"But I'm not a wolf," Addison protests awkwardly, face scrunched up in confusion as she does her best to ignore the werewolf's lingering stare.

Neither is anyone else on the squad, she grumbles silently and shifts anxiously from foot to foot, unable to shake the familiar feeling that even this well intended comment is still somehow singling her out.

"Huh," the wolf, Wyatt-the only one who's bothered to introduce himself-scoffs playfully, raising his brows with a knowing look and conspiratorial smile. Like he's got a secret he's just dying to share.

She thinks it's possible he's just trying to be friendly and not quite hitting the mark due to the notable weariness surrounding the Pack in general -despite their obvious enthusiasm during the cheer routine- coupled with the outright hostility she'd earlier received from his sister (She didn't know the settlers had stolen something from the werewolves. And she didn't write it either.). But something about the moment is putting her off.

She just isn't sure she likes the way he's looking at her. It's too intense, too...hungry. The only other person who's ever looked at her like that is-

But that's silly! This guy's barely been out of the woods for twenty-four hours, and he's stuck pretty close to his pack for most of it; just skirting the edges of human high school society while they all try to work out what exactly that means. He's just putting out some feelers, testing the boundaries of a new environment. Getting to know his new classmates and figure out where he belongs, and Addison is well aware of how unpleasant it can be to feel like an outsider.

Then again, as far as she can tell, the only classmate he's really been interested in getting to know is her. It's not like she hadn't caught him following her around the library earlier, not to mention the show he made of chastising Wynter before practice and encouraging the others to take up her offer of joining in.

Of course, that could all be one massive coincidence. The wolves aren't exactly making a smooth transition and, not to sound conceded, but Addison knows she's a relatively high profile figure here at Seabrook High on top of being approachable and friendly. If Wyatt really wants for this whole werewolf assimilation thing to work out, she'll admit she's a pretty obvious place to start.

Still, though...the way those dark eyes track her every nervous twitch with that same unsettling intensity, like he's willing some sort of, she doesn't know, epiphany or something...she feels like a rabbit caught in his predatory gaze, and, to her eternal shame, is almost relieved when Wynter draws his attention away with truly a awful sounding coughing fit that brings the poor wolf to her knees. It's almost like-

He wants something, she realizes with a start. Maybe it's romantic, like she suspects, maybe it's not. But he definitely wants something, and she can't help but think it might more than she's willing to give.

But what is she supposed to do with this information? She can't really confront him, not when she feels this uncertain, and what would she say anyway? Zed is the extent of her entire romantic repertoire, and she'd rushed headlong into that one with open arms and an open heart. She's never had to navigate an unrequited crush before, and what if she's wrong? That would be mortifying and risks insulting the only werewolf visibly interested in integrating into the town. It could set back what little progress they'd achieved with cheer practice, baby step that it had been.

And if it's not a crush...What could he possibly want from me?

But Wynter can't seem to breathe, and Bree looks terrified, turning to her for guidance, and, on top of everything else going on right now, her cousin's about to bounce up behind her, (No one has ever accused Bucky of subtly.) doubtless with some kind of meaningless political drivel to feed to the wolves -who won't listen or care anyway-and, suddenly feeling overwhelmed, Addison turns to the gym entrance, just wanting to look at anything-

And there he is.

"Zed!"

Her knight in customized government issue coveralls, standing in the doorway with Eliza like he'd somehow sensed her distress. Zombae gives her oldest friend a sarcastic nod and pats his shoulder in mock sympathy before heading out and down the hall. Zed watches her go, an absolutely filthy look directed at her back, and twenty-eight seconds ago, Addison would've wondered about that, but for right now she lets her expression flood with the sort unbridled adoration she usually tries check in public and takes off at run.

About halfway across the gym she performs a simple twist. Then, just for fun, throws in a no handed cartwheel 'cause she is just that fired up and practically throws herself into his chest as she bounces to a halt in front of him, cheerleader enthusiasm cranked up to eleven.

"Did you see? Were you watching?" she gushes, clasping both of his hands in hers and bouncing up on her toes like she's too excited to hold still.

And, okay, so she's laying it on a little thick, even Zed is looking at her like he's worried someone's spiked her Mantis Punch*, but she's confident that little performance just now was more than enough to convince any smitten werewolves they're barking up the wrong tree without her having to say a word and risked nothing but giving the Pack the impression that she's overly affectionate and clingy.

And I can work with that, she assures herself and hits Zed with a dazzling mega-watt designed to be seen from the cheap seats during a Friday night football game.

He's obviously not in the mood to return the gesture, though he does his best, eyes flicking from her face to over her shoulder and back again once or twice with an unreadable expression.

"Just got here," he grunts tone thick with unusual shortness.

So it's not just her then; Zed picked up on the needy vibes rolling off Wyatt from across the gym. For a supposed 'hunter', he's not exactly stealthy.

"Well, you're missing me dominate the Captain role today," she deflects cheerfully as it's clear that Zed's not unaffected by the thought of potential rival for her affection.

"I even got some of the wolves to join in, and, oh my gosh, Zed, they're incredible! Natural cheerleaders! Every one of them!" she crows, because, honestly, the wolves had crushed a routine that had taken the squad weeks to perfect, and she needs to fawn a little.

Which, she realizes, is an impulse she should have squashed, at least for the immediate future, anyway, when Zed's jaw clenches and lips turn down around the corners. His eyes flick over her shoulder again.

"Really?" he responds tightly, and it strikes Addison, quite suddenly, that she's never actually seen him feeling insecure before.

Her zombie's confidence isn't like her cousin's, all over inflated ego and socially encouraged self-importance fed by that constant need for validation. It rolls off him subtle little waves, softer around the edges and more delicate to look at. It's a bright little spark that Addison has seen and admired even from that first awkward encounter in the Zombie Safe Room: feeling comfortable in your own skin.

It's what gives him the courage to hold his head up and swagger into a room like the whole crowd is his for the taking. It's a quality she's always found in woefully shallow reserves in herself, but Zed had seen it. Stirred it up and nurtured it, and it hadn't taken long to blossom.

Her skin still isn't as thick as his, continued barbs from the ACEYs still bother her more than they should, but she looks to his example and wears it like armor. It dents and it chips, but it never breaks.

This whole Prawn fiasco is really getting to him, even more so than she'd initially thought, and now he thinks he has love rival to contend with too.

Well, that is just not gonna stand.

"Yeah," she assures, gently with a softer smile. One that's just for him. "But I don't think any of them are gonna stick around."

She laces their fingers together and squeezes his hands as his eyes search hers. Watches the dawning of realization that they're maybe not exactly talking about cheer anymore.

"Is that so?" he smiles, and BAM! her heart all over again. "Shame."

She giggles at his sudden shift in mood, and he brings their clasped hands up to toward his chest, giving her a little tug forward. She follows his momentum, head tilting up as he leans down-

And the moment is ruined by a round of familiar, enthusiastic applause.

"Well done, Addison," Bucky cheers with genuine appreciation, proudly slinging a familial arm around her shoulders. "The captain position is all yours!"

"I gonna be Cheer Captain?!" she gasps in excited disbelief.

On the one hand, she's not exactly surprised. Despite their vastly differing temperaments and ideas about what cheer is meant to be, Bucky has always been quick to praise and encourage her talents and abilities. That being said, he's still not an easy person to impress, and to have him so zealously 'pass the torch' so to speak in front of the whole squad, in front of his favored recruits...

So of course he ruins it with the next words out of his mouth.

"As soon as I Van Helsing Frankenstein's Monster in the election of course."

Addison feels herself bristle, but before she can descend upon her cousin, Zed sighs and tilts his head with exaggerated patience.

"Good job praising your cousin and getting in a dig at me in the same breath."

"I thought so," she can hear the cheerleader beam and jazz hands in his voice. He squeezes her shoulder affectionately, turning her back to where the cheer squad and werewolves are all shamelessly mingling and watching the drama unfold. "Go get the football team Necrodopolis, my baby cousin needs an audience!"

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*Mantis Punch - Peacock Mantis Shrimp are the most aggressive shrimp species that pack a serious punch. Yeah, I know it's kind of a stretch, but you try coming up with a shrimp themed sports drink.

So, I think my biggest issue with this movie, you know, ignoring that they just regurgitated the basic plot from the original and switched up the roles a little, is that, while Zed behaves badly, inexcusably in fact, movie just completely glosses over the fact that he is also right. Wyatt is trying to get between him and Addison; the werewolves in general are attempting to separate and isolate her from her friends and family, and they are using full blown cult tactics to do it. And we just never talk about that!