my broken smile - Wenclair Fanfiction

Chapter 5: Forced Vacation Part 2

(wednesday pov)
I step through the Sinclair doorway awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Enid's father smiles down at me, equally uncomfortable, and doesn't say a word. "Is Enid here?" I ask, trying to be polite. I join my hands in front of me, looking like an idiot. Enid darts around a corner, appearing in the corner of my eye. She is out of breath, but bolts over. "Sorry!" she exclaims, "I lost track of time." Her father takes the excuse to head to the kitchen, waving to me and disappearing. Enid sinks to the floor. I crouch beside her. "You are very out of breath.," I remark. Enid nods. "Do you need any water?" I ask, pulling a bottle from my pack. She takes it gratefully. Eventually, she speaks. "Sorry. I ran when I heard you at the door."

"You did not need to."

"I wanted to." She hands me the bottle, and I replace the top and put it away again. I stand, and extend a hand. She takes it, and I pull her up. "Ok," she says. "Let's go to our room." Our room? I had thought I would be on my own. I follow her reluctantly. She pulls me into a simple room with two beds. "Is this your room?" I ask, dubious about the lack of color. It doesn't sync. "No," she admits, "My room is all the way on the other side of the estate, so I'm rooming with you. There wasn't room for two beds there. Hope it's ok to share." I agree to the arrangement a little too quickly, and kick myself for it. She is settled on the bed in the corner, so I place my bags on the other one, and sit down on the edge. "So," Enid starts, "What do we do now?" I sigh. "I don't know, Sinclair. You invited me." She flops onto her back, and chuckles. "I never dreamed you would come."

"I can leave."

"That's not what I mean, and you know it."

There is a pause. "How is Thing?" she asks. "Okay, I guess," I respond. "Have you transformed again?"

"No. Please don't ask more, that's all I get around here."

"Consider the subject dropped."

"Thanks," Enid replies in relief. My mouth tugs upward at the word, and I force it back down, enraged. "Can I use your restroom?" I ask, standing abruptly. Enid sits up. "Yeah, totally. Take a right, and then it's the third door on the left."

"Thank you," I say, hurrying out of the room.

I stare at my reflection in the mirror. I glare at my reflection in the mirror. What am I doing? Why am I here? I need to leave. I need to go somewhere else. I need to be away from the werewolf in the other room who is confusing me. So why does every fiber of my being want to stay? Want to go back and take her into my arms and... No. I refuse to go down that road. It can't end well.

I sink to the floor and curl my knees into myself. I shouldn't be here. I need to leave. This can't be good if it makes me feel so... abnormal.

But I can't just disappear. I couldn't do that to Enid. I could. But I won't. She did save my life. I flop my head down in frustration with myself. I have spent ages finely tuning the watch of my brain, and Enid is jammed in there where logic should be. I resist the urge to bury myself in this bathroom, and I stand up. I flush the toilet. I splash water on my face. I wipe it clean. I take a deep breath. I walk out the door. Enid is still in our room. She sits up. "I thought we might watch a movie?" she suggests. I nod in agreement. "Ok, great!" the blonde continues. "You are going to love Star Wars!"

"I am?"

"Yes, Wednesday."

"Ok," I say dubiously, and Enid rolls her eyes. She shows me to the living room, and runs to get something called popcorn as I settle down on the couch. It is an odd shade of green, and has some small claw marks on it covered sloppily with duct tape. Enid's father walks in the room, and then turns around and walks back out. "You've already eaten, right?" Enid calls. I nod as she walks back in.

She plops onto the couch next to me. I take a piece of popcorn out of the bowl, and chew it slowly. It tastes strange, but not bad. I take another piece. Enid laughs. "Enjoying it, Addams?"

I glare at her, and her infuriating smile widens. I sigh. "Are we watching this?" Enid nods, and turns the TV on. I sigh, and take another piece of popcorn, matching her glance with an eye roll, and holding down a blush.

"Episode 4?"

"The first three are bad, and unimportant."

"Ok..."

"We'll watch the next two over the next couple of nights," Enid explains. I nod in a resigned sort of way. I shouldn't be here.

(enid pov)
The girl with the braids studies the movie intently. She laughs at all the wrong moments, but it is very endearing. I fall asleep partway through, and wake up with my head on her shoulder. She glares at me when I sit up, but she didn't shove me off. "Evolving," I breathe. Wednesday holds a finger up, Not Another Word, and grabs some more popcorn. I smile, and continue watching.

When the movie wraps up, Wednesday is rather confusing. "Why would they blow it up?

"The Death Star?"

"Yes. It was a technological masterpiece."

"That destroyed planets!" I exclaim. Wednesday nods. "Exactly." I sigh, and smack her arm playfully. She tenses, but doesn't move away. Progress.

We head back to the spare room. Wednesday settles in, curled away from me. I watch her breathe for a while, but snap out of it, and turn away.

(omniscient narrator)
Wednesday and Enid both turned towards the other at some point in the night. It wasn't a subconscious decision, but rather just a small string tugging them together. They both might resist, but their unconscious forms knew not such anxieties and repression. They were drawn to each other, and they let it happen.

The next morning, the fear returned. Wednesday woke first, and curled up in the bathroom as she had the night before, wondering what she was doing wrong. Enid woke with Wednesday gone, and started to spiral before the girl returned to the room for her toothbrush. Enid sighed in relief, and Wednesday subtly squeezed her shoulder as she left.

(enid pov)
I don't know how long I sat there, my hand where Wednesday's had briefly alighted. I stared at the wall while the girl brushed her teeth and got dressed down the hall. When she returned, I snapped to attention and grabbed my own clothes, heading to the bathroom after her. I stare at myself in the mirror. This is unacceptable. I can't let myself fall into this cavern, since I know how it will end. I dress slowly, partially dreading going back to the girl with two braids.

Inhale. Exhale. I brush my hair. I wash my face and hands. I stare at my reflection, and then force myself out the door. Inhale. Exhale. This is fine. Inhale Exhale. Inhale. Inhale. Inhale. What comes next? Oh no. I sink to my knees. Inhale. Inhale. Inhale. I gasp for air. Inhale Inhale. "Enid." Inhale. Inhale Inhale. "Enid." Inhale. What is happening to me? "Enid, look at me." I look up. Wednesday is sitting down across from me. "Breathe out, Enid." I obey. "Good. Ok. In slowly." I take in the oxygen. "Now back out." I try, but it doesn't work. A hand is on my shoulder. I can't breathe. Another is on my chest. "Enid." Exhale. "There you go." Breathe in. Breathe out. I sit the rest of the way down. The pressures on my shoulder and chest ground me. Inhale. Exhale. "Wednesday," I gasp. "Quiet. Breathe." I do. Inhale. Exhale. Eventually, I'm able to breathe steadily. Wednesday removes her hands from me, and puts them in her lap. "Good Morning, Sinclair."