Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Enid was a student of Performing Arts Design at Annabelle Lee University of the Arts in New Jersey.

She had distanced herself from her family years ago, after finding out that her mother had terrified her girlfriend nearly to death—and the girl had vanished from Enid’s life soon after. Enid felt relieved knowing that her now ex-girlfriend was still alive. It wasn’t that she believed her mother capable of murder, but Enid did not trust her.

Back to Enid and university life.

Enid was sitting outside her Art History classroom. She liked arriving early—it allowed her to choose her seat freely. She loved Art History classes, not only because her father was a historian and had taught her nearly every kind of history imaginable, but also because it was the lightest class she had. Her professor was a man in his mid-to-late twenties—kind, friendly, nerdy, a little clumsy. Enid was fond of him because he was understanding. His name was Joel Glicker, and he was engaged to Wednesday Addams, a private investigator.

Enid knew this thanks to her relentless habit of researching what kind of professors taught her classes. She had no intention of reliving the trauma of her high school teacher—a murderous outcast-hating lunatic.

She checked the time and watched the room empty as students left. She waited until everyone was gone before entering. Once inside, Enid took a seat in the last row, beside the large window. From there, she watched cars pass below—the Arts faculty was on the third floor. Slowly, students began to arrive, filling the room, choosing seats at random. They rarely sat near her.

Except today.

A young woman sat at her table—not beside her, but at the first seat of the bench. She had dark brown hair, brown eyes, soft waves framing her face. She was beautiful. Enid quickly looked away, embarrassed at how intently she’d been staring.

Joel arrived minutes later, announcing that an exchange student would be joining the class. The girl was from Chicago, originally from Peru. Enid glanced at her tablemate just as the girl stood to introduce herself—realizing she was the new student.

“I’m Meredith Hernández, hi,” she said, her voice warm and lively.

Joel smiled and began the lecture, explaining that he was organizing a trip to the art museum to complement the course. The class buzzed with excitement. He promised to schedule it soon and keep them informed.

Enid listened attentively, unaware that Meredith watched her closely every time Enid spoke in class or debated with Joel. Enid was completely absorbed—art was her passion, the reason she studied what she did.

Later that day, Enid met up with Kent, her dance partner. They needed to rehearse for the town competition. Enid was determined to win, and Kent had volunteered to help.

She entered the university’s theater hall to practice. Kent would help her start the piece, then Enid would transition into a solo. She had chosen Labrinth’s “Still Don’t Know My Name.”

As the music began, Enid and Kent moved into a simple waltz. He spun her, pulled her into his arms, lifted her into the air before letting her fall back against him. He turned her, hands at her waist, then released her.

Enid danced alone.

Contemporary. Fluid. Agile.

She executed a battement fondu, then moved into an arabesque, spinning with delicate precision, as if her body were weightless—like a feather dancing with the wind. She lowered herself, one knee on the floor, the other leg folded, her hands covering her face. Then she arched back, revealing herself, her torso and arms moving in harmony. Pirouette after pirouette. When she stopped, her head fell back, sweat scattering as she gasped for air.

The dance continued.

And the person watching from the stands was utterly undone.

The skill with which Enid moved made them swallow hard, breath hitching. They had never felt anything like it—a current surging through their entire body, electric, overwhelming. It was too much. More than desire. More than need. They were panting without having moved a single muscle.

When Enid finally stopped and dropped to the floor to drink from her water bottle at the edge of the stage, the observer decided to leave. Enid drank messily, water spilling down her chin, sliding along her jaw and down her neck.

As the person tried to exit, they bumped into the door, the noise alerting Enid.

“Is someone there?” Her naturally skittish voice wavered. “Agnes? Yoko? If this is a prank, it’s not funny—I almost had a heart attack.”

“Who are you talking to?” Kent called from behind the curtain.

“No one. I heard something—it’s probably the janitor or something… I’ll keep practicing,” Enid said with a smile.

Wednesday had gone to see Joel during lunch. They often did this—meeting three times a week at each other’s workplaces. This week, it was Wednesday’s turn to visit the university.

As she walked down the hallway, music caught her attention.

She slipped quietly into what appeared to be the theater hall.

And then she saw her.

A blonde girl with streaks of blue and pink in her hair. Stunning. Dancing with professional precision. Her steps were firm yet delicate, fragile, refined—as though she weighed nothing at all.

Wednesday was transfixed.

She couldn’t look away. It was a spectacle. She would likely be late for lunch with Joel—but she couldn’t leave. It was as if her feet had fused to the floor.

When the dance paused and the girl drank water, and Wednesday watched droplets slide from her face down to her neck—she decided she had seen enough.

She felt stirred. More than stirred.

A feeling she couldn’t name.

She turned to leave—and collided with the door.

The dancer looked up, her voice calling out. Wednesday heard it, breathless, hoarse from movement. Her heart slammed violently against her ribcage.

She didn’t answer. She left quickly, trying to calm the pounding in her chest.

Later, Joel gathered his Art History class outside the faculty room to hand out tickets and schedules for their trip to the New York art museum. They would be gone for two days—staying in a hotel, sharing rooms.

The class had twenty-five students, leaving one person without a roommate. Joel decided to ask Wednesday to come along and share the room with the student who would otherwise be alone.

Wednesday stood beside Joel as the students arrived.

And then she saw her.

The girl from the theater.

She approached while talking animatedly with another girl—pale, with large green eyes, a redhead. Both seemed cheerful, but the red-haired girl was especially animated.

Wednesday recognized her as Pugsley’s classmate—except her brother was still in high school. Which meant this girl was there to pick up the blonde.

Strange.

Pugsley was sixteen, so this girl had to be the same age.

Which meant the blonde was definitely older.

Joel’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

“Enid,” he said.

“Professor Glicker,” Enid replied.

“Your partner?” Joel asked, nodding toward Agnes.

“No!” Enid snapped, annoyed and confused. “She’s my little sister. She’s sixteen, I’m twenty-two. What kind of sick person would date a child?” She looked visibly upset.

“I’m sorry—I always see you together.”

“She comes to pick me up so we can go home together,” Enid said curtly. “My papers, please.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s fine,” Enid replied with a grimace.

When Joel handed her the ticket, the pass, and the schedule, Enid looked at Wednesday for the first time.

And her chest fluttered.

Her stomach twisted.

Her pupils dilated, her breath quickened—but she contained herself.

The woman beside Joel had to be Wednesday Addams.

Enid had only seen her in photos. Seeing her in person was… different.

And Enid liked her immediately.

Because, fuck—she was beautiful.

But she was engaged.

And Enid knew she shouldn’t feel this way.

And she knew she was already fucked

Chapter Text

Joel organized a dinner with his students before the trip. It would take place at the house next to the Addams mansion, starting at eight in the evening. Joel asked Wednesday to help him and stay with him. Even though Wednesday hated socializing, her affection for Joel was stronger, so she agreed. They prepared dinner together and then set the table.

Only fifteen students accepted the invitation—among them, Enid Sinclair.

Wednesday still felt uncomfortable about the first time she met her, although she wasn’t sure if two seconds of eye contact could even be called meeting.

When the doorbell rang, the first person to enter was Meredith. She greeted them politely, and Wednesday looked at her with curiosity. She was pretty—cute, even sexy—but something about her deeply unsettled Wednesday.

The second person to arrive was Ajax, who studied performing arts. Then came Kent, followed by a guy who looked like an idiot named Bruno. Finally, one of the last to arrive was Enid, who apologized for being late. She explained that her younger sister, Agnes, hadn’t gotten home, so Enid had to wait for her. Then Agnes got lost on the bus, and Enid had to walk fifteen minutes to reach the house.

—Alright, come this way —Joel said with a smile—. Welcome to my home. I hope you enjoy dinner; there’s a bit of everything, whether you’re vegetarian or not. Please take your assigned seats.

The seating was arranged like this: Joel sat at the head of the table. Wednesday sat on his right, and on his left was Enid, placing her directly across from Wednesday. Next to Enid sat Bruno, and next to Wednesday sat Meredith.

Enid could feel Wednesday’s cold, analytical gaze on her. It made her nervous. She smiled awkwardly and lowered her eyes to her lap, waiting for the food to be served before looking up again.

When the food arrived, Enid looked at her plate. It was a beef steak with vegetables on the side, and rice in a separate bowl. Enid thanked them—one of the few who did. The other was Meredith.

Wednesday took note of how polite and considerate Enid was. And despite trying to ignore the blonde sitting across from her, she couldn’t do it consistently. Something about her pulled at her.

When Joel started a conversation, asking about their lives, Wednesday swallowed and lowered her gaze. Joel went around the table, starting with Enid.

—Tell me, Enid. You mentioned you live alone. May I ask why?

Enid looked at him, quickly swallowing the rice she had just put in her mouth.

—Yes, I did —Enid replied politely, though her voice sounded tense and uncomfortable—. I live with my younger sister… or something like that. It’s complicated. But yes, I started living on my own at seventeen.
—Family problems, lack of acceptance, things like that.

She took a bite of steak, clearly trying to end the conversation—but Wednesday’s traitorous mouth intervened.

—How old are you exactly? —Wednesday asked, her gaze curious but icy.

—Um… I’m twenty-two —Enid replied, blushing slightly as she looked down.

—I thought you were younger —Wednesday said.

—Ah— —Enid laughed nervously, scratching the back of her neck—. Yeah, I get that a lot.

After that, silence fell over the table. Joel took the opportunity to continue getting to know his students, but between Enid and Wednesday there was a dense, almost intimate air. They looked at each other for a long moment, unnoticed—until Joel spoke again.

—And you, cara mia —he said sweetly to Wednesday—. Would you like to tell my class a bit about yourself? Or rather, my star students.

—There’s not much to tell —Wednesday replied flatly—. I’m a writer, I work as a private detective, and I studied forensic medicine.

—That’s amazing —Meredith said from beside her—. I’d love to read something you’ve written, if you could recommend it.

—She’d have to publish it first —Joel interjected—. My fiancée hasn’t published anything yet. She keeps saying she needs to polish her novel.

—Well, that’s understandable —Meredith said—. If I were her, I’d want it to be perfect too.

—Thank you for your interest —Wednesday said to Meredith—. To be honest, this past week I’ve felt inspired to finish it and edit it a bit.
—Let’s continue eating, please.

Everyone complied.

Dinner went on calmly. Joel had also prepared dessert: a vegan crème brûlée. Enid looked at it and couldn’t help thinking of her mother. She used to make that same dessert whenever Enid felt bad—back when she was still a child. Before she became the family’s disappointment. The deviant. The blood traitor.

Enid closed her eyes, shook her head, and excused herself.

—If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to step outside for some air and call my sister—see if she hasn’t burned down our apartment. Excuse me.

She stood up delicately and left.

Wednesday watched her go. Something inside her urged her to follow—an oddly protective feeling, unfamiliar and unsettling. She forced herself to stay put and focused on the conversation around her.

Outside, Enid stared at her phone. At her mother’s number.

She hadn’t spoken to her in almost five years. The last time had been awful—right after Enid left home. Her mother had only called to say she’d forgotten her cat. Enid went back for him the next day.

She hesitated… then called.

Her mother answered.

Esther didn’t know who was calling—Enid had changed her number long ago—but hearing her mother’s voice did something strange to her chest. Especially when Esther said, “Enid… is that you?”

Enid hung up immediately and sighed.

—She didn’t answer?

A voice sounded behind her.

—Ah—Miss Glicker… sorry, Addams —Enid said nervously.

—Enid, right? —Wednesday asked, pretending not to know.

—Yes —Enid replied quickly.

—You can call me Wednesday. Believe it or not, I’m only twenty-five —Wednesday said, looking down.

—Right—yes, sorry —Enid said, glancing at her—. I think I’ll go back inside.

—You didn’t answer my question —Wednesday said quietly.

—Didn’t I? —Enid asked softly, curious.

—No —Wednesday replied. Her tone was flat, but her eyes said more.

—She… didn’t answer —Enid said.

—I thought she did —Wednesday said, almost accusingly—. I heard a voice.

—If you knew someone answered, why did you ask? —Enid countered.

—The voice didn’t sound like a sixteen- or eighteen-year-old —Wednesday said—. It didn’t sound like Agnes.

—No, I didn’t call Agnes —Enid replied.

—And I also know you’re not her older sister —Wednesday continued—. Did you know there’s a missing person report filed for her?

—Yes, I know —Enid replied—. But—

—Cara mia —Joel interrupted cheerfully—. There you are, Enid. Come on, let’s go inside. We’re about to toast to a good trip tomorrow.

—Yes, I’ll be right there, mon cher —Wednesday replied with a faint smile.

—Excuse me —Enid said, slipping inside quickly.

Curious, Wednesday thought.

That girl was an enigma.

And Wednesday hated not being able to read people.

Now she had two interests concerning Enid Sinclair.
First: why the hell was she so drawn to her?
Second: why was Enid Sinclair connected to Agnes DeMille?

Wednesday needed to know whether Enid had genuinely kidnapped the girl or not. Pugsley was Agnes’s friend, and according to her brother, the girl seemed fine. When Wednesday saw Agnes with Enid the other day, the girl didn’t look afraid. If anything, she looked… happy.

Not intimidated. Not forced.

And Enid calling her little sister made Wednesday think that perhaps Agnes wasn’t being kidnapped—but sheltered.

To know the truth, Wednesday would need to get much closer to Enid Sinclair.

Chapter Text

Joel told his class that they would meet in the school parking lot, where a bus would be waiting to take them away. Today they would travel to another city, staying there for a week, enjoying museums and their histories. But since the group of students was an odd number, and Joel wanted everyone to have a roommate except for himself, he asked Wednesday to come along so she could stay with the student who would otherwise be alone. At first, Wednesday flatly refused, but when Joel told her that the student left without a roommate was Enid Sinclair, she reconsidered and agreed. She had the perfect opportunity to learn more about Enid and dig deeper into the case she was investigating—though she hoped Enid would be honest and open with her.

That Sunday morning, Joel stood beside Wednesday, waiting for his students. The first to arrive was Enid. She wore patched pants, a sleeveless jacket, and a neon green T-shirt. She looked soft, beautiful, almost endearingly so.

-Good morning, Professor, Miss Addams -she greeted politely, flashing her usual bright smile.
-Good morning, Enid -Joel replied cheerfully.
-Good morning -Wednesday answered flatly, without enthusiasm.

Enid smiled anyway and sat down on one of the concrete benches in the parking lot. She pulled out her phone and called Yoko.

-Yoko -she said once the call connected- I just wanted to remind you that you need to take Agnes to school at eight and then pick her up later. Yes, you have to make sure she doesn’t walk alone -Enid spoke with concern.- Okay, thank you for taking care of her this week. Bye.

She hung up.

Wednesday watched her closely. When Enid noticed, she quickly looked away, her cheeks turning red. Wednesday’s gaze was cold, but Enid liked it—and that terrified her. For many reasons, the main one being that Miss Addams was engaged.

After a while, Meredith arrived and sat next to Enid, greeting her warmly. Then she greeted Joel and Wednesday, though Wednesday noticed that Meredith didn’t seem nearly as interested in talking to either of them. Instead, she appeared far more eager to talk to Enid—and to “accidentally” touch her. Enid simply smiled and nodded, responding kindly. Wednesday felt irritation stir inside her, something low and unfamiliar. She didn’t know either of them, didn’t know anything about them, so feeling this way was ridiculous.

Once everyone had arrived, Joel told them to board the bus. Enid sat in the middle seat by the window. Wednesday watched her, hoping to sit beside her despite being Joel’s fiancée—but when she got on, she discovered Meredith already sitting next to Enid. Wednesday nearly cursed under her breath. Instead, she took the seat directly in front of Enid, with Joel beside her. From there, she overheard the girls’ conversation behind her, and what she heard only deepened her interest in Enid.

-No, I’m single. The last time I went out with someone was months ago -Enid told Meredith.
-Do you only date girls? -Meredith asked, and Wednesday leaned in mentally, listening closer.
-Yeah. I dated guys before, but it turns out they’re both dating each other now -Enid laughed.- If I’d known I was going on dates with two gay men, I would’ve avoided it. I mean, I always knew I liked girls, but my mom was an idiot, so—
-I’m glad you only date women -Meredith said flirtatiously.
-Do you only date girls too, or guys as well? -Enid asked kindly, with no flirtation in her voice.
-Both, but I prefer women -Meredith admitted.

Wednesday tuned out when Joel spoke to her, but knowing that Enid Sinclair liked women sparked a sudden, almost euphoric feeling in her chest.

The trip lasted nearly nine hours. They made a stop to eat; some students slept through it. Joel and Wednesday went around waking those who hadn’t gotten off yet. Wednesday noticed that Meredith got off alone, so she approached her.

-And Enid? -she asked coldly.
-She said she wasn’t hungry and that she’d keep sleeping -Meredith replied, as if it were unimportant.

Wednesday nodded and returned to the bus. To her, it was important. Enid needed to eat. They’d been traveling for almost four hours, and considering Enid had arrived earlier than everyone else that morning, she must’ve eaten around five a.m. at most. It was now one in the afternoon.

Wednesday found Enid asleep, her head resting against the window, her hair partially covering her face, her full lips slightly parted.

She’s beautiful, Wednesday thought.

She exhaled softly before carefully reaching out and nudging her. Enid mumbled something Wednesday couldn’t understand, so she nudged her again.

-Agnes, let me sleep… there’s frozen lasagna in the fridge…

Wednesday watched her curiously. A thought crossed her mind—Enid lived alone with Agnes, likely renting a place. She was taking care of a child and herself at the same time. Wednesday sighed and shook her again.

-What? -Enid said, more awake now.- Is the police outside again? -Her voice sounded frightened, distressed.

-No -Wednesday spoke, startling Enid.

-What? -Enid looked at her, then around, then sighed.- Miss Addams -she said after processing, wiping her mouth and rubbing her eyes.- Is something wrong?

-Yes. You didn’t get off. It’s lunchtime -Wednesday said flatly.- Get down.

-I’m not hungry -Enid replied, like it was routine.

-I don’t care whether you’re hungry or not -Wednesday snapped.- You’re getting off. Now.

-I don’t - Enid clenched her jaw.- I don’t want to eat.

The truth was, Enid had barely managed to cover the trip fee at the beginning of the year. Even with a scholarship, she still had rent, food, utilities, and Agnes to take care of. Eating out wasn’t covered. She simply couldn’t afford it.

-I understand. Still, you have to get off. You can’t stay alone on the bus -Wednesday said, her eyes carrying an emotion Enid couldn’t quite read.

-Okay -Enid said resignedly.- Can I stay outside the place? I’ll sit on the bench under the tree and call my sister, just to make sure she’s okay.

-Yes. Do that -Wednesday replied, watching Enid sit down and dial her phone.