The walk back to Ophelia Hall was uneventful and without surprise encounters. Despite the lack of a curfew during the holiday period, most of the few students who had opted to spend spring break at Nevermore seemed to maintain the usual academy schedules.
When they reached the doors to their room, they could hear the muffled voices on the other side of the door suggesting some kind of animated conversation. Once again Wednesday was the first to open the door and cross the threshold, followed by Enid and Needler. But it was Enid who was the first to react with a gasp of surprise at the scene before their eyes.
All her stuffed animals, arranged in a sort of semicircle as if they were assistants in an amphitheater or a classroom, around Friday who, with her visage covered by a surgical mask, proceeded to stick a knitting needle into the face of an adorable plush bunny.
Woe and Thing were sitting on Wednesday's bed, watching the event with interest.
"My, this brings back memories," said Wednesday.
Friday looked up still holding a needle up high. She pulled off her mask revealing a bright Smile, and grabbing the stuffed animal still with needles stuck around its eyes she ran towards the new arrivals.
"Wednesday! Miss Enid! Look! Woe has taught me how to do eye acupuncture so the stuffed animals won't get headaches."
"The joys of being lobotomized," muttered Woe before being silenced by a few gentle taps from Thing on her elbow.
Enid took the stuffed bunny offered by Friday. Sure enough, half a dozen needles pierced the toy's face around its buttoned eyes. Enid was reminded of a character in a certain horror movie.
"Weds, what the hell...?" murmured the stunned she-wolf leaning slightly toward her girlfriend.
"Be thankful she didn't behead them."
"I didn't think she would, compared to you she's so... so jolly..."
"Jolly or not, an Addams is an Addams."
The brief exchange was interrupted by Friday's suddenly hesitant voice, "Miss Enid?"
Enid looked down. Friday was staring at her with an expectant and somewhat worried look on her face. The insecure expression of a child who feared she had done something wrong in the presence of her seniors' reactions, despite her best efforts and her best will. Enid recognized that expression instantly. She had had it on her own face on too many occasions over the years.
Enid gently crouched down in front of Friday and made the gesture of bringing the stuffed bunny close to her ear as if it was whispering something to her.
"Mmm, so it is true. Looks like Mr. Skippy had a horrible migraine and the needles have helped a lot," said Enid with a smile. Friday's face lit up again.
"Did you like it? I've already operated on a few of the others," said Friday.
"And they sure feel just great, kiddo," replied Enid as out of pure impulse she began to gently rub the girl's head, ruffling her hair. Friday let out a giggle.
Woe watched the scene with a slight frown, "Nauseating."
Thing gave her another few light taps on her arm drawing her attention before continuing to speak with another series of signs.
"No, I'm not relieved," Woe denied, though by the way Thing moved as if holding back a laugh he didn't seem to quite believe her.
For her part, Wednesday had merely observed the scene in silence. Without realizing it, the usual sternness of her face had relaxed and a slight curve had begun to appear on her lips in the form of a treacherous smile full of endearment.
The moment was interrupted by a new voice that immediately attracted Woe and Friday's attentions.
"Fascinating," Needler said. The scientific Addams seemed to have pulled from somewhere a small black device, a sort of recorder, "I am witnessing empirical proof of new multiversal iterations of my person. Subject B presents a surprisingly vivid coloration. Reminds me of your old outfits, Parker. Or the twins'. Subject C presents more similarities to Subject A and myself, although her facial expression suggests a level of aggressiveness heretofore only witnessed in members of my family raised on a diet rich in fly maggots. Further observation will be required."
"Another one!" exclaimed Friday, cheerfully.
"Holy hells," muttered Woe, in an unimpressed tone.
"You say the word fascinating a lot," observed Enid.
"It appears to be time for a formal presentation. I have been assigned the name Needler in this reality."
"I'm Friday here! And that's Woe!" said Friday as she pointed to herself and the other multiversal variant.
Woe merely saluted with an almost imperceptible twitch of her eyebrow. Enid deduced that for Needler (and for any other Addams, certainly) it must be the equivalent of a effusive wave of the hand. She didn't stop to think about what it implied that she already recognized the gesture so well.
Soon, the three counterparts and Enid had begun another exchange of questions, queries and comparisons. It was striking to them that Needler was able to gain friendships in a public education center, something Woe never achieved. Friday noted that Needler's appetite for science reminded her a bit of her brother. Needler's Pugsley did not seem to have great intellectual aspirations, but the young girl described him as an artist with explosives, a C-4 Michelangelo.
Thing chose that moment to leap from the bed to stand in front of Wednesday and begin to gesticulate with some urgency.
"I'm afraid our search for information has not been entirely successful, although we have a starting point," Wednesday replied, "Tomorrow morning we will clarify the situation with the principal and begin swift on-site investigations."
Thing tapped the floor rhythmically again, "Well, that sounds fine… And how are you going to organize tonight?" he asked.
"What are you talking about?"
Thing pointed at her. At Enid. At the other Wednesdays. And finally, at the only two beds.
"Oh," Wednesday muttered deadpan before turning to Enid. The lycanthrope seemed to have become immersed in a conversation with Friday and Needler about the raising and feeding of carnivorous plants while Woe continued to watch them intently, "Enid, we have a problem," said Wednesday interrupting the talk and drawing the attention of all present.
"Huh? What is it, Weds?"
Wednesday pointed to the beds, "Sleep arrangement."
Enid stood up as if propelled by a spring and immediately began to look at her guests, Wednesday and the room, as if doing calculations in her head, "Ah, yes... I see... Mmm, maybe we could..."
"Before anything is suggested," Woe interrupted pointing to Enid's bed, " Just for the record, I don't intend to come into prolonged contact with anything on that side of the room."
"Understandable, developing a tolerance for bright colors is a years-long process," replied Wednesday.
"Friday and I have no problem with color," said Needler, "But the space issue I'd say is more pressing."
Enid clapped her hands, "Oh! Sleepover!"
"What nefarious idea has your mind concocted, mia lupa?" asked Wednesday with a slightly amused tone.
"First, my ideas are not nefarious," said Enid, "Second, we could pile up blankets, sheets and cushions and make a nest to sleep all together in the center of the room. We'll use yours, all black and grey, and some of mine that I have in more muted colors."
"Sleepover...," whispered Woe as if what had been suggested to her was to lick a piece of chewed gum stuck on the floor.
"Uh... well, you can stay in Wednesday's bed if you want..." started to say Enid, but stopped when Friday approached the bitter-tempered girl with a plea on her face, "Please Woe, I've never had a sleepover."
Woe kept her gaze fixed on Friday, with no sign on her face to give away what was going on in her head, until she finally closed her eyes and exhaled furiously through her nose, "All right."
"It won't be a bad experience, Woe," interjected Needler over Friday's shouts of joy, "Just think, you're with three counterparts of your own, which guarantees less risk of awkward social interaction. And Enid here is well versed in the idiosyncrasies of living with an Addams."
"That's one way to look at it," laughed Enid, "Well, let's get started!"
The next few minutes were a small flurry of activity mainly driven by Enid and Friday, with Needler and Thing lending a hand here and there.
Wednesday and Woe also assisted, but they spent a good bit of the preparation simply standing next to each other, observing the activity of the lycanthrope and the other two multiversal variants. Wednesday was crossing her arms, but other than that her posture was relaxed and there was a gleam of contentment in her eye as she watched Enid converse with her youngest counterpart.
Woe shifted her gaze between the group and Wednesday. Her posture seemed superficially more relaxed, but still betrayed more tension. She was totally stiff, like a standing corpse.
"Your roommate," she began, quietly so that only Wednesday could hear her, "Is extremely... colorful."
“Indeed,” replied Wednesday.
“Bubbly. And cheerful.”
“Certainly.”
“Annoying.”
“More her musical tastes than her.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t smother her with the pillow.”
A faint, brief hint of a nostalgic smile appeared on Wednesday’s face for a second, “I thought about it at first.”
Woe looked at her older counterpart with measured curiosity, “What changed?”
Wednesday kept her gaze fixed on Enid. What changed? That was a question with no easy answer.
“I changed”, she said, “She changed. We changed each other… We changed each other, from the first day without realizing it. From the first night when I revealed a vulnerability to someone I had only known for a very short time.”
Wednesday turned her gaze to Woe, "There were also some murders, a conspiracy, a monster and many other things. It’s a woefully complicated tale.”
"I see," replied Woe.
A brief silence fell between the two, interrupted only by snippets of conversation between Enid and Friday (something about black widows as pets) as they finished setting up a nest of blankets, sheets, cushions and pillows that was beginning to resemble a twisted, dark but strangely cozy camping tent.
“Enid is colorful, as you said,” continued Wednesday, "And bubbly, cheerful and of dubious tastes in many things. But she is also strong-willed, respectful, courageous when it matters and loyal. She is a fragment of the sun that has deigned to cast its light on a lonely moon that didn't know how much she needed her.”
Woe's eyes shone with understanding, "You love her."
“I do,” answered Wednesday looking again at Woe, “I am aware of how uncomfortable the idea of loving someone can make you. But I’m not going to apologize for it.”
Woe nodded, as a strange expression came over her face. A mixture of acceptance and... wistfulness?
"Your apology will not be necessary. I am no stranger to the pains of romance," replied the younger Addams, "I already have an ex, though we are on relatively good terms."
Wednesday looked at Woe this time unable to conceal some surprise on her face. She hadn't expected such a confession from the younger girl, "How good are those terms?" she asked. It was a valid question. Unless it was The One, most failed romances with an Addams ended in PTSD and restraining orders at best.
"Relatively good considering I gave him a heart attack yet we still keep in touch," explained Woe, "His name is Joel. We met at a summer camp I was forced to attend by the subterfuge of a babysitter obsessed with greed and murder. An inane place that under the guise of education and tolerance propagated ideas of conformity, conservatism and retrograde, racial stereotyping and whitewashing of historical facts."
An aura of homicidal coldness shone in Woe's narrowed eyes for a moment, "I was forced to play an dumbed-down version of Pocahontas despite the fact that I am not of native descent," she explained, "Obviously, we burned the place down in an act of righteous retribution.”
Suddenly Enid appeared before them accompanied by Friday. They were both holding what appeared to be pajamas, "All set! What were you girls talking about?"
"How I almost killed my ex-boyfriend and the nature of the romantic relationship between the two of you," replied Woe, with mild sarcasm.
A high-pitched "Eep" escaped from the mouth of a suddenly paralyzed Enid as Friday exchanged glances between her and Wednesday, "Are you two together? Like Aunties Desdemona and Despoina?" asked Friday.
"I don't recall having aunts with those specific names, but I'm going to hazard a guess that my relationship with Enid is similar, yes," said Wednesday.
“That’s so cool!”, exclaimed the youngest Addams.
Enid smiled, not without some relief, and ruffled the little girl's hair again, "Thanks, kiddo."
Needler's voice came from inside the improvised nest of blankets and sheets, "The structure seems stable! We can start our particular contubernium before dropping into the clutches of Morpheus."
The rest of the night before drifting off to sleep passed mostly between quiet conversations.
Friday talked about her brother, her family, her pet spider Homer who was the best yo-yo in the world... letting Enid hug her when she couldn't hide the homesickness in her voice.
Needler talked about her octopus Socrates, the science fair she was preparing for and her 'friend' Parker. If the girl's name appeared with unusual frequency in Needler's stories, always with a hint of warm admiration in her voice, the others decided not to bring it to her attention.
Woe hardly spoke, but listened attentively, nodded approvingly at some stories and always answered if something was asked of her.
Wednesday and Enid (and Thing!) talked about Nevermore. How they met, their friendships at the academy, the town of Jericho, the misadventures they had been involved in... They left out some of the more gory details, mostly out of deference to Enid. The werewolf never felt completely comfortable talking about some of the moments from those days and Wednesday had always respected that.
Wednesday was sure that her counterparts would have had no problem if she had decided to brag about her girlfriend and how she was a magnificent beast capable of standing up to a Hyde.
She had no doubt about it.
NOTES
The art of Wednesday and Enid in the collage comes from @lesly-oh in Tumblr. It pretty much fits the image I have of the two of them in this fanfic
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