When You're An Addams

You Need To Have A Sense Of Humor

"Come in." Fin called after hearing the quiet knock on his door. Glancing up as it creaked open, green eyes met his with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry I didn't come earlier. To give you the rundown on the house, I mean. Its...its been a long day. I hope you don't mind, but I had Bren go grab Chad, as well. Figured we'd just cover everything all at once." A dark head of curls popped up over April's shoulder.

"If you wanna keep your space to yourself we can move this meeting to my room." They offered. "Chad's is currently a bit of a warzone."

"Yeah, I started dumping out my boxes and all already." The blonde stepped into view with a disarming grin. "I can already tell you're tidier than me. Good thing none of us have to be roommates, right? You cool if we come in?" Fin nodded, having already put away things he wanted kept private.

"Yeah. Come on in." He assured from his seat on the floor, carefully putting together a formerly boxed up gaming chair

Chad needed no further urging, swaggering in to claim his seat on one of the two overstuffed chairs in the room. Bren whistled lowly once they entered, eyeing the monitors that were on the rather wide desk in the room. A keyboard in it's original packaging sat on it, as well as other neatly labeled cords and such.

"Dude, you've got some impressive equipment! Do you game or something?"

"Yeah, I game." Fin answered simply as he secured the last screw. Settling the chair upright, he pushed it into it's place at the desk. "You wanted to explain a few things. Right, April?"

"Oh, yes." She quickly agreed, settling into the other chair after a gesture from Bren offering it while they simply leaned against the wall next to her. "Im sure you've noticed the Addams are an odd bunch..."

Fin sat on the edge of his bed, listening with awe as he and Chad were filled in on the odd goings-on thus far from the earlier arrivals.

"Alligators? They made you a running track with an alligator pit?!" Chad balked.

"No, its a scorpion pit. The alligators are in the swamp under the rope bridge." Bren corrected cheekily.

"Okay thats sick but also terrifying."

"Actually...not really." Bren explained "I thought the same at first. Don't get me wrong that'd normally be some fucked-up survivor shit, but not with these people. Gomez runs it with me every morning and never lets me out of his sight while we're going through it. In fact he makes sure Im doing well throughout. Grandmama always has breakfast waiting for us when we get back, now that she knows our schedule. Even if it is...questionable." April nodded, continuing the line of thought as they shuddered at some memory.

"Really, they're all lovely people. A bit strange, but lovely."

"They have a sentient hand that runs around!" Chad pointed out.

"His name is Thing." She insisted firmly "And he is incredibly kind and helpful. He gave me a scare at first, but now I like to think that we're good friends. Regardless, that's not the oddest thing you need to be prepared for."

"Somehow I don't think Bruno is what you're referencing." Fin offered dryly.

"No, not Bruno." She confirmed, fiddling with the end of her cardigan. "I...I talked to Gomez after my first week here. He hadn't asked for my deposit and I just meant to confirm the rental cost and make the first payment. But...he didn't take my deposit. Instead, he gave me cash. Double the amount of my rent. When I later tried to explain that we are supposed to pay him to live here, he simply laughed and said it was a good joke!" Bren nodded at her insane claim.

"It's true. I tried the same thing yesterday and got almost double my agreed rent in cash."

"But, what about the contract?" Chad asked, tone disbelieving. "I signed a contract listing a rental price?"

"I thought the same thing." Bren comisserated. "Until our lovely lady here told me to actually read it again. The contract essentially is an agreement that he'll give us that amount in spending money to use as we please while here. Thats on top of free room and board. I double-checked, and, unless you've signed a different one, we're all getting paid to essentially be one of their kids."

Fin and Chad stared for a long moment, simply stuck on that revelation.

"So...we're crashing here for free, plus an allowance?" Chad finally squeaked out.

"That's pretty much what I just said, dude." Bren drawled with a slight smirk.

"That...that explains a lot, actually." Fin mused, pulling out his phone and quickly pulling up the digital document. "I thought the wording seemed a bit odd, but admittedly just gave it all a quick skim before signing. I wondered why he didn't take a deposit up front." He hummed before finding the passage he had been looking for. "They're right. Its says Gomez will pay us, not the other way around. You did say you tried to explain he had it backwards, right?"

April nodded. "I did, and Bren tried once Gomez didn't believe me."

"So!" Bren drug the attention back to themself. "Essentially, we're here to confirm that you don't need to worry about payment, you don't need to worry about their odd habits, and you don't need to worry about any of the non-human occupants, either. That about sum it up, April?"

"Hm...yes, aside from the dungeon. They do have one but its harmless, as well. Just don't poke around down there without an Addams with you. Some of it is complicated equipment. Admittedly thats really the only room I'd be worried about being truly hurt in on accident."

"A dungeon?! Sick!" Chad crowed, obviously delighted. "Does it have torture machines?"

"Yup!" Bren confirmed, popping the p at the end of the affirmation. "Fester regularly uses the bed of nails and Gomez uses the Rack for his back pain. Oh, and don't get freaked out if you go down and see your name being carved on a tombstone. Apparently Fester just got overexcited and started prepping the headstones and shit for our family plots. They've seemingly decided we're all family."

"That's fucking awesome!"

"Yeah." Heads swiveled to look at the previously quiet Fin, who's face broke into the tiniest hint of a smile "Sounds like a situation to die for." After a quiet moment, it was April who broke first at the lame joke. Soon in a quiet fit of giggles. Chad and Bren quickly followed suit, ragging on the quiet boy as the distant air finally seemed to fall away from around their little rag-tag group.

A loud gong cut off their laughter as it vibrated the house.

"Dinner time, children!" At Fester's gleeful call, Chad stood eagerly.

"Okay, now I gotta see what weird food they eat! C'mon, let's get going." He insisted before practically bolting down the stairs. Shaking their head slightly, Bren offered a hand to pull April out of her chair.

"He's like a golden retriever. Seems like a good one, though. Even if a bit hyper." She nodded as she stood with their help before looking to Fin.

"You coming?" Fin nodded, still smiling softly.

"Yeah."

April smiled as they got to the dining room, greeted by the smell of whatever had been cooked and a group of smiling, chattering faces. Soon being fussed over as food was piled onto plates.

Pugsely and Fin sat in companionable quiet, Wednesday chatting with April about long-dead poets. Despite earlier shudders, Bren was eating with gusto, gently but firmly being reminded by Grandmama not to speak with their mouth full as they tried to contribute  to that latters' conversation unsuccessfully. Chad had happily settled in between Fester and Gomez, animatedly recounting odd encounters with sea life while surfing between trying to draw Lurch into the conversation unsuccessfully. Morticia sat in the center of it all, smiling her soft little smile as she enjoyed the chaos of their newly expanded little family. Simply content.