This was drawn by the one and the only Aeesha04
Show them some support they are amazing and go read their stories they're also just mwah
Summary:
Wednesday arrives back for a second semester at Nevermore with a fresh autism diagnosis, only to discover the teacher who has taken so-called Thornhill's position is an ableist (someone who discriminates against people with physical or mental disabilities) , but she also discovers some battles just aren't meant to be fought alone.
From the moment Wednesday first met their new dorm mum, she knew they would not get along.
For a number of reasons, but especially because the first words out of this woman's mouth after greeting her had been "you don't look autistic".
That had just been the start.
It had been a relief to finally get the diagnosis, on dr Kinbott's recommendation, but it's clear that some people read a record of neurodivergency diagnosis as if it just said the person is a menace to society.
Wednesday is that, too, but she doesn't think it's directly tied to the autism.
It's starts with miss Sallie reprimanding her in front of the entire class for having just shouted her answer without raising her hand, while several other students had just done this without getting scolded in any way.
"But-", Wednesday tries protesting, but she is promptly and harshly interrupted:
"Miss Addams, stop it right now. We don't interrupt, and you know this", miss Sallie scolds her.
Anger boils up inside Wednesday.
"You just interrupted me!" she yells, banging her hand on her desk.
Miss Sallie shakes her head, disapproving.
"Stop being childish, miss Addams", she dismisses, going back to teaching, and Wednesday can only ball her fists against her desk.
Enid silently places her hand on top of hers, the pastel claws out, and Wednesday maneges to release some of her tension in a deep breath.
"You okay?" Enid asks as they walk back to their dorm that afternoon.
Wednesday adjusts her back on her shoulder.
"Sure", she says quickly.
"It's alright to be upset. That was totally unfair, what she did", Enid continues.
Wednesday nods, her eyes fixated on the floor, studying the pattern of the boards.
"You should tell Weems, if you want to. I know you find her a pain, but she does want to protect you", Enid says.
Wednesday stops dead in her tracks.
"Weems has enough to worry about", she says.
The principal may be back now, but Wednesday knows very well she is still recovering from the effects of the poison. Wednesday had promised her she would not give her any stress unless it is absolutely necessary, and she does not break her promises.
She can handle this herself.
Like she was conjured from the darkest depths of Hell, miss Sallie is waiting as they turn a corner to their dorm.
"Miss Addams, may I speak to you for a moment?" she asks.
The clicking noise tells Wednesday Enid just took out her claws.
"What for?" the werewolf asks.
"Nothing which concerns you, miss Sinclair."
Anger burns in Wednesday again. Humiliation, almost. She is not a little child or something. She doesn't need watching, and miss Sallie already called her childish. She adjusts her backpack again.
"It's fine. I'll see you in the dorm", she tells Enid.
Enid looks like she wants to protest, but something in Wednesday's expression must tell her it's best not to, because she ends up turning and continuing on to their dorm. As she closes the door behind her, Wednesday turns to miss Sallie. Reluctantly.
The teacher and dorm mum, with her curly blonde hair, thick glasses and truly obnoxious, condescending demeanor, that kind that makes Wednesday enjoy imagining her on fire, towers over the small teenage girl.
"You listen to me, miss Addams. I know you think you are a little of a celebrity, but you should know I don't give a shit about that. You are in my class and in my dorm house, and if you don't stay in line I only need to say a word to the principal and your ass is off the school grounds", she says.
Wednesday stares up at her.
"Are you threatening me?" she asks.
"If setting rules and expectations is threatening, then yes, I am threatening you", miss Sallie says.
Wednesday balls her fists.
"It's important for someone as... special as you to have clear boundaries", miss Sallie adds.
Wednesday grinds her teeth.
"Autistic. You can say it", she says.
This is completely ignored.
"If you want to remain a student at Nevermore, miss Addams, I would advise you to be careful. Stay in line."
With that, the dorm mum leaves, leaving Wednesday staring after her, her stomach a pit of knots and terror.
She doesn't mean it, does she? She can't just kick her out just like that? Right? Weems would never allow it, right?
"What did she want?" Enid asks as Wednesday enters their dorm.
Wednesday tosses her bag on a chair.
"Nothing", she huffs.
It's her problem, nothing she needs to bother Enid with.
Wednesday is already terrified about getting kicked out, she doesn't need to share that burden with her girlfriend.
It's ironic, last year she couldn't wait to leave this place and no one would let her. Now she wants nothing more than to stay here, with Enid, but she's under the threat of suspension.
She starts crossing the room, and as Enid meets her in the middle, where the black tape once sat, they share a kiss.
"Talk to me, Wednesday. Please", Enid asks.
Wednesday sighs, her gaze dropping to the floor.
"She- She just told me I should make sure to behave. Nothing I'm not used to", she responds.
"But you did nothing wrong! You have to talk to Weems!" Enid exclaims.
Wednesday takes her hand, very gently.
"It's fine, I promise", she says, kissing Enid's knuckles softly, dropping her hand and proceeding to go and sit down at her typewriter.
She can handle this herself.
"How are you doing today?" dr Kinbott asks as they sit down in her office.
"I'm fine", Wednesday answers quickly.
Her therapist doesn't seem too convinced.
"Any visions lately?" she asks carefully.
Wednesday shakes her head. Kinbott nods. Wednesday plays with the end of one of her braids.
Kinbott looks over some papers.
"I see you got an autism diagnosis."
Wednesday nods.
"How do you feel about that?" the therapist continues.
Wednesday briefly considers the question.
"Good, I think. I have found I identify with some of the criteria, and the diagnosis has helped explain to me why I am like I am. Why I have always seemed to see the world through my own frequency setting, even so in comparison to my own family", she says.
Dr Kinbott nods, smiling.
"I am happy for you. It's not uncommon for autism to go undiagnosed in girls for years, and it often leads to significant self-esteem issues", she says.
"I can see why that is", Wednesday says.
As the session goes on, dr Kinbott brings up the subject of how the people around Wednesday reacted to her diagnosis: her family and her friends have all been supportive, Wednesday says, which is completely truthful. After all, most of her friends are neurodivergent themselves, and she had been warmly welcomed to the club. As warmly as she was comfortable with, naturally.
Then Kinbott asks about the school staff. About the teachers. Wednesday goes from having begun to relax some to instantly tensing up again, sitting up in the chair like she is suddenly on alert for any danger.
"Wednesday?" dr Kinbott asks, carefully.
"Yes?" Wednesday asks, her tone now harsh and biting.
Dr Kinbott softens, the sympathy in her face giving Wednesday a bitter taste in her mouth.
"Is there something wrong?"
Wednesday clenches her fists and her jaw. Yes, there is something wrong, and it has the form of her new teacher and dorm mum, the one who keeps singling her out and humiliating her.
She squirms in her chair.
"There's this- This teacher-", she starts, her voice trailing off.
Dr Kinbott leans closer.
"Wednesday, is someone being mean to you?" she asks.
Wednesday rapidly shakes her head, all though the pressure of tears in her chest would strongly disagree with her response.
"I can call Weems-", dr Kinbott starts.
"No!" Wednesday exclaims, finding her voice again, suddenly frantic.
Her therapist sits up straighter, seemingly confused.
"Wednesday, listen, if a teacher isn't treating you fairly you need to tell-"
"I have to go", Wednesday interrupts her, rising from the chair and grabbing her bag.
"No, wait a little, now-"
Wednesday runs out of her office, her therapist calling her name after her as she hurries down the stairs.
"Miss Addams, stop that."
Wednesday doesn't have to solve any puzzle to know miss Sallie is referring to the way she has taken to bouncing her leg in order to stay calm.
They are doing group assignments today, and the chatter of the other students around the classroom has filled Wednesday's brain like it was a cauldron on the very verge of boiling over. She was already having a bad day to begin with, the kind of day that feels like someone turned up the dial on the intensity of reality itself, and the buzz of voices around her is proving to be the nail in the coffin.
She keeps bouncing her leg, twirling her necklace between her fingers.
"Miss Addams, control yourself!" miss Sallie scolds her.
Bianca looks up from her paper.
"Cut it out! Can't you see she is struggling!?" the siren yells, the sudden loudness of her voice causing Wednesday to promptly drop her pen in order to cover her ears.
Miss Sallie starts coming over to their desks, pushed together because of the group assignment.
"Miss Addams!" she yells.
Wednesday scrapes up the last of her spoons to answer, the analogy especially fitting for this situation.
"I need to get some air, miss", she manages, looking up at the teacher.
"Absolutely not! The only place you will be visiting is Weems' office", miss Sallie says, grabbing her shoulder.
Panic overtaking her, Wednesday whips around, and her fist collides with the teacher's jaw.
Absolute, dead silence takes over the classroom.
The teacher too taken aback by this to react right away, Wednesday jumps to her feet and dashes out the door. A second later, miss Sallie springs into action, going to follow her.
"I WILL BE PULLING YOUR MOTHER INTO THIS!" she screams after the girl as she attempts to follow her out of the classroom.
Attempts, because Bianca stands in front of her, blocking her path.
"Wednesday needs to be alone. You will not follow her."
Her siren song floats through the air with a red tint, and as the teacher blinks sleepily before going back to teaching Enid rises to her feet and hurries out the classroom.
It feels awkward, lifting her hand and snapping her fingers twice, the noise ringing out through the air, but the Poe statue does slide out of the way to reveal a doorway to Enid.
The werewolf takes the staircase down, recognizing the Nightshades' library from the last time she was here, staying calm and gentle as she looks for her girlfriend.
She finds Wednesday sitting pressed into a corner by a bookshelf, her arms wrapped around her knees tightly as she rocks back and forth on the spot. Enid's frantic pace comes to a halt as she sees her, her heart breaking and her claws making themselves known as a result of the rage she feels along with the sorrow.
"Wednesday?" she asks, in a whisper, sitting down on the other's level.
Wednesday raises her gaze, just enough for Enid to see her face, the expression on the pale face pained, some of the black fringe covering her eyes.
"Can...? Can I come closer?" Enid asks, after a moment, still in a small whisper.
Wednesday nods. It's such a small movement Enid doesn't think she would have noticed it if it wasn't what she was specifically looking for, but she does see it and she starts scooting closer to the dark haired. Very, very slowly, until she's sitting in front of her.
"I'm getting kicked out", Wednesday says, her voice so small, still rocking back and forth.
"What are you talking about!?" Enid asks, accidentally raising her voice above her whisper in pure distress.
Wednesday brushes her fringe out of the way, so Enid can see her eyes.
"Miss Sallie is gonna call my mother. She will be so disappointed in me and I will get kicked out, and, and, and-"
"Wednesday! Listen to me", Enid interrupts.
Wednesday goes quiet, glancing up at her. Enid takes a deep breath.
"Are you telling me that your mother, Morticia freaking Addams, would hear about a teacher harassing her child and take the side of the teacher?" she asks.
Wednesday doesn't say anything to that.
This isn't usually something Enid would do, but this is no less than an emergency.
She figures out how the crystal ball works from what she's seen Wednesday do, and after a moment Morticia's face appears in the ball.
"Hi, dear, how is my little demon- Enid?"
"Hi, mrs Addams", Enid greets.
"Enid, dear, how many times do I have to tell you you can call me Morticia? I am practically your mother in law, after all", Morticia says.
Enid takes a breath.
"Yeah, sorry, I- I need to talk to you about something", she says.
Worry fills Morticia's face.
"Is it Wednesday?" she asks.
Enid nods.
"Is... Don't tell me... Is she running for class president?" Morticia asks, voice laced with horror.
Enid shakes her head. Inhales.
"I don't think Wednesday would have wanted me to tell you this, but... It's an emergency. She needs help."
The sea of students part as Morticia Addams passes them, their conversations promptly coming to a stop as they stare at her, her black dress flowing over the ground with her quick, determined walk, her demeanor giving the impression of a coiled up viper waiting to strike.
Something that runs in the family, clearly.
She doesn't even bother knocking as she barges into Weems' office, slamming the door open. The principal is sitting behind her desk, and upon first glance Morticia can tell calling her here sure wasn't her former roommate's idea. Rather, that credit probably belongs to the woman sitting in one of the armchairs, a blonde thing that nearly reeks of bigotry.
"Mrs Addams, I am grateful you could make it here with such short notice-", the woman starts, but Morticia could not care less about anything she has to say, having turned and swiftly made her way over to her precious little girl.
Wednesday is curled up in an armchair by a corner, staring straight ahead, the absence of homicidal rage in her eyes frightening Morticia more than anything could have.
"My little bat...", Morticia coos, and her daughter's lip wobbles painfully.
"Mrs Addams, your daughter-", the woman in the other armchair starts.
"-is an exceptional young woman, and I have been hearing rumors that someone has been scolding and punishing her for simply being who she is", Morticia interrupts.
Something shifts in Wednesday's face, and as she reaches out Morticia instantly pulls her into a hug. There's no attempt from Wednesday's side to claw out her eyes, not even a little bit, and this confirms what the colorful werewolf said and more.
"Mrs Addams!" the woman yells, angrily, jumping up from the armchair.
"Careful, miss Sallie", Weems says, almost like a warning.
Morticia turns her head towards this miss Sallie.
"Yes?" she asks, her tone flat and dark.
"Your daughter disrupted class, refused to listen, and punched me in the face as I tried to discipline her", miss Sallie responds.
Morticia glances down at Wednesday, still held in her embrace.
"Is this true, little raven?" she asks gently.
"You need to understand that-", miss Sallie starts.
"Silence! I am speaking to my daughter!" Morticia snaps at her.
The teacher shrinks back, and Weems almost looks proud as Morticia turns her attention back to Wednesday.
"Wednesday?" she prompts carefully.
"I was feeling overwhelmed and was stimming by bouncing my knee to cope with this. Miss Sallie asked me to stop, but if I had stopped it would have been worse for me. It then got really loud, and I covered my ears and tried to ask to leave. Miss Sallie proceeded to yell at me and tried to grab me, and I reacted and struck her", Wednesday reports matter-of-factly.
Morticia nods.
"Thank you, dear", she says.
Miss Sallie scoffs.
"Do you believe this?" she asks.
Almost simultaneously, Weems makes a shocked noise.
"Do we believe it? Miss Addams' honesty is the one thing you can always count on!" the principal exclaims.
Morticia nods.
"Me and her father have been playing poker with her since she was six. We know her tells. This is the truth", she says.
Next, she plants a kiss on her daughter's forehead, before letting her go from the hug and turning towards miss Sallie. Stepping closer to her.
"Is it not?" she asks, slowly.
Miss Sallie actually starts backing away.
"What is true is that miss Addams has been disruptive and disrespectful-"
"You threatened to expel me because I spoke my mind!" Wednesday exclaims, suddenly, seeming almost alarmed that she did so in the first place.
"Miss Sallie!?" Weems barks at the teacher, scandalized.
"Well, yes! If she's gonna keep having these childish meltdowns-", miss Sallie starts, but instantly regrets it as Morticia whips her head back around to face her.
"Miss... Sallie, was it?" Morticia asks.
The teacher nods.
"Miss Sallie... I'd say you have lost your mind, only that would probably sound like a compliment coming from me", Morticia says.
Meanwhile, Weems addresses Wednesday, now standing frozen as she watches this whole thing unfold.
"Miss Addams, why did you not tell me about this!?" the principal questions.
Wednesday seems genuinely confused at this question.
"I didn't feel like it was your problem to deal with", she answers.
Weems shakes her head.
"I'm afraid you and Gomez raised her to be too independent", she sighs.
Morticia nods.
"That's not all on us. She is just like that", she says.
Weems makes a noise of acknowledgement. Morticia doubted that was something the principal hadn't picked up on, and she was correct.
"I really don't see the problem-", miss Sallie starts.
Morticia is about ready to pounce at her, break some of her bones and possibly toss her out a window, but Weems, noticing how she just tensed like a viper coiling up before an attack, raises her hand, signaling for her to wait.
"The problem, miss Sallie...", the principal starts.
As she speaks, she comes out from behind her desk, the slight limp in her walk a left over from the long healing process after the poison she was exposed to and nearly killed with.
"...is that, as a teacher in this school, you are expected to follow our legacy and mission statement, which is to be a safe place for any and every kind of outcast to thrive and learn. To be protected from persecution, not be subjected to it."
"I still don't get it", Morticia says.
Her and Wednesday are standing by the round window in Wednesday and Enid's dorm, watching the ableist scum that is miss Sallie bring all her things into her car to leave, having gotten instantly fired when the extent of her treatment of Wednesday had come out.
Wednesday goes from looking on the scene with the corners of her mouth lifted the tiniest amount in victory, turning to her mother.
"What?" she wonders.
"You are really clever, and an exceptional fighter. Why did you not break her bones, or at least threaten her?" Morticia asks.
Wednesday inhales.
"She said Weems would get me expelled if I said or did anything against her, and, as much as my pride forbids me from admitting it, I was terrified to lose all this. To lose Enid", she confesses.
Morticia nods, her face saddened.
"I am sorry about that, darling. I do wish you had told me about it."
Wednesday lowers her gaze.
"It wasn't your problem to deal with", she murmurs.
"Nonsense! You are my daughter, and I will be here to help you. No matter what you need."
Wednesday nods, her gaze returning to look out the window, where the former dorm mum is now driving away.
"Can I ask you something, mother?"
"Anything", Morticia replies right away.
"Is it difficult?"
"Is what difficult, my little viper?"
"Having me as your child?"
Morticia makes a noise, the type of noise Wednesday hasn't ever heard from her mother. It's a noise you would expect from someone who just got brutally stabbed in the stomach. A kind of croaking gasp, a noise of pain. Her mouth is open as she turns to her daughter, slowly. Taking both of her hands.
"Wednesday, my little bat... You being my little girl has been the sweetest, purest form of torture I could ever have asked for. If someone came to me and tried to make me choose between losing you and losing everything else I hold dear I would have chopped off their head and presented it to you as a trophy."
Wednesday feels herself softening as she takes in the words, and as she steps closer to her mother Morticia wraps her in her arms.
"I love you, Wednesday", she whispers.
"The feeling is mutual, mother", Wednesday whispers back.
It's everything Morticia could have ever hoped to hear from her, and more.