure your jaws around the throat and bite hard.” deadpanned the shorter girl. “Do you want me to elaborate on how the opponent will die within a few seconds as the werewolf’s fangs-”

“No, I think that’s okay.” reassured her Enid. “And uhm… if I don’t want to kill them?”

“Then don’t bite.” answered Wednesday simply.

“Okay, makes sense.” said Enid. “Huh, I think I got it.”

“Excellent. Now, if you can secure your jaws around my throat mimicking the Killing Bite, the training will be over.” monotoned the ravenette.

“Wait, what?” Enid widened her eyes. “But what if I do something wrong and I… bite?”

“Enid.” Wednesday clarified. “You’re in your human form.”

“Oh, right. No werewolf fangs.” the blonde laughed awkwardly. “So, that’s it? I just put my jaws around your throat and… the training is done?”

Wednesday’s expression was blunt. “Do you happen to find it easy?”

“Yeah. I mean…” started Enid.

Wednesday looked at her expectantly.

“You’re… short.” commented the werewolf.

“Well, then I suggest you start now.” answered the ravenette with calmness. “My daggers will be my weapon of defense. Knives, as well as claws and fangs, are the most dangerous weapons to face up against.” and then she added: “Do not fear. I have replaced my silver blades with stainless steel ones due to your werewolf nature.”

“Oh. Great.” nodded Enid, although she doubted the Dream would let them get hurt in any way. Still, it was… actually a nice thought of Wednesday.

With that statement, the two girls stood in silence.

Enid didn’t know what to do. The shorter girl stood there as unmoving as before and didn’t grab a dagger from her boots as she thought she would be doing.

The quietness was deafening. This was getting awkward, so the blonde just made a sudden move forward and-

Wednesday gracefully sidestepped putting her dagger against Enid’s throat with surprising ease and speed.

Where did that dagger come from? thought Enid feeling the cold blade against her throat.

“Try again.” monotoned the ravenette. “Find your opponent’s weakness. Wolves attack in a smart way, not in a pure brutal one.” She removed the dagger’s pressure from Enid’s throat. “Underestimate your opponent again and your demise will come shortly.” she intoned.

Okay, fair point. But Enid was determined now. So, she faked a sudden attack forward, but at the last minute, she made a move from the side.

Wednesday skillfully escaped her attack as if she had already seen it coming. She pressed her dagger against the blonde’s throat stopping her abruptly.

“Again.” deadpanned the ravenette.

“How are you so fast?” complained Enid.

Instead of answering, Wednesday stepped back to her previous position, facing Enid motionless. The latter huffed and lunged forward again.

Wednesday took advantage of the momentum and with one precise movement, threw Enid on the ground, her boot hovering above her throat. “Again.” She withdrew her boot. “Find your opponent’s weakness.”

Enid shot up from the ground. She started to empathize with Aunt Luna’s children. Weakness. What weakness? Wednesday was fast, well-trained and smart. She even made her height disadvantage into her advantage.

“Well-” Enid’s sentence got cut off by the sudden feeling of cold metal pressing her throat again. “Hey, I didn’t even get a chance to move!”

“Act faster.” smirked Wednesday and retrieved her dagger.

Okay. Weakness. Enid thought eyeing Wednesday. Her ego? Her stubbornness? Her-

A cold blade touched her throat again.

Enid groaned. “Oh, come on!”

This was going to be a long training…

---    ---    ---

“Was it head? And shoulders? No wait, that’s a shampoo.” Enid muttered to herself in the dreaming space trying to practice transforming. “And then uh… the growling. Aaargh...” she growled and shot a hopeful smile to Wednesday who had completed the steps of wolfing out beside her.

“Enid.” stated Wednesday and stood up. “You’re thinking too much.”

The blonde’s expression changed to disappointment. “Yeah, I know. I just keep messing up the steps. I don’t wanna forget the right order, but then I forget it anyway and-” she shook her head and sighed.

At first, demonstrating helped where only words had failed. What if they tried something else? thought Wednesday. Something so… Enid?

A mental light bulb flickered inside the ravenette’s mind. Physical touch.

Physical proximity and contact were often displayed by Enid. Werewolves thrived with it. It would help her move by instinct and spontaneity ignoring the pure logic and accurate steps that - while they were helpful for Wednesday - were hindering for Enid.

The only problem was that the ravenette had been avoiding physical touch her whole life due to her fear of experiencing visions of death.

Seeking touch was uncharted waters.

She looked at Enid. The blonde looked back with kind eyes and a soft, questioning smile as if asking “Is everything okay?”.

Always caring. Always interested if Wednesday was okay. The ravenette remembered the familiar feeling when Enid touched her hands during conversations or playful moments. She remembered the slow way with which the blonde joined their hands to dance waltz allowing her to draw back or to carry on if she wanted. She remembered the way their bodies came slowly closer with each sway like it was natural. Each touch with her didn’t produce deathly visions, but comfortable warmth.

Seeking touch with Enid was safe.

“I have an idea.” stated Wednesday flatly.

Enid stood up casually waiting to hear.

“Forget about the steps.” monotoned the shorter girl. “Move through instinct. We are going to practice transforming and I’m going to guide you. You just have to let yourself fall.”

The blonde’s eyes were surprised. “Okay.” she agreed. “What do you have in mind?”

“I’ll indicate where the transformation happens and you will move to complete the stages.” explained Wednesday and Enid nodded.

The ravenette took a careful step towards her and positioned herself to her right, her body almost brushing against Enid’s.

Oh. Oh. They were close. thought the blonde, her heart beating faster for an unknown reason.

“Are you ready?” asked Wednesday in a soft tone. Her usually stoic gaze hid something close to uncertainty this time. Like someone who isn’t sure if they’re doing something right.

“Yes.” Enid reassured her wholeheartedly.

“A full moon rises.” started the ravenette. “You feel a pricking of the skin, like on a cold night.” Her light breath brushed against Enid’s cheek causing her goosebumps.

Focus. the blonde thought to herself.

“The transformation starts…” continued Wednesday and slowly positioned her hand above Enid’s right one. Her cold fingertips were close to touch Enid’s skin, but they didn’t made contact. So, a feeling of intimate waiting was left in that miniscule space between.

“And progresses…” Wednesday carried on guiding her hands to move up to Enid’s arms. The werewolf dropped to her knees and palms, her body following Wednesday’s hands.

“It builds up in intensity…” monotoned the ravenette. “The pain is almost excruciating at this point.” She moved her hands above Enid’s shoulders and head. The latter tensed. “Breathe. Focus on your pleasant thought. Your person.” Enid found Wednesday’s gaze.

“The transformation finalizes…” the ravenette trailed an invisible path from Enid’s neck lower and lower, her fingertips almost touching her. The latter moved through the practiced transformation. “And now, you’re a wolf.” completed Wednesday and both became still.

Blue eyes met black. Something passed between them.

Enid’s werewolf hearing caught a sudden spike in Wednesday’s heartbeat that matched with her own racing heart.

The silence was electrifying.

Wednesday opened her mouth to speak. “You… did it.”

Enid blinked. “I did it.”

“Your fist successful-” started Wednesday, but Enid stopped her.

“Wait. I forgot to do something.”

“What?” the ravenette joined her eyebrows in confusion.

“This.” answered Enid and Wednesday’s heart hammered in her chest as the blonde-

“GRRROWL!”

She growled. Of course. What else could she be doing?

“I forgot to… growl.” explained Enid awkwardly almost as if she was about to do something different earlier.

“Yes. Of course.” nodded Wednesday. “Now you have… completed your first successful transformation.”

“Yeah.” Enid smiled almost happily. “Great.”

The two girls exchanged one last glance, before they started to fade away waking up.

---    ---    ---

Another night, Enid practiced howling with Wednesday again.

“Urgh, I’m never gonna get this right.” groaned the blonde after another weak and failed attempt at howling. “And I don’t even know what I’m doing wrong!”

“You’re not engaging your diaphragm.” monotoned the ravenette.

Maybe physical help would prove itself useful here, too? thought Wednesday and asked: “May I?”

“Yeah.” nodded Enid.

The shorter girl took a few hesitant steps towards Enid and, exchanging a rare shy glance with her, positioned herself behind the blonde’s back.

“Your diaphragm is located in your upper abdomen.” explained Wednesday and gently put her hands a little under Enid’s chest. She felt the blonde tense with the touch. Enid’s heart started racing.

“Pardon me.” apologized Wednesday and retrieved her hands. Her stoic heart began hammering, too.

“No, it’s okay.” Enid gave her a reassuring smile above her shoulders and found the ravenette’s hands mid-air. Warm touched cold. “It’s just uh… your hands were cold.” she lied, looking ahead to hide the shade of pink that rose in her cheeks.

“Oh.” A subtle sadness tinted the ravenette’s voice. “Yes. My hands are always untreatably cold.”

“Luckily, my hands are always warm.” smiled Enid with a smile so pure and warm, it could melt ice. “You’re like, my polar bear.”

“Your polar bear?” Wednesday blinked. The blonde had said it once before, during their third night of their shared dreams.

“Yeah.” Enid blushed harder with every passing second. She didn’t intend to let that slip out. So, she tried to keep her voice casual. “We’re polar opposites. You seem cold from the outside and have this super stoic expression all the time, like polar bears. But you also have this really, really fluffy side in you, when you… I don’t know.” She casually lifted her shoulders. “Relax. Open up.”

Wednesday let that thought torture her mind for a moment. She’d never been someone’s… polar bear before. Admittedly, polar bears are dangerous creatures and powerfully skilled predators. Their absence of clear body language and facial expressions is a trait that makes their attack difficult to anticipate as it could also mean that they are protective or curious.

Still, something in Enid’s tone suggested it was meant as something softer than that. Not a mere observation of similarities, but almost like a name to show… affection.

Involuntarily, that warm, fuzzy feeling encompassed Wednesday’s heart again. For the first time, she thought, she could get used to that feeling.

“So, does this mean you’re my wolf?” the ravenette’s words flew out of her mouth before she could stop them. Where did that sudden bravery and rational carelessness come from?

Enid squealed from the inside. Outside, she smiled self-contained. “Oh, I don’t know. Am I?” she glanced playfully behind her back, so Wednesday could see her total smugness.

“Your diaphragm.” the ravenette noted flatly reestablishing her monotone expression.

“I am… my diaphragm?” Enid joined her eyebrows in confusion.

“No. Engage your diaphragm.” Wednesday returned the conversation to the previous topic. “You should practice your howling.”

“Oh. Yes.” The werewolf remembered. “What… were the steps again?”

Wednesday slowly repositioned her hands under Enid’s chest. The blonde felt goosebumps, but not from the cold.

“Exhale and relax.” The ravenette felt the Enid’s stomach muscles relax. “Take a deep breath feeling your abdomen and sides expand outwards.” She felt the blonde’s stomach slowly puff up. “Now, focus on engaging your core to support the diaphragm’s movement and howl.”

A few silent beats passed, until-

“AwoOOO…” a powerful, yet human, howl echoed in the vast dreaming space.

The two girls exchanged a glance.

“Significantly better.” The ravenette’s eyes glinted with something close to satisfaction. “A profound change indeed.”

Wednesday didn’t know if that was because of Enid’s hugely bright smile or the sheer joy she emitted or because of the relaxed atmosphere that arose after a successful task. But she found herself adding in the congratulations: “Mi lobita.”

It wasn’t said loudly, but Enid’s werewolf hearing caught it. And she was 100% sure about two things:

One. She didn’t know much Spanish.

And two. She knew this definitely meant “my wolf”!

She squealed with joy. “Can I- can I howl again?” asked Enid.

“Of course.” answered Wednesday.

“AWOOOO…”

This wasn’t a human cry. This was deep and rich. The kind of sound that vibrated in your heart. The kind of howling that froze your blood in terror and could only be described as pure wolf.

The silence felt even more profound after that.

Enid looked behind her back to see Wednesday.

The ravenette stood behind her, still like an inanimate statue. “Magnificent.” she monotoned.

Enid let out a small, happy laugh. When Wednesday’s gaze met hers, the blonde thought that, for a split second, her dark eyes glinted with something dangerously close to admiration.

---    ---    ---

Another night in the dreaming space, Enid and Wednesday practiced the Killing Bite. Only this move was left to complete the training.

Focus. thought the blonde after another failed attempt at attacking the ravenette.

Find your opponent’s weakness. repeated Enid from the inside. Wednesday’s ego? Her stubbornness? Her… eyes? Her lips?

No, wait. The last two were Enid’s weaknesses.

No, wait. What am I thinking? thought the werewolf when-

“Again.” deadpanned Wednesday suddenly holding her dagger against Enid’s throat. “Find your opponent’s weakness.” she retrieved the blade and walked back to her original position to face her.

Then, Enid had an epiphany.

Wednesday subtly leaned in her left foot to steady herself when in attacking position. If she could kick it in the right time, then…?

“I’m ready.” said Enid in determination.

The ravenette smirked slightly. “I’m waiting.”

Was this a bluff? Enid wasn’t sure, but Wednesday wasn’t moving from her position. Although knowing her, she could attack at any second.

The silence between them was tense. Neither was moving.

Then-

Enid unleashed her claws attacking Wednesday’s right side, making her slide to her left. The ravenette leaned in her left foot to steady herself. In a split second, Enid kicked her opponent’s left shin.

Wednesday slipped.

Her eyes found Enid’s. “Better.” she stated flatly.

The blonde grinned triumphantly, but that didn’t last long as the ravenette immediately regained her balance and pressed the dagger against Enid’s throat.

“Again.” said Wednesday.

 ---    ---    ---

Light shone through the intricate gothic windows of the Addams Mansion. It illuminated small speckles of dust that danced in the vast Addams Library.

Wednesday turned another page in a year-worn book, when the door creaked open.

“Hello, mother.” monotoned the ravenette, not looking up from the book.

“Reading in that awful weather?” asked Morticia wincing at the bright sunlight.

“Late spring is indeed quite foul this year.” answered Wednesday flatly. “Nothing like a good rainstorm to accompany reading, but one must proceed with what they’re offered.” she turned another page.

Morticia’s gaze searched the spines of the few dozen books arranged in piles on the desk Wednesday was sitting at.

“Werewolves are an interesting topic to research.” noted her mother. “May I ask why the sudden absorption?”

Wednesday casually flipped another page, her expression stoic as always. “I’m merely revisiting an old childhood interest. Since a few weeks, I found myself wanting to know more about them. To regain a knowledge I had forgotten since my childhood.” She closed the book and reached for the one on her right pile. Gold letters shone against a black leather cover: “Werewolf Bites”.

“I see.” smiled Morticia knowingly.

Wednesday halted turning the book open. “What are you hiding, mother?” Her black eyes found the dark pair who shared familiar features with.

Instead of answering, Morticia smiled politely and said: “I remember chapter six offers fascinating knowledge you’d find rather… helpful. For future reference.” she added and turned around to leave.

Wednesday shot a searching glance at her and flipped the book open at chapter six.

“Mother!”

“Yes, darling?” Morticia turned around innocently.

“The title is called ‘The Mating Bite’. Any particular reason for that suggestion?” Wednesday’s eyes revealed contained surprise and regrettably, a certain level of shyness.

“There’s no reason to be shy, Wednesday.” soothed Morticia. “I just thought this would be a good time to have that conversation.”

“Why?” asked the ravenette flatly.

“Maybe the subconscious knows more about us sometimes.” said Morticia simply. “Your werewolf research…” she sighed remembering old times. “I remember when I was at my soulmate years and had shared dreams with your father. I had this urge to search more about electrokinetics. Who would’ve thought?”

Wednesday connected the dots and blinked exactly once. “But my soulmate can’t be a werewolf. Werewolves thrive on physical touch, while I… do not.” She lowered her eyes.

“Trust that the universe knows something more about us than we know about ourselves.” commented Morticia. “These past few months, something has shifted inside you. You know I always admired your straight posture-”

“It helps with swallowing knives.” added Wednesday flatly.

“Exactly.” agreed Morticia. Her tone became warmer. “But your shoulders are more relaxed now and you seem more… open.”

The ravenette gave a once-over to her mother. “Explain.”

“Well, today at breakfast you told Pugsley you tolerate him. I’ve never heard such an honest compliment from you.” said Morticia.

“It was merely a slip of the tongue. I’m not changing, mother.” deadpanned Wednesday.

“Correct. You’re evolving.” smiled Morticia. “Becoming better and more mature. You’re allowing yourself to explore, maybe new emotions, maybe a new rising side of you. You must be proud of yourself.”

Wednesday sat more upright, slowly processing her mother’s words in silence.

“I am also thinking…” Morticia added. “That perhaps your soulmate is a good influence for you.”

The ravenette opened her mouth to protest-

“I’m not saying your soulmate changed you.” explained her mother honestly. “No one can change you without you allowing it. I am saying that you chose to let yourself evolve. And I am happy for you.” Her smile was filled with parental love and sincerity.

Wednesday let her words sink inside her. She frowned a little in thought.

“Wednesday.” said Morticia softly and her daughter looked up to meet her eyes. “You know we’re always there for you if you feel ready to talk. About anything. Me, Gomez, Pugsley, Uncle Fester. Even Aunt Luna. She’s only a letter away and she will come this Sunday for lunch. If you want to talk to her about werewolves or soulmates.”

Wednesday nodded swiftly.

Morticia gave her a last smile and seeing that the conversation had come to an end, turned around to leave.

“Thank you.” Wednesday said in a small voice.

Morticia turned around with a soft expression. “Anytime, darling.” She leaned in to squeeze the ravenette’s hand reassuringly, but Wednesday withdrew her hand from the desk with such speed one might have thought she had touched acid. She didn’t want to risk seeing a vision of her mother dying.

Wednesday met her mother’s honest eyes. “Not today. I’m not-” she shook her head. “Not today.”

“Okay.” Morticia retrieved her hand a little heartbroken, but nevertheless with much understanding. “We all die someday, Wednesday. Do not fear of Death.” she added.

“I know.” the ravenette answered flatly.

Morticia and Wednesday exchanged a final glance, before-

KABOOM!

Gomez’s happy voice sounded from upstairs: “By George, did you see how these trains crashed?”

Pugsley’s excited voice accompanied his father’s. “Yeah! Now let’s put my volcano in the center.”

“The one for the science project?” One could hear the mischievous grin in Gomez’s voice. “With the TNT inside?”

“What else?” grinned Pugsley upstairs.

Morticia found her daughter’s gaze and shook her head. “Boys…”

Wednesday let out a small smirk. “Wait, until they hear about Uncle Fester’s new order of explosives.”

---    ---    ---

The ravenette dodged the blonde’s attack in the dreaming state. Her black braids flying, she made a quick turn and pressed her dagger against Enid’s throat.

“Again.” she monotoned.

Enid blinked. She finally got it. She finally realized Wednesday’s weakness.

Oh, it was so obvious and ridiculous. How didn’t she realize it sooner? It could actually work! she thought happily, but did the best poker face she could that wouldn’t give her away.

“Find your opponent’s weakness.” helped Wednesday flatly and retrieved her dagger. “It can be anything. Analyze their movements, their character, everything that might provide a crack in the armor and attack there.” She walked back to her usual position to face Enid for another round.

“Ready?” she asked bluntly.

The blonde nodded decisively.

The silence was heavy. Neither moved.

But Enid had a plan.

She unleashed her claws attacking Wednesday from the side. The latter just slid to her right, a little towards where the bench stood.

Good. thought Enid and made another attack to that direction forcing Wednesday to move boldly to her right, only two steps away from the bench.

Momentarily, the blonde pretended to slip during her attack and the ravenette immediately seized the opportunity to immobilize her with her dagger, when-

Everything happened in slow motion.

“Chapter six.” read Wednesday in the Addams Library. “The Mating Bite.”

“Not to be confused with the Killing Bite in which the attacker points their sharp fangs to the opponent’s throat in threat.”

Wednesday made another turn avoiding Enid’s attack due to her supposed slip. With braids flying, she extended her sharp blade towards the blonde’s throat in a threatening way.

Suddenly, a pull stopped her dead in her tracks.

“The Mating Bite is used during bodily encounter…”

Enid grabbed a single black braid and pushed Wednesday’s back on the bench, pressing on top of her with her mouth inches above her pale throat.

“Optionally during the werewolf’s heat…”

Enid’s hot breath huffed against Wednesday’s exposed skin.

“And often during climax.”

The  girls’ chests heaved in shallow pants caused by the exercise.

“It’s an expression of absolute trust…”

Wednesday trusted Enid. While, indeed, there was a possibility that werewolf’s fangs could elongate slightly in their human form, the ravenette felt surprisingly safe.

“Unshakeable devotion…”

It was like the entirety of the physical world had concentrated itself in only two places that mattered: Enid’s hands pressing hard against Wednesday’s shoulders and the blonde’s mouth hovering softly above the ravenette’s throat.

“And…”

Wednesday felt two points grazing against her skin: Enid’s fangs had lengthened a little.

Her pulse quickened.

“True love.”

CLING!

A clear, metal sound echoed in the dreaming state as Wednesday’s dagger slipped through her fingers to the ground.

It would be impressive how Enid managed to render her useless, even dropping her weapon to the ground, if not for the blonde’s method. Turning a hairstyle into a weakness? That was unfair. That was pure evil. That was… marvelous.

“So…” Enid gulped and tried to find words. “This was my first time killing someone… was that okay?”

Wednesday tried to keep her usual, deadpan voice. “This was… excellent.”

“Really?” The blonde smiled with small fangs in view. She gasped and her hand flew to her mouth. “I have fangs!”

“Yes, you do.” The ravenette’s expression was stoic, but her eyes glinted with quiet admiration.

Enid’s other hand loosened the pressure on Wednesday’s shoulder and rested casually on the bench’s arm. The metallic stems of roses that shaped the bench’s structural element bore small thorns. Dangerous and elegantly beautiful, like Enid’s fangs.

The blonde searched Wednesday’s eyes and gave her a small, questioning smile. “What?”

“Nothing. It’s just, you’re so…” the shorter girl started.

Beautiful. she thought, but said out loud: “Skilled.”

“Oh.” Enid let out a small laugh. “Thank you. You’re…” she started and met her dark eyes.

Beautiful. her heart melted, but said out loud: “A good teacher.”

“Oh.” Wednesday blinked. “I had a good student.”

Enid blushed a little, before her expression faded into something close to sadness. “Does this mean the training is over now?”

The ravenette thought for a beat. “Yes.” she answered and added: “Although we could still train in an infrequent basis to keep your muscle memory in action.”

Enid’s eyes lit up. “Yeah, good idea.”

They exchanged a glance as silence fell in the vast, empty space.

Enid smiled. Her small fangs caught Wednesday’s attention again as she lowered her eyes.

In turn, Enid lowered her eyes on Wednesday’s lips. Her werewolf hearing noticed a spike in the ravenette’s heartbeat. The blonde’s heartbeat raced, too and-

Enid leaned in.

---    ---    ---

Wednesday walked down the stairs of the Addams Mansion in slow movements.

She had woken up in the strangest of ways: a hammering heart and a genuine smile on her face. Nothing like that soft, carefree smile she had woken up to that winter day. No, this was something else. Something more… profound. And she couldn’t shook away that feeling and recurring thought that-

“’Morning. Do you want cereal or spider cookies?” asked Pugsley at the kitchen table, pouring milk in his black bowl.

Morticia wished her good morning and Gomez greeted her with an energetic wave of his hand, while drinking a big gulp of cyanide from his cup.

Wednesday just sat on her chair with one automatic movement. “I think my soulmate tried to kiss me.”

Gomez choked spitting out droplets of cyanide. “By George!” he smiled wildly.

“Wait, what?!” Pugsley dropped his spoon in his bowl.

“How wonderful!” Morticia smiled, happy for her daughter.

“Spill the tea.” her brother wanted to know.

“I don’t remember, Pugsley.” monotoned the ravenette. “That is the concept of these dreams. I only have this… feeling.”

“Oh, right.” remembered her brother.

“Querida…” smiled Gomez to his wife. “In just eight months, our little storm cloud has grown into a whole rainstorm.” he said proudly.

Wednesday rolled her eyes.

“Indeed, my dear.” Morticia agreed with her husband and sighed remembering old times. “Remember when we first tried to kiss in our dreams?”

Gomez laughed. “Oh yes, it was torturous!”

“Why?” asked Pugsley and Wednesday at the same time. They looked at each other.

“Well, this beautiful woman kept calling me ‘mon chéri’ and I couldn’t do anything about it, but stare.” their father answered with a hopeless tone in his voice. “Every time I was about to kiss her, I kept waking up in the middle of the night. So, then, I just stared.”

“The Dream doesn’t let you kiss your soulmate.” Morticia explained to her children. “You always wake up before something happens.”

“There’s simply no shortcut. The kiss…” said Gomez. “must happen in real life.”

Chapter Text

The next night in the Dream was awkward.

Enid exchanged a glance with Wednesday.

The blonde hesitated. “So… how was your day?” she sat on the bench in uneasiness.

“Uneventful.” monotoned the ravenette, who sat on the bench next to her with her back straighter than an industrial cut ruler.

Silence.

“How was yours?” added Wednesday unsure.

“Oh, it was… yeah, nothing happened either.” Enid avoided Wednesday’s gaze. She inspected a colorful thread from her sleeve with such attention one might have thought it held the secrets of the universe. “How was the weather today in New Jersey?”

“Dull and grey. Quite excellent.” answered the ravenette looking ahead, maybe more stiffly than usual. She fought shy of the blonde’s gaze.

“Oh, great.” gulped the werewolf.

Silence.

“So, did you see the news?” she started again, when-

“Enid.” Wednesday finally said with intention. “We should address the obviously avoided subject of discussion that hangs over our conversation like an impending axe.”

Enid’s surprised eyes met her dark ones for the first time that night. “What subject? I don’t see any-”

“The kiss.” Wednesday held her gaze with meaning.

Enid blushed instantly. “I’m so sorry, I don’t know what got into me yesterday-” she apologized with fast words and an even faster heartbeat. “We were just so close, emotionally and - and literally. And I was so happy that I finally did the Killing Bite with your help and you were just so…” Her eyes sparkled dreamily. “beautiful - Oh my god, what did I just say?!” she panicked.

“Enid. Breathe.” The ravenette’s voice was steady and calm, although her thoughts were racing.

Enid found her beautiful? Wednesday’s heart warmed a little.

The blonde took a breath. “I’m sorry.” she apologized for their almost kiss again.

Then, Wednesday’s heart started hammering, but not from shame or anger. It was beating in the rhythm of a frantic truth she tried to decipher.

How was this possible? Was it the Addams Curse? Maybe it was the fate of soulmates?

She didn’t know. But what she did know was that yesterday, in these three seconds Enid had looked at her like that - these three seconds before the blonde bravely leaned in – oh my, if Enid hadn’t leaned in, Wednesday would be the one to initiate the bravery. And that was absolutely…

Terrifying.

The ravenette’s mind went back to their almost kiss. Back in the way Enid’s fangs had grazed against her sensitive neck mimicking the Killing Bite. This wasn’t a werewolf trying to hurt someone. This was something so unbelievably soft, so immensely caring.

Because such was the antithesis of Enid Sinclair:

A storm clothed in sunshine.

Ferality in pink.

And fangs that loved.

When Wednesday was ready to reach out her hand, Enid was there to hold her warmly.

When she was afraid of seeing visions, Enid made her feel safe.

When she opened her heart to her, Enid didn’t slam the door shut. Instead, she made sure Wednesday could find the key again.

So, yes.

When Wednesday’s eyes met Enid’s yesterday, those three wonderful seconds before their almost kiss, her heartbeat spiked in realization.

For the first time, she wanted to kiss.

And however terrifying that was, she didn’t want to stop it.

Despite the fear, despite the uncertainty, she hoped that Enid would meet her in a soft landing.

“Why would you apologize…” Wednesday hesitantly initiated the bravery today. “for something that is mutually wanted?”

“Because I should’ve totally asked first and- wait what?” Enid blinked. “You wanted to… kiss me?” A smile formed on her lips, oh so bright and goofy.

The ravenette took a breath to steady her hammering heart. This wasn’t a fight or flight situation. This was a time to be vulnerable- no.

It was time to be true.

She wanted that kiss.

“Let’s just say that if the Dream hadn’t woken us up, I wouldn’t… hinder it from happening.” An imperceptible shyness glinted in Wednesday’s eyes.

Enid thought she was gonna explode from happiness. Wednesday wanted to kiss her?! For all reality- I mean, Dream? the blonde thought and squealed inside. She understood this was a big step for Wednesday to say, so Enid wanted to be gentle. She was going to say something so soft and supportive and-

Her hands became transparent before she opened her mouth to speak. “No, no, no. I don’t to wake up, yet! I have so much I want to say!”

Wednesday exhaled from her nose, the closest she could get to laughter. “We will speak tomorrow, Enid.”

“Urgh, until then I-”

Love you. Enid caught herself in surprise before saying it out loud. It was too fast, too soon. Instead, she said: “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” The corners of Wednesday’s lips turned slightly upwards as she faded away waking up, too.

---    ---    ---

They met tomorrow. And the night after that. And the night after that, too.

Every night was better than the previous one, because after that last werewolf training, something had changed between them. Something fundamental had evolved that let them share soft, innocent touches and even softer glances. And it wasn’t only because of their almost kiss or the revelation that they both wanted it. No. For Wednesday, it seemed like the tectonics of her heart had been shifting in earthquakes of realization.

“You know, I was watching the stars tonight.” Enid sighed happily and leaned her head on Wednesday’s shoulder.

The ravenette didn’t flinch at the contact. Surprisingly, her heart filled with warmth as she felt the comfortable pressure of Enid’s cheek against her. “You do that often.” she observed.

The Dream didn’t let them kiss. It was prohibited. But that didn’t apply to sharing touches or - to Wednesday’s great hesitation at first and her unexpected enjoyment after - cuddling.

“I just love when I can see constellations.” answered Enid, gently readjusting her head on Wednesday’s shoulder. “When I was a kid, I spent hours watching the night sky, trying to discover them behind clouds and reading their myths.”

The ravenette felt the blonde’s smile against her shoulder.

“But today the sky was super clear and I could even see my favorite!” Enid beamed. “It was so beautiful… I just wish I could show you.”

As if by magic, darkness fell all over the dreaming state. Stars twinkled brightly against a black sky filling the Dream with stellar beauty, just like it was in Enid’s home back in San Francisco.

The blonde straightened her back in surprise as she looked upwards with a huge smile.

When something appeared in the dreaming space, it meant that both girls truly loved it.

“I didn’t know you loved constellations!” Enid’s eyes lit up with happiness.

Wednesday met Enid’s eyes. “I love…” she started. I love the way your eyes light up with joy when you talk about things you love. I love the love you have on things. The pureness, the happiness, all of it. I love… you. she thought and widened her eyes in surprise at her own mind.

“Them.” Wednesday concluded out loud shaking the thought away. “Constellations are… quite interesting patterns of stars.”

“Oh, it’s not just that. It’s the stories.” The blonde searched the night sky. “You see those stars up there? The ones that look like a woman falling?” she pointed at a complicated constellation that - with a lot of imagination - resembled a figure plummeting from the sky.

The ravenette furrowed her eyebrows slightly trying to distinguish it. “Yes.” she monotoned when she saw it.

“That’s the Andromeda constellation.” Enid smiled dreamily. “My absolute favorite.”

“How so?” asked the shorter girl.

“Oh, where should I begin?” Enid’s eyes darted left and right as if prioritizing information. She smiled decisively and stood perfectly still when she said: “It’s a love story.”

Wednesday found herself leaning back on the bench’s planks to hear Enid’s favorite story unfold.

The werewolf let out a small sound as if she just remembered something. “But of course, you already know everything about it, since you love constellations, too.”

The ravenette froze. She blinked stoically. “Remind me.”

Enid looked at her with questioning eyes. A look a painter might have if you asked him something superficially basic such as “What is paint?”.

Wednesday’s expression remained unreadable as she catalogued all the possible answers to make plausible reason to this lack of information. “I want to hear it from your perspective.” she concluded.

This seemed reasonable enough to Enid as she melted on the bench’s back in happiness.

“Okay, so…” she started. “Andromeda was human and a very beautiful princess. But it was her destiny to die tragically, so she could save her kingdom. There was no escaping it: she must be chained to a cliff facing the sea, while a water monster came and killed her. But then…” she emphasized raising her index finger in the air.

“Just as she was about to die, a hero named Perseus saw her facing danger.” Enid continued. “He just happened to return home from his mission to kill Medusa and the minute his eyes met hers… he fell in love with her.”

“Because she was beautiful?” asked Wednesday flatly.

“No, you see…” Enid straightened her back and explained passionately. “It was destined to be. Everything bad that happened - Andromeda sacrificing herself to save her kingdom, Perseus killing Medusa to complete his mission and then returning home seeing Andromeda - everything happened, so they could meet and fall in love. It wasn’t a coincidence. The universe helped them meet.”

“They were soulmates.” concluded the ravenette.

“Exactly!” Enid was excited. “But it was tragic. They first saw each other in real life when Andromeda was about to die. But then..." she smiled. "Something wonderful happened. Their love was so strong that the universe spared Andromeda from her terrible fate. Perseus managed to save her killing the sea monster and they married, had nine kids together and lived happily ever after. The perfect love story.” she beamed.

“And when Andromeda died of old age, she was placed in the sky as a constellation to remind everyone of her story: that everything happens for a reason and that true love is stronger than any darkness.” Enid smiled with such passion, pureness and reassurance that the ravenette felt her heart share a bit of the blonde’s passion, too.

Enid’s fierce eyes met Wednesday’s. “That’s Andromeda. It’s not just a constellation. It’s hope. It’s…” Her blue eyes softened. “True love.”

The ravenette looked at the blond girl before her, the brightest star of all, as she said:
“Beautiful.”

Enid’s cheeks reddened. They were sitting so close that she could see Wednesday’s faint freckles that adorned her face. Something clicked inside her and she looked at Wednesday like she had just realized that the most beautiful star formations couldn’t be found in the sky, but in the ravenette’s freckles.

Wednesday looked at Enid like she just realized that the most beautiful sky could always be found in the blonde’s blue eyes.

Two heartbeats enriched the silence of the dreaming space.

Then, a bright trail crossed the starry night.

“Look! A falling star!” gasped Enid. “Make a wish.”

Wednesday’s expression was tender. “It seems my wish already materialized itself as I see you right in front of me.” The words spilled out before she could stop them.

Enid let out a happy smile. “Says you. If I’m your wishing star, then you’re my moon.”

“Your moon?” asked Wednesday.

“Yeah.” said the blonde. “Let the other werewolves stare at the moon, if I can have you. You outshine it anyway.”

Her eyes were so gentle, they made the ravenette’s heart warm in a way only Enid could do.

Such comments would normally make Wednesday roll her eyes or huff in disgust, like when her parents declare their love for each other and make it everyone else’s problem. But now that Enid had said it, it was… how cliché, but it was different.

Like tasting cyanide for the first time again. Or polishing an old silver jewelry and make it shine again. Or beheading a doll of a historical figure giving it accurate, historic context. These weren’t mere words now. Enid came and gave them meaning.

Wednesday caught herself staring in surprise. She looked away. She wouldn’t let Enid see her in two conditions: having goo-goo eyes or crying. That was unacceptable. One must maintain some dignity.

And then-

“Urgh, what was that word?” Enid muttered to herself. While Wednesday was battling emotions, the blonde had something very specific in mind and tried to remember a word she had read that she was 100% sure the ravenette would like, too.

Enid’s eyes lit up as she remembered. “That’s right.” She met the ravenette’s eyes with softness. “You’re absolutely… celestial.”

And that was it for Wednesday.

How simple, how stupid, how extraordinary.

“Wow.” The word left Wednesday’s lips and Enid thought that when their eyes met again, only for a split second, she saw her pupils dilate. “Wow is the word that comes to mind when I see you. You are an exclamation mark in person and I am the words waiting to meet you in the end to be astonished.”

The irony wasn’t lost on the ravenette. It seemed that Enid’s words had the same effect on her as Morticia’s French had on her father. Only for her, it wasn’t French, but…

High vocabulary.

Wednesday’s cheeks became light pink. Oh, the shame was too big… How ridiculous.

When she met Enid’s eyes again, the blonde smiled like she knew exactly what she was doing.

“So, we’re not a love story? We’re only a sentence?” Enid asked innocently.

“Only a sentence?” emphasized the ravenette. “It seems that I’m a prisoner of your heart and you won’t give me the key. I am serving a life sentence with you.”

“You keep saying those words and I’m gonna keep that key all for myself.” Enid teased playing along.

Wednesday’s expression softened. “How wonderful.”

The blonde let out a laugh full of happiness. “You are…” Her words trailed off.

“I am…?” asked Wednesday.

Enid’s heart melted. “Amazing.”

If you have chemistry, you only need one other thing.

Wednesday searched Enid’s eyes.

The factor of-

Something glinted in those blue eyes. White streaks of light, the ravenette realized were…

Explosion.

Thousands of shooting stars falling from the night sky of the Dream, descending like fireworks.

A celestial event of wonder showered over them as both girls started to fade away, each glance expressing quiet adoration and a dislike for goodbye.

---    ---    ---

“You’re different.” Wednesday stated one night in early June.

The blonde joined her eyebrows in a questioning manner.

The ravenette hesitated. “I like being alone.” she said. “But for the first time, I wanted someone else’s company more than my own. And that was yours.”

Enid looked at her with that wonderful expression again.

“You have that look in your eyes.” noticed the ravenette.

“What look?” asked the werewolf.

An imperceptible shade of pink colored Wednesday’s cheeks again. “Like you’re… falling in love.”

Enid’s heart hammered against her ribcage. Should she say it? “I can’t pretend I’m not falling in love, ‘cause…” she took a breath. “I think I am falling.”

Wednesday’s eyes widened in surprise. “Enid, I…” Her gaze dropped on Enid’s lips in an unguarded second. She forced her eyes to meet blue ones, only to realize that they had found attention on Wednesday’s lips.

“We can’t kiss.” stated the ravenette with a racing heart.

“I know.” said the blonde with an irregular heartbeat. Her gaze was still lowered.

“We will wake up.” Wednesday’s eyes dropped to Enid’s lips again.

“I know.” repeated the werewolf.

A surge of bravery shot inside Wednesday’s heart. “We will wake up no matter what we do.” Her black eyes shone decisively. “I want to be the reason you wake up today.”

“Then, kiss me good morning.” Enid’s soft glance found the ravenette’s.

Wednesday leaned in.

The Dream didn’t let them kiss. But in some small house in San Francisco, between sleep and early mornings, a blond girl woke up with a fluttering heart and an easy smile.

And were that… butterflies in her stomach?

---    ---    ---

It was the last day of school before the summer vacation started, so Enid was particularly joyful when she met Wednesday in the dreaming state.

The ravenette’s stoic expression was tainted with a frown.

“Sad that school’s over?” Enid joked happily.

Wednesday didn’t answer.

“Did something happen?” The blonde’s face became serious.

The ravenette’s dark eyes found hers. “I got expelled.”

“What?!” Enid blinked in surprise. “But it’s the last day of school.”

“Yes, it was quite original.” deadpanned Wednesday. “It would be amusing if not so distressing.”

“What happened?” Enid wanted to know.

The shorter girl didn’t answer right away. Instead, she took her time, almost as if measuring each word in her head. “My family… ” she started. “is considered weird. Unnatural. Frightening even.” Her eyes saddened slightly. “My brother has been a target of ridicule. He is often prone to hurtful teasing and physical pranks by older classmates. Naturally, I won’t accept it.”

Enid remembered that Wednesday and her younger brother went to the same public school near their neighborhood.

“And why did you get expelled?” asked the werewolf. “Those douchebags should be expelled. You were just protecting your brother!”

Wednesday smirked. “Well, it turns out that if a hospital and the loss of a body part are involved, it is considered ‘unethical’ and ‘terrifying.’” she quoted the air with her fingers. “Principal’s words, not mine. Conveniently, he didn’t say a word about Pugsley being locked up inside a dark locker immobilized by ropes with an apple in his mouth. It would be entertaining if not for his intense claustrophobia and soft nature. I’m lucky I found him before he lost his mind.”

“Wait, what?! And that’s all the principal had to say?”  Enid started to get annoyed by the unfairness of it all. Although, she was curious about the phrase “loss of a body part”.

“Yes.” answered the ravenette flatly. “He fainted afterwards, because my parents walked inside his office with Lurch.”

“Okay…” said the blonde, still don’t seeing the reason behind expelling Wednesday. Sure, she could seem… intimidating when not knowing her, but there had to be something more.

“And what did you mean by the ‘loss of a body part’?” asked Enid trying to connect the pieces.

“The bullies were part of the polo team.” monotoned Wednesday. “I merely released our family’s piranhas into the swimming pool during their last polo practice. The team’s captain, who is also the arch-bully, lost a testicle.” she smirked. “Notably, Harold was always my favorite piranha. He doesn’t possess extremely sharp teeth, but he certainly has a sharp mind. He does know how to play fetch.”

Enid didn’t know if she should laugh or cry at the absurdity of it all. “And what are you gonna do now?”

Wednesday’s eyebrows furrowed a little in thought. “I already gave Harold a treat, though I suppose I could give him one more in the morning.”

“What? No, I meant…” Enid giggled a little. “Are you gonna enroll in a new school next year?”

“It’s mandatory.” said Wednesday flatly. “Unfortunately, no school in the state is now open to accept me as a student. Or visitor. Online attendance to classes is also prohibited.” she clarified.

Upon seeing the pure shock in Enid’s eyes, she added: “There had been similar… incidents. They caused me to change seven schools in five years. Eight, if you count this school, too.” she explained. “I’m not going to simply sit by watching my brother getting ridiculed or having his mental health deteriorate by a group of teenagers. Our parents have already talked to the principal numerus times and my brother has changed schools before due to bullying.”

Wednesday’s gaze was steady and determined. “If one doesn’t understand with words, the other must communicate with clear and meaningful actions. In this case, piranhas.”

Even though the ravenette’s methods were a bit extreme, Enid could understand she loved her brother very much. She herself had two younger brothers, so she could empathize with her protectiveness.

“And since no school is allowing you to enroll…” started the blonde in a questioning manner.

“There is... one school that is allowing me to enroll.” Wednesday hesitated. “The principal is an old friend of my mother. She said she would be delighted to have an Addams as a student.”

“Really? That’s great!” smiled Enid.

“However, it is quite distanced from home.” commented the shorter girl. “It takes several hours to reach by car and offers dorms for the students who live far away.”

“Oh, yeah? The school I will go to in September is also far away.” noted Enid.

“It is an academy for students with… special powers.” explained Wednesday flatly. “I don’t know if you have heard of it before.”

“Hmm, I don’t know. But my new school is also about outcasts.” said Enid.

“I remember.” said the ravenette. “What a coincidence. I didn’t know there were many schools about them. My school’s name is-” she said at the same time Enid said:

“Well, I will go to-”

“Nevermore.” both revealed.

The two girls blinked.

Silence.

A smile formed on Enid’s lips. “So, that’s where we’ll meet?”

“At school.” Wednesday’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.

“At Nevermore Academy of Outcasts.” Enid pronounced the full, formal title as if it was going to cement the fact that they would finally meet in real life in a little less than three months.

The werewolf squealed with joy. “Imagine if we’re roommates! That would be so cute!”

“That would be…” said Wednesday amused. “an interesting twist, indeed.”

Her stoic heart fluttered.

What a strange feeling.

Is this what happiness felt like? thought the ravenette trying to suppress a smile that threatened to appear.

It was like everything was leading them towards that moment in September, where she and Enid would finally meet in real life.

Everything couldn’t get any more perfect.

---    ---    ---

Everything couldn’t get any worse.

One summer night in the Dream, Enid was crying again. Only this time, it was far more intense.

Forget the happy moments. This was raw and heartbreaking-

Devastation.

Hard sobs made Enid’s shoulders jump as she hugged her knees tightly against her chest. She was trying to steady herself emotionally, to anchor herself so badly, that her fingertips turned white around her knees.

Only, she failed.

And it seemed like the world was ending.

“Enid! What happened?” Wednesday’s eyes widened in worry.

The blonde tried to talk during sobs, but nothing coherent came out. The ravenette couldn’t comprehend a single word.

Wednesday was starting to panic, maybe for the first time in her life. “Enid, you need to calm down. I can’t understand what you’re trying to say.” The ravennete didn’t know what to do, so she gently placed her hand on top of the blonde’s. A firm anchor against the storm.

Enid’s breath was shaking. “Useless.” her voice thinned, heartbroken. “They told me I’m- I’m useless.” she cried with her hands tense against her knees.

“Who told you that?” Wednesday asked in a calm tone even though her heart was racing.

“My parents. They told me I’m- I’m…” Enid’s voice was cut abruptly by a sob.

Wednesday’s thumb trailed soft circles on the blonde’s upper palm. “Breathe. Just breathe.”

Enid finally met the ravenette’s dark, reassuring eyes and tried to breathe. After a while, her sobs quietened a little as Wednesday felt the blonde’s hands loosen up against her knees. Enid eagerly placed one hand on top of Wednesday’s like a child grabbing its favorite plushie after a nightmare.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” The ravenette asked, now that the blonde had calmed down slightly.

Enid took a breath and blinked fast to not let the tears fall down again. “Tonight was a full moon.” she sniffed and Wednesday patiently waited for her to continue.

“I didn’t wolf out. Again.” said Enid after a while. “And my parents and brothers wolfed out. Like they always do. And at first, my parents didn’t say anything. They just...” She took an irregular breath. “They looked at me. And I know that look, Wednesday. It’s when I do something wrong and they are just…” Her eyes watered. “Completely disappointed in me.” A tear escaped. “And I was so ashamed, but I couldn’t wolf out. I tried to, but I couldn’t. I don’t know what I do wrong-”

“You do nothing wrong, Enid.” Wednesday’s eyes were steady, because she believed what she said. “It simply isn’t your time to transform, yet.”

Enid shook her head like she didn’t quite believe that.

Silence.

“You know what they said afterwards?” Enid palmed her tears away, a little too fast. “That I don’t deserve to be in a pack. It’s already enough that they take me to the forest with them when they transform. But that’s just it.” Her eyes were hopelessly sad when they found Wednesday’s. “Apparently, I can’t do anything right. They said that when I finish Nevermore they’ll send me to some college they think is… suitable for me. Something easy and local. And I asked them why, I have good grades. Not the best in class, but still they’re somewhat good, I can make them better. And they just said-”

Her throat tightened. “ ‘Because you’re useless.’ ” Her voice cracked heartbroken as tears trailed off her cheeks again. “I’m just useless.”

“That’s not true, Enid.” Wednesday’s voice was steady and assuring as she lifted her black sleeve to absorb Enid’s tears. “You’re the most capable person I’ve ever known. Not many werewolves can manage to learn transformation, howling and the Killing Bite in only two months and excel at them.”

Enid’s eyes glistened in cautious hope, like she couldn’t believe it.

“It’s the truth.” said Wednesday honestly. “Aunt Luna’s children who are trained by a werewolf to be werewolves…” she intoned honestly. “They didn’t even manage to touch me during training, let alone put their jaws around my throat for the Killing Bite.”

Enid held Wednesday’s gaze a moment longer. Then, she sighed. “Sometimes I wish I could just-” she shook her head. “Never mind.”

“You wish you could just…?” asked the shorter girl.

“I don’t know.” the blonde rubbed her hands on her knees. “Stand up to them. Speak up. Move out or something. But I… can’t.”

“You can. They’re your parents.” said Wednesday.

“Yeah, that’s exactly why I can’t do it.” said the werewolf.

Silence.

“Enid.” stated the ravenette. She hesitated. “Can I be direct with you?”

The blonde blinked. “Yeah. Always.”

Wednesday nodded and thought how she could approach such a sensitive matter. Directness and speaking truth was one thing. But overstepping a line was another. She wasn’t used to having - let alone initiating - conversations about emotions or parents. She understood she needed the right timing. But was this the right time? Or not? She knew Enid for ten months. Only. Already.

The ravenette weighed words in her head. Some words sounded too suggestive leaving room for misinterpretation, while others sounded too negatively pushful, baring the possibility for Enid to withdraw to herself.

Wednesday wasn’t satisfied with anything, so she decided to take the risk in good intention.

“This… isn’t the first time you get unhappy over this subject.” Her dark eyes were hesitant, but true. “These past few months since we met, you let yourself emotionally crash after a fight with your parents. I understand to be emotionally impacted-“ she added swiftly and took a breath. “But you let them control your life. When you will wolf out, where you will go to school, where you will go to college… You even let them tell you that you don’t deserve to be in a pack, even though you’re a werewolf. That you are useless.” She met Enid’s eyes with an honest expression. “Why?”

This tiny word collisioned with Enid’s heart. How could one word be so heavy, so unbearable?

“I just…” The blonde hesitated telling the truth. Then, she reached Wednesday’s eyes. She realized it was safe to reveal herself before those eyes just like the ravenette had done with her a few weeks ago.

It was time to admit the truth. thought Enid. Even if not to Wednesday, then to myself.

“I don’t want to disappoint them.” revealed the blonde. “I’m doing things I don’t like, ‘cause I’m afraid… I’ll disappoint my parents.”

“And you prefer to disappoint yourself?” asked Wednesday.

Enid opened her mouth to respond, but she didn’t know what to say. So, she sighed.

“You can’t let them walk over you.” Wednesday gently squeezed her hand. “You’re so much more than that. You already mentioned you wanted to stand up to them. But, the truth is that you won’t stand up to them. You stand up for yourself.”

Enid’s eyes widened slightly in surprise as if a sudden understanding dawned on her.

Silence.

Wednesday thought for a few moments and added in a warm tone: “If there’s one thing I learned all these months with you, it is that you must always show up fully: with your emotions, your wants and your boundaries. Safety isn’t conditional. People will either accept you for who you truly are or they won’t.” she stated as if it was the simplest truth in the world.

“Yeah, but they’re my parents.” objected Enid. “I can’t stand up to them… I want to, but it’s so… difficult.” A hint of uncertainty glinted inside her eyes.

“Enid, how do you want to live your life?”

The question came out of nowhere.

Enid looked at Wednesday surprised and then, when she opened her mouth to answer, her expression changed to worry.

“You don’t have to say it to me.” said the ravenette softly. “But… I think you do know how. If you allow yourself to admit it.”

Enid’s eyes glistened with tears that threatened to form again. She blinked fast to hold them back, while her heart clenched in a way she didn’t want to admit.

Silence fell again.

Wednesday’s usually stoic heart started racing in fear. Had she said too much? Did she say the wrong words? She was unskillful with emotions, she knew it. But Enid was so much more than what she gave herself credit for and the ravenette didn’t want to let her ruin her life because of anyone.

Just when Wednesday thought she had destroyed everything by speaking-

Enid hesitantly opened her mouth. “I… know what I don’t want to do. In my life.”

The shorter girl patiently waited for the blonde to continue, but after several seconds of silence, she understood that maybe that was enough truth for one day. So, she gently squeezed her hand in reassurance.

“Whatever you feel like you want to do…” Wednesday held Enid’s gaze with meaning. “And whenever you’re ready, do it. But for yourself. Not your parents, not me, not anyone.” she searched the blonde’s eyes to see if she understood what she was trying to say. “Only you can stand up for yourself. It’s hard, but it’s only a journey upwards.”

Enid’s uncertain eyes found Wednesday’s reassuring ones. “And if I’m afraid to do it?”

“Then, you won’t go through this alone.” The ravenette took both of the blonde’s hands in her own. “When you decide to do it, I will be with you the entire way. I won’t let you go, not even when you reach the top.” Her gaze was honest. “If you’re afraid that you’ll fall, know that I’ll be there ready to catch you.”

Enid’s heart melted. It was hugged by a warm, fuzzy feeling and for the first time that night, she gave Wednesday a small, genuine smile.

When their eyes met, the ravenette thought she saw the blonde’s eyes glint momentarily, but not from the tears. She was quietly surprised, because that glance held decisiveness in it, however fragile, however small. But it was decisiveness nonetheless.

Slowly, the girls’ hands started to fade away, like every night.

Only this time, when they woke up, something had changed within them.

Wednesday felt like something important had taken place in that Dream, while a quiet strength with a hint of reassurance buzzed inside Enid’s heart.

---    ---    ---

Several weeks passed and it seemed like time was flying.

It was a night in mid-August when Enid clapped her hands excitedly. “Wednesday, I did it! I actually did it!” she beamed with joy.

“What did-” Wednesday started the question, but paused. She understood.

Enid had finally realized her inner strength.

“You did it?” The ravenette’s eyes glinted with imperceptible pride.

“Yes!” smiled Enid and patted the empty seat of the bench. “Argh, sit. I have so much I want to tell you!”

Wednesday sat next to her waiting to listen to the development of events.

“So. Wait-” Enid joined her eyebrows. “We’re talking about the same thing, right? I’m not talking about that cupcake recipe I wanted to try.” she clarified. “I’m talking about my parents.”

“Yes, Enid.” monotoned the ravenette, even though her voice had an amused tone to it. “The intended meaning of your words was perceived.”

“Oh, great!” smiled the werewolf and got comfortable in her part of the bench. “So. These past few weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot. About my life, what I wanted to do with it and my parents. I didn’t know why I thought about these things, but I did and I decided something. And I almost felt… assured with my choice.” Her glance found Wednesday’s.

Enid took a breath and her expression changed to something more serious. “Tonight was bad.” she stated. “Like, really bad. Like a fight with red-faces-popping-veins bad. With my parents.” she explained. “Everything started when someone said something about wolfing out… and of course, my parents said some stuff about me. Then, somehow the topic of college was mentioned and they said some meaner things about me. And I decided: No. I won’t let them speak this way about me anymore. And then…”

Her eyebrows lifted in self-surprise as a small smile started forming. “I took the chance. Tonight, I stood up for myself.”

Wednesday’s eyes glinted with positive surprise. “Congratulations. And how did you feel?”

“Afraid.” Enid half-laughed. “But also like a weight has been lifted from my chest. Finally.”

“And how… did your parents react?” the ravenette asked cautiously.

“Oh. That. Yeah.” Enid cleared her throat. “They… grounded me.” Her eyes saddened. “Probably for life. And they said that I was ungrateful and a- You know, the usual stuff.” she corrected.

With one decisive nod, Enid she shook her sad expression away. “But you know what? I don’t care.” She stood up, her back straight with a rising confidence. “I said what I said and I’m actually relieved now. If my parents don’t want to believe in me, then fine.” Her blue eyes burned with determination. “From tonight, I am going to be the one to believe in myself and I will make a future I like. I will stay at Nevermore Academy during semesters and Christmas holidays and will only return to the house for summer to see my brothers. I don’t want to stay there anymore. I don’t wanna hear how useless I am. Because I am not. I’m already studying harder to make my grades even better, so I can apply anywhere in the state. And when I graduate from Nevermore, I will move out to go to a college I love, to study something I am passionate about.”

Enid’s eyes glinted in that new flame of confidence. “And as for wolfing out, I am going to do it at my own pace. Not for my parents, but for myself. Even if I don’t wolf out at all, I am fine by that, too. Because I love myself. Not only the part where I am good at something, but also the part where I am not.”

Silence.

Wednesday blinked as she took in all these waves of revelation. “That seemed enjoyable saying out loud.”

Enid laughed. “Yes. Oh, yes it was.” Her genuine smile reached her eyes in relief and self-strength.

Wednesday looked at her with proud eyes. “Congratulations, Enid.” She spoke that word fuller now. “You must be proud of yourself.”

Enid let out a surprised laugh. “I think for the first time, I am proud of myself.” She dropped her gaze in thought. “And I know that one night can’t change something in me that takes time to build. But it’s a start.” When she found Wednesday’s eyes, her expression changed into something soft. “And I couldn’t have done it without you. So, thank you for helping me.”

“But I didn’t do anything. You stood up for yourself.” objected the ravenette.

“Yeah, but I woke up with this feeling.” smiled Enid. “This hopeful feeling of confidence, determination and… safety. That whatever comes next, I can handle that.” Her eyes were gentle. “I think it was because I knew subconsciously that if I fell, I had someone to catch me. A safety net.” she explained. “You believed in me and because of that, I started to believe that maybe, this someone who will catch me if I fall, can also be… me.” She looked up. “If something happens, I can believe in myself to catch me.”

Wednesday opened her mouth to say something-

“Oh no, I’m so sorry.” Enid panicked. “That sounded so selfish, I’m sorry!”

Wednesday let out a playful huff, the closest she could get to laughter. “Enid, relax. I was only going to say that I’m proud of you.” Her eyes glinted with gentleness. “That’s not selfish. It is, in fact, quite healthy.”

A smile started forming, brightening the blonde’s features.

Wednesday’s eyes became imperceptible shy. “Since, we are revealing thankfulness, I must return your thank you.” She hesitated. “A few months ago, my mother said that you helped me let myself open up. Be vulnerable for the first time. Allow myself to… evolve. And I believe-“ Her glance fell upon Enid’s in softness. “She is correct. So, I must be the one to thank you.”

“But I didn’t do anything.” noticed the blonde. “You took the chance to open up. And I’m so happy for you.”

“Yes, but it was only because I knew it was safe with you.” explained the ravenette and hoped that the meaning behind these words reached Enid. “You helped me realize the value of being vulnerable. It isn’t about being weak, but being true with someone that matters. I wanted to be vulnerable, but with the right person.”

Wednesday’s dark eyes searched Enid’s blue ones. “And when I was indeed vulnerable, I found myself not regretful. On the contrary, it felt… surprisingly difficult, but eventually quite a positive experience.”

“Well, someone said to me-” Enid smiled with meaning. “It’s only a journey upwards.”

Wednesday exhaled from her nose, her version of laughter. “It’s only a journey upwards.” she repeated softly.

With these revelations, both girls started to fade away waking up.

---    ---    ---

It was their last night before the schools started. The final Dream before the two girls would finally meet in real life.

And tonight, Enid was absolutely…

Stunning. thought Wednesday.

She had this air about her. Ever since she stood up for herself, the blonde carried herself differently. The changes were subtle at first, but noticeable. She moved a little bit more lightly and stood with renewed self-confidence. During their infrequent werewolf trainings, she started howling louder and with increasing richness. Yesterday, she managed doing the Killing Bite with her first try and not after countless tries and fails like she used to.

And tonight-

Oh, tonight, Enid was so radiatingly happy, she made the rest of the world turn beautiful, too.

“-can’t believe we’ll actually meet tomorrow in real life and-” Enid’s excited voice cut through Wednesday’s thoughts.

Something in that sentence made the ravenette’s heart heavy. After almost twelve months of meeting Enid each night, this was their final Dream together and she couldn’t help but feel like something beautiful was coming to an end. The inevitable breaking of dawn that made the stars fade away.

How ironic. thought Wednesday.

At first, she saw Enid in the Dream and ran away from her. Now, she didn’t want to let her go.

“Where do you think we’ll meet? At the gates, at the-” Enid’s happy voice finally paused as she slowly took notice of the ravenette’s distress. “Wednesday? Are you okay? You’ve been silent for several seconds-”

“Have you in all certainty set your alarm clock so early?” asked Wednesday, an imperceptible tone of sadness shining through.

The blonde let out a sad smile. “Yeah, I have to wake up at 4:30 or else I’m gonna miss the first day of school.” she explained. “We live far away from Nevermore…”

Wednesday’s eyes were downcast. “Lurch will wake us up at 5:40. Morning will arrive too quickly.” Woeful black eyes met optimistic blue ones. “You are… the most beautiful star I had the privilege to admire and, unfortunately, you will fade away too soon tonight. One must wait in excruciating patience to meet your shine again.”

“Okay, what’s wrong?” Enid’s eyes were knowing. “You’re being poetically tragic again. And silent.”

“Nothing is, as you state, wrong.” responded the shorter girl.

“Wends. My moon…” started the blonde.

“My sun…” Wednesday’s eyes shone with admiration.

Enid chuckled. “You are acting like we’ll never see each other again. We will meet tomorrow at school.”

“I am aware of that.” monotoned the ravenette.

Enid searched her dark eyes. “But…?”

But what if something happens and we don’t meet tomorrow? thought Wednesday. What if we are put in different dorms or buildings? Or in different classrooms? Or even worse…?

The truth was that, as much as she wished it, Wednesday couldn’t share Enid’s excitement about tomorrow. Unwelcome uncertainty plagued her heart tonight for reasons she didn’t understand.

The werewolf’s expression slowly changed to troubled.

No. thought the ravenette. It is supposed to be a night of joy, not worry.

But she needed to be sure.

Wednesday gently took Enid’s hands in her own and waited.

No deathly visions. The seer was relieved as no visions of Enid’s death occurred. The only enemy was the clock that would wake them up too soon. Her distress was false.

Wednesday took a breath. “I am aware that we will meet tomorrow.” Her eyes were vulnerably honest. “But I don’t want us to part, yet.”

“I want to stay a little bit more, too. Stupid alarm clock.” Enid chuckled sadly. She traced soft circles on the ravenette’s upper palm.

Slowly, Wednesday joined their hands. She guided Enid’s right hand to her back.

“What are you doing?” The blonde’s expression was confused.

“Freezing time.” Wednesday placed her own left hand on Enid’s shoulder and with her right one, she gently guided the blonde’s hand to a waltz. “Would you like to accompany me to a dance in this Dream?”

“Again?” Enid giggled.

“We waltzed in winter and now it’s summer.” Wednesday noticed. “What better way to end the final Dream than the way we started?”

“But when we first met here, you… turned around and ran away?” the werewolf remembered.

“I meant…” Wednesday’s eyes darted off elsewhere, a small gesture of shyness. “When we started. The first time you and I… felt more. Before the snow globe appeared and we first wanted to… kiss.” Black eyes found blue again. “I want us to dance as soulmates.”

Oh.

Enid’s heart started beating faster.

She understood what her words meant.

In how many ways can you say “I love you” without actually saying it, yet?

“I would love to dance with you.” the blonde smiled.

Her werewolf hearing caught a spike in the ravenette’s heartbeat. Wednesday looked at her like she was something extraordinary and mesmerizing. Like flames against the night.

Enid looked at her like a wolf stared at the moon.

Light and darkness colliding.

And then, just about when they were about to waltz-

A breeze.

A shift in the air.

Something magical happened that can only exist in dreams.

Enid took in Wednesday with astonished eyes. “Wow.”

The ravenette’s black clothes had transformed into an elegant dress, one might admire in attendees of gothic balls. The fabric was layered black and half-transparent on her shoulders, like a beautiful reinterpretation of the night in dress.

Wednesday looked at Enid stunned. “You look…”

The blonde’s clothes had magically changed into a bright, orange dress, one might mistake for an attire used for princesses. Small, tangerine crystals caught light making an intricate pattern across the multilayered fabric. It was a flame expressed in finery.

“Breathtaking.” Wednesday finally blinked.

Music sounded. The unmistakable intro of the song “Blazing” started playing with a soft piano and romantic strings, even though there were no instruments visible across the emptiness of the dreaming state.

Enid giggled happily, like she couldn’t believe it.

It was magic.

It was the kind of dance she was dreaming of as a kid. Or the kind she only saw in movies and wished it was true.

In a similar way, the dresses and music travelled Wednesday’s mind back to her childhood. Like the Addams Balls we used to hold at the Mansion… she thought, tender at the memories.

      -You’re running out of time

       I’m running out of faith…

The lyrics hit close to home as Wednesday adjusted their hands back in dancing position.

      -We’re swimming in a fire

Her glance found Enid softly. And then-

Just as the blonde thought it couldn’t get any better, everything got perfect.

The lights faded out as a starry night appeared all over the dreaming state bathing the two girls in comfortable darkness and twinkling stars.

Enid looked up surprised, before finding Wednesday’s eyes again.

“It seems like every time I look at you, I see stars.” the ravenette revealed.

Enid smiled warmly.

Wednesday spun the blonde around. Her dress shuffled at the turn like flames.

      -Blazing like a dying star

She tried to catch her at the turn.

      -You were blazing

       Like a dying star

But her calculations were proven wrong. Her fingertips didn’t touch the blonde’s.

      -I was gazing

       At your shine from afar

Enid went too far away. The blonde chuckled a little, relieving the awkwardness of the atmosphere. “Sorry.”

      -Now you’re gone

“Don’t apologize.” Wednesday cupped Enid’s hand, gently guiding her at the first position of waltz again.

      -This love was a phoenix on fire

       This love was a luminous pyre

They danced again, slowly, discovering each other’s rhythm.

A phoenix of exploration.

      -We’re burning, forever shining

This had nothing to do with their first dance in winter.

      -You’re running out of time

       I’m running out of faith

The dance was the same, but something was different.

      -We’re swimming in a fire

While their first waltz was shy and hesitant, the dance tonight was-

      -Blazing

       Like a dying star

A promise and an expression-

      -You were blazing

       Like a dying star

Of mutual love.

The two girls exchanged a look.

      -I was gazing

       At your shine from afar

In a spontaneity of playfulness, Wednesday made an “ooh” sound at Enid and shook her hand as if touching something hot.

Enid threw her head back in laughter.

      -You were blazing

       Like a dying star

The playfulness melted away and the two girls inched closer.

      -Now you’re gone…

Even closer.

      -To the light, we are fading

One kiss away.

      -Blazing

But they would kill the moment if they kissed.

They would wake up, fading away ultimately…

      -Like a dying star.

The music came to end. Bittersweet. Hopeful and sad.

Everything seemed to stand still for a second.

Then, Enid smiled setting Wednesday’s heart in motion. “You know, I never realized it until now.”

The ravenette joined her eyebrows slightly as if posing a question.

“I think soulmates are written in the stars.” said Enid taking a look above. “I think that’s why all these love stories can be found in constellations. Maybe stars were made for falling. Like soulmates do.” Blue eyes encountered midnight black ones. “Maybe that’s why when I look at you, I am totally… moonstruck.”

That was it.

Something clicked inside Wednesday.

Something hidden or buried had woken up and - not realizing what she was doing - she took Enid’s hand in her own and almost brought her lips to touch the blonde’s upper palm-

Wednesday suddenly stopped mid-air.

What was she doing?

Going to kiss Enid’s hand, because of a word-

She didn’t want to wake up too early and throw away their last Dream, because of an impulse. An experiment that would result in them waking up.

So, she just stared longingly at Enid as if her eyes could somehow substitute a kiss.

Oh, no. the ravenette realized with dread.

That motion reminded her of what her father had said he did on his shared dreams with Morticia when they were young soulmates who couldn’t kiss. Stare at her with longing.

Even now, when her mother muttered a French word, her father passionately went to kiss her hand.

She was becoming what she feared the most.

Her parents.

“What is it?” Enid asked.

“Nothing.” Wednesday tried to keep her voice flat.

The blonde smiled. “Come on, I know that face. Your eyebrows were furrowed in that specific angle and you widened your eyes for a bit. So, that means you were thinking about something in that very concentrated way of yours. And that means you just realized something.”

The ravenette’s heart skipped a beat at the truth of that statement. “I realized I…”

Love you. thought Wednesday with a surprised heart. But not like when people say they love a decorative object or an outfit. People love all kinds of superficial things. No. I love you with the depth that a soul loves another soul. With an intensity of emotion that is both frightening and inevitable, like it was always there from the start. I realized I won’t make my dream of becoming an acclaimed author and detective come true after all. Because I won’t make it come true alone, but with you. And that is-

Wednesday’s eyes met Enid’s. The best end I could ever wish for.

Silence fell upon the dreaming space.

The ravenette opened her mouth to speak, her heart racing against her chest.

The blonde gave her time, waiting patiently.

“I used to think that being open was like an open wound.” started Wednesday. “But since I met you, I keep bleeding... love.” Her eyebrows lifted imperceptibly in surprise. “The truth is, my heart belonged to you even before my mind had begun to realize it. However I want to paint it as, it seems romantic hues always colored my sentences when it came to you.” She let out a huff. “How can a simple thing be so hard to say?”

Wednesday reached for the blonde's hands so tenderly as if she was reaching for her heart.

“I love you, Enid.”

The blonde’s heart fluttered.

“I love you, too.” Enid smiled wholeheartedly.

And nothing more needed to be said. It was like all these half spoken confessions and poetic revelations from months ago, had finally found a home in three words.

But an Addams doesn't simply say an "I love you" and calls it a day. Oh, no. The heart speaks freely now.

“Two months ago, you asked me if I wanted to kiss you.” The corners of Wednesday’s lips lifted a little. “Let me enrich my answer.” She took a step towards Enid. But not too close or else the consequences could be riskful. “You are the first person I truly opened up to. For your eyes only, I showed you my heart and everything in it. You are the first person that touched me and made me forget about visions. You let my guard down and somehow, inexplicably, borrowed my heart. Every day when I wake up, I'm half a heart without you. So, yes.” She cupped Enid’s hand with her own. “Why wouldn't I want to kiss you? Why wouldn't I want to make our hearts whole again?”

Enid couldn’t contain her smile. “Wednesday...”

“Yes?” The ravenette’s eyes lit up.

“You say stuff like that and look at me like this... I only fall harder for you, just to let you know.” chuckled the blonde.

Wednesday nodded in seriousness even though her tone was playful. “So, I should spread a mattress on the floor to let you fall on something soft. Noted.”

Enid laughed. Softly, she leaned forward, her forehead touching Wednesday's. “I love you.” she smiled and searched her dark eyes with intention. “You know that when we meet tomorrow, words won't be enough, right?”

“And what are you going to do about it?” the ravenette returned the glance.

“Oh, I don’t know.” the blonde smirked like she did know, exactly, what she was gonna do. “Maybe I open the door and walk inside...”

“And?” Wednesday asked.

“And I'm gonna touch your hand like it's the first time, even though it's one of thousands. And you turn around in surprise, beautiful as always...”

Wednesday rolled her eyes even though her lips suggested the shadow of a smile.

“And then, we recognize each other instantly and we have so much to say, but so little time. The school bell rang already and... I kiss you in good morning.” Enid smiled goofily.

“Well, I see you haven't thought about this at all.” jested Wednesday.

Enid blushed. “Whaat? That was- totally spontaneous.”

“Oh yes, I'm sure.” monotoned Wednesday.

Enid blushed harder.

“Well, someone turned into a tomato now.” noticed the ravenette flatly.  “Someone spontaneous.”

“Oh come on, I blush easily!” Enid laughed and buried her face on Wednesday’s shoulder, which was a comical gesture, given that the blonde was taller than the ravenette.

“Mi lobita, I... have thought about tomorrow, as well.” Wednesday hesitated.

Enid leaned slightly back and lifted an eyebrow in a questioning manner.

Wednesday’s expression changed a little as she revealed the anxiety that tormented her heart tonight. “What if we don't meet tomorrow? What if we are put in different dorms or buildings? What if something happens and we don't see each other?”

The blonde connected the dots. “So, that's why the Dream played this tragic love song.”

“It wasn't a logical decision.” said the shorter girl. “The Dream must have sensed my anxiety about tomorrow and revealed it in song.”

“Wednesday. Don't worry.” soothed Enid. “Everything will be okay. Remember what you told me all those months ago?”

The shorter girl met her eyes in question.

Enid gently squeezed her hands. “That the universe chose us for a reason. And it was not to tear us apart. We're soulmates.”

“That is... correct.” Wednesday agreed.

“So, this isn't a goodbye.” smiled Enid. “It's an ‘I'll see you tomorrow’”. Her hands started to fade away.

Wednesday’s fingertips also started to fade away, but her heart was reassured by her words. “I'll see you tomorrow.”

And with that promise, both girls faded away completely. They woke up with a soft anticipation for the day before them.

---    ---    ---

She was late.

Enid was late.

Her alarm didn’t ring as she had accidentally set it for 4:30 in the afternoon. Not the morning!

Aargh, stupid 12-hour format! Why did she think it was a good idea to set it like that?

Students stared at her gigantic glittery pink suitcases she pulled along her running across the Nevermore grounds.

“Sorry.” she accidentally bumped on a student’s shoulder as she thrust herself in the building’s main entrance.

The rolling of their spinning wheels echoed on the marble floors. The sound of her shoes produced a rich Click Click Click as she walked up the stairs made of ebony.

True, Nevermore seemed beautiful. Ancient and mysterious in a way only a school housed in towers could bring out.

But she could admire the school’s architecture later. Now, she panted as she reached the empty hallway on the third floor. She came to a stop in front of a heavy, wooden door.

It was silent.

She checked Nevermore’s invitation letter again.

Yep, this was her shared room.

Her roommate would probably be already inside, packing out their suitcases or making this room feel like home.

Enid’s heart fluttered in excitement.

Who knew who her roommate was? Maybe it was someone fun and interesting? Maybe they could paint their nails together or talk about their favorite K-pop bands? Or maybe…

She smiled.

Maybe she would finally meet her soulmate. Argh, that would be so cute!

She let out an excited huff and reached for the door handle. She opened the door wide-

“Howdie, roommate-”

A flock of dust danced in the bare room.

There were no signs of anyone settling down making this space their own. No suitcases, no school bags, no bedsheets, no shoes under the bed, no clothes in the closet, no pencils on the table.

Not anything.

A giant circular cobwebbed window illuminated bare wooden floor, walls and ceiling.

Her roommate didn’t arrive.

The room was empty.

Chapter Text

Wednesday turned around and saw a colorful dot in the white horizon. “Enid! You’re here.” she said surprised as if she wasn’t certain that the blonde would appear in the Dream.

It was the first night of school and the ravenette was standing so far away, she was merely a small, black silhouette in the infinite whiteness.

She walked towards Enid.

“Yeah, of course I’m here. Why wouldn’t I be?” the blonde shouted a little confused. “Why are you so far away? Do you want me to howl? Ooh, I guess we could do that later.” she wiggled her eyebrows. “But first, I wanna tell you about my first day at Nevermore! I didn’t see you in any of my classes-”

She cut her sentence short as Wednesday finally approached her. Only now that she was close to her, Enid realized a certain sadness in her dark eyes.

The ravenette joined their hands in gentleness.

“Oh, extra cold hands today! Wait, let me…” Enid rubbed her broad hands on Wednesday’s smaller ones. “Warm you up.” She started telling her about her day. “You know, Miss Thornhill seemed nice-”

“Enid.” Wednesday’s voice cut her off. Her expression was serious. “I need to tell you something.”

The werewolf’s happy smile faded a little at the edges. “Okay.”

The shorter girl opened her mouth to speak, but decided otherwise. “Perhaps you’d like to sit down first.” she indicated the bench and sat down herself.

Enid sat next to her hesitantly. Fear started crawling in her heart.

Had something happened? Something serious?

“There is… no easy way of telling you this. So, I will speak the truth.” Wednesday took a breath. “There was a mistake.” she met Enid’s eyes. “A car accident.”

“What? What do you mean?” the blonde was confused.

“My family and I woke up at 5:40 in the morning to reach Nevermore, as planned.” Wednesday tried to keep her voice steady as Enid’s eyes searched her own with an expression that said “Please, don’t say what I think you’ll say”.

Wednesday’s heart ached. “We took the family car to drive to the academy. And there was… an intersection. A particularly steep one, obscured by dense trees of the forest. The kind that doesn’t allow full visibility to the driver.” Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, trying to remember the details. “And then two bright lights flashed by a large vehicle. Possibly a truck. A collision happened.”

Enid’s eyes widened in horror.

“What I am trying to say is-” Wednesday’s back stiffened noticeably, like it always did when she was trying to contain on emotion that was too hard to handle.

“That you’re okay, right?” pressed Enid, her heart racing in worry.

“I’m-” the ravenette held the blonde’s gaze for a moment. “I won’t survive the night, Enid.”

The werewolf’s heart dropped like a stone in her chest.

“Due to severe head injury, I fell into a coma.” explained Wednesday. “I heard the doctors inform my parents that the survival chance with this extremity of injuries is below zero percent. The truth is…” she said. “I’m already dead.”

“No.” Enid’s chest tightened. She felt as if she had crashed into a solid wall and couldn’t breathe. “No, that’s not- That’s not true.” she tried to process Wednesday’s words. “It can’t be. We’re soulmates. We were supposed to meet in real life and fall in love. We were going to-” she didn’t know what to say.

She stood up from the bench. “Tell me this isn’t one of your morbid jokes.” Tears glinted in her blue eyes.

“Do you see me laughing?” Wednesday’s expression was serious. Whatever false playfulness she hoped to see was absent.

“No.” Heavy realization dawned on the blonde. “No.”

“Please, Enid. We don’t have much time.” Wednesday’s eyes were pleading slightly as she stood up, too.

“What do you mean we don’t have much time?” asked Enid.

“A Dream doesn’t last forever.” explained the ravenette. “I can’t wake up anymore, but it is inevitable that you will wake up. And I don’t want us to part, not yet.”

Enid’s breath became even more shallow. She couldn’t believe it. It was too sudden. It didn’t make sense.

In a last attempt to find a flaw in this explanation, she asked: “But how did we meet here? In the Dream. If you’re-”

Dying. she thought, but couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud.

It was a too heavy word, too final.

“Bodies die.” stated the ravenette. “Souls don’t. They just… go somewhere else.” Her voice was soft. “Our souls meet in the Dream. And only something that we mutually, honestly and truly love appears here.” Subtle tears made her usually stoic eyes glisten. “It seems that you love me with all your heart. So, tonight, I appeared in your Dream.”

Silence crashed in the dreaming state.

Enid wanted to admit, to shout “Of course I love you!” as a tiny hope fluttered in her heart that maybe they would meet each night again. Now that they loved each other, maybe-

“But it’s only for tonight.” added Wednesday. “After this Dream, it’s unavoidable that I will… be deceased and our soul’s connection will be cut, since we can never meet in real life. You won’t remember me when you wake up tomorrow.” A clear, hot tear trailed on her cheek. The emotional dam was broken, leaking pain. She had said to herself that she never wanted Enid to see her cry. But how couldn’t she? It was as if each word was a physical blow. “How can you love someone you don’t remember?”

Seeing the ravenette cry for the first time was something that shook Enid. It meant that something truly irrevocable had happened. That she was dangerously close to defeat. Or worse:

Acceptance.

“No.” the blonde refused to believe that that’s how they’ll end. “I will find a way. I will remember you, I-”

“You can’t.” Wednesday said in a pained whisper.

And it was true. No one could remember who their soulmate was before they met them in real life.

“But I want to.” Enid felt helpless. “I want to remember. I want to love you.”

“Enid, I want to love you, too-” Wednesday went to join their hands, but-

THOMP.

Her hands touched glass. A curved glass that appeared separating them with an almost invisible border.

The blonde looked around. The huge snow globe from their shared dreams had trapped her inside, while the ravenette was excluded outside.

“Wednesday!” Enid banged the glass with her palms in disbelief.

“Enid!” Wednesday palmed the glass as if she could somehow make it go away and touch the blonde’s hands.

Through the thin transparency of it, it seemed like their palms were touching. It fogged a little when Wednesday spoke.

“I’m sorry. I thought we had more time…” Her eyes saddened deeply. “All those months, I thought we were saying ‘I love you’. When we touched hands or danced waltz or ridiculously trained as werewolves…”

The blonde let out a small chuckle at the memory.

“All those months and I thought I would greet you with an ‘I love you’.” Wednesday met Enid’s eyes again for one infinite, and the same time, too short second.

And retrieved her hand.

“In the end, I love you at ‘Goodbye’.”

“Wednesday!” Enid widened her eyes as she realized that the Dream was coming to an end. Her fingertips were slowly fading away now. “No.” she crashed her fists on the glass in a desperate attempt to break it.

Wednesday looked at her with a heartbroken expression and made the most difficult decision in her life: Let Enid go.

She felt her heart shatter into a million pieces as she turned around.

“Please, don’t go.” Enid’s fists found the curved glass with a weaker force.

The ravenette pressed her dark eyes shut. A tear escaped.

“Wednesday, please…” Enid’s fist collided with the glass to make it break. It didn’t even quiver.

The tear fell down.

“I love you.” said Enid.

Ink black against the white floor. It was the tear of a Raven who was experiencing the unbearable.

Wednesday contained a sob.

“Wednesday…!” The blonde’s heartbroken voice echoed in the vast dreaming space.

The goodbye was final.

---    ---    ---

Flashback: Two hours before Wednesday told Enid her final goodbye.

The ravenette opened her eyes.

She stood alone in the dreaming state. Cold needled at her skin uncomfortably.

Weird. she thought. She never felt cold.

She rubbed her arms in two sharp movements, unfamiliar with the feeling.

Something tiny and black seemed to approach her from the infinite whiteness. As it got closer, its silhouette became more defined, giving the impression of an insect. When its curved tail glinted at the light, she realized it was-

No. It couldn’t be.

Could it?

She would recognize his little walking anywhere. It was-

“Nero!” Wednesday fell on a kneeling position to greet him. “How are you here?”

The scorpion crawled happily towards her. She opened her palms on the ground to let him climb on them. His light weight on her hands felt familiar, like it was only yesterday that they played together in the attic of the Addams Mansion. She petted him with her index finger so tenderly one might have thought he was a cute puppy.

Wednesday’s heart flickered in joy, before she realized-

Nero was dead.

It was cold in the dreaming space.

And silent.

She was alone. Enid wasn’t here. So, Wednesday wasn’t sleeping.

The last memory of the ravenette was a view outside the Addams car’s window. Flashing lights and a truck horn.

Wednesday’s eyes widened in terror as realization struck her.

She was… dead.

A deep voice sounded: “Nero was happy to see you.”

Wednesday looked up.

A tall figure dressed in black towered over her creating a shadow over her head. His oversized hood hid the features of his face in total darkness.

Death spoke again in his strong voice: “Hello, Wednesday Addams.”

The ravenette eyed him in silence. Nero crawled down from her hands and approached him. The scorpion gently rubbed his tail on the edge of Death’s boot like greeting an old friend.

The creases of Death’s hood shifted slightly as he smiled at Nero’s greeting. He extended his hand as the scorpion walked away in the endless whiteness.

“My name is Death.”

Wednesday answered flatly. “I’m shocked. I thought your name was George.”

Death’s laugh echoed in the dreaming state. “Oh, the infamous dry humor of Wednesday Addams! Big fan, big fan…”

The ravenette’s eyes were unexpressive as she stood up. “When can I come back?”

“To where?” Death’s laugh died.

“To the real world.” she pointed downwards with her look.

“I’m afraid you can’t do that.” rung Death’s answer.

“What do you mean?” asked Wednesday flatly.

There was a silence before the hooded figure answered. “What is the last thing you remember?”

The shorter girl slightly joined her eyebrows in thought. “My family and I were driving to Nevermore. It was morning. I remember thinking that the sweet talk of my parents was insufferable.” she recalled. “And then…” she blinked in denial of her last memory.

Silence.

“You had a car accident, Wednesday.” Death carefully filled in. “While you and your family were driving to Nevermore, a large vehicle hit the door of your seat. Lurch didn’t see it approaching due to the dense forest trees of the road intersection. Your head was severely injured and at the time of speaking…” his voice was steady as he revealed:

“You are in a coma.”

The ravenette’s eyes widened in surprise, but shock was replaced by hope.

She wasn’t dead, yet. She was going to see her parents again. She was going to see Enid.

“But with your… extremity of head injuries, it is impossible that you will wake up again. By morning you will have already succumbed to them.” said Death. “That’s why I came to greet you, Wednesday.”

His words stood out against the silence of the dreaming space.

“There is no going back.”

Wednesday’s heart froze. She blinked, processing. “No.”

“I am sorry.” Death’s tone was final, although a little sad. Almost like he couldn’t do anything to change it.

“No.” repeated Wednesday firmly. “Your explanation bears flaws.” she tried to find a mistake. “If I’m not dead yet, then why did you come to greet me now?”

Death’s shoulders relaxed. “A plausible question really.” He bowed his head in thought before he spoke. “Would you agree that death is… a prolonged state of unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened?”

The ravenette furrowed her eyebrows in thought. Then, she nodded.

“Well…” Death’s voice became soft. “That is the same definition of being in a coma.”

Silence.

“The only difference is that in that in the first case, your soul has left your body. In the second case, it has not.” he explained. “So, during coma you’re somewhere in between life and death, let’s say. I haven’t taken you home, yet. I’m just at the threshold.”

The explanation sunk in Wednesday’s heart. She wanted to deny it, to present counterexamples through cold logic-

But Death’s words were heavy and final. Her death wasn’t a question of “if”. It was a question of “when”. The sand in the hourglass was already there, falling. The unknown fact was when it was going to run out exactly.

Panic crawled inside her when a question stuck in her throat. She tried to maintain her stoic expression. “My family… are they…”

“No one died. They bare minor injuries, but nothing too serious.” reassured her Death.

The relief that filled her heart wasn’t evident on her expression. But in her eyes battled a terrible concoction of protectiveness and the grave finality of goodbye. “But that means…” Her voice was tainted with pain. “I am never going to see them again?”

“Not in real life.” Death’s answer was open to interpretation.

Something fractured inside her heart.

“And Enid?” asked the ravenette, ache glinting in her dark eyes. “I must see her. We were supposed to meet today at Nevermore. We were supposed to-”

“You won’t meet Enid in real life.” stated Death.

The fracture of pain became shattering.

Realization of what her death meant deepened inside Wednesday at a dangerous speed. “Why?”

Death didn’t answer.

“Why?” she repeated.

Death remained hesitantly silent, almost as if thinking how to approach the truth.

Wednesday exploded. “Say something! This can’t be how it ends. This isn’t how it ends. It simply isn’t.” Her breath became shallow as a knot tightened her throat. “We are soulmates, we… we meet each other and fall in love.”

“I’m sorry. I really am.” Death’s answer was grievously tainted.

“But I... I love Enid.” the ravenette said in surprising softness, before her expression became determined. “I won’t let go of her that easily. I demand a second chance.”

“This was your second chance.” said Death with a steady voice.

Wednesday was ready to argue at whatever Death had to say, but stopped abruptly. She thought she didn’t hear correctly. “I didn’t have a second chance. I haven’t met you before today.”

Death nodded in calmness, seemingly decided on how to approach the truth. “This was your second chance and we have met. Exactly one year back.”

“You must be mistaken.” monotoned Wednesday. “I don’t remember you. I would remember an encounter with Death himself. And one year back, that was the time my-”

“Shared dreams started.” Death finished the sentence. “Yes. Exactly like you wanted.”

The ravenette blinked in confusion. “Like I wanted?”

“Yes. You had the idea to die today after all.” explained Death.

Wednesday stood still. For the first time, she was completely speechless.

“I merely… pulled the strings.” added Death. “Everything went according to plan.”

What plan? Wednesday didn’t understand any of it. Pain and confusion tortured her heart.

“Do not be afraid and don’t worry.” soothed Death. “Everything will be okay.”

“How is everything going to be okay?” exploded the ravenette. “I’m dying, my family is injured and Enid… I will never meet Enid.” she said with such pain, only someone who grieves knows.

“Everything will be okay, because you made it.” Genuine joy colored Death’s voice. “You changed Enid’s future! And both of your fates remained intact. It is incredible, unbelievable even. Everything will be what it was supposed to be, but better.”

Wednesday looked up to meet Death’s eyes. Darkness stared back as his eyes were concealed under his hood.

“Why would I want to change Enid’s future?”

Death took a breath. “Perhaps it would be better if I… showed you.” He hesitated. “But I must warn you, what you will see is not for the faint of heart. Do you wish to know?”

The question hung in the air, sharp and looming.

“There is no going back after you see.” he added.

“Show me.” Wednesday’s eyes were determined.

Death nodded in seriousness and rose up his right hand. The long black folds of his sleeve rippled in motion as another reality appeared under his arm.

“We should start from the beginning. In the original way it was supposed to be…” sounded Death’s voice.

The reality was becoming bigger, like a window opening up. Fresh autumn air breezed inside the dreaming space as a gothic castle appeared whole, so live you could almost touch its century-old stones.

“You met Enid at Nevermore.” Death took a step forward nodding at Wednesday to do the same.

She complied, curiosity rising in her.

The opening of the reality stretched so much that it engulfed them both. A circular clock made a sound at Nevermore’s tallest tower. As if by magic, the date stood under it in gold letters.

01 September 2022.

They were transported back in time, exactly one year back.

---    ---    ---

“Howdie roommate!” a sixteen year old Enid beamed.

Wednesday from the original reality was standing still at the open wooden door of their shared room at Nevermore. She was staring at the blonde with surprised, blank eyes.

Her parents stood behind her looking inside the colorful room in quiet agony.

“It’s so… vivid.” grimaced Gomez.

Death watched the scene unfold with Wednesday from the present by his side.

“You see, in the original reality, you met Enid for the first time at the first day of school. You didn’t have shared dreams at all.”

Enid from the original reality scrunched up her nose watching Wednesday. “Are you feeling okay? You look a little… pale.”

“Wednesday always looks half-dead.” explained Gomez.

The ravenette from the present turned towards Death. “We didn’t meet in the Dream?” She watched as the blonde took the sight of her other self in half shock-half surprise.

Death shook his head negatively. “You hadn’t met each other before Nevermore.”

Enid from the original reality smiled kindly. “Oh. Welcome to Ophelia Hall!” she went to hug the original Wednesday, but she took a step back and turned around. The door of their shared room banged shut as she exited sharply leaving the blonde and her surprised parents standing.

Then, the scene faded away.

---    ---    ---

It was night at the next scene.

“Everything that you experienced in the Dream happened in real life.” explained Death.

Enid stood at the balcony of their shared room and rested her hands on the railing in sadness. She glanced at the full moon above her head∙ a constant reminder of her inability to wolf out. Echoes from other Nevermore students who had already transformed made her failure seem bigger.

“Why aren’t you wolfing out?” sounded the ravenette’s monotonous voice from the original reality. She stood on the balcony stiffly, a little next to the blonde.

“Because I can’t.” answered Enid and flexed her colorful werewolf claws. “It’s all I got.” Her voice cracked at the edges as she buried her head in her hands.

She started crying shakily.

“Crying won’t make it go away. It doesn’t solve anything.” monotoned the ravenette.

“I know, Wednesday!” Enid’s eyes were bloodshot and tired. “I’m just upset.” Her voice cracked. “Haven’t you ever been upset? Or cried? Are you above that or something?”

Present Wednesday noticed the similarities that arose between their conversations in the Dream and their talks in the first reality. Like a pattern repeating itself in comparable mirrors.

The ravenette’s voice from the original reality sounded. “I have cried.”

“What?” asked Enid.

“I have cried, like you said before.” repeated the shorter girl with a hesitant tone. “I’m not above it. I cried once when I was six. But it didn’t change anything and I vowed to never do it again.”

Present Wednesday’s eyebrows shot up. The likeness was truly striking. It was the same dialogue. The same experience.

“I’m a seer, Enid. A Raven.” revealed her self from the original reality, just like she had said to Enid in the Dream.

“Word for word, right?” Death leaned his head meaningfully towards present Wednesday.

“In some cases. Yes.” monotoned Wednesday from the present. “But why?”

“It was important that you experienced the same things that got you closer in the first reality, in the Dream as well, as these experiences shaped you to become what you were destined to be.” explained Death. “The only difference was that in the original reality, you had your shared room at Nevermore as your common place. In the second reality - your second chance - you had the shared dream and the bench.”

The scene started to melt away in ripples. Present Wednesday noticed that Enid’s eyes studied her other self with a softer expression now. Something had changed between them after she revealed Nero’s death.

“Your secret’s safe with me.” whispered Enid, as rhythmic beats and blinding lights transported Wednesday and Death to the next scene.

---    ---    ---

It was beautiful.

Wednesday from the present took in the splendor of one hall in Nevermore which was decorated in crystals and pale blue curtains.

Everything seemed like it was covered in ice and snow. Paper snowflakes at different heights hung on soft drapes, while graphic little scenes with wooden benches and painted winter landscapes were offered as backdrops for photographing.

Rhythmic music suitable for dancing sounded from the speakers as students swayed with their partners or alone.

A giant spotlight made icy letters sparkle in the center of the circular DJ station. Wednesday from the present read:

Rave’N Dance 2022.

And something clicked inside her.

The theme was snow globes.

Her eyes caught a shine to her right. She turned around.

Oh.

Her heart beat faster.

Enid was breathtaking.

Her hair was dyed hot pink, accompanying the pale rose of her dress. White fur highlighted the end of her sleeves and neck, while small crystals around her eyes made her sparkle at the dance lights.

“Feeling amazed?” sounded Death’s remark, which would definitely be accompanied with an annoying smirk, if Wednesday could see under the darkness of his hood.

“I am just-” her sentence was cut off because of what she saw next.

Herself from the original reality stepped towards Enid. Glasses with smoking punch glistened under the dance light. She offered one to the blonde, who accepted it with a bright smile.

What was shocking wasn’t the fact that somehow Wednesday from the original reality went to the Rave’N in the first place. It wasn’t even the fact that she had attended it in a dress. And an elegant black gothic one, too.

No, it was something about Enid’s pink coat hanging from Wednesday’s shoulders. Bright fuchsia against deep black. Contrasting and yet matching.

It was clearly borrowed. Just a coat lent for the night. For a sudden moment of cold.

But something in the way in which Enid pulled Wednesday by its loose sleeves bringing them closer, made the ravenette’s heart flutter.

“I went to the dance…” started the present Wednesday with wide eyes. “With Enid?”

“Well, you hadn’t anyone to go with and besides-” Death shook his shoulder. “Enid was stood up by Ajax at the last minute. The poor boy stoned himself in the mirror. Not that Enid knew that at the time. And you couldn’t stand seeing her unhappy, so you offered to go with her. Platonically, of course.” he added.

Of course. thought the ravenette from the present watching as her original self relaxed her stiff posture. She noticed that her dark eyes glinted with an imperceptible playfulness. Was this how she always looked at Enid?

With such…

Happiness.

The werewolf joined their hands in a waltz position, just like she had done in the Dream.

“Surrender?” Enid asked softly, always allowing Wednesday to draw back or to carry on if she wanted.

“It depends.” the ravenette from the original reality gracefully repositioned their hands to a proper waltz. “Is this going to be a play? Or is this going to be a dance?”

Lights faded out. The music changed into a slow, romantic waltz.

The DJ tapped the mic on his station and grinned. “Now, now, now everybody. The moment you’ve all been waiting for…”

The couples stopped dancing and turned to face him, curiousness and excitement pulsing through the student’s crowd.

“What is happening?” asked present Wednesday Death at the same time her other self asked the same question to Enid.

“Oh, you’ll see.” In Death’s voice sounded a smile.

Dj shouted passionately. “Now it is time for the beam to select our one - our only - our winter… snow globe couple!”

The crowd cheered loudly as Wednesday from the original reality stood on the dance floor with a confused expression.

Present Wednesday saw Enid lean to the ravenette’s ear to whisper something.

“Wanna hear what they say?” asked Death with a playful tone. “Yeah, let’s eavesdrop a little.”

Present Wednesday rolled her eyes, even though deep down she wanted to hear what Enid was saying, too.

“It’s okay.” she heard Enid’s soft whisper a little bit clearer now. “It’s just a silly tradition they do each year. The beam is actually just a LED spotlight that randomly falls on one couple of the dance floor.” she explained. “Whoever the beam chooses, they are the snow globe couple of the year. It’s really silly, actually.” The tips of her ears turned pink. “But if you don’t like it, we can totally escape this.” Her eyes were honest.

Wednesday furrowed her eyebrows in thought. When she went to answer, her words were covered by the loud applause from the excited students after the DJ’s words.

“Take your dance partner’s hand in your own, you loverbirds.” smiled the DJ and everybody cringed at that, but turned into a waltz position anyway. “And let the music begin! At the end of the song, the beam will have made its choice!”

Wednesday from the present saw how herself from the original reality rearranged - slowly, but with surprising bravery - their hands into a waltz position.

Enid looked at her happily, like she couldn’t actually believe the ravenette would accept to dance.

Wednesday looked at her surprised she actually did accept.

The waltz started hesitantly. It was a trustfall in motion. Only somehow, after a while they were both letting themselves fall without trying to stop it.

The crowd melted into the background. Music faded to Wednesday’s ears.

And everything was perfect.

Without them noticing at first, the song came to an end.

A light flashed.

And the beam… chose Enid and Wednesday.

The crowd erupted into cheering.

The ravenette from the original reality widened her eyes. She didn’t like the crowd staring at her like this. Without her knives or killing threats. When she was weak. When she was vulnerable, dancing, with someone who mattered.

Her heart was too exposed.

Then, her gaze found Enid.

The blonde was smiling happily. Her blue eyes met dark ones with tenderness.

And Wednesday realized-

Her heart was safe under those eyes.

Some people, she thought with her pulse accelerating, Some people were worth showing your heart.

“Let’s end this night with the first dance of our snow globe couple, you guys!” shouted the DJ and everyone clapped as the slow music started.

Enid squeezed Wednesday’s hand reassuringly, testing waters. Was this okay? Did she want to do this?

The ravenette held the blonde’s gaze with something gentle. A decision of bravery and softness.

And made the first step of the waltz.

Enid smiled as she followed her.

They danced and their bodies slowly came closer with each sway, each melody. Their emotions were dancing as well. It was a waltz, after all.

Then, Wednesday’s gaze stumbled upon Enid’s again. And time seemed to freeze.

It was intimate, Enid’s look. And judging by the silent surprise that dawned in the blonde’s eyes, the ravenette’s eyes revealed equal intimacy.

Neither moved. Neither broke the moment. It was too rare, too irreplaceable to be wasted or treated carelessly.

Then, something small and flickery landed on Enid’s eyelashes. She blinked. The snowflake fell gently down. The two girls exchanged a startled glance and looked up.

Artificial snow started falling from the ceiling right above them. The bright spotlight made the tiny particles flash momentarily on their slow way down. The other students made a circle around Wendesday and Enid making it seem like a huge snow globe appeared around them.

But the ravenette kept holding the blonde’s gaze. As if it was something precious. Something breathtaking. Something that made everything else just background noise.

The music ended and the crowd’s applause thundered around them once again.

The scene rippled away, disappearing along with the student’s applause.

---    ---    ---

Present Wednesday touched grassy ground.

It was night and the next scene unfolded at Nevermore’s forest.

“Lesson number one: Transforming.” sounded the ravenette’s voice from the original reality.

“We trained as werewolves at the first reality?” asked present Wednesday.

“Everything that brought you closer in real life, happened in the Dream as well.” answered Death. “You see, Enid was devastated after a particularly distressing phone call from her parents. And you offered to help her train like a werewolf.”

The scene flashed forward in a sudden swoosh of colors.

“Awooo…” a mediocre howl echoed from the Nevermore grounds. Enid’s neon athletic outfit clashed with the dark clearing of the forest.

Death and Wednesday from the second reality stood close by watching them train in howling.

The original ravenette stepped further back growing the distance between her and Enid. She was barely visible between the trees now. “Again. I’m in the woods. I can’t hear you.”

And Enid howled again in persistent mediocrity.

A blur of motion. Time moved forward again.

Enid tried to attack Wednesday, but the latter pressed her steel dagger against her throat. “Find your opponent’s weakness.”

Time accelerated.

Enid howled louder and more wolfish.

Tick.

She finally managed to mimic transforming correctly, while Wednesday knelt close to her giving her guidance. Their faces mere inches apart. Wednesday from the original reality blushed a little.

Tick.

Wednesday from the original reality sat after midnight at Nevermore’s Library with tons of books about werewolves on her table and a glass sphere in front of her.

“I’m also thinking…” sounded Morticia’s voice from the sphere. “That perhaps your roommate is a good influence for you.” the ravenette opened her mouth to protest as the scene faded away.

Tock.

Enid stood at their shared room with Wednesday who was holding a dagger. The atmosphere between them was tense. Neither moved for a second. Then-

The ravenette made a swift attack forward, when suddenly, Enid grabbed a single black braid stopping her from completing the movement.

Present Wednesday realized what was going to happen and her cheeks turned slightly pink. “Skip this scene.” she said to Death.

“Wednesday.” Death soothed. “The Mating Bite is only a natural thing to do between a werewolf and her partner. Besides, nothing really happens-”

“Just skip it.” Wednesday blushed harder.

“As you wish.” said Death and waved his right arm upwards. The scene in front of them twirled as Enid from the first reality pushed Wednesday on her black bed, her mouth inches above her throat.

---    ---    ---

It was quiet in the next scene.

Night and comfortable silence fell upon Nevermore as the two girls sat at the balcony from their shared room gazing at the stars.

“You see those stars up there?” Enid from the original reality pointed at a complicated constellation in the sky.

Wednesday from the original reality tilted her head a little gazing at the stars. “Yes.”

“That’s the Andromeda constellation.” the blonde’s voice was soft. “My absolute favorite.”

The scene faded away.

---    ---    ---

The sky was still dark.

Present Wednesday blinked to recognize what had changed in the scene, until her eyes caught something familiar.

A characteristic slash in the dark wallpaper made it peel a little from the wall revealing the destroyed plaster underneath. Pugsley had made that cut with his axe when they were children. He had thrown the weapon near the ravenette’s head, while they were playing “Who is going to die first?”.

How ironic. thought present Wednesday with a heavy feeling in her chest. She went to trace the slash with her finger, when she realized-

They weren’t at Nevermore. They were inside the Addams Mansion.

Her bedroom.

A familiar chuckle made her turn around.

Herself and Enid from the first reality had joined their hands in a casual dancing position. They stood at the center of the ravenette’s room wearing their pajamas: Enid wore her bright orange one and Wednesday her black satin one. They seemed happy as they swayed around at some song from the werewolf’s phone in the background.

Wednesday had never invited anyone to her home, let alone in her room. But seeing Enid in her childhood bedroom - her safe space - made her heart flutter.

“Enid came to the Mansion in the original reality?” she asked.

“She had a pretty rough fight with her parents when she stood up for herself that summer.” answered Death. “She didn’t want to see them anymore after the things they said to her and you offered her to stay at your house for the rest of August.”

Surprise filled Wednesday’s heart.

But there was something about the thought of Enid staying in her home for the rest of summer that made her feel… joy. That familiar buzzing in her heart when it came to the blonde.

“You were excited about Enid staying at your place for summer at the original reality as well.” smirked Death.

“I’m not excited.” Wednesday resisted a smile. “I am just experiencing…” she tried to find words.

“Love?” Death’s voice was gentle.

Wednesday met his gaze surprised. Her eyes returned to the scene in front of her. Herself from the first reality spun Enid around and the blonde let out a happy chuckle. The ravenette shook her hand playfully as if touching something hot and Enid threw her head back in total laughter.

“Yes.” Present Wednesday let a half-smile slip through her stoicism. “But I don’t understand. Everything seems… ordinary. Pleasant.” Her eyebrows furrowed slightly in confusion. “Why did I want to change Enid’s future? Why did I ask for a second chance?”

Death’s posture changed. His shoulders dropped a little.

“Because-” started Death in a grim tone. The atmosphere became heavy as the scene plunged into darkness. “There were not only happy moments.”

---    ---    ---

A dark forest appeared in front of them and Wednesday saw herself from the original reality levitating against a tree trunk by a boy with glasses. She didn’t recognize him.

“During your first year at Nevermore something terrible happened.” explained Death. “A prophecy was set in motion.”

The ravenette from the original reality gasped for air as invisible forces strangled her.

“My mother was a powerful seer.” said the boy keeping his hand raised. “She saw a vision. A terrible vision of the school’s demise. And you were the cause.”

Wednesday’s eyes from the original reality widened in shock at the same time with Wednesday’s from the second reality.

A hunched monster with enlarged eyes appeared and raised its arm in the air. Its claws were thrown with powerful force on the boy.

“AAAARGH!” the boy screamed as blood spluttered on his face.

The ravenette from the original reality was dropped from the tree to the forest ground as the monster fled.

A torn piece of paper fell on the murdered boy.

Wednesday from the original reality took the page in her hands, her eyes scanning through the artwork with increasing shock.

Present Wednesday stepped closer to see the image.

Nevermore was set on fire. A dark figure of a girl with pigtails stood at the Quad with her back against the flames. The girl was-

“Wednesday.” said Death and the scene went black. “You must understand, everything happened for a reason.”

---    ---    ---

Bright light flashed.

Present Wednesday blinked and saw that they were inside a cozy looking café.

HSSSSS!

The expresso machine smoked and a kind looking barista didn’t know how to fix it. “This monster seems to have a mind of its own.”

Present Wednesday glanced at Death with confused eyes, her detective mode switched on. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…” Death started and waved his hand in the air like shaking away a fly. At the movement, minutes of time traveled forward like a movie was pressed fast forward. The ravenette from the original reality moved so quickly, her movements left a quick trail behind.

“You couldn’t have done anything to stop it.”

Time slowed down at certain events.

“Tyler Galpin.” the boy smiled and extended his hand.

“Wednesday Addams.” the shorter girl shook his hand.

The scene ran forward before Wednesday’s eyes.

The ravenette from the original reality unfolded the torn page and placed it on a book. The page of the book matched and continued the artwork showing a pilgrim directly facing the girl with the pigtails. The girl was holding a sword. Nevermore was entirely up in flames.

Time flashed forward in movement blur.

The original ravenette opened another ancient-looking book and read out loud, her eyes running through the pages. “Born of mutation, the Hyde lays dormant until unleashed by a traumatic event or unlocked through chemical inducement or hypnosis. This causes the Hyde to develop an immediate bond with its liberator, who the creature now sees as its master. It becomes the willing instrument of whatever nefarious agenda this new master might propose.”

She lifted her dark eyes from the page. “That means I’m not looking for one killer, but two. The monster and its master.”

Tick.

A blonde middle-aged woman screamed as blood drops splashed on her face. The Hyde stood above her and was dropping its claws on her with force. Killing her. Demolishing her.

Tick.

“Drop the knife! Down on your knees!” The Sheriff barged into a warehouse and pointed his gun on a teenage boy with shoulder-length hair pulled on a ponytail. The ravenette from the original reality stood opposite him.

The shocked boy dropped on his knees slowly as the Sheriff instructed: “Cuff him. You have the right to remain silent.”

“What?” the boy didn’t have a clue about what was going on.

Blue and red lights from the police cars interchanged one another.

Tock.

Warm yellow light bathed the scene.

Wednesday from the original reality stood inside the cozy café.

Tyler, the sweet barista, took a step towards her and while she was talking, surged forward kissing her.

Before she could lean back, a vision shocked her body. Her head jerked back, while glassy wide open eyes stared at the ceiling.

Death snapped his fingers with one clean sound.

Images from the vision appeared before present Wednesday’s eyes.

The barista was the killer. The barista was the Hyde.

Death snapped his fingers again.

FLASH!

Blue lightning struck.

The lid of an ancient tombstone smoked black fumes and the Pilgrim from the book pages - Nevermore’s demise in flesh and bones - towered over the ravenette.

Time swooshed forward. Colors spooled fast, before they slowed down revealing Nevermore’s forest.

It was night.

The full moon shone on Tyler who was standing among the dense trees. That soft light made him look almost innocent.

And Wednesday from the original reality took a decisive step towards him. His sweet smile that masked his Hyde had vanished. The eyes of a predator stared at the shorter girl.

“Laurel said you were dead. You’re like a cockroach.”

The ravenette’s look was blunt. She didn’t reveal how Goody, her Spirit Guide, had saved her before she disappeared completely. “Flattery will get you nowhere.”

His angry human eyes started to get bigger. Monstrously bigger.

He stepped back and with one bestial snarl-

Transformed into the Hyde.

Death made a sharp movement with his hand.

The scene changed.

It was still night. The position of the moon in the sky was the same. Death and Wednesday were still at the forest, but in a clearing this time. Wednesday realized-

This scene happened simultaneously with the previous one. While the ravenette from the original reality was facing the Hyde-

Enid ran through the dense trees.

Fast. Anxiously. Desperately.

The light of the full moon glinted inside her blue eyes, when suddenly, a prickling on her skin made her shudder. Something was awakening inside her, she realized with a panicked look in her eyes. “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!” she looked at the disembodied hand on the ground who ran alongside her. “Thing-”

“I’m wolfing out.”

A snapping sound echoed through the forest as the fingers of her right hand curled up stiffly.

Wolfing out always starts in the hands. Wednesday’s words flashed inside Enid’s mind.

Enid dropped to the ground. Blond fur appeared on her upper palms as they took wolfish features.

She grunted in pain.

Present Wednesday streaked towards the blonde, her body taking action before her rational mind could stop her. Before reminding her that this was just a vision of what had happened in the first reality.

“Enid.” Wednesday’s voice was worried.

The blonde dug her fingers on the ground, claws sharpening, her face scrunched up with ache.

“Breathe.” soothed Wednesday. “Think of your happy memory. Your person.”

“She can’t hear you.” reminded her Death. “It’s only a reenactment of the original reality. But at that moment-” his voice softened.

Enid shakily took a breath. She relaxed her fingers on the ground.

“It was as if you were already there with her.”

The blonde’s posture loosened up as she allowed the transformation to happen. “Think of something that makes you happy.” she muttered to herself as fur climbed her arms up her shoulders.

She shut her eyes and took a breath.

“Wednesday.” she whispered.

And her eyes glowed a ferocious blue.

The transformation took over her. A wolf’s muzzle pointed outwards as light-colored fur traveled her back. Her legs took canine features, claws extending from paws. A rich tail finished the picture of a beast.

A werewolf.

A growl built up in her chest. She threw her head upwards and-

“AWOOO…” she howled loudly at the moon. At the forest. At whoever dared to threaten Wednesday.

Her wolf’s howl made present Wednesday froze in terror.

She made it. thought the ravenette with pride swelling in her heart. Enid wolfed out. Just like we had trained all those months ago.

And she succeeded in every step.

The werewolf ran deep into the forest. The dense trees and the night made her disappear from present Wednesday’s eyes.

---    ---    ---

A gasping sound.

The ravenette from the original reality was collided against a tree trunk by the Hyde’s huge hand. She made a pained expression when her back crashed against the hard wood, momentarily stealing her breath from her lungs.

The Hyde raised his clawed hand to make the killing strike-

GNARRL!

A light blur knocked him down.

He banged his head in a fallen tree trunk, his monstrous body becoming unconscious.

Wednesday fell down. Her knees ached from the collision with the ground, but her eyes searched the dark woods looking for what had the courage to fight a Hyde.

Then, she saw it.

A big wolf with light fur towered against the forest’s darkness. Its eyes glinted blue when they met Wednesday’s. She would recognize those eyes anywhere. It was-

“Enid!” the ravenette ran towards her.

The werewolf turned her head towards the direction the monster had fallen, but Wednesday cupped her soft muzzle.

Enid had read it as hello, so she leaned into the touch. Wednesday however directed the wolf’s gaze to her dark eyes, away from the Hyde.

“Enid, I want to see you be brave.” the ravenette’s eyes glinted in seriousness.

The werewolf didn’t understand and turned her strong neck to see what being had fallen. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized-

It was a Hyde.

Werewolves are brave and agile, while Hydes are strong and blinded by rage. Wednesday’s words during werewolf training echoed inside Enid’s mind.

History has shown that it isn’t easy to predict which one will be the winner after these two beasts fight. The one or the other always ends up dead.

Avoid a Hyde at any cost.

“But most importantly-” stressed Wednesday from the original reality looking directly at Enid’s eyes. “I want to see you be agile.” she quickly turned to see that the Hyde was still unconscious. “Go, Enid. Run as fast as you can. Be agile, be brave and bring back help from Nevermore. I can handle the Hyde until assistance arrives.”

No.

The werewolf’s eyes were determined.

If she left Wednesday alone, she would die.

Enid wasn’t going to avoid the Hyde. Not when the cost was losing the person she loved.

She was going to save Wednesday Addams no matter what it took.

The silhouette from the monster stirred behind them. The werewolf’s eyes caught the movement first. The Hyde attacked-

But Enid was faster.

She collided with him, claws meeting vulnerable flesh.

The Hyde shouted. In pain. And anger.

He pushed Enid away with such force, she fell several feet away on the hard forest ground.

“No!” Wednesday made a move to go help Enid, but the werewolf launched herself on the Hyde as it prepared for another strike.

The ravenette couldn’t do anything, except watching the two beasts fight. If she directed her silver daggers on the Hyde, there was a chance she might hit Enid during their twists of fighting.

The daggers were useless against a Hyde anyway. They were only harmful to werewolves due to their silver.

And Nevermore was too far away to run with human speed to get help. She wouldn’t make it on time.

Wednesday… was helpless.

Find your opponent’s weakness. thought Enid to herself when she was again being pushed away by the Hyde with force.

Her eyes scanned its body. Strong torso, long arms, huge eyes, unbelievable strength…

What resources did she had? Speed, claws, werewolf strength… the Killing Bite.

She didn’t want to use the Killing Bite.

She didn’t want to kill anyone.

She wanted to save Wednesday.

Her thoughts raced in her mind for alternatives. And her blue eyes flashed in epiphany.

Tiny legs.

Long arms.

Disproportionate features.

Terrible balance.

This could work!

Enid jumped to make a false attack on the Hyde’s head. He went to counterattack it raising his arms and leaving his legs vulnerable. Enid took advantage of that and slashed deep wounds in his legs with her claws.

The monster screamed, its large upper body tumbling backwards due to unbalance. Enid collided on him with force and the Hyde’s head met a fallen tree trunk with a BANG.

The Hyde lay still on the ground.

Enid put her jaws around his throat in a fake Killing Bite. It was a warning - one she didn’t want to act upon - in case he woke up.

Several seconds passed and he didn’t move.

Blue and red lights from police cars colored the leaves of nearby trees.

Justice arrived. thought Enid letting out a relieved sigh.

It was over.

The door of the police car snapped open and a disheveled Sheriff stepped out. He pointed his gun on the werewolf and the Hyde when-

“Tyler?” his eyes glistened as he lowered his weapon. “Is that you, my boy?” He hesitantly approached the two beasts.

Enid released her jaws from the monster’s throat and stepped back to allow a father mourn for his son’s lost innocence.

The Sheriff hugged Tyler’s now human body in his chest with pain written in his eyes. What had his son done?

Another police man slowly stepped close to him, handcuffs glistening in his hand. The Sheriff’s eyes glanced at them and then at his unconscious son.

He shut his eyes in pain - in duty - as he slid the cuffs on his son’s wrists. Although he did it with something approaching gentleness, like wearing a child a soft bracelet.

BANG!

The doors of the police car shut with force.

One killer was being brought to justice.

---    ---    ---

Silence.

“I don’t understand.” Present Wednesday had joined her eyebrows in slight confusion, her mind trying to find the missing piece of the puzzle. “Everything seems satisfactory. Tyler was defeated, the killer was caught-”

“One killer was caught.” corrected her Death. “The other is still loose going to attack Nevermore with Laurel Gates. The Evil Pilgrim has not yet stricken. But he will, as the prophecy foretold.”

Present Wednesday’s eyes caught a small movement in the dark forest.

“I think you would like to see this.” Death’s voice was soft. “Before everything worsens… I think you would like to see the silence before the storm.”

Present Wednesday blinked to adjust her eyes to the sudden darkness after the red-blue lights from the police cars had faded away.

Enid in her wolf form knelt on the grass. Her silhouette was shrinking from a beast-

To a human.

The ravenette from the original reality ran towards her, her sneakers thudding on the forest ground. Thing scurried beside her, giving her the blonde’s pink coat she had dropped in the forest earlier.

Soft hands covered Enid’s naked body with her favorite coat.

She would be cold now, too vulnerable against the night air. thought the ravenette from the original reality, her eyebrows furrowed in protectiveness. Her dark eyes didn’t wander to places Enid would like to keep private. This was not the time or place for that. Instead, she limited her movement to one necessary readjustment of the coat to close a gap that let sharp air hit the blonde.

Enid hated feeling cold, Wednesday knew that.

Then-

The blonde’s hand stirred. And slowly opened her eyes.

“Enid!” The ravenette’s voice revealed relief.

The werewolf let out a small smile when her eyes found the ravenette. “Wednesday.” She tried to get up, but her muscles were too weak from wolfing out. She fell-

But two hands caught her before she touched the ground.

The two girls exchanged a glance.

And all the emotions from tonight crashed on them in the weight of a millisecond. Fear that the other could have died, worry if they were okay, relief that they survived, happiness to see each other-

Enid searched Wednesday’s eyes.

And pulled her into a hug.

The ravenette’s spine stiffened momentarily, her heart racing from the sudden contact. Then, against her fight or flight response, against her learned way of keeping distance-

She let herself melt into the hug. She pressed one arm on Enid’s back making sure she was there. That she was safe.

The blonde smiled and dug her fingers on Wednesday’s coat ensuring that she was alive and unharmed.

Her werewolf hearing noticed the ravenette’s heartbeat and, even though accelerated, it was there. Deep and persistent and there.

Enid relaxed the tension of her shoulders.

It was tender, that moment. Not a hug, not a display of mere relief, but something more.

A confession.

“Wednesday.” Enid’s pulled back to look into her eyes. “I-”

AAAARGH!

A scream from a student tore the air apart. It sounded like it came from Nevermore.

The Pilgrim had arrived.

Wednesday turned to face Enid. “After.” Her voice was soft, reassuring. “After we save the school.”

Present Wednesday faced Death with a confused expression. Her eyebrows joined slightly in thought.

“What?” Death’s voice was kind.

“Nothing, it’s just-” Present Wednesday looked at the scene in front of her. “We didn’t say ‘I love you’ in the original reality.”

“You thought you had time.” answered Death as they watched how the blonde and the ravenette from the original reality ran through the forest to reach Nevermore. Their silhouettes became smaller and smaller, until they were entirely engulfed by the darkness of the forest.

“But we didn’t?” asked present Wednesday as the scene faded away.

“Maybe you had…” Death made a flowing movement with his wrist and a new scene appeared. “A final tranquility before chaos.”

---    ---    ---

Click click click!

The sound of fast footsteps made present Wednesday turn to her right.

The ravenette and the blonde from the original reality were running on Nevermore’s marble hallways. One wing down and they would reach the Quad-

“Wait!” the ravenette’s eyes widened in remembering a detail from the torn drawing.

She halted, her dark eyes tracing the inscription next to a wooden door. “Trophy Room” shone in elegant, carved letters on a golden sign.

She pressed the door handle with one decisive movement.

Dust danced in the moonlight. Several golden trophies had caught spider webs that muted their shine. Poe Cups from the previous century and medals that had started to rust under the faux gold skin were placed on various shelves. Abandoned. Forgotten. Shoved away to let the trophies of the new generation glisten behind glass cabinets in the hallways.

It was evident that no one had come into this room for a prolonged time, now. The atmosphere was heavy and melancholic, as it was only suitable for a graveyard of past victories.

“Wednesday?” asked Enid, her eyes following the shorter girl who was nearing a rusty sword display case.

Wednesday was silent when she softly blew away the dust from the blade. Its sharp tip glistened under the moonlight when she unmounted it.

This was it.

This sword was designed centuries ago for the sole purpose to destroy evil. It was used by her parents at their teenage years when they were students at Nevermore, although for less nefarious causes. Most importantly, this sword was pictured in the drawing that foretold the prophecy of the school’s demise.

It was finally the time to fulfill the sword’s purpose.

“Why do you need that?” Enid’s eyes widened in shock.

“To end the prophecy.” the ravenette monotoned. “To stab the Pilgrim’s black heart.”

The blonde’s expression made something approaching horror. She didn’t want to kill anyone.

Wednesday met her gaze and let her expression soften. “Don’t distress.” she reassured. “I am the one who will carry the burden of taking away a life. If it means that it will save-”

You. she thought, but blinked.

“The school.” the ravenette said out loud.

“I don’t want you to do that.” Enid’s forehead creased in worry. “There must be another way-”

“It’s the only way.” stated Wednesday, feeling her heartbeat accelerating to something close to anxiety. She didn’t let it show on her face. It rather slipped on her tone. “Unfortunately we must hope, it is enough.”

The two girls exchanged a glance in that abandoned room of past victories.

The one seeking hope in the other’s eyes, even though they were both lacking it and were desperately searching to find it.

“Just…” Enid tightened her fingers on the pink coat’s opening, close to where her heart was.

She didn’t know what to say. Or maybe, she knew exactly what she wanted to say. But it wasn’t the right time. So, she transformed the words “I love you” into:

“Be careful.”

Something glinted inside Wednesday’s eyes. But it flashed too soon and was gone too fast for Enid to make a name of.

“I am careful.” The ravenette winced from pain when Enid touched her hand gently.

Wednesday had a slash on her left palm since she fell from that tree that the Hyde had held her against. She had landed on a rock hidden in the forest ground.

She regretted the wince. Immediately, she stiffened her back, while her expression became stoic as if nothing had happened. Although in her dark eyes shone something approaching shame.

“Wednesday, you don’t have to hide your pain from me.” soothed Enid. “Relax, it’s okay.”

The ravenette met her gaze.

No. It wasn’t okay. She wouldn’t unsquare her shoulders. She wouldn’t let go of the tension. Because if she did-

She was afraid she might crumble.

And she wouldn’t let anyone see her weak. Because if she was weak, she wouldn’t have a chance to win against the Pilgrim tonight.

She was operating with pure adrenaline and sheer decisiveness. If she was weak, then combined with her injuries from fighting the Hyde, the stabbing from Laurel Gates and the exhaustion from tonight-

She would fail to protect everyone. The prophecy would come to life and everyone in the school would meet their demise.

Enid would meet her demise. A thought plagued Wednesday’s mind. Because she wasn’t strong enough for both of them.

“I’m fine.” deadpanned the ravenette and retrieved her hand from the blonde’s.

She noticed that Enid’s eyes were hopeless, still. So for the first time, Wednesday constructed hope.

From fragile emotions. From exhaustion turned to bravery. From vulnerability transformed into strength.

And held Enid’s gaze like the hope was solid.

Burnt air flooded the room when Wednesday opened the door.

Nevermore was in flames. The prophecy had started.

She tightened the grip of the sword with her right hand and convinced herself-

That despite their wounds from tonight’s fights, despite the ache in her stomach from Laurel’s stabbing, the pain in her limbs and back from fighting the Hyde, the exhaustion from tonight’s events-

They would end the night victorious.

---    ---    ---

The scene disappeared like smoke.

And Death hesitated. “I need to know if you want to watch this.”

Present Wednesday went to answer too fast “Yes”, but the word got caught in her throat.

Death’s tone was different. Heavy. Grim. Careful if he had just asked for permission to unleash the worst.

Fear numbed Wednesday’s fingertips. Her neck stiffened. And without realizing it, she went completely still.

A silent second passed.

Then another.

Then-

“Now is the moment that everything changed, isn’t it?” she realized with a heavy feeling in her chest. “The moment that shaped Enid’s future?”

Death nodded slowly. “This is the moment that ultimately led you to wish for a second chance. When everything went from bad…”

Present Wednesday widened her eyes in shock at his next words.

“To absolutely disastrous.”

The quietness between them was deafening.

The ravenette’s fast heartbeat echoed in her ears. She shook the fear away.

“Show me what happened.”

“Are you sure?” warned Death for the final time.

Wednesday’s eyes met the darkness under his hood directly. “I need to know how it ends.”

The hooded figure nodded grimly. “Beware. It’s not an easy sight.”

He lifted his arm and under the ripples of his long black sleeve, Nevermore’s towers appeared. But the school didn’t seem promising or welcome anymore.

The flames that licked its bricks produced something ominous. Something dark written in smoke and heavy silence.

The Quad was burning.

Present Wednesday and Death watched how the torn drawing echoing a prophecy-

Became reality.

---    ---    ---

Bright flames made present Wednesday turn her head to her left.

Amid the fire, amid all the smoke and disaster-

A silhouette of a man stood still.

He turned around with a toothless grin. Gums shone in the fire light, while icy blue eyes protruded under the shadow of his black hat. "Well, well, well. If this isn't Goody Addams again." The Evil Pilgrim straightened his hunched posture in visible entertainment.

"Wednesday Addams." corrected him the ravenette. The blade of the sword glinted in her grip.

Anger and disappointment contorted the Pilgrim’s wrinkled face.

“And I thought you were prettier.” said Enid from behind his back and introduced herself. “Enid Sinclair. The disappointment is incredibly mutual.”

She unleashed her colorful claws and before the Pilgrim could properly turn around, she slashed deep wounds in his back.

“Aaargh!” he shouted in pain. He faced Enid with a furious expression and raised his staff to strike-

But Wednesday counterattacked it with the sword. Her eyes were steel steady when she looked him in his eyes.

“You won’t hurt her.” the ravenette’s voice was firm.

The Pilgrim let out an angry yell and thrusted his fist sideways gaining momentum for the turn.

And the fight began.

Wednesday and Enid moved complementarily. When the ravenette attacked the Pilgrim with the sword, the blonde found his unguarded spots and slashed wounds with her claws. When the Pilgrim turned to face Enid, Wednesday created cuts in his body with clean, sweeping movements of the blade.

They fought in tandem, a raven and a wolf in unspoken synchronization.

The Pilgrim grunted, trying to neutralize each attack coming from both sides.

Wednesday wanted only one opening. One opening to pierce the Pilgrim’s heart. But he was too fast each time.

“Aargh!” The Pilgrim growled as he counterstroke with his staff one of the ravenette’s hits.

Wednesday slipped.

She widened her eyes momentarily and immediately steadied her fighting position. Her body was getting tired from the fight. The sword felt heavy in her right hand.

CLASH!

The Pilgrim attacked again, but Wednesday halted his staff with the blade. The slash in her left palm burned when she gripped the sword with both hands.

Enid was getting tired, too. Her claws nearly missed the Pilgrim’s body this time. And then-

The tip of the Pilgrim’s staff glowed dangerously blue. He directed it upwards with one sharp movement and turned left-

Enid’s body levitated and was getting hurled through the air. She met the ground with a heavy THUD and a disgusting sound of something breaking.

“Enid!” shouted Wednesday in worry and realized-

An opening.

The Pilgrim’s back was facing her, vulnerable and unguarded.

The ravenette took the opportunity to raise the sword and end this-

“Wednesday.” sounded Death’s voice who was watching the scene with present Wednesday by his side.

The sword descended with speed-

“You set the prophecy of the school’s demise in motion.” spoke Death.

CRASHH!

The staff of the Pilgrim broke the sword into two when he turned around.

The ravenette from the original reality was shocked. A magical sword didn't break. Couldn't break.

Unless-

She widened her eyes.

She wasn't the one that was meant to end the prophecy.

“But Enid was always the one that would end it.” revealed Death.

The ravenette from the original reality met the blonde's eyes in a desperate look.

You will have to do this.

Enid froze. Hesitated for two seconds.

And those two seconds were a mistake.

The Evil Pilgrim turned to face the blonde and took a fast step towards her. Enid’s eyes snapped to where one of the two shards of the sword had fallen and tried to stand up. She collapsed in pain when she leaned on her right foot. It was sprained.

"You pathetic excuse of a half-dead!" sounded Wednesday’s voice distracting the Pilgrim. Making him turn around facing her. Buying time for Enid.

Something glinted inside the ravenette’s eyes. She had the same look from when her eyes met Enid’s in the Trophy Room.

Enid realized it was love.

"You dare call that a threat? After countless years of sleeping seeking revenge, you just walk into a school? To do what? Educate yourself?" The ravenette’s monotone voice held sharpness. "It seems like you failed. You misunderstood the basic concept of vengeance."

"You! I'm going to send you back to hell!" The Evil Pilgrim made an angry expression towards the girl with pigtails. He raised his staff.

Maybe it was okay after all. thought Wednesday.

Enid shot up from the ground, the pain flashing inside her leg like lightning.

The tip of the Pilgrim’s staff glowed blue again. With one upwards motion of his, one fallen piece of the sword levitated. And was rotated towards Wednesday.

Maybe she didn't have to have strength to save both of them.

Enid grabbed the other fallen piece of the sword. She went to thrust it into the Pilgrim's black heart-

She only needed to save one.

But it was too late.

The moment she felt the shard pierce the Pilgrim's chest, the levitating shard pierced Wednesday’s heart.

"No!" shouted the blonde, her eyes glistening with tears among the flames.

The ravenette widened her eyes.

It was a bodily reaction. Automatic. Involuntary.

When the metal pierced Wednesday’s heart-

She crumbled.

"No!" Hot tears fell from Enid’s eyes.

Wednesday's body fell to the ground like a muppet who had its strings cut.

"No-" Enid’s voice trembled as she pushed the broken shard deeper inside the Pilgrim’s heart making a yellow glow appear from his chest. He exploded like a dying firework.

Silence.

Enid knelt beside Wednesday. But her dark eyes were glassy, staring at something infinite.

Soft hands pressed the wound on the ravenette’s chest. To stop the bleeding. To do something-

Students and teachers from Nevermore gathered around, gazing at them. Looking at the shorter girl in shock. When she was most vulnerable.

Wednesday hated feeling vulnerable, Enid knew that.

The blonde felt hot tears trail her cheeks as she gently took Wednesday’s hands and crossed them on her chest like she did when she was sleeping. She closed the ravenette's eyelids softly.

Now Wednesday wouldn't have anything to be ashamed of. She wasn't defeated. She didn't crumble.

She was just... sleeping.

Just sleeping.

The blonde hugged the ravenette's dead body, but she didn't hear her heartbeat like when they had hugged in the forest one hour ago. And that's-

When Enid's heart broke.

She let out an almost inhuman cry. Pain reverberated through Nevermore's walls and through present Wednesday’s heart who watched the scene in shock.

If Enid’s howl was terrifying, this was-

Devastating.

Present Wednesday went to her, forgetting this was a mere reenactment of the original reality. She raised her hand to console Enid, to brush away her tears, to tell her it’s okay, don't cry-

But the scene faded away plunging everything in black.

Chapter Text

Present Wednesday’s ears rang.

“Wednesday.” sounded Death’s voice, blurry and faded at the edges like he was underwater.

The ravenette’s heartbeat thudded in her ears.

Pulsating. Pounding.

Being persistent.

Beating away, like she herself hasn’t just witnessed catastrophe that tilted her whole world.

She tried to process what had happened.

“Wednesday.” Death’s voice was clearer now.

She blinked.

“Enid saw me dying.” the ravenette’s eyes glistened when she met his shadowed gaze.

Death nodded grimly. “You were killed, yes.”

A pause.

“And yet, despite everything…” Death’s voice softened with something close to admiration. “Despite your fate to die at 16 years old… you only asked for a second chance to change Enid’s future. Even now that you witnessed your own death, the first thing you thought of was her. How…”

“Tragic?” Wednesday’s eyes glinted with pain.

“Remarkable.” acknowledged Death.

Silence made the atmosphere heavy as it colored the air with great importance.

“Why?” asked Wednesday. “Why did I ask for a second chance?”

Fear took possession of her heart.

What had happened to Enid?

What was so terrible-

That made death seem like a kinder outcome?

“Everything happened for a reason.” explained Death and decided to explain things from the basics. “You see, your death is an inescapable fact as it must happen in both the first and the second reality. It is your fate to die at 16 years old. As is Enid’s fate…” he raised his arm and under his black sleeve, a new scene appeared. “To save the school.”

The dense smoke of Nevermore’s flames faded in the night sky. Finally, the ominous fire from before had started to weaken.

Laurel Gates was cuffed by the Sheriff near Nevermore’s entrance.

“You will be sent to Willow Hill for a long time.” the Sheriff assured her, while he secured the handcuffs on her wrists with a click.

The door of the police car flashed open as it mirrored the dying flames of the school.

“That night both you and Enid fulfilled your fates. And you became what you were destined to be.” said Death.

“And what was that?” asked Wednesday.

“Well, you became what was already there in your hearts.” noticed Death. “Enid, a Savior.”

Enid from the original reality was standing close by watching the red haired woman step into the police car. Dried tears marked her cheeks, while new ones threatened to make her eyes glisten with pain.

Happy voices sounded from the school. Students seemed to be celebrating that they and their loved ones were alive. Safe. Unharmed.

Enid pressed her eyes shut. A new tear escaped tainting victory with heartbreak.

“And you, Wednesday-” added Death with a movement of his hand, changing the scene.

“Became a Spirit Guide.”

The ravenette from the original reality stood at the Quad from where she had fallen. She raised her palms.

And her dark eyes widened in shock.

She was half-transparent.

“A Spirit Guide?” present Wednesday furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. “But… I’m not suitable for Spirit Guidance. Or any form of guidance, to be exact.”

“Aren’t you?” asked Death kindly. “Because during werewolf training, you helped Enid navigate her powers. You helped her accept her werewolf side from a place of love. Not hurt, like her parents were forcing her to.”

“That was different.” deflected the shorter girl.

“But that became her strength.” noticed Death. “Because you were her safety net, Enid believed in herself. Because you guided her, she managed to wolf out with dignity and excellence when it was time. She managed to show unbelievable strength and resilience when fighting the Hyde and the Evil Pilgrim saving the school from its predetermined demise. She became what was already inside her: a Savior.”

Wednesday raised her eyebrows slightly. She hadn’t thought of it this way. If she was to guess, she would say that Enid had influenced her more than she could ever do.

“And Enid…” added Death with warmth. “She helped you unlock your guiding potential. When you saw her struggling to learn the process of wolfing out during werewolf training, you adjusted your teaching methods. You guided her through physical proximity. Only the best Guides can adapt their teaching techniques to each student, so they can meet their highest potential.”

“And of course-” added Death. “Enid helped you open up, to get in touch with your emotional world. So, then you could provide real help to others. After all, one can provide meaningful help when they have learned and accepted all sides of themselves. A good Spirit Guide doesn’t just transfer knowledge. They support and encourage. They offer a safe space to the student, so they can build their self-strength and take leaps! Not only in navigating their powers, but in emotional growth, too.”

“You see, because you were a Guide, Enid became a Savior. And because Enid was a Savior, you became a Guide.” concluded Death. “Your fates are incredibly intertwined.”

“You’re making it seem like a cosmic event.” Wednesday blinked once. “While we were just… living.”

“That’s why it matters.” said Death. “Because it came from your hearts.”

Silence.

The ravenette processed the information, her eyes staring intensely at the space in front of her. Thinking. Analyzing.

Death relaxed his shoulders. “True greatness is rarely built alone, Wednesday. Two hearts strengthen each other.”

Wednesday met his gaze under his hood. Or rather, the black shadow that covered it.

A gnawing feeling plagued her heart. If one constant was that guidance came to her… naturally, or so it seemed, then one variable formed in that equation of uncertainty:

Was it enough?

Death spoke again and his voice was reassuring, as if he had read her thoughts. “You cannot become someone you are not, Wednesday. You can become someone greater, yes.” he added. “But there is always a seed under a flower.”

Wednesday paused. “But if I became a Spirit Guide-” Her eyes shone with quiet curiosity. “Then who is my student?”

Death made a waving motion with his hand. A scene twirled before their eyes.

A young girl with red hair weaved in pigtails stood with her back turned against Death and present Wednesday. Her face wasn’t visible, but her silhouette revealed that her back was stiff as if seeing a vision.

A blinding light flashed.

And the scene disappeared.

“A young seer with…” Death tried to find words. “Exceptional power. She needs help navigating her gift and visions as she is destined to achieve greatness. But to do that, she needs a Spirit Guide.” he turned towards Wednesday.

“She needs you.”

“But-” the ravenette started perplexed. “Doesn’t one need to possess two requirements to become a Spirit Guide? First, be deceased.” she paused, while sudden understanding flickered inside her. “And second: be a relative of their student? I haven’t met this girl at all.”

“The first one is true, the second is not.” answered Death. “You need something fundamental in common. In some cases yes, it’s a common bloodline. But more often than that, it’s something much deeper. One factor that makes you the perfect Spirit Guide for that girl specifically. But that-” he looked at Wednesday with meaning. “Is up to you to discover.”

Silence.

“And Enid?” asked the ravenette, her mind processing the information. “She helped me with the role I am going to take-”

“Your Purpose.” corrected her Death.

“Yes. And I aided her to fulfill her Purpose. Therefore…” Wednesday came to the conclusion. “Enid ultimately became a Savior. And not just of Nevermore, but of something greater.”

“Yes.” answered Death. “But alas, not everything happened easily.” he raised his hand and made a circular movement with his arm.

A scene appeared.

Darkness made the shapes of regular homes in San Francisco appear threatening.

“And that’s where you begged for a second chance.” Death finally revealed the reason behind it. “After your death, Enid did achieve her Purpose, yes.”

A sudden orange light colored the dark pavement in front of a house.

“She became a Savior.”

A door was thrust open.

“But everything else-”

Enid stumbled backwards as if someone had pushed her. She fell to the ground with fear and pain in her eyes.

“Just fell apart.”

---    ---    ---

“You ungrateful child!” A woman’s voice sounded at night.

Death and Wednesday stood near the entrance of that small house in San Francisco. A handmade wooden bench created a cozy space at the backyard, while the backsides of glittery star stickers were pressed on the front windows of the first floor. They shaped the Andromeda constellation.

Wednesday realized-

This was Enid’s home.

The woman took a fierce step towards Enid and towered over her at the threshold. Enid was frozen on the ground trembling a little in her hands.

“You dare being an Alpha?!” Esther Sinclair shouted at her daughter. Her face shared familiar features with the blonde: pointy nose, white skin, the shape of the mouth. But the woman’s mouth bore nothing of the warmth of Enid’s smile. It was turned downwards in an angry way.

“You dare-” she cut herself mid-phrase too furious to be making coherent sentences.

“Mom, I couldn’t contr-” started Enid, but her mother interrupted her.

“You couldn’t control what?” Esther’s eyes turned into slits. “Being an Alpha? A disgrace? A shame to our family?”

Enid’s eyes glistened with rising tears.

“First you dare not wolfing out making the Sinclair’s family name ridiculous.” her mother turned her head to her right, as if it was too hard to look her daughter in the eyes. “We were starting to think you weren’t a real wolf after all. And after all that show you did to us this summer?” she shook her head. “Speaking up, being ungrateful. And you’re not even a real wolf!”

Enid’s voice was small, fragile. “But I am a real-”

“Then, after countless money thrown away to the best Lycanologists-“ her mother her off. “You dare being an Alpha? An absolute humiliation to our family. Not to mention the danger.”

Enid’s voice broke. “I didn’t-”

“No.” Her mother’s eyes squinted. “You didn’t want that. You didn’t care. What?” Her voice held mockery, then turned coldly calm. Dangerously calm. “I was wrong. You’re not just useless.” She looked straight in her eyes and formed Enid’s fear into words.

“You are a disappointment.”

The blonde’s eyes widened at that word.

“From today, I don’t want to see you again.” stated her mother. “You don’t deserve to be in the Sinclair pack. You’re not my daughter.”

“No, please…” Enid started crying. “I won’t hurt anyone, I promise-”

“Promises are for those who can actually keep them.” said her mother and without another word slammed the door shut.

Enid’s breath hitched in her throat. A broken whine escaped her mouth as she felt her heart shatter to a million pieces.

She was a disgrace.

Time moved forward.

Enid was standing in an empty classroom at Nevermore with a group of teenage outcasts. Present Wednesday didn’t recognize any of them.

Light shone through one of the arched windows and she noticed that the blonde’s hair was a little longer now, a little past shoulder-length.

A year had passed.

Someone from the students muttered something about “threat” and “this school can’t have a break” and “villain”.

Enid listened with seriousness. But something was different about her.

Present Wednesday took a step closer to her.

The colorful streaks in her hair seemed like they hadn’t been dyed in months, since they were pale and let the blond shine through. Her makeup was less colorful and more harsh. And when the ravenette found Enid’s eyes, all she saw was pain disguised as coldness.

“We can’t let him escape this time.” sounded Enid’s voice, cold and distant like a soldier. “He was smart, but we are smarter. So, this time-” Her eyes were icy blue: logical, strategic, soulless. But determination shone through.

“This time, we’re gonna be prepared. And when he least expects it-” She put a map of Nevermore on top of a table and everyone leaned in to see.

“We’re going to strike.”

The outcasts nodded decidedly, each analyzing their position in the plan.

The Quad was mentioned. And present Wednesday noticed that something changed in Enid’s eyes. Sadness shone through.

“Bianca, you take the Quad.” sounded Enid’s voice, a little smaller this time. “And I’ll be positioned at the gates.”

Death made a sharp movement with his hand.

FLASH!

The scene changed before Wednesday’s eyes as a blinding lightning expanded in the night sky like white veins.

Flames made Iago Tower glow against the darkness of the night. It seemed like an explosion had taken place. But the group of outcasts exchanged relieved smiles, warm glances and even warmer hugs of victory.

Except one.

Enid had turned her attention at a nearby police car, the blue-red lights shining in her eyes. A silhouette of a tall man was stepping inside the vehicle and the door was shut behind him by an officer.

The villain was caught.

She was a savior.

Colors spooled away as time flashed forward in rapid moments.

Enid was walking down a street with her head hanging.

What would happen if she had managed to save Wednesday? Would anything be different? Would she be happy-

She tripped on a slightly raised sidewalk tile.

Enid froze.

Her mind went back to that eventful night with the Pilgrim. When she had hesitated for two seconds and stumbled.

It was only two seconds. Two seconds of hesitation.

If she had acted sooner, if she had-

Enid shook her head in desperation.

What must she have done? Don’t trip on her sprained ankle? Kill the Pilgrim faster? She didn’t want to kill anyone. She just wanted…

She just wanted the person she loved to be safe.

And yet, the universe kept taking away everyone she loved. Either she loved them and they pushed her away, like her family who kicked her out of the pack and house for being an Alpha, or were taken away from her. Wednesday was killed.

Enid was the reason Wednesday was killed.

She pressed her pink coat tighter around her chest and continued walking her way home.

She was someone who didn’t deserve love.

Time moved forward. Faster and faster.

Scenes flashed before present Wednesday’s eyes. Stopping at certain moments, accelerating at others.

Enid ducked to put coins in the cup of a homeless man. A bright smile flashed on his lips. “Thank you, ma’am!”

Tick.

Enid put a large casserole with steaming soup on the table. “Pretty full today.” she noticed that the line of people at the food shelter reached until the entrance door. She gave a warm piece of bread and a bowl of soup to an elderly woman.

Enid helped others. thought present Wednesday.

Tick.

“Hey, Enid!” a sweet brunette smiled waving at the blonde. Enid secured a dog’s leash and looked up.

“Hi, Andy.”

“So, I was thinking…” Andy blushed a little. “Maybe if we finish walking Princess and Goofy-” the two Labradors from the dog shelter barked adorably. “Maybe we could grab a coffee at this place that opened nearby?”

Enid’s eyes sparkled for a moment, but then the happy shine disappeared. She shook her head slowly. “Sorry, I can’t today.”

A lie.

She was free today.

She didn’t know why she said no. Really.

“Oh, okay.” Andy seemed disappointed, but let out a small smile to hide it. “I understand.”

Or maybe Enid did know why.

She was afraid to let something special to form. Because then, the universe would take it away. Because then it would turn to love. And the universe took away everyone she loved anyway.

Enid had learned that lesson when Wednesday died because of her. Because Enid was incapable to protect the ones she loved.

Tick.

 Another woman let her purse drop on a table. “So, after work…”

“Sorry, busy today.” Enid smiled politely and rejected the offer.

Again.

“Sorry, I have work today.”

And again.

“No, I can’t tonight, I’m sorry.”

And again.

“Maybe tomorrow? Is tomorrow good?”

“So, unfortunately something came up-”

Tock.

Enid put a box filled with clothes at the counter. The charity lady behind it smiled. “Miss Sinclair, that many again?! Oh, the children will be so happy this Christmas!”

Enid smiled. That bright, warm smile she had that made everything around her appear beautiful.

Even if inside her, she was broken.

She was someone who helped everyone else. Except herself.

Time accelerated. Scenes flashed by.

Enid ate by herself at an empty kitchen table. The light fixture made her subtle wrinkles from adulthood seem deeper.

She was alone.

Enid tightened her hand around the phone. Of course her brothers wouldn’t pick up the phone. It always rang, before it went to voicemail.

She was unhappy.

Rays of the full moon shone on Enid as she wolfed out in her living room. A few grey hairs glinted in her blond fur.

Her big wolf sat against the corner of the walls making herself appear small. She tucked her tail close.

She was someone who didn’t want to hurt anyone.

Time raced forward. Then, it slowed down.

Wednesday and Death stood at a bedroom at night. Warm artificial light made the atmosphere a little friendlier.

Enid walked inside barefoot with her pink night dress on. She was an old woman now. White hair, creased skin, all signs that time had passed. But present Wednesday still recognized her blue eyes like familiar handwriting on wrinkled paper.

Her floral bedsheets rustled a little when she went to lie down and cover herself slowly. Sadness glinted in her eyes.

“You see, Enid never allowed herself to let others love her. Either platonically or romantically.” explained Death. “It’s her birthday today. However, no one called or texted her, since...”

“She is alone.” concluded present Wednesday.

Death nodded.

They watched how Enid turned off the lights in habit and sighed. She stared at the ceiling in darkness.

When-

BLING!

A message sounded as her phone flashed blue on her bedside desk.

Her fingers, trembling with age, found her phone and unlocked it.

Her quietly excited eyes, instantly became disappointed.

Your monthly electricity bill is issued. She read. Please check it out at (link). Total amount of payment 59.99 $. Payment deadline is at 10/11/2089. Thank you in advance.

The silence was heavy as she put her phone on her bedside table. The sheets crinkled a little as she readjusted them to sleep.

“This can't be how it ends...” objected the ravenette. “It's- it's...”

Death eyed Wednesday deeply making her sentence die.

This was how it ended. In all finality.

“You know what my greatest fear is? To die alone.” Enid’s words echoed in Wednesday’s mind when she took in the scene in front of her.

Wednesday’s heart became heavy as she and the hooded figure beside her saw how Death from the original reality stepped amongst the shadows of Enid’s bedroom. He walked silently towards Enid and raised his hand.

And the scene faded away in black.

She died alone and unhappy just like she feared.

---    ---    ---

“No.” Present Wednesday’s voice broke. Her knees weakened in shock as she fell to the ground of that infinite whiteness. A knot pressed her throat. Rising tears made her eyes sting. “That’s why I asked for a second chance?”

Death nodded grimly.

Something broke inside her. A black tear escaped. It was a Raven’s nature when they experienced the unbearable.

Wednesday’s voice was devastated. “This can’t be how it ends.”

When did everything go so wrong?

“You were heartbroken about what happened to Enid in the first reality as well.” said Death with a grim voice and raised his arm.

A scene appeared.

The ravenette and Death from the original reality materialized in the infinite whiteness. A reenactment of what happened in the original reality when Wednesday first learned about Enid’s future.

“This can’t be how it ends. It simply isn’t.” the ravenette from the original reality knelt on the ground in total heartbreak mirroring the words present Wednesday had said to Death. A black tear marked her cheek.

“I’m sorry. I really am.” The answer of the original Death was grievously tainted.

“But I... I love Enid.” the ravenette from the original reality said in surprising softness, before her expression became determined. “I won’t let go of her that easily. I’m not prepared to let her die in her worst nightmare. I demand a second chance.”

Death straightened his back in surprise, not unkindly. “Are you bargaining with Death?”

“No.” the ravenette’s eyes glistened with pain. “I’m bargaining with Fate.”

Silence.

When Death spoke again, his voice revealed something close to admiration. “I was told you were brave.” He shook his hooded head. “But a second chance… it’s almost impossible.”

“I can’t let Enid die in her worst fear.” the ravenette’s eyes found Death’s in desperation. “Not when I’m the reason of it.”

Oh. Present Wednesday’s face contorted in pain and understanding. That’s why she had asked for a second chance.

Because everything started to go wrong when-

“I died.” concluded the ravenette from the original reality. “And Enid lets her heart break over the inevitable: my death.” her dark eyes were heavy with sadness. “Enid believes she is the reason I was killed.” her heart broke into a million pieces. “She lived her life without love, because she let it die with me that day.”

Present Wednesday’s breath hitched in her throat. She wanted to change Enid’s future, because-

She was the reason of Enid’s unhappiness.

“I’m the reason she thinks she doesn’t deserve love.” realized the ravenette from the original reality.

“I’m sorry, Wednesday.” said Death. “But Enid couldn’t have done anything to stop your death. She believed she was the reason you died, but in reality she couldn’t have done anything to hinder it. It was your fate to become a Spirit Guide.”

How cruel, how cruel…

All this heartbreak-

The ravenette from the original reality eyed Death with a heavy heart and an even more painful expression. “What if I don’t go to Nevermore?” she made a final offer, clinging on a last thread of hope. “Then the prophecy won’t be set in motion, the Pilgrim won’t be resurrected and I won’t get killed. Therefore, Enid won’t be put in a position to fail saving me and I will die in a different way as fate demands. She will have a chance to heal from my death and move on in her life.”

Death’s voice was grim. “Even if you don’t meet Enid at Nevermore, you will encounter her somewhere else before you die at 16 years old to become a Spirit Guide.” he explained. “She will love you greatly, but you must die either way. Enid’s heart will break over your death inevitably.”

Death’s shoulders sagged in sadness. “You two meeting each other is… cosmic. Inescapable. A Big Event.”

“A Big Event?” asked the ravenette from the original reality.

“Yes. A Big Event meaning an experience that has deep impact in your life.” explained Death. “You met Enid and that’s why you became what you were destined to be. Enid met you and that’s why she became what she was destined to be.”

Death shook his head. “A Big Event can only change because of a another Big Event. Something so impactful and final must happen that will permanently prevent the meeting of two soulmates.”

“Me and Enid are soulmates?” the ravenette’s eyes widened at that. Her heart fluttered, before it became heavy with ache.

“Yes.” answered Death.

The ravenette thought quietly. When she spoke, her tone was heavy. “Something final, you said?” she met his shadowed gaze. “Like death?”

Silence.

Death nodded slowly.

The ravenette took a breath. So that was the only way Enid wouldn’t meet her. That was the only way for Enid to be happy.

Wednesday’s heart fractured with pain when she spoke. “What if I never meet Enid?”

Silence.

“If it is my fate to die to become a Spirit Guide…” her voice was serious. “What if I die right before I meet Enid? What if I die at the first day of school, but before I reach Nevermore?”

“But your meeting-” started Death.

“Will happen before it.” explained the ravenette and asked:

“Are you familiar with the term ‘The Dream’?”

Death straightened his back in surprise. “You mean the place-non place where two soulmates meet before they see each other in real life?” he asked. “Yes, I have heard of it, although it's Fate's area of expertise, not mine.”

“Every Addams experienced the Dream when they turned 15 years old.” explained the shorter girl. “I was the first in my family that didn't meet their soulmate in shared dreams. Looking back now, I speculate it was because I didn't want a soulmate. I wanted to become a lone writer and detective. I was immaturely disgusted by the public displays of my parents' affection and at the same time terrified of touching another person due to the possibility of seeing a deathly vision. I simply wasn't receptive of love.” she lowered her eyes in sadness. “I severed my connection with Enid’s soul before even it started to happen.”

Her dark eyes looked up to find Death’s black gaze. “But now, I not only want to, but I am ready.”

“What are you implying?” asked Death.

“What if I meet Enid in the Dream before we meet at Nevermore?” Wednesday proposed. “Then, we can experience everything that got us closer in real life and what made us become ourselves, but in the dreaming state.” she clarified.

“We might not remember it when we wake up, but our experiences will be written in our subconscious and therefore their influence will shine through our everyday lives. We will help each other be what we were destined to be, but Enid will never meet me in real life as I will die before I reach the school.”

Death nodded slowly seeing the possibility of the plan. “So, Enid will never remember you as her soulmate. You will never go to Nevermore and you will never set the prophecy in motion that resulted in Enid failing saving you. She won’t be the reason her soulmate died anymore.”

“She won’t die alone and unhappy.” concluded Wednesday. “It is known that the universe never leaves anyone without love. Therefore, a…” her voice started as hopeful, but ended into something sad. “A new soulmate will be assigned to Enid, because we will never meet each other in real life. When I die, our soul’s connection will be severed and she will forget about me. It will be as if we hadn’t met at all. And Enid will be… happy.”

“But Wednesday…” started Death with sadness realizing what that meant for the ravenette. “When you die for the second time, you will inevitably ask why you died. Why this was your second chance. And you will learn about what happened to Enid in the original reality and why you… sacrificed your love for her. So, yes, Enid won’t remember being torn apart from her soulmate. But you will remember. Everyday.”

The ravenette’s serious expression softened a little. “Then, that’s my gift to Enid.” she found Death’s gaze in acceptance. “I will take her pain in my hands, if that means she will be happy. She gave me love and I gave her heartbreak. Let me have a second chance of returning the love she gave me. If that love means that I will carry her pain be remembering, then so be it.”

Silence fell in the infinite whiteness. The air buzzed with something fragile and heavy.

Two soulmates would be torn apart because of love.

Wednesday’s voice was gentle. “At least, spare her the heartbreak.” She took a breath and pressed her eyes shut. “If we are meant to meet and I must die, then so be it. But please, let Enid have her happy ending.”

Death’s voice was heavy with sadness. “It doesn’t have to be this way…”

“What happened originally is worse.” Wednesday’s dark eyes glistened in the way only pure love can shine in such situations. Determined and softly. “I can't let Enid’s worst fear come true. I can't let such... a beautiful person, a kind and good and caring person, have their life end in their worst nightmare. She deserves a happy ending. She deserves a second chance. She deserves the whole galaxy- No.” she corrected herself. “She deserves an Andromeda, while I'm just an insignificant star.”

Silence.

“So, please.” Wednesday didn't beg, not once in her life. But now it wasn't a time for ego. Not when Enid’s life was at stake. “Please, let her have her happy ending.”

Death stayed silent for a long time before answering. His voice was steady when he spoke. “You will have your second chance.”

The ravenette's dark eyes lit up with joy.

“Your plan with the Dream might work.” recognized Death. “It's so... complicated and crazy, it might actually work. But it's also unpredictable.” he warned. “The alteration of a fundamental Big Event such as the meeting of two soulmates will cause ripples in the way other events will happen. One can never predict the consequences it might bring. We can only hope, the future will change for the better. Are you willing to take that risk?”

The ravenette didn’t even weigh her options. Leave Enid to die in her worst fear or let her have a chance in happiness? Without hesitation, Wednesday answered: “With all certainty.”

“Okay.” Death clapped his hands in determination shifting the heaviness of the atmosphere into something hopeful. “We want this to work, right? So, we need to have the right timing.” He paced up and down like a coach trying to think of the best strategy for his football team.

“The shared dreams should start before we meet at Nevermore.” noted the ravenette forming the plan.

Death nodded. “In the original reality, you lived exactly...” he calculated. “One year minus one day of experiences that made you and Enid become what you were destined to be. But the Dream can only start when you turn 15 years old, at least. You met Enid at your first day at Nevermore when you turned 16 years old and then died 364 days later. To get this to work, you must meet her exactly the second night after your 15th birthday, so when that one year minus one day ends, it will be...”

“The day I was supposed to meet Enid at Nevermore.” added Wednesday. “My 16th birthday and the first day of school.”

“Correct. And when that day arrives, I will come to greet you.” concluded Death.

Present Wednesday watched the scene unfold before her eyes. She turned towards Death realizing-

“That’s why I saw Enid each night in the Dream? And not once or twice a week as the rule demands?”

Death nodded. “If you saw each other like soulmates normally do, so infrequently, then you wouldn’t have lived the events that got you closer in real life. You simply wouldn’t have the time to experience what shaped you to become… well, you.”

Present Wednesday let that information sink inside her and returned her gaze to the scene of the first reality in front of her.

The original Death’s shoulders sagged a little in sadness. “But the plan has two unavoidable flaws.” he warned Wednesday from the original reality.

“Which are?” asked the original ravenette.

“Well, first you will lose one year of your life.” explained Death. “In the original way it was supposed to be, you met Enid at 16 years old and died one year minus one day after. In your second chance, you will meet her at 15 years old and die 364 days later, if you want to die the day you arrive at Nevermore. Do you wish for it to happen?”

“Giving one year of my life, so Enid will have a better lifetime is not a loss, but a gift.” the ravenette’s voice was steady. “So, yes I want this to happen.”

“Understood.” stated Death. “But the second flaw is not one of math, but… emotion.” He looked Wednesday in the eyes. “You will fall in love with her again. You will experience everything that got you closer in real life, but in the Dream. You will meet, learn each other and inevitably fall in love with each other. But that day in which you were supposed to meet Enid, the happiest day of your life, you will die. It will... break you.”

The ravenette stayed silent for a moment. “Loving Enid... was never a flaw.” her voice softened. “In contrast, it was the best thing that has happened to me. And to experience it twice, is nothing but a gift.” her eyes glistened with sadness. “I will handle the pain when the time comes.”

“Are you sure about this?” asked Death. “There can only be one second chance. If we do this, there is no going back.”

“I am sure.” Wednesday’s voice held finality.

“So, we can begin.” Death nodded. “When you wake up tomorrow, it will be the morning of your 15th birthday. You will have forgotten all our conversation, even after your second death. But don't be afraid.” he reassured her. “I will be here with Nero, waiting for you when we greet again.”

The ravenette met the darkness under his hood with surprised eyes. “Nero is here?”

“Yes. And I think, since you will have a year of waiting, until the young seer girl experiences her own events that will turn her to what she was destined to be and meet you to guide her...” Death took  a breath. “You will be pleased to meet Goody as well.”

“My Spirit Guide?” asked the ravenette.

“Yes. You might have more things in common that you'd like to admit.” noticed Death. “She could help you prepare a little more about the role you're going to take. And some other Addams family members would like to meet you as well. Oh, I have a whole line of people that want to meet you.” he assured her.

“Really?” Wednesday searched his shadowed gaze.

“Oh yes. We will have a lot to talk about.” he paused a little as if he was hearing something. “Also, Fate informed me just now that Enid’s grandparents want you to give her their hellos when you meet her again. She told them you won't remember it, but they insisted I told you.”

Wednesday let out a small smile. “Thank you. I probably won't remember it, but I'm...” She felt positive anticipation for the first time since she died. “Looking forward to meet them, if they want.”

“You will, when it's time.” assured her Death. “Now go. Go get your girl again. And remember: enjoy every second of it, as it will be your last.”

Wednesday nodded. “I will. And thank you. For the second chance.”

Death didn't speak or Wednesday didn't manage to hear him speak. Because her eyelids slowly became heavy as her body fell into sleep.

When she woke up, she was 15 years old again.

And as Death had promised, she didn't remember anything from the first reality nor the plan they had forged.

Her memories of them had died with her yesterday.

---    ---    ---

Silence.

Death and the ravenette from the original reality disappeared softly. The scene of what happened in the first reality faded away leaving present Wednesday and Death alone in the infinite whiteness.

“Do you understand now?” Death turned towards present Wednesday. “Why everything happened like it did? Why everything must happened like it did.”

The quietness stretched as present Wednesday let all the information sink inside her. Her rational mind accepted it, but her heart didn’t. She didn’t know how much more she could handle. Every truth was piercing her heart like a sharp shard: she used to bleed love, but now she only bled pain.

Suddenly Death spoke again. “You know now. But Enid can never learn the truth.”

Wednesday’s surprised eyes looked up to meet his shadowed ones. “Why not? It’s her right to know, as well as mine.”

“It may be a right, but it’s a burden.” explained Death. “The emotional trauma would be too big and leave an imprint on Enid’s subconscious so strong, it would leave residues. You yourself were so emotionally scarred by the knowledge of the original reality that a side in you remembered Enid.”

“What do you mean?” Wednesday tried to decipher his words.

“When you first touched Enid in the Dream at the second night-” started Death. “When you stumbled and fell on her-”

“I had this familiar feeling as if I had recognized her from somewhere…” Wednesday connected the dots.

“Because you two met for the first time again.” revealed Death. “You had already met her and loved her deeply, before you were torn apart. You bore the knowledge of the original reality in your subconscious and somehow, your soul remembered Enid’s soul. And that last night in the Dream, before the first day of school-”

“We danced. And I had this dreadful feeling that we would not meet the next day.” Wednesday realized. “Enid was absolutely celestial, but our love was... dying.” Her heart ached. “Our last night was simply… magical. At the same time explosive, yet soft.” she remembered with tender memories.

“Well, how does a star die?” noticed Death. “By explosion.”

Wednesday shook her head in pain as something broke inside her. “I had a feeling we wouldn’t meet the next day, but since I didn’t see Enid dying in a vision upon touching her, a false sense of safety encompassed me. But isn’t it cruel, so immensely cruel…” her eyes glistened with tears. “That in the end my own death would tore us apart.”

“A Raven cannot see their own death in a vision.” reminded her Death. “It’s a law of the universe.” Then, he added: “That’s why we need to make sure your death is as… neutral as possible. We can’t risk Enid remembering the original reality. The cosmic knowledge that she and her soulmate are never meant to be together would scar her soul creating residues, like you experienced. Even more so, if she learned about the second chance that tore you apart for the second time. If we want her to wake up tomorrow as if nothing happened, she can never know the truth.”

“If Enid doesn’t learn about the original reality and my death is neutral…” Wednesday looked up to find Death’s shadow under his hood. “Will her fate change? Or will she die alone and unhappy again?” Her dark eyes were desperate for an answer.

Was all this for nothing?

Death hesitated. “The future is… uncertain.” he explained. “Time is like liquid cement. It hasn’t solidified, yet. So, we can’t be sure that her end has changed.”

Wednesday’s eyes widened in sorrow.

“However-” soothed Death. “There are.. two scenes. Two quiet afternoons that amid all the infinite possibilities of the future appear not as a potentiality, but as solid certainty.”

The ravenette’s heart fluttered in hope. So, something had changed now that they met in the Dream.

Her heart felt heavy. Now that they wouldn’t meet in real life. she thought.

Dread crawled in Wednesday’s heart as she asked: “Can I see what changed?”

“Don’t fear.” Death’s tone was soft, as if he was smiling. “The two scenes you are about to see are-” he changed his mind. “Well, I’ll let you see them for yourself.” He raised his arm and under the creases of his black sleeve, a scene from the near future appeared.

A soft light made present Wednesday blink.

---    ---    ---

Afternoon sunlight filtered through an arched window of Nevermore. Enid was standing in an empty classroom with the group of outcasts forming their plan to catch a villain. It was the scene from the original reality that Wednesday had watched with Death.

Except now, it was nothing like the original reality.

The whole atmosphere was friendly. And warm.

Occasionally, the outcasts rested a hand on each other’s shoulders in familiarity or bumped on each other playfully. A pale girl with black sunglasses made a dry joke and Enid laughed with her whole heart. A girl with mesmerizing blue eyes suggested a plan B and Enid listened carefully, offering minor improvements. A slim boy with a beanie widened his eyes in excitement and proposed his idea to the mission. Enid noted his idea on a post-it and giving it a little thought, pressed it on the map in front of her near the school’s gates. With one decisive nod of her head, Enid explained the plan to the group, her hands trailing over the map.

A girl that had weaved her red hair in pigtails looked mischievously as the plan unfolded before the group’s eyes and a boy with curly hair and braces pushed his glasses up his nose in focus.

Wednesday tried, but didn’t recognize any of them. Maybe their faces seemed familiar from the scene of the original reality, but she wasn’t sure. But what she did recognize was the absolute trust in the outcast’s eyes when they looked at Enid.

And Enid... oh, she was shining! She had changed her hair. It was dyed in more prominent streaks of blue and pink and her makeup became more intense, too. Not hiding her features, but perfectly underlining her character. However, the biggest change Wednesday noticed was the way Enid carried herself. Confidently, with a steady look in her eyes and a warm smile. She had a certain air of strength and trust in her that suited her well. She was…

A true and absolute leader.

Wednesday’s heart softened. “That’s Enid?”

“That’s her.” Death’s smile wasn’t visible under the shadows of his hood, but it colored his voice with gentleness. “She was always going to become a Savior and a captain of some sort. Now, she is a meaningful leader.”

The ravenette’s heart swelled with pride. “I always knew she had it in her.”

“She always did. But you helped her unlock it.” Death’s shoulders relaxed. “You met each other in the Dream and everything changed. Enid made different choices now.”

Wednesday saw how Enid’s smile reached her eyes. She seemed… happy.

“She found her own pack.” noticed the ravenette. “She didn’t let herself be alone and sorrowful.” Then, she turned towards Death. “Did her mother-”

“Oh, yes.” answered Death with a nod. “She excluded her from the Sinclair pack in this reality, too. She was too ashamed for having an Alpha as a daughter. But Enid didn’t let that define her this time.” He looked Wednesday in the eyes and a smile softened his voice again. “I already told you that through your meeting in the Dream, Enid accepted herself from a place of love and not hurt.”

They watched the scene in front of them for a while, before Death added: “When you think about it, it makes sense that the universe gave Enid the gift of being an Alpha, so later it could help her fulfill her Purpose of being a Savior.”

Wednesday thought about that statement as the scene of the near future faded away.

---    ---    ---

Colors started to blur as time raced forward. Faster and faster, deeper into the future. Until-

Death made a movement with his hand as if opening a curtain and time stopped softly.

They were transported into a cozy living room.

It was late afternoon again as warm golden light filtered through the large windows of the living room. Wednesday took a glance around the homely space, but when she tried to look at its details, she realized she couldn’t. It seemed like the more she tried to focus on something, the more blurry or undefined it became. Much like in dreams where you see the bigger picture or specific little details, but you can’t see everything.

Death must have read the subtle disappointment on her expression as he reminded her: “Time is like liquid cement, remember? The future’s details are undefined. But the core…” he emphasized. “The core is always the same.”

A large bookcase caught Wednesday’s attention. Or maybe, her attention was directed towards it after Death’s words. She took a step closer to inspect it.

It was filled with books, with some hardcovers organized in neat rows and some multicolored paperbacks being pure chaos on the shelves. She scanned a few book spines with her eyes.

Some were older and more worn out than the others. She couldn't make up the details or the name of the authors or the title of the books. But at that moment, a sunray filtered through the window and made the gold letter "M" shine on a hardcover book.

Then Wednesday’s attention was caught on a glass shine to her right.

Pictures in different frames and sizes were put lovingly in an array on some bookshelves.

Enid was on them. In one picture, she was a little older, maybe in her 20s judging by her slightly matured features. Her hair was different. It was blond, but the underlayer was dyed bright pink. She was smiling happily and was hugging a figure to her left. Wednesday couldn't make up the details of the person, since the figure was blurry.

In another picture, Enid was standing in a gloomy looking place holding the right hand of the person next to her high in the air in a moment of excitement. Wednesday could see the surrounding architecture, clearly reminiscent of the 14^th century in which the building was constructed.

Oh! Wednesday's heart fluttered in a spontaneity of happiness.

It was the Bran Castle in Romania!

Wednesday always wanted to go there.

Then, her heart became heavy with sadness.

Enid would go to that place with her partner. Not her.

True, the Dracula’s castle was pretty commercial and basic, however dark natured it may be. Every tourist wanted to go there, especially if they were an outcast. Enid had mentioned she wanted to travel in her life, so it made sense to go to the most popular outcast destinations first.

Wednesday looked at the other pictures on the shelves.

Enid stood alone in one picture smiling adoringly at the camera or, as the ravenette figured, to the person holding the camera.

Wednesday’s heart ached. She tried to see who that person was in another picture, but the figure became even blurrier. She couldn’t see who it was.

Not that it would make any difference if she could see them anyway. The important thing was for Enid to be happy.

Wednesday let out an imperceptible smile at the last picture. It was shaky, like the person taking it had moved in surprise right before the click. A large blond wolf was frozen mid air jumping on the camera like a cute puppy. Her tongue was hanging sideways as she went to give a doggy kiss to the person taking the picture. Enid in her wolf form was smiling and seemed entirely happy.

The picture was chaotic. Shaky. Too dark to make up big details. Everyone else would delete it. But something in Enid’s eyes, that pure happiness and joy, made Wednesday want to keep it.

She stretched her hand to touch it, but her fingers went right through it like a ghost.

“You can't touch objects of the future.” explained Death. “They haven't happened, yet.”

Disappointment tugged at Wednesday’s heart again.

Then, a familiar chuckle made her turn to her left. A woman with white shoulder length hair was sitting on the couch with her arm draped around the blurry figure's shoulders.

Wednesday hadn't noticed the pair on the couch.

The woman with short hair spoke softly. Her eyes were momentarily reflected on the living room’s window opposite her.

Wednesday’s breath hitched.

She would recognize those blue eyes everywhere. Sure, they were older. Sunken due to age. But that sparkle in them… was Enid’s. Always Enid’s.

The ravenette couldn't make up what Enid said, since her voice was sounding as if she were underwater or far away. But she sounded joyful. The blurry figure spoke too and Enid laughed.

Wednesday's heart clenched with a bittersweet feeling.

Enid seemed happy. She had found love and made it last for years, decades. Through ups and downs. She had traveled and made her dreams come true.

Not with Wednesday.

But with her true love.

Wednesday’s heart ached at that thought.

But if Enid was happy...

She was happy for her.

“Enid found her happy ending.” noticed Wednesday.

“And not only that.” emphasized Death. “This time, she fought for her happy ending. She let others approach her. She let others hurt her occasionally, yes. But most importantly…” he said. “She let others love her. She let herself live.”

Wednesday nodded slowly, understanding what Death meant. “She didn’t let go of the ones she loved.”

“Including herself.” added Death gently. He tilted his hooded head sideways. “Funny, when we talk about the ones we love, why do we always forget to mention ourselves? Don’t we love ourselves, too?”

The ravenette furrowed her eyebrows slightly and nodded.

“Then why do we let go of ourselves?” asked Death. “When the result is happiness.”

Silence fell as they took one last glance of the scene in front of them.

Then, Death made a circular motion with his hand as if he conducted an orchestra to bring the music to an end.

And the scene faded away.

---    ---    ---

Present Wednesday and Death were standing in the infinite whiteness for the final time.

Everything was explained. Nothing more needed to be shown.

Softly, Wednesday let out a bittersweet smile - Enid would get her happy ending - before she met Death’s gaze and realized-

It was time.

“How much time do I have?” Wednesday’s eyes glistened with rising tears.

“A few moments maybe.” answered Death. “Then, if my calculations are correct… your head injuries from the car accident will lead you from comatose state to death.”

Death expected-

A reaction.

A denial. Maybe shouting. Or crying. Something that you do when you hear you’re about to die.

Instead, he didn’t get any of those.

This time, Wednesday just looked at him, face-first with a steady expression. And even though her eyes glistened-

She nodded once in acceptance.

And that was more heartbreaking than whatever he had expected.

“Can I say goodbye to my family?” Wednesday’s voice started steadily, but it tremored a little at the end despite her best tries.

“You will be gifted one final Dream.” reassured her Death. “In the dreaming space, everything that is truly loved will appear. Whether it is a creature, an object or a person. Your family loves you and you love them. You will meet each other one last time. After all, your second chance bares the gift of goodbye.”

A wave of relief flooded Wednesday’s heart, before worry flashed in her eyes. “And Enid?”

“If you truly love each other, you will have one last Dream together.” stated Death. “But after that Wednesday…” he reminded her with a sad tone. “If nothing changes, you will… die. The connection of your souls will be cut, since you can never meet in real life. Enid will forget you when she opens her eyes the next morning, just like it happens after every Dream. Only this time, she won't feel anything when she wakes up.”

Wednesday lowered her eyes in heartbreak, even though acceptance shone through.

“Wednesday.” said Death and the ravenette glanced up to meet his shadowed gaze. “When you see Enid, you won't have much time. Only so much as a Dream lasts. Make every second count. State the facts. A car accident occurred that resulted in you falling into a coma and eventually dying. Nothing more and nothing less. Say your goodbye. And when it's time, let her go.”

Slowly and with a thudding pain in her heart, Wednesday nodded.

“I said before that I love Enid and that’s why I wouldn’t let go of her. But I was wrong.” she looked Death in the eyes. “Because I love her, that’s why I will let her go.”

Silence fell in the dreaming space.

When Wednesday blinked, her eyes met that borderless whiteness.

Death had softly disappeared giving her space to tell her goodbyes. But most importantly-

To tell her “I love you” for the final time.

---    ---    ---

The present: The final Dream of Wednesday and Enid. When Wednesday told her goodbye and it was time… to let Enid go.

Wednesday looked at Enid from the other side of the snow globe’s glass. The blonde’s fingers were fading away. The Dream was coming to end.

Forgive me, Enid. thought the ravenette, while her heart thudded with ache. She looked at the girl she loved with a heartbroken expression and made the most difficult decision in her life: Let her go.

Wednesday’s heart shattered into a million pieces as she turned around.

“Please, don’t go.” Enid’s fists found the curved glass with a weaker force.

The ravenette pressed her dark eyes shut. A tear escaped.

“Wednesday, please…” Enid’s fist collided with the glass to make it break. It didn’t even quiver.

The tear fell down.

“I love you.” said Enid.

Ink black against the white floor. It was the tear of a Raven who was experiencing the unbearable.

Wednesday contained a sob.

“Wednesday…!” The blonde’s heartbroken voice echoed in the vast dreaming space.

The goodbye was final.

A silent second passed.

Another one.

And then-

CRACK.

The glass of the snow globe fractured on its surface as Enid's fist collided on it with force.

Hope fluttered in her heart.

But Wednesday didn't hear it. She was too far away by now.

The werewolf threw both of her fists against the glass with such force and determination as if her life depended on it.

CRASHHH!

Million glass pieces scattered on the ground like silver glitter. She jumped from the snow globe's black base and ran towards Wednesday. Her knuckles bled as tiny shards pierced them.

The blonde’s extended hand found the ravenette’s. The latter turned around in surprise, a trail of black tear marking her cheek.

There was so much to be said. So many things left unfinished.

The two girls exchanged a desperate look in the dreaming space as Enid’s fingertips were half transparent at this point. She was waking up.

Enid cupped Wednesday's cheek, softly brushing away the black tear with her thumb before her hand would fade away. The ravenette leaned into the touch and looked up to find her favorite blue eyes.

Enid couldn’t believe Wednesday would die. She couldn’t believe that she would wake up tomorrow forgetting her love for her. Everything happened so fast.

The blonde felt like she had so much to say and so little time. She tried to convey everything that hid in her heart and mind when she asked: "Will you still love me tomorrow?"

Wednesday held her gaze softly. “Always.”

The ravenette lay on the hospital bed with white bandages covering her forehead. Her heartbeat was steady during coma.

Bip.

Bip.

Bip.

In the Dream, Enid searched Wednesday’s eyes. For answers. For Hope. A flat remark that maybe this was all a prank after all.

Instead, she only saw love.

Bip.

…

Bip.

…

In the hospital, the ravenette’s heartbeat slowed down dangerously.

“Tell me this was all a bad dream.” Enid’s eyes were filled with pain. “That we’re gonna wake up tomorrow and everything is going to be okay.”

The ravenette met her gaze with glistening eyes. She thought about that scene from Enid’s future. When she laughed, old and happy and so completely. Holding her partner in a loving embrace on their couch.

She thought about Enid’s happy ending.

“Everything is going to be okay.” reassured her Wednesday, but she didn’t say anything else. And Enid’s heart broke at that.

“No.” the blonde’s face scrunched up with pain. “Don’t go. I don’t want you to die.”

“Dying is like…” Wednesday’s eyes softened. “Falling asleep. You will wake up tomorrow and I am going to fall asleep.”

Enid shook her head heartbroken. She noticed that not only her fingers, but her hands were becoming transparent now, too.

She had maybe two seconds.

Two seconds before she would wake up. Two seconds before she would forget Wednesday.

And in those two final seconds, Enid decided. “I love you, Wednesday.” Her blue eyes met her favorite black ones. “I won’t let go of you that easily.”

And she did something reckless.

Something desperate.

Something brave.

She leaned in and Wednesday met her halfway.

This time, Fate might just have looked away and let them have their first - and final - kiss, even in the Dream.

Bip.

…

…

Bip.

…

…

In the hospital, the ravenette’s slow heartbeat was dying.

The kiss was soft like a lovely greeting. It was hard like a final goodbye.

A black tear trailed on Wednesday’s cheek.

Bip.

…

…

It was a true love’s kiss, right? In fairy tales, the princess always wakes up after a true love’s kiss.

Bip.

…

…

…

Then why did it feel like goodbye?

“I love you, too.” Wednesday whispered with all her heart after they broke apart to catch air.

Then-

In the hospital, the ravenette’s heartbeat spiked suddenly.

BIP.

BIP.

BIP.

Wednesday went to cup the blonde’s cheek, but her hand froze mid-air when she noticed-

Her pale fingertips became transparent. “Enid.”

BIP!

BIP!

BIP!

Enid glanced at Wednesday and then at her fingertips, which were fading away. She gasped.

“I’m waking up.” Wednesday found Enid’s eyes in surprise.

“You’re waking up?” the blonde’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re actually waking up!” she let out the biggest smile of all.

“I… don’t die.” Wednesday couldn’t believe it. “I don’t die.”

The blonde squealed in happiness.

The ravenette let out a small, unbelievable smile.

Wednesday’s mind was racing with numerous thoughts and possibilities. How did this happen?

She had changed Enid’s future, yes. She had seen a glimpse of Enid’s future where she was happy with a partner. But it seemed that in her effort to change Enid’s future, her future changed as well. Their fates were so intently intertwined that when the future of one of them changed, the future of the other changed, too.

Then, realization struck Wednesday.

The blurry figure from the future - Enid’s partner - was her.

It wasn't an "M" she saw shining on the spine of the hardcover book. It was a "W". Her initials. Her books. She became an author after all.

And Enid didn't go to Bran Castle with someone else, but with her.

Enid had wolfed out and was finally at peace with herself, comfortable in her own skin. She jumped to kiss the person holding the camera. It was Wednesday who was holding it.

It was always Wednesday.

Her heart fluttered. Against all odds, against her fate to die at 16 years old-

It turned out that her happy ending was a part of Enid’s happy ending, too.

And technically speaking, Wednesday did meet Death at 16 years old. He just didn’t take her to the other side, this time.

“What happened?” Enid smiled as she searched Wednesdays’ eyes. “Your eyebrows are at your deep thinking angle again.”

The ravenette’s shoulders relaxed. “I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again.” she promised as her hands faded away.

The two girls were waking up. But before they did-

Enid leaned forward and pulled Wednesday in a warm hug. The shorter girl returned the gesture holding the blonde in a firm, lingering embrace.

“I love you.” muttered Enid against Wednesday’s shoulder.

The ravenette leaned softly back to look in her eyes. “I love you, too.”

In the Dream, Wednesday’s heart raced as she stood on her toes for a kiss-

And Enid collided with her lips.

BIP! BIP! BIP!

In the hospital, Wednesday opened her eyes.

---    ---    ---

Bright morning light bathed Nevermore’s corridors.

It was a clear day in late September and the students had already filled the school’s hallways to reach their classrooms of today’s lessons. Everyone was gathered on the ground floor where the classrooms were housed.

Well, except one.

The wooden floorboards of the third floor creaked when Enid half-ran-half-walked on them.

No, no, no. the blonde thought anxiously. How could she forget her geometry notebook again? The class would start in four minutes and Professor Pythagoras would think she did it on purpose, as an excuse to avoid telling the solution of today’s exercise.

The blonde hastily reached the heavy, wooden door of her room. She pressed the door handle.

Excuse you, she did quite in fact spend all of her yesterday’s afternoon solving-

She opened the door.

And froze.

A girl with pigtails wearing an all black outfit stood in her room with her back turned against the door. She contrasted with the colorful space like an ink stain was spilled on a particolored birthday card. The girl put her black suitcase on top of the wooden desk.

Enid walked inside, her voice friendly. “Hi there, I’m sorry, you must have mistaken the room-” she touched the girl’s hand to draw her attention-

She turned around.

And Enid’s eyes widened in surprise. “Wednesday?”

She was like in the Dream. Pale skin, ebony hair and a constellation of freckles that adorned her cheeks and nose.

Her stoic, dark eyes shone with recognition. “Enid?”

Wednesday’s heart fluttered as she registered the taller girl.

She was like in the Dream, if not more…. striking.

The ring of the eclipse would get jealous of her white skin.

Rainbows would envy those pink and blue streaks against blond.

And rain would shy away against those impossible blue eyes.

If meteorological phenomena were daily occurrences, then Enid was the exception.

Enid smiled warmly. “Hi.”

Involuntarily, the movement of the blonde’s mouth drew Wednesday’s attention to her lips. She glanced back up.

Enid said as many words as possible to draw the ravenette’s attention back to where it was. “You know, I’m stuck between saying ‘I love you’ and ‘Good morning’ right now-”

The school bell rang.

And Enid leaned in first.

Sunset crashing with midnight.

Wednesday pressed harder meeting Enid’s love on her lips. Enid deepened the kiss, before she parted for air.

Softly, the ravenette rested her forehead against the blonde’s and searched her eyes. “I love you.”

Enid returned the gaze. “Good morning.”

The ravenette exhaled through her nose, the closest she could get to laughter.

“I love y-” smiled Enid, but was cut off by Wednesday’s kiss.

Lips touched lips.

Hearts raced faster-

Enid gasped.

“Was the kiss that good already?” jested the ravenette flatly. “Well then, I suppose we can retest its excellence once more. For scientific reasons.” she smirked.

The blonde let out a happy laugh. “The kiss was great, Wednesday. But I just remembered what happened in the Dream.”

“Oh.” The memories of the Dream dawned inside the ravenette, too, shifting the atmosphere from love to something darker. “Oh.”

“I thought you died!” exclaimed Enid with wide open eyes.

“I-” started Wednesday.

“Don’t ever do that to me again!” the werewolf’s forehead creased in worry. “I thought I was gonna have a heart attack! You basically said ‘I died. I love you. Goodbye.’ in roughly that order.”

“I apologize, Enid.” said Wednesday. “But Death said to me that I had mere moments before you woke up and I would never see you again. I wanted to be as clear and direct as possible.”

“I understand that, but- Wait.” Enid froze. “You met Death? Death, as we say, with a capital ‘D’?”

“Yes.” answered the ravenette with a tone that suggested it was the most normal thing in the world.

“What?!” Enid was excitedly intrigued. “And what was he like?”

“How do you imagine him?” asked Wednesday.

The blonde joined her eyebrows in thought. “I don't know... Maybe tall with a black hood and a shadowed face? But you can’t see his eyes, because the shadow of his hood covers them. And also, because that effect makes him appear mysterious.”

Wednesday blinked at her accurate description. “Yes, exactly.”

“Hm. Pretty basic.” Enid nodded to herself.

“Indeed.” monotoned the ravenette.

Enid smiled in excitement. “Wanna skip geometry class and tell me what happened in the Dream and you thought you were going to die, but didn’t?”

“Enid.” Wednesday took her hand in her own with a soft expression. “The college that you are going to love and the subject that you going to be passionate about are waiting for you. Don't mess up your future because of what happened in the past.”

Enid searched Wednesday’s eyes and thought a little. “Fine.” she relaxed her shoulders. “But after class, I want the whole details.”

“Agreed.” nodded the ravenette. “But I am going to need two large chalkboards, one set of white chalks, one set of colored chalks and an insurmountable amount of patience from you. Because I am going to draw a timeline to explain what happened.”

“Can't wait!” Enid clapped her hands happily.

When her eyes met the ravenette’s again, her joyful expression melted into something softer. She opened her mouth to say something-

“Hey Enid, are you coming or what?” A slightly bored voice sounded from the corridor.

“Coming, Yoko!” Enid shouted at the door, grabbed a glittery pink notebook with a sticker that said “Geometry” in fat letters and… hesitated. She looked at the ravenette. “Wednesday?”

“Yes?” asked the shorter girl holding a minimal black notebook. On its white label, calligraphy letters of ink formed the word “Geometry” in elegant handwriting.

Enid cupped her hands gently and let out a small smile. “I’m glad you’re okay.” she whispered and kissed Wednesday softly. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” said Wednesday with butterflies in her stomach and shining dark eyes.

Enid loosened her hand and dragged Wednesday softly by the fingertips out the door. “Hey, you didn’t tell me-” she opened the door. “Why were you in my room?”

“We’re roommates.” the shorter girl answered flatly, but not unkindly.

Enid gasped. “And we were roommates!”

Wednesday rolled her eyes, even though the corner of her mouth lifted a little into an imperceptible smile.

---    ---    ---

One year later.

It was a cloudy morning in September. The Addams Mansion seemed peaceful under that forever grey sky that created an atmosphere of melancholic comfort, even in after-summer days.

Enid smiled as she leaned on the metallic bench’s back, her shoulder brushing softly with Wednesday’s. The bench was exactly like the ravenette had described in their shared dreams. Elegantly black with gothic arches for a back and legs that seemed like they were twisted stems of roses with all their thorns pointing at you.

Two years ago, Enid sat with Wednesday on their hybrid bench in the Dream hesitantly learning each other again for the second time and now-

Now, they were at the Addams backyard whispering sweet nothings to each other like it was the most normal, everyday thing.

And Enid wouldn’t exchange it for the world.

“You must try mother’s spider cookies for breakfast.” monotoned Wednesday as she ducked to retie a loose black shoelace. “They’re… quite the experience as they create that special tickling in the stomach.”

When she moved, her black pigtails leaned forward baring her neck.

Two small circular scars glinted under diffused sunlight: the pale memory of a Mating Bite. A conversation between bodies taking place.

Enid smiled when Wednesday’s eyes found hers again.

“What?” asked the ravenette. The corners of her lips turned slightly upwards.

“Nothing. It’s just…” Enid’s heart hadn’t felt so happy for a long time. Her blue eyes searched her dark ones softly. “You’re beautiful.”

Wednesday’s expression relaxed into something soft, her eyes looking away in happy shyness.

“Girls! Breakfast is ready!” Morticia’s voice sounded from inside the Mansion.

The two girls stood up from the bench and walked inside the house.

Gomez, Morticia, Fester, Thing and Lurch already sat at the kitchen table waiting for them kindly. They greeted the girls with several good mornings when they entered the kitchen.

“So, Wednesday-” Gomez started the conversation with his thundering enthusiasm. “You didn’t tell us: Did that new Principal let you run your Seer Guiding Club this year, too?”

Wednesday nodded. “After the success it had the previous semester following the personal, emotional and academic success of all the young seers who signed up-” she let out an imperceptible smile. “The Principal allowed me to run the Club officially this year as well.”

“By George, that's great news!” grinned Gomez.

“You must be proud of yourself, Wednesday.” Morticia smiled with motherly affection.

“I always knew you had it in you.” Enid’s voice was warm as she gave the ravenette’s hand a small squeeze.

Lurch grunted approvingly, Fester nodded brightly and Thing snapped his fingers on his palm in a joyful clap.

Wednesday slowly rotated her empty glass with thought. “I wonder if a certain girl will show up for the new semester as well…”

“Agnes?” Enid joined her eyebrows in confusion. “But she wanted to be a part of your club since last semester. Why wouldn't she want it now? ”

“She is quite younger than the others.” noticed the ravenette remembering that Agnes went to junior high school. “Perhaps she changed her mind and doesn't want to take classes only with seers from high school.” she paused. “But I see that she is different than the other seers. She holds a great strength inside her. A possibility of excellence not regarding academic purposes, but of something greater. Every vision she experienced until now is of…” her dark eyes shone with something close to amazement. “unprecedented intensity.”

The sound of stainless steel cutlery against plates enriched the momentary silence as everyone filled their plates for breakfast. Enid took two spider cookies from a large platter offering a warm “Thank you” to Morticia and a “Wow, these are really good!” when she took a bite of the delicious confection. The werewolf widened her eyes as she turned towards Wednesday. “The spider cookies actually do tickle your stomach!”

The ravenette’s eyes shone with amusement.

“Oh, I almost forgot.” Gomez ducked under his chair and handed Wednesday a pack of brochures. “These arrived this morning for you.”

“College brochures?” Enid glanced at the titles.

“Yes, I was going to tell you when I had studied them first.” Wednesday looked up at Enid’s eyes. “But since Viper de la Muerte's Adventures officially found a publishing house this summer, I was looking for possible career paths. And these colleges offer some…” she indicated the brochures at hand and her dark eyes brightened. “exceptional criminology and forensic science programs. I was thinking to become a professional detective.”

Enid smiled warmly. “Solving murders and getting paid? That sounds really fitting.”

“What about you, darling?” asked Morticia with interest. “Any thoughts about the desired college or career path you are going to explore?”

Enid lowered her eyes shyly. “Well, I was only looking at possible colleges to apply like, two weeks ago, but-” she smiled and her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. “I found this amazing psychology program in one of the best colleges in the country. And last week, the school’s counselor office opened again for the year, so I called and asked if he could help me with the application and everything. He saw my grades and extracurricular activities and-” she smiled joyfully. “He thinks I actually have a shot.”

Everyone around the table erupted in happy words and gestures.

Enid’s cheeks blushed a little as she wasn’t used to receiving that much happiness from a family.

“The truth is I always wanted to give back to people.” she said. “To help them somehow. To provide an actual safe space for people to heal.” her voice became softer as she revealed a big truth. “I want to be the someone I hadn't growing up with my parents.”

Wednesday tenderly cupped Enid’s hand and gave her a small squeeze.

“Hey, speaking of education, where's Pugsley?” Gomez looked around. “He's going to miss his first day of school.”

“I will go wake him up.” Morticia rose gracefully from her chair and turned towards the tall butler. “Lurch, darling, can you prepare the car? We must be leaving for Nevermore in 10 minutes.” she glanced at the kitchen clock and widened her eyes. “Pugsley’s lucky that your new Principal allows students to arrive at  Nevermore at noon to settle in their rooms or else you would already be late.”

“Yeah, what happened to him?” Gomez furrowed his eyebrows in a similar way that Wednesday used to do and Enid smiled at that. “He is never late.”

“Eh, I wouldn’t fear about him. You know how 15-year old boys are.” Fester shrugged his shoulders. “Pugsley probably played too much with explosives again and stayed up until after midnight.”

Wednesday furrowed her eyebrows slightly. That didn't sound like her brother at all. He always woke up first in the family no matter how little he had slept the night before.

Then-

Creaking staircase.

Unsteady footsteps.

Pugsley walked inside the kitchen with a disheveled look on his face.

“You seldom miss breakfast.” monotoned Wednesday and searched her brother’s eyes. “What happened? Did you see that nightmare with the field full of flowers and cute, little puppies again?”

Everyone, besides Enid, shuddered at that as if this was something truly frightening to see.

“No, I think-“ A smile played on Pugsley’s lips. “I think I saw the Dream.”

Cheers erupted in the Addams Family.

“By George, really?” Gomez grinned happily.

“The Addams Curse!” smiled Fester with his high-pitched voice.

“Our little boy, all grown up.” Morticia gave him a motherly hug.

Thing gave a thumbs up and Enid smiled brightly at the news.

Everyone was happy for him, while Pugsley exchanged soft glances, warm hugs and excited handshakes with his family.

Then his eyes found the eyes of his older sister.

Wednesday held his gaze and glanced at Enid. Her stoic expression softened a little.

She remembered how much good the Dream had brought to her, to them. All the happiness and experiences they had gained. She thought how much they’d grown emotionally in that one year since the Dream. How in real life, yes, there were some difficult times in their relationship, but both her and Enid fought for each other, never letting go.

Maybe everything came to this, in the end: Dreams did come true, if you fight for them to happen.

Maybe that’s why the Dream had spared them from their terrible fates. It wasn’t only because of true love. True love is stronger than any darkness, yes. But true love combined with the will to grow and fight? That-

Is something truly limitless.

Wednesday looked at Pugsley’s bright smile. She was happy that her brother would also have the same happiness as her. And with that thought, she genuinely-

Smiled back.