#lol I don’t know how to tag this for vaccine reactions

[itsbeenclaireified]

Yesterday evening I got my flu and Covid shots, because I have a bunch of work travel coming up and want to be protected. And last year I did the same thing and it hit me like a Mack truck at 4 am with high fever, chills, and gnarly body aches.

And I was not at all looking forward to that.

So I downed some Advil and went to bed, and I did wake up at 4 am but it’s was just body aches and I had my Advil dose prepped at my bedside table and then I fell back asleep.

So when I woke up and was achy and a little sleepy I was like wow! I escaped!

Flash forward to 10:30-11 am and honestly maybe it was just my Advil wearing off but the achiness went to a very uncomfortable level, and I couldn’t get comfort enough to lay or even snooze. So I grabbed my heating pad for my back and then succumbed like a Victorian child.

I didn’t take my temp but I was shaking on the couch, with body aches and the Snapchats I sent my sister were a jump scare of paleness. I was so uncomfortable and my hands went cold and my fingers were tingling like when they were recovering from my cyclers palsy, and I just didn’t know what to do with myself.

I had to force myself up to heat up some soup and bread, and I took more advil. And just waited for it to pass as I watched Bob’s burgers.

Around 2 pm I must have turned a corner because I finally finally started to sweat and get hot, and the color came back to my lips. And while I’m bummed that my PTO day is gonna be less productive than I planned, woof that would have been miserable to be at work when that all happened.

I just woke up from the nap I was finally able to take so I’m gonna take it easy (which will also mean trying to attempt to be productive a little lol). And I’m starting to feel more like myself.

Here was trixie last night laying in my head back when I was hyping myself up for what I thought was gonna be a miserable night

[simplybakugou]

Quirkless

↝ An appointment to the doctor’s goes south once finding out Bakugou’s son is quirkless.

⋆ PAIRING: dad!bakugou x female!reader ⋆ WARNINGS/TAGS: swearing; angst ⋆ WORD COUNT: 3279

A/N: So I started rewatching bnha from the beginning and after watching baby Izuku cry when he found out he’s quirkless for the hundredth time, I decided to do a scenario of Bakugou’s reaction to his child being quirkless. This is also literally took two hours to write for some reason so enjoy lol. NOTE: I made a part 2 to this where Deku gives One For All to Bakugou’s son so here’s the link to that too :)

✐posted 04.07.2020✐

“Katsuo, you’re going to hurt yourself!” You called out to your four-year-old son as he ran through the streets. You could barely keep up with him in such a big crowd, only seeing his blonde head pop up every now and then.

Katsuo giggled, finally stopping and letting his mother catch up with him. Once you did catch up, Katsuo latched onto your arm. “Don’t worry, Momma, I’m fine.”

You sighed. “You know, most kids aren’t this excited to go to the doctor’s.”

“Well, I’m not like most kids because my Daddy’s the best hero in the whole world.” Katsuo puffed out his chest proudly. You chuckled, ruffling his head.

Being married to one of the top heroes wasn’t easy. You had met Bakugou at the hospital as your healing type quirk was used to help aid patients. After Bakugou had gotten reckless once, it seemed that no one around him at the time gave him a proper talk to make sure he wouldn’t get hurt that severely again. Back then, everyone was always kissing up to him, wanting to be affiliated with such a high profile hero.

Nevertheless, you didn’t hesitate to rip him a new one, infuriated that such an important hero would be so reckless and gotten so hurt. Bakugou was taken aback, not expecting a mere hospital worker to be the one to tell him off. However, since that incident he respected you for being the only one to be honest with him.

Since then, Bakugou found himself visiting your office even for the smallest of injuries. After the tenth visit, you finally caught the hint and decided to ask him out yourself. And now, you’re both happily married and have a four-year-old son.

You walked into the pediatrician’s office, signing in at the front receptionist before taking a seat, waiting for the doctor to call your name.

“Do you think the doctor will give me a quirk?” Katsuo asked, looking up at you with his eyes almost beaming and shining.

“No, the doctor can’t give you a quirk but we can find out when your quirk will come,” you said, pinching his cheek.

Katsuo sighed, leaning into you. “Okay… I just want to be strong like Daddy.”

You feigned a gasp. “You don’t want to be strong like Mommy?”

Katsuo’s eyes went wide, immediately regretting his words once believing his mother was genuinely upset. “No! Mommy you’re strong, too! I just think it’s a little itty bit cooler to have explosions than heal people.”

You laughed. “It’s okay, sweetie. I know Daddy’s quirk is cooler.” Katsuo smiled at you, latching onto your arm.

“Bakugou Katsuo?” A voice called out.

Katsuo jumped down from his chair, raising his hand. “That’s me!”

The doctor nodded. “Come with me.”

You and Katsuo followed the doctor into a separate room. You shook the doctor’s hand. “I understand that you’re here for the regular screening, Bakugou-san?”

You nodded. “Yes.”

The doctor nodded once more, instructing Katsuo to complete the regular eye exam, weight and height check, hearing exam, and any vaccinations that are needed.

“Are there any problems or any other concerns that you want addressed?” The doctor asked, writing down on his clipboard.

“Actually I have one concern,” you said. “Katsuo’s four now, almost five and he still hasn’t developed his quirk yet. Most of his classmates have already shown signs of developing a quirk. I was hoping you would be able to determine exactly when his quirk would come.”

“Hm, that is a concern especially for the son of one of the biggest heroes and the most notorious doctor in the area. Let me conduct a few x-rays and we’ll have a look,” the doctor said.

***

“Are we almost done?” Katsuo whined, wiggling his feet from his chair.

“We’re almost done. The doctor’s just looking at the x-rays he took.”

Katsuo sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Fine, Nagisa and Ichigo wanted to play with me soon.”

You smiled. “You can play with your friends soon, don’t worry.” The door to the room opened, the doctor stepping in. He had a blank expression on his face. “Were you able to find anything out?”

“There’s no easy way to break this to you.” The doctor took off his glasses, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He pulled a chart, an x-ray of Katsuo’s foot specifically. “Everyone with a quirk has one joint in their pinky toe. Those who are deemed quirkless have two joints.”

You looked at the x-ray, your eyes widening. “So that means…”

“You’re son is quirkless, Bakugou-san. There’s no easy way to say it.” The doctor put away the chart. “Hopefully this won’t upset your husband too bad.” He walked out of the room and the sound of the door closing echoed throughout the room.

You looked down next to you, your heart aching at the sight of Katsuo sitting in shock and staring at the space in front of him. You got up, crouching down in front of him. “Let’s go home, Suo.”

Katsuo nodded but his body still didn’t move. You pursed your lips together, deciding to hold him in your arms instead. The car ride home was outstandingly quiet.

***

“Great work today everyone!” The manager of Bakugou’s agency announced. Everyone in the office begun packing their things up, including Bakugou as he shoved his hero costume into his bag.

Kaminari threw his arm around Bakugou’s shoulder. “Hey, Kacchan!”

“I’ve told you numerous times that if you call me that I’ll fucking kill you,” Bakugou grunted, zipping the bag up.

“Oh, come on, this is like the twentieth time and you still haven’t done anything!” Kaminari waved him off. Bakugou rolled his eyes at him, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “I came here to ask if you wanted to get dinner. Kirishima and Sero might swing by, too.”

“I’d rather go to my house and see my wife and kid than hang with you dumbasses,” Bakugou said, proceeding to walk outside.

Kaminari’s jaw dropped, genuinely offended. “Well, you still hang out with us, you jerk!”

Bakugou’s phone buzzed in his pocket as he threw his bag in the trun of his cark. He answered the call. “What is it?”

“Have you seen the news?” Kirishima asked.

“No, I just finished my patrol.”

“Well, apparently a bunch of news outlets are saying that Katsuo’s quirkless,” Kirishima said.

Bakugou scoffed. “When the fuck did I ever listen to those bullshit reporters. It’s probably another stupid fucking magazine wanting their two seconds of fame.”

“I know it’s probably nothing, but I thought I’d let you know.”

“Thanks anyways.” And like that, Bakugou made his way home.

***

You were pacing back and forth in the kitchen. You didn’t know what to do. Bakugou had mentioned numerous times how he couldn’t wait to find out his son’s quirk, saying how badass it’d be if he had a combination of your quirks. And even though he had obviously changed so much since he was a child, there was still a time in his life where he viewed those who were quirkless as inferior and weak. Not to mention that bastard of a doctor had released information to numerous news outlets about Katsuo’s quirklessness. You had already contacted your lawyer when Jirou had told you about it, furious that a doctor would break confidentiality just to get some money.

Letting out a big breath, you made your way upstairs, stopping in front of Katsuo’s room. You inhaled and exhaled once, knocking on his door. You weren’t surprised when you didn’t receive an answer, pushing the door open. The room was empty, but you could hear the TV from your bedroom. You opened the door slowly to find your son on the foot of your bed. “Katsuo? Are you okay, sweetie?”

Katsuo’s eyes were ingrained on the TV screen, barely even blinking. You looked at the screen which showed your local news station covering a story of Bakugou stopping a villain during his patrol.

The reporters were praising him. “You know, Ground Zero is probably, dare I say, one of the best heroes to have existed.”

The other reporter nodded. “You’re right. That’s why it’s interesting with all the rumors of his only son being quirkless—“

You turned the TV off, placing the remote onto your nightstand. Crouching in front of Katsuo, you placed a hand on his cheek.

“Mommy?” Katsuo asked in the smallest voice.

“Yes, sweetie?”

“Why couldn’t I be strong like Daddy?”

You felt your heart shatter into pieces. You mustered up at smile, caressing his cheek. “You are strong. Katsuo, you’re--”

“But I don’t have a quirk.” Katsuo looked down at his hands. “Everyone keeps saying how strong I’ll be because of Daddy’s quirk but… but I don’t have one.”

You felt a tear drop onto your hand. “Suo…”

“I just… I just wanted to make Daddy proud! I want to be the best and be the strongest but now I’m the weakest!” Katsuo sobbed, rubbing his eyes. “And now, everyone will make fun of Daddy for having a weak kid like me!”

You felt tears streaming down your own face, hugging your son the tightest you have ever held him. “No one will think that, Katsuo! You’re not weak just because you’re quirkless!”

Katsuo stayed quiet, silently sobbing into your shoulder. You caressed his head. “Why don’t you play with Ichigo and Nagisa to make you feel better?”

Before Katsuo could say anything, you both heard the front door open and close, indicating that Bakugou had come home. “No… I wanna go to my room.”

“Okay,” you muttered, setting him down. You watched as he quietly went to his room, closing the door.

“Y/N?” Bakugou called out from downstairs.

“Coming!” You called out, quickly wiping away your tears and rubbing your eyes.

Bakugou set his bag on the sofa, taking his shoes off as well. He turned around, going towards you as you made your way down the stairs. He wrapped his arms around your waist, bringing you closer to him. “I missed you,” he murmured.

You smiled against him. “I missed you, too.”

He pulled away from you, looking behind you and frowning. “Where’s Suo?” On any other given day, Katsuo would come running down and tackle his father. But that’s on any other day.

“He’s… not feeling well,” you lied.

“Not feeling well?” Bakugou asked. He sat down on the sofa, stretching his legs out on the coffee table. His arms were aching from overworking his quirk, not to mention his gauntlets still hurt every time he used them.

“I told the doctor, he just needs some rest,” you continued to lie, noticing his discomfort in the process. “Do you want me to get you some ice?”

Bakugou shook his head, leaning forward and grabbing your hand. He led you to his lap, his arm around your hips. “It’s fine, I’ll live.” He turned the TV on, the same news channel on the screen as before.

The same news reporters continued to show footage of Bakugou. Bakugou smirked. “Look at your husband kick ass out there. Do you realize how lucky you are?”

You let out a small laugh, kissing him on the cheek. “I know. I have the best husband in the world.”

Bakugou narrowed his brows together in confusion. “The hell? You usually give me shit whenever I’m cocky.”

You nuzzled your head into the curve of his neck. “It’s nothing. I just realized how lucky I am.” Bakugou sighed, leaning his head on yours as he continued watching.

“So as we had mentioned before, today’s top story is one that was discovered just earlier this evening,” the reporter said to the camera. “Ground Zero is now as everyone knows as being one of the strongest but also a powerhouse of a hero. After his marriage to Y/N, notorious for saving countless people with her quirk, they had a son. There have been speculations from a pediatrician that Ground Zero’s son, despite having parents with strong quirks, is quirkless.”

“Tch, this fucking bullshit again,” Bakugou groaned. “These fuckers need to learn to stop spewing such bullshit. And on a fucking news channel, too.”

You felt your hands ball up into fists, feeling guilty for not just keeping the news of Katsuo being quirkless from your husband, but you also somehow felt responsible for his quirklessness. “Katsuki…”

“Hm?” He looked down at you, noticing how rigid you were. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s not bullshit…” you trailed off. “The news reporters. It’s not bullshit.”

Bakugou let you finish your sentence. There’s no way…

“Katsuo… he’s quirkless…” You didn’t realize you were crying again, trying hard not to, but you kept hearing how broken your son was earlier replay in your head.

“Why’re you crying?” Bakugou asked in the softest tone you’ve ever heard him speak in. He turned your body so that you were facing him. “Were you scared to tell me?”

You sniffled. “It’s just that Suo was so upset about it an-and I don’t know how to make him feel better, Katsuki.”

Bakugou brought his thumbs up to your face, wiping away the tears. “I’ll talk to him. Just wait here.”

You nodded as Bakugou gently moved you beside him. He made his way upstairs, stopping at Katsuo’s door. He opened it, squinting at how dark it was. He reached over, flipping the light switch on. Katsuo was curled up under his covers, the sound of little sniffles coming through. Bakugou sat down at the foot of his bed, lightly pulling at the covers to see his son. “Leave me alone, Mommy!”

“Suo, it’s me.” Katsuo’s eyes widened, looking up at his father.

“Daddy…” he whispered. “I wanna be alone.”

“Well I wanna be here and ‘cause I’m older I’m in charge.” Bakugou lifted him up, setting him down beside him. “Mommy told me you went to the doctor and they told you that you’re quirkless.” Katsuo flinched at how straightforward his father was but it wasn’t surprising at the same time. Bakugou knew it wouldn’t help anyone if he had beat around the bush.

“Yeah, I’m quirkless and I’m useless.”

“Who said being quirkless means you’re useless?” Bakugou asked.

Katsuo’s lip quivered. He was trying to keeps his tears inside, not wanting to cry in front of his father who was known for being stone cold. In fact, he only shows emotion, except for rage, in front of Katsuo and you. Regardless, Katsuo had this image that his father wouldn’t want to see him cry.

And yet, Bakugou recognized this. He maneuvered Katsuo up onto his lap and Katsuo still hung his head low to avoid eye contact. “You can cry, Katsuo, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“I can’t cry!” Katsuo exclaimed, surprising Bakugou. “I’m already weak because of not having a stupid quirk but I can’t be even weaker by crying like a baby!”

Bakugou sighed. He wasn’t completely surprised by his behavior. It was ingrained into Bakugou since he was a kid from his own mother to not let others take care of him, it being a sign of his weakness. He had to deal with his own problems alone, blaming other people for being nosy or worthless for not being able to catch up with him. But the minute he became a father, he refused to let his child endure the mental battles he had to face everyday.

Bakugou brought his son into his arms, hugging him. Katsuo was taken aback, not because his father never hugs him, but because he was always told by his friends how hardcore and badass his father was. His friends would make fun of any boy who would cry, even as young children. This made Katsuo refrain from doing so as well.

“You’re not weak, Katsuo. And whatever little shit friend told you so is just a little shit,” Bakugou said, remembering the shitty kids who followed him around when he was a kid. “There’s nothing wrong with crying and there’s nothing wrong with being quirkless.”

Katsuo gasped, his lip quivering intensifying. “But I don’t have a quirk, Daddy! You’re so strong and so cool and you can make all these explosions! And Mommy, too! She’s… Everyone knows her for saving people with her quirk! But I have nothing; I’m useless!”

“You’re not useless.” Bakugou didn’t hesitate to say this. “Having a quirk doesn’t determine your strength. You can still be strong without a quirk.”

“But I can’t be a hero like you!”

Bakugou pulled away, looking down at his son. From looks alone, he was a carbon copy of Bakugou from the ash blonde hair to the crimson eyes. But he was different at the same time. He had your gentleness, your ability to care for others without even thinking anything of it.

“Being a hero isn’t having a flashy quirk. A hero is someone who helps others without asking for anything in return. All it takes is will and wanting to help others. A quirk just makes that easier.” Katsuo looked up at his dad in awe. Bakugou smiled, putting a hand on his head. “If anything, we heroes are cheating by using our quirks to make life easier for us. I can’t even fucking remember the last time I got fixed up regularly by a normal doctor when I have Mommy around.”

Bakugou was able to get a laugh out of Katsuo. “You’re gonna be way better than us heroes. You’re gonna have to learn how to live in this shitty world without any shortcuts. But you know what?”

“What, Daddy?” Katsuo asked quietly.

“You’re also gonna be stronger, ‘cause you don’t need a quirk to help you around.”

Katsuo smiled, wiping his tears away. “Can I still be a hero? Can I really?”

“Of course, who the fuck is gonna say no?” Bakugou asked jokingly. “You know, I went to school with a shithead and he was quirkless, too. And he told everyone how he was gonna be a great hero. It seemed crazy at first but now he’s probably even stronger than I am.”

Katsuo’s widened. “No way! Really?!”

Bakugou nodded. “Mhm. I still can’t stand him to this day, but I’m not stupid enough to still believe he isn’t a hero.”

Katsuo grinned, tackling his dad for a hug. “Thank you, Daddy. This is why you’re the best hero in the whole universe!”

“Universe? That’s a little much, kid, even for me,” Bakugou joked, earning a giggle from Katsuo. “Before you go to bed, go say good night to Mommy.”

“Okay!” Katsuo jumped down, running down the stairs so fast the sudden noise scared you.

You were agonizing over the outcome of all of this, having no idea how to make your son feel better. “Suo?”

Katsuo walked up to you, hugging you. “Don’t be sad, Mommy. Mommy was sad ‘cause I was sad. But now I’m happy so Mommy has to be happy, too!”

You were confused at how quickly Katsuo was able to act so differently once Bakugou spoke with him. Katsuo pulled away, kissing your cheek. “I’m going to sleep!”

“Okay…” You were still so confused.

Bakugou made his way downstairs, ruffling Katsuo’s hair as he ran back upstairs. He sat down next to you, putting his arm around you. You looked at him with disbelief. “What did you say?”

“The truth.” Bakugou turned the TV back on. “He doesn’t need the help of our quirks to be whatever the fuck he wants to be.”

You smiled, hugging your husband. “You really are a hero, Katsuki.”

Bakugou smirked. “Damn right. And that kid’s gonna be an even better hero than me.”

[mrbinglee]

20 Questions: Writer’s Edition

thanks @welt-verbessererin​ for the tag!

How many works do you have on AO3? 6

What’s your total AO3 word count? 45,476

How many fandoms have you written for and what are they? on AO3, only asoiaf(/got)

What are your top five fics by kudos? i only have 6 but the top five are:

Sometimes, on a plane, you see a stranger.

the deeply affectionate earth

A slow, dumb show (to crack you up)

Partner

Now Draw Me Close

Do you respond to comments, why or why not? yes! it is so nice that someone took the time to write a comment. i would like to thank them for it

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending? none! i couldn't bear it

What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending? they all have happy endings bc im sappy. though A slow dumb show and ch. 3 in Now Draw Me Close have particularly happy/sappy endings

Do you write crossovers? If yes, what’s the craziest thing you’ve written? i’ve never tried! call it a lack of imagination

Have you ever received hate on a fic? thankfully no

Do you write smut? If so what kind? Now Draw Me Close was the first time i tried. it’s all pretty tame

Have you ever had a fic stolen? i don’t think so

Have you ever had a fic translated? not yet!

Have you ever co-written a fic? not yet!

What’s your all time favourite ship? all time??? that’s a lot of pressure. by my url everyone knows how i feel about the couples in p&p and persuasion. anne/gilbert from anne of green gables was formative. must mention mulder/scully from the x-files. and of course arya/gendry from asoiaf(/got) - their setup in the books hints at such a future for them <3

What’s a WIP you want to finish but don’t think you ever will? i have an arya/gendry wip inspired by the song “wolf pack” by the vaccines bc i think the lyrics fit well for a modern gendry pov: “i don’t even know you / you’re just someone new i don’t want to talk to / you’re wild, i don’t find you crazy at all” and “you’ve seen the world, what did it look like? / you took a plane, i’ll take a push bike / run with the wolves, calling all the wolf pack / where did you go and when did you get back?” but i don’t really like the current plot i have for it

What’s your writing strengths? for arya/gendry i think the stories i think up are pretty fun, at least for me haha, and i think i’m usually happy with my characterizations for them in new AUs

What’s your writing weaknesses? pacing!!! and knowing when to leave space between the lines (metaphorically). and describing a character's physical reactions to things - surely someone’s heart can’t tighten in their chest that much. they would die

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in fic? i guess usually it's not really necessary; depends on the context though

What was the first fandom you wrote for? pride & prejudice <3 it was a you’ve got mail(/ she loves me / the shop around the corner / parfumerie) AU that i never finished

What’s your favourite fic you’ve written? right now i think it’s the superheroes AU in ch. 2 of Now Draw Me Close. less for the smut lol, more for their powers and the quick worldbuilding

Tagging: @lostinmirkwood @sarcasticdebate @chasingforeverandaday @outlawarya @fandomjuxtaposition @keepthemclose @thereluctantbadger if you would like to!

[emersonfreepress]

What would the ro's be like in a zombie au?

whyyyyy anon whyyy. I'm actually gonna write this in like.. slightly different terms, you'll see. any time I even briefly think of a zombie au I'm just like

I WANNA WRITE IT SO BADDD

i don't even allow myself to entertain it for very long because getting into that would be the worst thing ever for my productivity with the alpha omg 😂😂 so I'll put like the ideas that pop into my head for writing a zombie au, to work some of that creative frustration out 😆

so in this very general, absolutely noncommittal idea of mine, the main cast are older and the setting is in and around a civilian settlement led by the Emersons.

and as a refresher, i like my zombie aus to have fast zombies and fast infections ^ ^ 28 Days Later/Train to Busan style babyyyy, we the Sprinting Dead up in this bitch 😆

= = =

Gabe is, predictably, looking for what's left of his family. Following rumors of safe havens and bunkers and such. Starts the story as someone who tries to be diplomatic, if not outright pacifist, but as times get tougher and resources dwindle, he'd become one of the most cutthroat motherfuckers in the wasteland. Low-key though, low-key. People won't trust you if they know you’re capable of throwing them to a horde for strategic reasons. Like if Rick turned into Shane (for those of us familiar with early Walking Dead--idk did that happen eventually? i gave up before we even met Negan lol). The end justifies the means :) Damn, I can legit see Gabe going full evil in a zombie au omg 😂😂 i want to write it so fucking bad

Preferred weapon for zed encounters: rifle

Preferred weapon for human encounters: handgun

Faith in humanity: fucking zero

Zombie kill count: plenty; the type to kill every zombie he has spare ammo and time for

Human kill policy: When it benefits him or the people he’s looking after

Survival rating: B+; he can make it out of some pretty dire situations through sheer will to live and ruthlessness

- - -

Kile has arrived--clearly, this is the timeline they belong in. They start their journey with Gabe (and their doggo) and stick to him like glue, even reluctantly so when Gabe eventually has them join the settlement. This can only go one way, though: Kile's just too much of a wildcard for the group and hates being told what to do. (Especially now that society has fallen, wtf) They'd make their exit alone and unannounced aside from a brief head’s up to Gabe. It's slightly bittersweet, but also? They get to loot and hunt and sneak around and kill fucking zombies, all by themself. Kile is a loner, a hiker, and a hunter to begin with so they do beyond fine on their own. However, once the inevitable violent human threat comes for the settlement, Gabe is sent out to convince Kile to come out of isolation, just this once please, to be the camp’s super soldier help defend the camp.

Zed weapon: p much anything they can get their hands on, ranged or melee, blunt or sharp, w/e; improvised weapons

Human weapon: hunting knife

Faith in humanity: never had any to begin with

Zombie kill count: lol infinite?? any zed they come across is double-dead if they have the time for it

Human kill policy: at Gabe’s direction or when provoked enough/threatened

Survival rating: A-; they trust no one, live in isolation, and prioritize survival above all else. only reason it’s not higher is they would risk their life for Gabe or their furbaby and also... their own Rambo-esque antics def attracts the occasional horde lmao

- - -

Jack... this poor boy, he doesn't deserve a zombie au 😂 He's one of those people that first believes zombies are just sick people, too squeamish to keep up with TV news coverage at the onset and too upset to consider anything else. He'd hunker down at home, staying holed up even while his neighbors evacuated, and probably be discovered while the main group is looting the same place as him. When people try to tell him the real state of the world, he'd be in denial until he absolutely couldn't be anymore. idk, probably after Kile shooting a bunch of non-lethal holes thru a zombie to make a point (attracting more in the process lol).

He’d almost immediately join the medical team at the settlement and as word spreads about how easy he is to talk to, he quickly becomes the literal on-site therapist. It's a role he embraces but... idk if it's an emotional burden he can bear. He's very emotionally resilient! But he ain't a professional lol imagine a whole settlement of traumatized zombie survivors seeking you out for counseling, yikes. He also can't say no to a person in need, so instead he quietly spirals into a very private depression while continuing to help others!!

Zed weapon: Oh gosh, do I really have to?

Human weapon: ...Kindness?

Faith in humanity: Unrealistically high

Zombie kill count: Single digit

Human kill policy: Not ever, unless completely unavoidable and to defend the defenseless

Survival rating: C...? idk, that feels generous. D+. To be protected at all costs!!

- - -

Jessie also had the initial reaction of hoping zombies could be saved, but she woke up from that dream swiftly. The science-minded person that she is, esp with her interest in biology, leaves her determined to find anybody who's got the intellect, expertise, and resources to start doing actual work toward a treatment, cure, vaccine—anything. Nothing would get her to finally unabashedly embrace her love of science (and innate leadership skills!!) faster than a zombie apocalypse! In fact, it’s thanks to her that the Emerson settlement’s got a small but growing team of scientists doing as much research as humanly possible to best educate the others on the outbreak and zombie behavior. Def no zombie experimentation going on though lol. ...Not yet, at least.

Zed weapon: rifle

Human weapon: rifle

Faith in humanity: High! We’ll find a solution! Don’t give up hope!

Zombie kill count: Double digits, but less than 30

Human kill policy: Only in unavoidable self-defense or defense of others

Survival rating: B! She has experience with ranged weapons, farming and gardening skills, first aid, camping experience, and a can-do attitude with a healthy dose of realism!

- - -

Rain remains cargo as I said in the last post about this 😆 They'd be very good for keeping clothes repaired and making useful modifications in the settlement, but their life up to this point has been very sheltered and privileged. We're talking somebody with a chauffeur and a personal chef before the outbreak! They would contribute to quality of life and homemaking efforts more than anything—an overlooked aspect of these scenarios tbh! After as many months of dragging their feet as possible and being nigh impossible to track down when you need them, they eventually become involved in meal planning and even help out with medical stuff if they're asked.

Zed weapon: how do you reload this thing again?

Human weapon: switchblade or other concealable sharp-pointy

Faith in humanity: Very low

Zombie kill count: 0! Can you believe it!

Human kill policy: Well if it’s you or me, of course I’m choosing me.

Survival rating: C. Being so tiny helps them find good hiding spots and their self-preservation is high enough to keep them from unnecessary risk-taking. Plus they're very stealthy! Self-defense is a major issue though, so hiding is always their best option.

- - -

Rupan/Rohan scouts for and leads scavenging missions and is Curt's right hand on the recruitment team. The two of them together are the perfect combo of diplomacy, debate, and deception--although R is more honorable about the last one and will only deceive for strategic reasons. When they aren’t looting and recruiting, they’re doing peacekeeping inside the settlement. Most social disputes end up getting brought to them for mediation and they’re pretty dang good at making and enforcing calls. One day they’ll wake up to realize they’ve basically become a sheriff and feel the need to puke their guts up and do something, anything, to reassure themself they’re still punk 😂

Zed weapon: SMG

Human weapon: shotgun

Faith in humanity: Believes in fundamental goodness but knows better than to trust first impressions

Zombie kill count: decent, more than 40; you won’t catch them having a field day tho, they’re trying to gtfo of most zed situations

Human kill policy: Violent threats have to be taken out. And they aren’t, at all, immune to a revenge rampage either...

Survival rating: B-. Can handle themself both with humans and zeds but is vulnerable to hostage situations and truly difficult sentimental/interpersonal decisions!

- - -

Vivian/Vincent manages inventory and stock and they run it so efficiently it’s scary! They're the perfect pick: a hawk-eyed tyrant and tattletale 😂 Despite constantly butting heads with just about everyone on every imaginable thing, they quickly become an important part of the inner circle of decision-makers for the settlement at large. Terrible at stealth, jumpy, and squeamish at the sight of blood and gore, they literally never go on missions unless they're 100% needed for their expertise on a supply run. (They would deny all of these shortcomings are that big a problem, meanwhile R is definitely acting as their bodyguard lol.) When they do tag along, they're prone to becoming the damsel in distress. Seriously, it happens near every fucking time. It's like they just attract only the most improbable and perilous zombie attacks and hostage situations 😆

Zed weapon: shotgun

Human weapon: handgun

Faith in humanity: Medium; seeing people work together at the settlement helps restore it a bit

Zombie kill count: Double digits, under 25

Human kill policy: Violent threats have to be taken out. Well, no, not by me! Get one of the ruffians to do it!

Survival rating: C-. They’d be higher if they weren’t such natural zombie bait.

- - -

Heidi is running the settlement, well-organized to the degree of actually managing to bring bureaucracy to a post-zombie apocalypse settlement 😂 People are free to come and go, but getting in if you don't live there requires trading something of value (fuel, med supplies, food, etc), temporary surrender and registry of firearms and explosives, and you gotta GTFO at the time and date specified upon entry! You can stay long-term if you contribute to the community in a tangible way—and each person admitted is approved by Heidi personally. Yes, every individual. No, she has no free time. And she is not known to be lenient with rule breakers—you want rule bending, you’ll have to go to Curt for that. People kind of hate her, but it can't be denied that she runs a tight ship. She kind of throws herself into the work to avoid the harsher reality at large and hasn't left the settlement in a long time. She's out of touch with how bad things have gotten in the wastes, but she knows better than to take reports at anything less than face value--even when she's skeptical.

Zed weapon: rifle

Human weapon: handgun; dagger

Faith in humanity: Medium. It fluctuates, honestly

Zombie kill count: Double digits, less than 20

Human kill policy: Violent threats must be taken out if they can’t be reasoned with. Spare those who surrender, eradicate those who don't, keep an eye on the newbies. Not tryin’ to nurse any vendettas around here lol

Survival rating: B. She's good with a firearm, masterful at persuasion, and savvy enough to calculate risks appropriately. Also far tougher than her prim exterior and demeanor suggests!

- - -

Curt leads the recruitment and reconnaissance teams! When a new person or group shows up in the area, Curt's the one who stalks watches them, decides if they're worth approaching, and if they should be approached with an invitation, a simple acknowledgment/announcement of their presence, or an outright armed warning to leave the area. He also keeps tabs on morale and general confidence inside the settlement, alongside R. When he isn’t leading those efforts, though, he’s flirting with settlers and squirreling his way out of manual labor and other chores. He’s also secretly growing weed at his place--don’t tell Heidi or Vi ‘cause they’ll wanna yell at him and ration it UGH.

Zed weapon: SMG, explosives

Human weapon: handgun, dagger

Faith in humanity: Pft, sorry, what now?

Zombie kill count: ...way more than you’d expect

Human kill policy: I don’t start confrontations, but I sure as fuck end them.

Survival rating: A! He’s good at playing hapless idiot when it suits him to be underestimated, good with firearms, and capable of being ruthless and decisive in life or death situations! Plus he has no qualms about ditching the settlement if he decides it’s not working out for him. Just don’t tell Heidi lol

[generalfoolish]

Ba'buir

Ba'buir: grandparent

Rating: 18+ (minors take a hike)

Warnings: soft!Din, non-canon backstory?

Word count: ~860

Pairing: (eventually!!!) Din Djarin x F!reader

Summary: Two Mandalorians get some intel about an Imperial Holdout

A/N: Hey babes! This is number ten of the #mandomay2021 prompt list. Sorry, it's late and it's short! I had my second vaccine yesterday and it killed me! Fully vaccinated, but currently struggling. I'm working on part 11, but I don't want to raise expectations here lol. Enjoy 💕

Masterlist | Ori'vod | Solaar

Let me know if you want to be tagged!

You and Din were left waiting impatiently for the better part of an hour, before you were graced with Big Brother’s presence.

“What do mandalorians want with Imperial Holdouts?” The Phindian asked as he approached. The only indication that he was “Big Brother” was that the other patrons in the cantina vanished upon seeing him.

“Beskar.” Din told them evenly. It was a good lie.

“Hmpf. Well, then I will give you the information you need. Imps are bad for business.”

“Business?” You interjected.

“Mm, spice business. It's a family business.” You cocked your eyebrow, and then remembered the helmet hiding your reactions. The seeming lack of reaction had Big Brother filling in the cracks, babbling from nervousness.

“It was started a long time ago, by my grandfather’s father. The business was passed down to the eldest. My father met an untimely demise, and my grandfather taught me all the ins and outs.” You nodded, wondering what it was like having the kind of lineage you could trace back. Your ba’buir had perished during the purge, your father during another civil war. You wondered about Din. He said he was orphaned. Did he know his ba’buir before?

“That doesn’t matter. Just give us the coordinates.” Din told the Phindian, and you winced knowing it was your fault the man had prattled on.

“Here,” The Phindian slid the fob across the table. “We planted a tracker. There’s three units. Fairly large, but shouldn’t be an issue for mandalorians.” Big Brother smiled at you, his teeth striking against his yellow skin. Din grunted as he stood, and swiped the fob off the counter.

You followed Din’s broad back all the way to the ship. He didn’t speak as he punched the coordinates into his vambrace.

“Is it far?” You asked, your voice much smaller than you wanted it to be.

“About a day’s walk.” He told you, not looking up from his panel.

“Do you think we can handle it?” He looked up then, leveling his visor with yours.

“Of course, we can handle it.” You nodded, feeling suddenly unsure, fear creeping in and clutching your insides.

“We can always turn back.” He promised, and lifted his gloved hand to your helmet. You wished you could feel the real pressure. You shook your head, and he dropped his hand.

“I’ll grab some ration bars, if you grab the guns.” You told him weakly. You had trained heavily, all mandalorians had. You knew how to push fear and hesitancy down. You were a warrior.

You told yourself all of this anyway. It was mostly true. You had been trained. You just never really stuck the landing. There was a reason you hadn’t expected to get far in this endeavor. You were sure Din was a fighter. He had won the darksaber, of course he was a fighter. It was an understatement.

Before you had worried about nothing. You had no one to leave behind. Now you had to think about Din. He had Grogu, friends, and a planet, counting on him. He couldn’t be lost to your whims.

It wasn’t long until you met him back at the entrance of his ship. He had shouldered a bulky bag, a weapons bag, and you carried the smaller bag of food. You walked in a comfortable silence for a while, picking through the underbrush of the jungle, before you found your voice.

“Before, did you know your ba’buir?” You asked him, purposefully quiet. You half hoped he wouldn’t hear, or engage with you. You didn’t want to pry. It was a long time before he spoke.

“I was young when the mandalorians saved me. I mainly remember the day I lost everything, nehutyc.” You felt heat climb at the nickname, feisty was better than scrange. “But I remember my ba’buir making a family meal. It was sparse, I believe my family was likely quite poor. But, I remember her making the food, and taking care that it was good.” You listened quietly, as he told you story after story of his childhood. The words tumbled out of him, as though he had thought them lost to time. He joked about the brightly colored, red robes he used to wear, and how often his buir fussed at him for dirtying them. You had a hard time imagining the man before you ever playing in the mud.

“This is a good spot to rest for the night.” He told you, coming to a stop. You nodded, and pulled the bag from your shoulder. You moved past him to grab some kindling, and he softly held your arm.

“What about your ba’buir?” You swallowed the lump in your throat.

“I never knew them. They were lost to the Purge.” You managed to get out, your throat feeling tight. He rubbed up your arm, and squeezed when he came to your forearm.

“I’m sorry.” You nodded at him, and kept walking out of the clearing. Your heart felt heavy with the loss, but you couldn’t help the smile that spread across your face as you imagined a young Din, dusty, grabbing his ba’buir’s robes in the kitchen.

**

Ba’buir: grandparent

Nehutyc: feisty, gutsy