A reimagining of the balcony scene in Episode 1 for the DnD AU fanfic I am writing
Wednesday awoke to the crash of thunder, violent taps of rain against the window, and whimpering. She sat up, looking to the source of the whines to see Enid tossing in her sleep.
“Enid,” she called out firm, but gentle. “Enid. Wake up!”
Enid shot awake like she had been struck by lightning, her breath quick and her eyes wild. Her claws were extended and Wednesday was suddenly glad she was on the other side of the room.
After a moment, Enid took a deep, shuddering breath and untensed her shoulders, sheepishly retracting her claws. “Sorry, I was just having a nightmare.” Enid pulled a sweater on over her head and stood up to look out of the window. The colored glass illuminated by the bits of moonlight that managed to sneak through the clouds created a kaleidoscope across the room.
“No need to apologize, there’s nothing like a good storm,” Wednesday said, joining Enid at the window.
There was a moment of silence between them as Enid waited for Wednesday to ask what the nightmare was about. But of course she wouldn’t ask, it’s Wednesday. With a sigh, Enid began to share anyway. “In my dream, I had finally wolfed out and was accepted back into my pack. My parents were totally thrilled to have me home again and wanted to celebrate by taking me on my first true hunt. So that night we wolfed out and we tracked down a herd of deer. It felt so good to be finally accepted by my parents and living the life I always thought I would.”
“But after i had taking down my deer, the moon turned red and, I dunno, it was like I couldn’t control myself.” Enid looked down at her hands, the light from the window making them look drenched in blood. “I killed my parents Wednesday. And the part that totally has me freaked out is that I liked it. Giving into the wolf inside felt natural. And then I was stuck like that. I couldn’t change back, no matter how hard I tried.“
Enid cried, her tears splashing onto her hands, adding to the impression of blood. Wednesday had watched her quietly during her story and was now quite unsure what to say.
“If it’s becoming a monster that has you so worried, I have no problems hunting you down. I’ve killed plenty of wild animals before,” Wednesday said making sure to stay as deadpan as ever, not allowing any of her concern to leak through.
Enid looked at her incredulously. “You seriously suck at this, you know. It’s not exactly comforting to know you’re ready to kill me,” she huffed.
Wednesdays eyes slid to the floor. She didn’t quite understand why what she said was wrong, but it had clearly upset Enid which wasn’t what she had intended at all.
Enid looked back out of the window, the tap tap-tapping of the rain on the glass making the silence louder.
As usual, Enid was the first to break the quiet. “You know how I told you I was kind of kicked out of my pack because I haven’t wolfed out yet?” Wednesday nodded. “Well, it’s a little bit more complicated than that.”
“I was born under a blood moon. That’s only happened once in before in my pack, it’s, like, a one-in-a-million thing. Last time it happened, they were twins. Gwyllt and Rhydd. They were both late bloomers. Like me. Rhydd never wolfed out and died young. Gwyllt wolfed out for the first time under a blood moon. She never changed back. We call her Gwyllgi now and user her to scare kids into staying out of the woods at night.”
“Wednesday, I’m a gwaed drwg. I have bad blood, that’s why I had to leave home. And I don’t know what I’m more scared of; never wolfing out and dying…” Enid looked down again to her crimson hand. “Or being trapped inside a monster.”
Wednesday wrestled with how to comfort Enid for a moment before speaking, not wanting to make things worse again. Eventually, she decided to do something she has never done before. She began to share.
“I come from a long line of diviners on my mother’s side. It takes most of us the better part of a lifetime to master. Some never do and it drives them to madness. My first vision was only a few weeks ago. It was of my uncle being tortured in the castle dungeon.”
“That’s awful,” Enid said, looking at her with sad, puppy dog eyes.
“Don’t worry, Uncle Fester loves a good stretch on the rack.” Unable to withstand those wet, blue eyes for long, Wednesday turned back to the rain. “My mother’s visions are always positive. An upcoming triumph. Someone’s happiest memory. I have only had three, but they have all shown me pain and death.”
“Besides, I have an actual fiend from the underworld somewhere in my family tree. I may or may not be cursed,” Wednesday said once again meeting Enid’s gaze, “but if anyone can understand having ‘bad blood’, it’s me.”
Enid smiled warmly at Wednesday. “Thank you.” She said softly, barely above a whisper. There was an ease in the air between them and for the first time Enid felt close to Wednesday.
Wednesday clearly felt it too as Enid saw her begin to shift slightly, obviously uncomfortable with experiencing intimacy for the first time but not wanting to upset Enid again.
So Enid spared her from her discomfort by whipping around back to bed, saying “well I feel so much better now. You’re right, there is nothing like a good storm.” She smiled one last time at Wednesday before getting back under the covers. “Good night Wednesday.”
“Good night Enid.”
After staring out at the rain for a few more minutes, Wednesday could hear the slow, measured breathing that meant Enid had fallen back asleep. Only then did she return to her own bed, lying wide awake and staring at the ceiling.
Why did she care so much that Enid was upset? Why did she make herself vulnerable to her? Why had she cared so much about causing her distress?
Suddenly, her heartbeat was so loud in her ears that she could no longer hear the rain. She cared.
She cared.