Chapter Text
1.
Glimpse of Us by Joji
Wednesday sat in the attic of her ghostly home. The old Victorian structure stood at the end of the driveway tucked into the corner of her estate nestled within the forest of evergreens and aspens. She was in the tallest tower to be exact. Watching the storm rolling in slowly. The window lets in just enough light that it wouldn’t be too much. It was the only natural light in the ever-black hole Wednesday that kept the rest of the house. It was still too much for her. It allowed the memories too much space in her head. She sat at her desk with her typewriter in front of her and pages upon pages of written work shattered haphazardly around the room. The orderly fashion long abandoned years ago. Every night Thing would come in to collect the pieces that could be strung together and put the rest in books that he bound each night with the date on them. “The musing of a mad mind.” Was all Wednesday had said to him once she had noticed the selves in the wall filled with the broken fragments of her thoughts.
Thing had strung the pages together and edited whatever he made sense of and sent them to publishers. He continued to do so as long as he collected the ramblings. Wednesday’s publishers, that only Thing corresponded with, were happy enough. Wednesday wrote but not for anything truly any more just to ease some of the burden her mind felt.
In her hand she held the letter Thing had delivered to her. A summons from her father to meet later that evening for drinks. Wednesday knew what the meeting would hold, and she dreaded it. Conversations held in the library were always deadly serious and not the kind of deadly Wednesday preferred. The first significant conversation was over eight years ago. It would be nine years since they met when Wednesday was just a girl. Before leaving her home, her father sat her down in the very same library and warned her of the elusive Addams family curse.
Wednesday allowed her mind to drift off to the memory of their first conversation.
“Hundreds of years ago an Addams fell in love. The first of a very long line of lovers in our family.” her father began to unwind the terrible tale for Wednesday.
“This particular Addams’ love was so vast… so deep… that the earth around them felt it and began growing like wildfire amongst the barren land. The very land around them began to flourish. But this particular Addams was tragically already promised to another… and when their betrothed came into the Addams land she saw the way the land had grown and how well the kingdom was flourishing they knew the truth, she had been betrayed by an Addams. Calling upon a witch or warlock or shaman of sorts the jilted fiancé decided to curse her lover. To curse the Addam and the remainder of their line and every Addams that would follow. The curse stated that they should remain with their soulmate and only this soulmate: the one and only love for the rest of their days to only ever walk the earth for them. Sadly, the Addam fiancé took him and removed him from his soulmate. Murdering the girl in cold blood soon the land around his kingdom died and in his new land died as well.”
“So farming? That is your concern?” Wednesday deadpanned at her father.
“No! The Addams held his land dear, so it flourished but, then when he was taken away it disintegrated. The curse is to love one person and one alone. Deeply, evocatively and hauntling to the point where it will drive you blind with madness. To live only for your destined soulmate once you fall in love with that person. With this love everything you have ever wanted will come to fruition without it… everything will simply fail…”
“So that’s what this all comes down to: the love of…. A woman?”
“Isn't that what it always comes down to the love of a woman?”
Wednesday’s mind shifted as if out of control so a more distant memory.
-flashback-
Wednesday watched Enid sleep with reverence. Trying to burn the image that lay before her into her brain. Enid’s head lay on her chest, her breath was even peaceful. She was clearly still exhausted, rightly so considering how late Wednesday kept them up with sultry activities. She knew it was selfish, but she had to for the sake of her own sanity to keep the memory close to her. With the sunlight creeping onto Enid’s waist and slowly inch by inch crawling up the expanse trying to make its way to her face. Wednesday had hated the sunlight but with her time spent with Enid she had grown to tolerate it. Now in the moment she wanted to rip the sun from the sky and make sure the light never touched Enid's face. Because once it did then Enid would wake and start her morning routine.
She would have to leave their apartment and start the day. She would leave. Wednesday was all too aware of what she had to do but she still couldn’t fathom how she would find the strength to do it. So instead, she tried to remember the way Enid felt sleeping on her chest as her hand wove its way through the blonde hair that had become quite the mess after their night together. She ran her fingertip slowly down and around the arm slung around her own waist memorizing the feel of the near touch on the pad of her finger. She tried to memorize the curve of her spine and the gradual slope as it met the rest of her body curled beneath the expansive black sheets. She looked down at the other girl's face feeling her throat close off with the emotion brimming within her. Enid looked tranquil. This was the selfish memory Wednesday wanted to burn into her brain. Enid at peace. It’s how she wanted to picture the young damsel below her. She didn’t want to picture what would be left in her wake when she left. She was too selfish; her black heart knew she was too weak to see Enid’s face shatter from the realization of what Wednesday would do to her.
Enid began to stir slightly, and Wednesday couldn’t even fathom the end of her day, so she lost herself in the greedy ache of her heart. Leaning down to kiss her girlfriend on her forehead she pressed her lips to her hairline trying to crush the emotions she was feeling.
“Buenos días mi amor. Did you sleep well?” Wednesday's tone was languid. As if she had all the time in the world.
She was greeted with a small grunt.
“I can start on your coffee for you.” She offered.
Another grunt came from Enid as she shuffled closer to her girlfriend and buried her face into her neck.
“Five more minutes.” She sighed out.
“In five minutes, you will officially start running late. It’s nearly eight my angel.” Wednesday felt the moment slip away from her as Enid leapt from their bed rushing into the bathroom.
“Wednesday Friday Addams you and your secret temptress behavior can simply not let me be late…. AGAIN.” Enid exclaimed as she turned the water on in the shower.
Wednesday sat up from her position and decided to be selfish again before she started on Enid’s sweet excuse for coffee. Rising from the bed she opened the door to their bathroom. Slipping into the shower unknown to her girlfriend who had pop music bleeding from her cell phone at an outrageous volume. Wednesday slipped her arms around Enid who jumped slightly before melting into the embrace that held her. Wednesday was the selfish one. She was being cruel to herself and to Enid. Taking and taking and taking from the girl she had entangled in her web. Who had now spun around to face her.
“I am selfish Enid. Try as I might, I am most selfish with you." Wednesday stated with finality.
“Wednes… I… I’m gonna be late again, aren’t I?”
After a morning spent attempting to satiate each other Enid was rushing out the door. Her designs were nearly crushed as she attempted to carelessly shove them in her bag. Wednesday had been bracing all morning for this moment. The moment Enid walked out the door to their apartment because she knew she wouldn’t get to see it again. As the only love of her life reached for the handle to the door Wednesday nearly missed her moment trapped in her own mind.
“Wait.” She strangled out. Panic was rising in her chest.
Enid stopped her frazzled movements and took pause at the tone Wednesday used.
“What’s wrong love?”
“I… I just didn’t get a chance to say goodbye.” Wednesday's voice was soft as she crossed the expanse between them.
Enid scoffed, “I’m pretty sure you already did… four times.” She had a mischievous smile on her face. Accompanied with the same light pink and bashful look reserved for Wednesday. Her eyes were glittering with joy at the recent memory.
Looking at Enid's face she found that it was filled with life. Her eyes were bluer. Sharp with the life around her. Wednesday blinked. The feelings weighing her down she took Enid’s face in between her own hands delicately like she was made of glass. She ran her thumb along the other woman’s cheek. As if in slow motion Wednesday pulled her face down to press her lips to Enid’s. Slotting their lips together relishing in the pressure of the soft embrace they held. Pressing her lips against Enid’s trying to imprint the feel on her mouth. It tasted like the whipped cream Enid insisted on her coffee every morning. Changing her angle, she kissed Enid harder. Slightly drawing Enid’s bottom lip between her own. Trying to memorize the curve of it against her own lips before drawing back again. Placing another firm kiss to her lips she separated them.
“I love you Enid.” Wednesday’s voice was full of emotion now unable to hide it.
“I love you Wednesday. I’ll see you tonight, okay?”
Wednesday could only nod. Too weak for words now. She heard the door open and close. Her heart clenched listening to Enid’s footsteps walk down the hallway. She turned to the room behind her gathering her pride and pain and dialed a familiar number. It rang only once before the other line picked up, she made the only statement she could bring herself to:
“Father, I need you. Bring Lurch and Thing. Tell no one.”
Then she hung up and began packing up her happy ending into the boxes she had hid away.
Her father looked around the room, confusion clear on his face. The cardboard boxes stacked up neatly ready for Lurch as he had begun carrying them down to the elevator.
“Mija. Are you certain?” His tone was the most serious Wednesday had ever heard him speak.
“Father. A life without her in it will be enough to know no harm will ever befall her.” Her voice was quiet.
“But if you leave now. She may never forgive you… I do not seek to understand your gift but… this vision may be-“
Wednesday cut him off abruptly.
“I refuse to tempt her fate. I would rather die right now than to ever see my vision become her reality.” She folded up the letter and placed it in an envelope. Her heart begged her not to do this. To not leave the only true love she had ever known behind. The only love she would ever know. Placing the envelope on the table she drew her disgusting piece of technology from her pocket. The cell phone containing all the pictures and memories and texts and voicemails left for her was also to be left. It was a temptation. She placed it next to the letter on the counter.
“I love her too much. I am self-absorbed to a fault. But not with her. I refuse to be her undoing.” Wednesday felt something fall to her jacket lightly and realized it was wet. She slowly raised a hand to her face, and it was wet as well. For the first time since she was a girl Wednesday was crying.
“You must promise me that you will keep this our secret. Never to tell.” Her voice cracked on each word.
“Wedne-“
“A blood oath. With Thing as our witness. Now.” She drew out a knife from one of her many hiding spots along her person. Cutting the blade into her palm was no pain compared to the weight of leaving her twin flame behind. This was the only way. It had to be the only way.
Gomez mirrored her actions and reached for her own hand.
“Wednesday, I have seen what the curse can do to someone separated from their love… it is… deranged.” He sounded fearful. Wednesday stood fast holding out her hand to him. He nodded to her.
“I promise you this: I will keep your secret. I will keep watch over you. And above all else I will ensure that you keep this promise as well.” Joining their hands in a bloody embrace as Thing looked on. Before Wednesday could pull away her father pulled her into a crushing embrace, and she welcomed it for once. She couldn’t hold herself up any longer collapsing with sobs into her father. After some time had passed Wednesday looked up at her father through bloodshot eyes. Pulling away she put on a freshly bought pair of Italian leather gloves. She looked at the door with sadness filling her entire being.
“We have to go. Eni- “she choked on the name. “She will return soon. Finding every trace of me vanished. Best to not be here.”