Snap Twice | Wenclair (English)

XVIII

―Come on, wake up...

Enid's voice in her ear brought her back to reality. Without opening her eyes, she moaned, just to show him that she was already conscious. Enid, leaning on an arm at her side, touched her nose with the tip of her finger, moving up to her forehead and down her cheekbones, then along the line of her jaw. Smiling, she leaned close to her ear again.

―Wake up already, I don't want us to be late.

Finally, Wednesday complaint, before opening her eyes and turning her head slightly, to where the girl in the colorful pajamas was lying next to her.

―Remind me why I didn't murder you?

In response, Enid simply let out a chuckle before moving over to her and giving her a kiss on the cheek. She then stood up abruptly to walk over to the red suitcase placed near the bed and began to take out the clothes she would be wearing that day.

Reluctantly, Wednesday sat up, her arms still across her chest. The sun was filtering through the frayed curtains of her room. Slowly, she scanned the entire space at a glance. In one corner, the blonde was squatting, chattering in front of the suitcase. Farther to the right, rested another pile of suitcases, some in garish colors, others in grayscale with edges eroded by age. Finally, on the desk by the door rested the typewriter case, ready to be closed along with a stack of new sheets. Wednesday climbed out of bed, stomping her bare feet on the wood.

―I can't decide what to use! ―Enid complained, as Wednesday silently picked up the pile of clothes she had neatly arranged the night before on the desk chair and headed for the bathroom in her room, leaving the wolf girl to continue muttering.

As she entered the bathroom and prepared for a shower, she couldn't help but notice the three long scars that crossed diagonally across her ribs, the bottom one reaching almost to her belly. She brushed them with her fingers, but the pain was gone. In her mind, as she looked in the mirror, she relived that night when Enid had attacked her and she had almost died. Now, on that day so suffused with light and Enid's scent all over her possessions, it seemed as if that day had happened years ago, despite the fact that no more than three weeks had passed. Wednesday couldn't help a grimace of satisfaction at how well those violent scars matched the smooth, pale skin of her anatomy. The bruises, unfortunately, had faded long before. "A pity," she had thought, "as much as I like hematomas."
She slid carefully into the tub and closed her eyes, covering them with a damp cloth. Thus, in the momentary silence, she let her memories of the past few days wander.

-----

―Wednesday! ―Enid had exclaimed when she saw the girl awake. Without thinking twice, she leaned over to hug her, with tears in her eyes. The black-haired girl resisted for a couple of seconds that abrupt attack to her personal space, but the pain that went through her body made her moan, so Enid let her go immediately, remembering the fragility of her current state ―I'm so sorry... ―was all she managed to say before bursting into tears, leaning over her.

―Why are you crying? ―Asked the smaller, still pale girl.

Enid broke away from her, wiping her tears with the sleeves of her sweatshirt, and they looked into each other's eyes. The blonde was trying to regain control over her voice, so it was Wednesday who spoke.

―It's all over now, I'm here... ―With great delicacy she traced over Enid's face soft caresses with her cold hand, while she closed her eyes to the touch and kissed the palm of her hand.

―I'm sorry, Wednesday... I didn't mean to attack you, I... ―She was making a huge effort to give some coherence to what she was saying, but her thoughts were still quite jumbled even after all the time in repose ―This is all my fault...

Wednesday took a while to respond, but finally did, interrupting the girl's choked sobs.

―Yes, it is ―Enid looked up, a little confused and hurt by the answer, but said nothing ―But it's also mine, in a way. If only I had had the courage to tell you how I felt since that day with Tyler. I think, if I must be completely honest, I already knew at that moment that something was going on with me. The unpleasant feeling in my stomach that your presence gave me could not be... normal. For a moment I thought some kind of parasite had infested me, which would have been fascinating...

―Wednesday... ―Said Enid, rolling her eyes, as the girl began to ramble.

―The point is, Enid, that perhaps if I had had the courage to mention it to you, we could have avoided the misunderstandings. All of them.

―But still, I- I recognize that, even if you had, I probably wouldn't know how to react to... everything.

―You're referring to Ajax, correct?

―Y-yes.

―Enid, life, unfortunately, doesn't sit around waiting for us to move the pieces. Whether or not you knew how to react, life would have pushed you in some direction, as it does with everyone. The rest is just improvisation ―She stopped her words when she saw Enid look down, sad ―What matters ―she continued, catching her attention again ―is that we both made choices and those choices brought us to this moment. And in this moment... ―she stroked the blonde's chin with her fingers ―I wouldn't want anyone closer to me in this agony than you.

Enid laughed through her crying, causing her to hiccup involuntarily. She wiped her face again with her sleeve without taking her eyes off Wednesday, who had returned to her serious countenance, although now she knew perfectly well how to distinguish the warmth in her seemingly unperturbed gaze.

―I'm sorry you had to go through all this just to know that I love you, Enid.

The seriousness with which the brunette uttered those words made her heart skip a beat, but almost immediately she felt a burst in her chest and couldn't help but smile, taking Wednesday's hand and playing with her fingers before returning her gaze to her.

―Oh, yeah? How much?

―Don't push it.

Enid laughed again and turned her face to Wednesday's before leaning in and placing a soft kiss on her cool lips.

―I love you too, Wednesday Addams. I still think you're weird as shit, though.

―The feeling is incredibly mutual. ―The girl replied still with her eyes closed before cutting those millimeters of distance between their lips again.

-----

The cloth slid across her forehead as Enid withdrew it trying not to interrupt the girl's thoughts. She opened her eyes and fixed them on her.

―What are you thinking about? ―Enid asked her, dipping the cloth in the water and then taking it out, squeezing it a little and slowly running it over the black-haired girl's arms, who turned her eyes to the ceiling.

―I was thinking about how dangerous my life has become since I came to Nevermore. Before that, my main concern was no more than attempted murder charges... ―Enid paused her movements for a moment, unsure whether Wednesday was joking or not, but she shook her head and continued to run her hands over the girl's white limbs, now wiping the palms of Wednesday's hands.

―And do you consider that it's at least gotten a little better since then?

Wednesday thought about it for several seconds before stopping Enid with her wiping hand to look at her. Enid felt her heart stop as she gazed at that sharp, white face looking at her so earnestly, with the drops of steam clinging to the soft skin and the damp hair sliding down her forehead, and she thought she could not fall more in love with the girl than she did at that very moment.

―I have you. Of all the human beings I've ever known, you're the one I despise the least. I don't see how it can be any better.

The blonde smiled, taking it as a compliment, as Wednesday undoubtedly intended. Then she stood up before the girl's attentive gaze and took off her pajamas, to slide into the tub, with the girl, who had been captivated by the action and a half-smile was beginning to creep onto her unperturbed face.

―You're not so bad yourself either...

-----

Lurch moved slowly between Wednesday's room and the vehicle in the driveway, bringing up in a desperate pace each of the girls' luggage suitcases as they shared breakfast with the Addams family.

―Enid, my dear, I hope your stay here has not been disturbed by the demons that inhabit the place.

―Not at all, Mrs. Addams. It's been amazing and I thank you for having accepted me with you for so long, surely you must have had enough of my personality by now.