Chapter Text
“Hello? Anybody home?”
Zed tentatively pushed open the front door of his dad’s house and took a few steps into the foyer. He glanced behind him to watch Addison slip in and gently shut the door.
“We can just sneak up to my room if my dad and Zoey are asleep,” he whispered back to her. She gave a firm nod in response.
They took about two more steps forward before a light clicked on. Zed’s dad appeared at the top of the stairs and looked down at the pair.
“Zed? What are you doing here?”
“Hey, dad,” Zed said, breaking out into an uncontrollable smile as his dad made his way downstairs. “We’re gonna be spending the rest of the summer in Seabrook.”
“Oh! Did football camp end early?” his dad asked as he landed on the ground floor. He stood right in front of Zed, giving his son a quizzical look.
“No. I…” Zed cut himself off and lunged forward to pull his dad into as tight of a hug as he could.
“Whoa, whoa. Careful, bud, you’re gonna break a rib,” his dad said practically choked out. While doing his best to hug his son back, he looked up and noticed Addison, who was sheepishly lurking behind her boyfriend, folding her arms over her chest.
“Oh, hey, Addie!”
Addison immediately snapped to attention, her face lighting up. She offered a small wave back.
“Oh, yeah,” Zed said as he pulled away from his dad. “I need to ask: can Addison stay here with us?”
“I mean, I don’t know if Zombietown is going to live up to your standards…” he started, gesturing to Addison over Zed’s shoulder.
“Zombietown is great!” she interjected. “But I don’t have to stay here. I don’t want to impose.”
Zed’s dad hesitated, opened his mouth to say something else, then closed it again.
“Your home and your neighborhood are lovely, it more than meets my standards,” Addison added.
Zed tried to catch his dad’s eye and give him a look that said please, say yes.
“Of course you both can stay here! It’ll be nice having some more company around for a few weeks,” his dad said.
Zed let out a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome here any time, but you still haven’t told me why you’re…here.”
“Well…it’s kind of a long story,” Zed started.
“We decided to take a road trip before our cheer and football camps,” Addison chimed in.
“And then we met some vampires and daywalkers…”
“And helped them solve a conflict they were having over this orchard full of the fruit that keeps them both alive!”
Zed’s dad blinked. “Vampires? Daywalkers?”
“Uh…it’s not important. What’s important is that we realized what’s important,” Zed said, topping his statement off with a proud smile.
“...what’s important?” his dad asked.
Zed gestured to the space around them. “Home! Our family and friends, and everything else here.”
His dad’s brow furrowed. “But what about being a starter on the football team?”
“I…I think I spent too much time on football this semester. And I don’t think I was doing it for the right reasons,” Zed admitted.
“I mean, I’ll support whatever you want to do,” his dad replied. He paused for a second, then added, “I just don’t want you to throw away everything you’ve worked for.”
“I get it. I want to find a good balance, eventually. But I think I need a complete break from it all first.”
Zed’s dad nodded slowly. “Alright. Wait…how did you guys get here? Did you drive?”
“We, uh…flew. My car kind of got totaled on our road trip.”
“Goodness, Zed! Are you all okay?!” his dad exclaimed. He quickly grabbed Zed’s wrist and squeezed it like he was looking for a pulse.
“Yes, we’re fine! Don’t worry, I still don’t have a heartbeat,” he assured his dad. “…I am gonna have to look for a new car while I’m here, though.”
His dad eyed him skeptically, but still slowly - albeit reluctantly - let go of Zed’s arm. “Alright. Well, let’s get Addie set up on the couch. I’m sure you’re both pretty tired from traveling.”
“That sounds great. Thanks again, dad.” Zed moved to give his dad a quicker, gentler hug. Addison moved in to hug him too after her boyfriend let go.
“Yes, I can’t thank you enough.”
Zed’s dad smiled softly as Addison pulled away. “Our house isn’t the nicest, but it will always be a safe place for Zed and all his friends. That’s what parents are for.”
Addison felt the sting of hot tears forming behind her eyes. Instead of trying to say anything else, she dove towards Zed’s dad for another hug. As Zed noticed his dad hugging her back, he reached out to embrace both of them - laying his head on top of Addison’s and holding onto each of their arms, enveloping the pair as best as he could, like doing so could protect them from everything outside the four walls of his home.
—
“Are you comfortable? Can I get you anything? Glass of water?” Zed asked. He fumbled with the blanket he’d scrounged up for Addison, frantically doing his best to tuck her in on the couch.
She giggled. “Yes, I’m okay. I’m okay. Your couch is very comfy.”
Zed squinted. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.” Addison reached one hand out from under the blanket to grab one of Zed’s. Gently, she started rubbing the back of it with her thumb. “I’m really, really grateful to be here.”
Zed grinned. “I am too. All I want is this time with you.” He drew her hand close to his mouth and kissed the back of it softly.
“We have plenty of that, starting tomorrow. But…I think I need to sleep first.” Addison’s point was punctuated with a well-timed yawn.
Zed laughed. “Of course. We’ll pick out our first Seabrook adventure in the morning.”
Addison leaned forward slightly and closed her eyes, prompting Zed to plant a quick kiss on her lips.
“Good night, Addi.”
“Good night, Zed.”
Zed brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face as he gazed into her shining eyes. “I love you. I’m sorry I ever lost sight of how important that is.”
Addison cracked a smile. “I love you, too. And you don’t have to be sorry…as long as you never do it again.”
Zed smiled back. “I don’t think I ever could.”