The morning light filtered through the broken blinds of the old diner, casting soft golden rays across the dusty counter and cracked linoleum floor. For once, there were no screams. No distant moans. Just birds.
Real birds.
Sparrows, maybe. Or what was left of them in this world.
Asher stirred beneath a tattered blanket, blinking at the warm sunlight brushing his face. A weight leaned against his shoulder.
He smiled.
Ethan.
Still asleep, arms loosely wrapped around him, face peaceful in a way Asher rarely saw these days.
They were tucked in one of the rear booths of the diner, far from where the others had crashed. After everything—the girlfriend's death, Mia's fever, the rain, the patrols—they'd finally let themselves rest. And last night, in the dark, under the glow of a flickering lantern, they had kissed like they meant it.
Now, Asher just watched him.
The slight curve of his lips.
The faint freckles scattered under his eyes.
Asher raised a hand and brushed Ethan's messy hair from his forehead.
"Staring again?" Ethan muttered, still half-asleep.
"Yeah," Asher whispered. "Get used to it."
Ethan opened his eyes slowly, a lazy smirk forming on his face. "You're such a sap."
"Only for you."
They leaned in and shared a slow, soft kiss, hands tangling under the blanket.
They didn't hear the footsteps.
Didn't hear the sharp gasp.
Didn't see the little girl standing near the booth with a wide, mischievous grin.
Until—
"Well, well, well," came Mia's squeaky voice. "What do we have here?"
Ethan jumped so hard he nearly hit his head on the table.
Asher groaned, face in his hands. "Oh no."
Mia crossed her arms, looking far too proud of herself. She was wearing a giant T-shirt like a dress and mismatched socks. Her tiny hands were on her hips like a tiny apocalypse mom.
"You guys are kissing," she said, grinning.
"No," Ethan said quickly. "We were... just sharing oxygen."
Asher choked on a laugh.
"Oh, so you just share oxygen with your mouth? In the middle of a cuddle?" Mia teased.
"You're five," Asher said, hiding behind the blanket. "You shouldn't know this much."
"I may be five, but I know things," Mia said, tapping her forehead. "I watch everything."
She squinted at them dramatically. "So... are you guys married now?"
Ethan blinked. "Wh—No!"
"Yet," Asher mumbled under his breath.
Mia gasped. "OH MY GOSH. I KNEW IT!"
She clapped her hands and began spinning in circles. "I HAVE TWO DADDIES! I HAVE TWO DADDIES!"
"Shh! Mia!" Ethan hissed, peeking out the booth.
But it was too late.
Jason looked up from sharpening his knife on the other side of the diner.
Sienna raised an eyebrow.
Malik spit out his sip of canned soup.
Jordy stood and gave a slow golf clap. "About time."
"I—this isn't—" Ethan stammered.
"I mean," Jordy said, pretending to wipe away a tear, "we've only been watching you two make eyes at each other since the train exploded."
Casey nodded from behind the counter. "Y'all are not subtle. At all."
Mia proudly climbed up on the booth and declared to the world: "This is my Dad," she said, pointing to Asher, "and this is my Daddy!" pointing to Ethan. "And they love each other!"
Asher pulled his hoodie over his face.
Ethan leaned in. "So… should we just go back to the zombies?"
Later That Day
Despite the embarrassment, something shifted.
The air was lighter.
No one teased them cruelly. In fact, Sienna hugged both boys. Jason gave a rare nod of approval. Jordy made heart shapes with his hands all day until Casey punched him in the shoulder.
But it was Mia who changed the most.
She glowed.
She clung to them tighter. Laughed louder. For a little girl who had lost so much, she was smiling like she had the world again.
And maybe she did.
That night, as the group gathered in the back room to avoid another wandering infected, Mia snuggled between Asher and Ethan with a big grin.
"So," she whispered, "who kissed who first?"
Asher blushed. "You ask too many questions."
"I'm training to be a love detective."
Ethan chuckled. "How about you train to stay alive first?"
Mia hummed. "Already doing that. I've got the strongest team ever."
Asher looked down at her. "You really okay with this?"
"With what? Two boys loving each other?" she asked innocently.
He hesitated. "Yeah."
She shrugged. "Love is love, silly. Also, I've always wanted to have extra parents. More people to tuck me in, give me snacks, and fight off zombies."
"You're scary smart," Ethan muttered.
"I know," Mia said proudly, then yawned.
As she dozed off, her little hand curled around both of theirs.
Asher looked at Ethan.
Ethan looked at Asher.
They kissed once more—just a small, gentle press of lips above Mia's head.
And for the first time since the world ended…
It felt like a beginning.