Cherry Wine // Wednesday X Xavier

From The Dining Table

Utensils scrapping on plates and sloppy eating echoed in the Addams family formal dining hall. The large oak table fit the family and guests comfortably, a feast laid out before them. Wednesday watched as her peers acted on gluttony, a sin she refused to indulge in.

Puglsy used his hands to eat, smacking loudly, juices dripping down his chin. "You are grotesque." Wednesday insulted, Pugsley oinking in response, jeering his older sister. The three guests were much too hungry to care about any kind of etiquette, stuffing themselves alongside him. Their drive to New York in Ajax's mothers Toyota Corolla was long, exhausting, and didn't include many snack stops.

"Enough, children," Gomez announced, raising from his velvet dining chair, "we like to play a game when we have new guests."

"Oh no." Wednesday blurted out, embarrassment crawling under her skin.

"Oh yes." Gomez produced a golden chalice from behind his back. He grabbed the green-glass bottle from the center of the table, pouring a healthy dose of red into the cup before holding it up in presentation. "A little game called full disclosure."

"The game is as follows, the willing participant drinks from the cup, as much or as little as they please but they never empty it, not until the last person has drank." Gomez stopped to smell the wine, feeling giddy he continued on. "After you drink you must play the game, telling your deepest secret, full disclosure."

"They don't want to play." Wednesday interjected, wishing to end her father's dramatic performance.

"I want to play!" Enid perked up from the other side of the table, encouraging the silly little act.

"Yeah," Ajax added, "if I get to drink some wine I'm in."

"Perfect." Gomez smiled his big toothy grin. "Who shall start?" The table took turns drinking from the chalice, a costume piece that Gomez insisted was made from real gold and had been passed down for generations. Wednesday's father loved a climatic charade.

Ajax revealed that he had stolen a Nevermore paddle boat a few semesters ago and had crashed it into the side of the boat house, never getting caught while Enid giggly proclaimed her love for Ajax at the dinner table, earning an eye roll from Wednesday. "Full disclosure." Enid hiccuped passing the cup.

Pugsley broadcast his arsonist tendencies, telling a long story about the trouble he was in at school for setting fire to his science classroom. "That's my boy." Gomez smiled, taking a drink from the chalice as well, sharing the same disclosure he did every time. He praised his beautiful wife, beautiful children, and wonderful life; the loophole in his maniacal plan.

Morticia piggy-backed on her husband's play at the game, divulging in her worry for the outcome of the gala. Something she would share with anyone who asks, and not just because they were playing full disclosure. "Wednesday's turn." Morticia held out the cup to her, it was still a little over half full.

"I'll pass." Wednesday refused to partake. Only willing participants needed to play the game, it was in the rules. No one would be forced to play full disclosure.

"I'll go then." Xavier took the cup, lifting it to his lips he downed the rest of it, streams of it trickling from the sides of his mouth. He swallowed hard, a warm buzz sitting in his stomach. "I'm glad that I came here, full disclosure."

Wednesday wasn't sure why his full disclosure bugged her so much, but it did. "That isn't how you play the game." She fumed.

"Well that was my deepest darkest secret." Xavier teased her, passing the empty cup back to a stunned Gomez. He never had anyone use his own tactics during full disclosure, everyone simply followed the rules.

Wednesday snatched the chalice from her fathers hands, heated. She poured another glass of wine, shoving it at Xavier. "Play it right." She insisted.

"You first," Xavier sent it back toward her, their competitive nature emerging from the woodwork.

Wednesday gave him a stern glare, drinking about halfway down the glass, the dry feeling of the Cabernet coating the back of her throat. "Sometimes I hope that everything last term was just a nightmare and that I'll wake up. Full disclosure." she held the cup out to Xavier again, urging him to take it.

Everyone looked at her with cautious eyes. Wednesday hadn't talked much about what had happened only a month ago, especially not admitting that it had left some kind of traumatic mark on her. Xavier took the glass from her, drinking the rest of the red liquid without taking his eyes off of the raven-haired girl. Gulping, he licked his lips debating what he'd share with the room. When an evil smirk spread across his face Wednesday knew she had gotten taken for a fool. "I'm really glad that I came here. Full disclosure."

Wednesday stormed out, not stopping until she reached her bed where she threw herself down dramatically, face first. She muffled a scream with her pillow. She hated being portrayed as a daft individual. His intentions were obvious.

The door creaked open, without looking Wednesday threw the cushion in the direction, Xavier catching it clumsily. "I'm really not glad you are here." Wednesday stabbed at him verbally.

He tossed the pillow back at her, taking a seat across from her at her writing desk. "Enid said I should come up and apologize."

"Well?" Wednesday wanted to punch him and his snarky smile.

"I suppose I was a bit brutal." Xavier picked up a paper weight off of her desk, inspecting it. Through the glass there was a tiny ecosystem encased inside. "But I'm not apologizing."

Wednesday growled, rising from her bed, striking him over and over again with the pillow. Goose feathers flying, Xavier laughed at her child-like behavior. He took a few hits before grabbing her by the waist to push her off of him. A swarm of moths flew around in the pit of her stomach at the sensation of his touch.

She pulled back, both of them hyper aware of the moment that they had just shared. "I am really happy that I'm here." Xavier admitted genuinely. He wasn't sure of what to do with his hands, bunching them up and shoving them in the pockets of his pants. A comfortable silence grew over them, Xavier breaking it "We haven't spoken since you went away."

"I've been busy." She tried, the excuse unsatisfying for Xavier.

"Where's the phone I gave to you last time?" Wednesday went over to her desk drawer, pulling out the pristine box. She hadn't opened it since that day. Xavier pulled it from the box, turning it on. "It's already set up," he handed it to her. Wednesday looked at it mindlessly, not exactly sure what she was looking at. "Now we can talk."

"We're talking right now." Wednesday said, confused at what gratification this miniscule screen could provide Xavier.

"Well yeah, but like, when we're not together." He took his phone from his pocket, typing out a message.

"Why would we want to do that?" Wednesday asked, hassling him.

"You're very difficult Wednesday Addams." Xavier rose from his seat, making a move towards the door, hitting send on his message, the ding from the notification ringing out in Wednesday's hands. She looked down, frowning at the anticlimactic message he had sent.

Hey :)