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Wednesday sat at one of the Quad’s tables, quietly reading while Enid and their classmates bustled around her, engaged in what she assumed were pointless activities.
After some time, when Wednesday lifted her head, the whole place was aggressively decorated for Valentine’s Day.
Pink streamers, paper hearts, confetti, and balloons adorned every space available. Enid had even placed a bowl of candy on the table with a sign that read Take one for love.
Wednesday rolled her eyes and sighed in annoyance. She was about to get up and leave when Enid plopped down in front of her, staring at what she created as if it had personally betrayed her.
“I didn’t know I’d be dateless on Valentine’s Day…” Enid sighed, “Bruno was a fiasco and Ajax… even though we’re now friends, I hurt him too much to even ask.” She pulled out her phone, scrolling through it. “Yoko and Divina are going out on a date, Bianca has, like, three dates…even Eugene has a date with a girl who also raises bees, which feels unfairly wholesome…” She dropped her phone on the table, flopping backward onto the bench with a dramatic groan.
“I don’t even need a date-date,” she continued to the sky. “Just, like, something cute…or cheesy, or even mildly embarrassing. I’d accept mildly embarrassing...”
Wednesday still sat across from her, reading. She hadn’t looked up as Enid rambled, but she listened… “Romantic dissatisfaction was a predictable seasonal ailment. Like hay fever or influenza.” She thought.
Still, Enid’s sighs were arriving at increasingly regular intervals.
“I just thought this year would be different,” Enid admitted quietly, sitting up. “You know? New year, new vibes, new me…”
Wednesday turned a page.
Enid huffed softly, then forced a smile at herself. “Whatever. It’s fine. I’ll just buy myself chocolate and watch a terrible rom-com and make sarcastic commentary the whole time.”
Wednesday’s eyebrow twitched, “That, at least, sounded like a viable survival strategy.” She thought but didn’t voice out.
Enid then stood up, stretched, and headed toward the entryway. “I’ll be in our dorm room choosing a movie for tomorrow, ok?”
“Very well, Enid,” Wednesday replied dryly, never looking up…
When the Quad finally fell silent, Wednesday lowered her book. She stared at the abandoned bowl of candy for a long moment, then at the pink decorations and towards the entryway where Enid had disappeared.
Her expression didn’t change, but something behind her eyes sharpened into focus.
She closed her book and got up...
When Wednesday arrived back at their dorm later that night, Enid was already fast asleep, the credits of a movie still rolling on Enid’s laptop.
She walked up to it, shutting it close and placing it on her desk.
…
The next day, when Enid awoke, Wednesday was already out.
A wave of disappointment settled over Enid. She had hoped Wednesday would be with her today, maybe even indulge her with a movie, but she guessed even the goth had plans on Valentine’s Day…
She sighed, deciding to stay in and avoid all forms of public displays of affection.
…
At midday, Enid was halfway through reorganizing her nail polish rack by color temperature when the door opened behind her.
She was looking down at two very similar shades of pink, trying to decide where they should go, finally setting them down and glancing at her roommate. “Hey, Wends! What’s…” She stopped mid-sentence, looking quizzically at Wednesday when she saw what she was holding.
A bundle of long green stems, cleanly cut, bound together with a strip of black ribbon. No blooms, just stems with some leaves.
Wednesday held them out stiffly, as if presenting evidence in a trial. She avoided Enid’s gaze, staring somewhere just past her.
“For you,” was all she said.
Enid blinked, still utterly confused, “…For me?”
“Yes.” Wednesday nodded.
“They’re…stems.” Enid hesitated.
“Affirmative,” Wednesday replied, still not looking at her directly.
Enid took them carefully, still confused as to why...
“They’re very…stem-y.” She giggled nervously.
Wednesday clasped her hands behind her back. “I selected them from Mother’s conservatory myself. I consider that a mark of quality.”
Enid smiled despite herself. “Thanks, Weds. They’re…um…” She searched for the right word. Wednesday watched her with the stillness of someone bracing for impact. “…unique,” Enid finished.
“Good,” Wednesday said crisply. “I have achieved my objective.” And without another word, she turned and left the room.
Enid stared after her, then back at the stems and back at the door. “…Okay?”
She quickly went to set the stems in water because she really didn't know what else to do after that confusing interaction.
…
Later that afternoon, Thing found her sitting cross-legged on her bed, twirling one of the stems between her fingers.
He hopped onto the mattress and tapped her knee. “Are you ok?”
Enid sighed. “Um, I’m a bit confused. Did my Wends just give me plant leftovers as a Valentine’s gift, or am I being pranked?”
Thing immediately began miming a violent, continuous sneezing fit, wobbling as if overcome by allergies.
Enid blinked. “Allergies?”
Thing nodded emphatically, then mimed holding the roses, dramatically cutting the heads off one by one, tossing the imaginary rose heads aside with exaggerated disdain, and presented the invisible stems with solemn reverence.
Enid frowned. “…Ok, but…why?”
Thing signed, “Gomez is allergic to Roses’ pollen. Morticia cuts them to prevent that.”
Enid looked down at the stem again, softer now.
“So Wednesday’s copying her parents…” she murmured.
Then he placed a finger over where his heart would be and pointed to the stem Enid held.
Enid smiled faintly, brushing her thumb along it.
“…Okay,” she whispered. “I get it.”
Thing gave a proud little thumb-up.
Enid hugged the stem to her chest, smiling to herself. “That is the most Wednesday thing I’ve ever heard.” She chuckled, then looked back up at Thing, “Where is she?”
Thing tapped.
“Around? What’s that supposed to mean?” She questioned with a frown. She got up, placed the stem back into the vase, and ran towards the door with intent. “Fine, I’ll just look around then…” She rolled her eyes in amusement and left.
…
Later that night, Wednesday sat on the balcony, playing a gentle melody when Enid stepped into the room.
She smiled, a faint blushed adorning her cheeks as she walked out into the balcony, stopping a few steps behind her, quietly enjoying the music.
When the final note faded into the night air, Enid leaned closer and whispered into her ear,
“I know about the stems.”
Wednesday went still, straightening her back.
Enid slipped her arms over Wednesday’s shoulders and pressed a kiss to her cheek. She pulled back slowly, smiling, then whispered again,
“And for the record, I’m not allergic to pollen.” She murmured.
She placed another quick little kiss on her, let go, and skipped back inside.
Wednesday came in thirty minutes later, pale from the cold, carefully avoiding letting Enid see that she had been blushing.
Enid was curled up on her bed, watching a movie with exaggerated casualness.
Silence stretched between them.
Then Wednesday spoke. “That is not why I cut the rose heads.”
Enid looked up.
Wednesday set her cello aside before continuing.
“My Father’s allergy was a consideration,” she admitted. “Tradition has its merits. However, it was not my motive.”
She clasped her hands behind her back, posture straight, voice controlled but quieter now. “Petals are decorative. They exist to be admired briefly before they wither. The stems remain. They support and endure… They are the part that survives after beauty has faded.”
Enid’s expression softened, she sat up, her laptop forgotten on her bed.
Wednesday continued, eyes fixed somewhere just past Enid’s shoulder. “I did not wish to give you something transient,” she said. “I wished to give you something that implied permanence. Or, at minimum, the intention of it.”
The room fell very still.
“When I observed your disappointment yesterday,” Wednesday added, almost reluctantly, “It seemed statistically unwise to allow Valentine’s Day to pass without intervention.”
Enid’s smile widened into something warmer
Wednesday inhaled once, steadying herself. “I am not adept at…ornamental declarations,” she said. “But I believed the sentiment would be understood eventually.”
Enid slid off the bed and crossed the room slowly, like approaching something fragile.
“I understand now,” she said softly.
Wednesday didn’t move as Enid stepped close, but her shoulders lost a fraction of their tension.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Weds,” Enid murmured.
She cupped Wednesday’s face gently, pausing for a bit before kissing her softly.
The kiss melted all of Wednesday’s insecurities away as she let herself unravel into it. As Enid’s confidence grew, she deepened the kiss, still keeping it unhurried, and unmistakably deliberate.
When they parted, Wednesday’s composure had mostly returned, though her voice came out quieter than usual. “That was…acceptable.” She said, making Enid laugh.
“I’m glad it was.” She chuckled.
Wednesday hesitated, then reached into her coat pocket and produced one last, single rose head she had apparently kept.
She took Enid’s hands in hers and placed it in one.
“For aesthetic balance,” she stated, looking into Enid’s eyes.
Enid gently wrapped her fingers around it without squeezing.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Enid.” Wednesday added, “May you never doubt any future ones.” She lifted Enid’s free hand to her lips, “I shall not allow you to withstand them alone.” She placed a single kiss on the back of her hand.
Enid smiled fully, “Who knew you’d be such a romantic.”
Wednesday rolled her eyes and was about to pull away when Enid pulled her in again, kissing her once more.
When they parted, Enid peppered small, soft kisses down Wednesdays jaw to her ear and whispered again. “And I would love to be your Valentine’s forever too.”
Wednesday smirked slightly, wrapping her arms around Enid’s shoulders, sealing the deal.
The End