#reader x wireface

Y/N sat on the edge of her bed, her shotgun lying close by to her left. Curtains drawn, her only light was the news on TV. It was always the same thing. Sun still scorching, visitors still among humans. Y/N sighed anxiously, fiddling with the hem of her lumpy blue sweater. It was weeks into this routine she had been doing. Checking strangers at her door, letting in who she felt was safe and checking in on them in the coming days, following the signs FEMA has been telling everyone.

The homeowner had always been a companionate caring person which only made it harder for her to turn people away, and even more difficult to accept that she might have to shoot the people she had invited in and gotten to know.

Her home was currently a house of 4.

The neighbours daughter. A sweet girl that Y/N knew well before the world had turned to shit. She does her best to keep the child entertained and distracted from the horrors outside. It doesn’t always work. Sometimes Y/N just sits with her as she cries. She gives her the space to be upset, asks questions about her Dad. Although Y/N wants to keep her spirits up, it's not healthy for her to always keep in what she's feeing.

A very tall man occupies the living room sofa. He enjoys drinking the beer from the fridge and is very blunt. The homeowner knows he often disagrees with the decisions she makes. Y/N didn’t like to think about that fact much, probably because on some level she knows she's too soft.

The newest addition, a grieving woman with vibrant blue hair. Y/N was apprehensive to let her in when she saw the dead body on the lady’s back, but she couldn’t blame her for keeping her husband's body. Y/N couldn’t imagine leaving the body of a loved one somewhere in the world to rot and burn in the scorching sun.

A house of 4. Well, 5 if you include the cat.

Y/N got up from her bed and peaked through the curtains. It was night. She took a deep breath in and then out.

Right, lets go again.

She grabbed her shotgun and put it on her back as she headed into the hallway. Peeking into the kitchen, Y/N could see the little girl sleeping across two chairs. She slowly closed the door to not wake her up.

The woman in the bathroom could be heard weeping. Y/N decided to leave her be.

Finally, she checks on the tall man. He was sitting in his usual spot on the sofa. The cat was curled up on his lap, purring as he pet them.

"Hey." Y/N said quietly. The man lifted one hand up to greet her. "You two okay in here?" He nodded.

"Are you gonna start manning the door for the night?"

"Yeah. I was just checking on everyone before people started knocking." The man looked back down at the cat.

"You need to be more carful with who you let in here." Y/N sighed. Here we go. "Last person you let in could've killed me easily."

"Yeah I know I know I'm really really sorry about that it's just- she had a cat okay? And don't tell me you don't love the cat."

"The Cat is better company than most other people that have been in this house. But I'd rather have no cat and no visitors. You cannot be kind in this world we now live in, it could get us all killed." Y/N pursed her lips. It felt like getting lectured by a parent. She turned to leave.

"I know okay. It's hard. I'm trying." She put her hand on the doorknob and turned. "Get some sleep. It's late." She left the living room and headed over to the front door.

I hate when he gets like that.

Y/N leaned against the wall by the front door and folded her arms. She stared at the wall opposite for a few minutes before someone knocked.

The first person of the night was a large middle aged woman, her hair in a ponytail. She seemed cheerful at first. She reminded Y/N of how some of her Mom's friends were when she was a kid. But the more they chatted, the more Y/N was convinced that there was something off about her.

She decided to not let her in. The woman became irritated and angry but ultimately left.

Y/N let out a heavy sigh as she leaned away from the peephole. She slapped her hands to her face and groaned into them as her head tilted back.

Ughhhh fuck. It’s fine. The suns only just set, if she's human she's got plenty of time to find another shelter.

Another knock. Y/N stood up straight and took a deep breath in.

As she holds her eye up to the peephole, she hears a muffled voice. She can’t make out the words, which she thought was weird because she's never had trouble hearing people through the door before. Looking at the man at her doorstep, he seemed to be around her age, quite tall with dark curly hair. It looked like there was something on his mouth. It’s not clear what it is through the peephole. Y/N just stares at him for a minute, trying to understand what she was looking at.

“Mmmph. Mmmmmmmmph?!” The man makes another noise. Y/N realises he’s still waiting for a response.

“Y-Yes?”

“Mmmph?”

“Yes hello? Are you okay?” The man points at his mouth and shakes his head. “You can’t talk?” He repeats his action. Y/N takes her eye away from the peephole and debates on what to do.

This is really weird. The news didn’t say anything about visitors not being able to talk, and that would be a pretty easy sign to spot.

She looks at him again, scanning the rest of his body.

He looks okay otherwise…maybe I should tell him to leave just to be safe.

Y/N then looks back at his face.

Is he crying?

She opens her door a crack so she can get a better look at him, poking the end of the shotgun out the gap just to be safe. The man's eyes widen as he makes eye contact with the weapon. He slowly raises his hands in fear. Y/N examines him. His face is puffy, tears falling down his cheeks. Around his mouth is red. Y/N can finally see what’s stopping him from speaking. She blinks, her tone a mix of concern and confusion.

“Your mouth…. there’s wires in your mouth.” Why is his mouth wired shut? Did someone do this to him. Why would they do that? Is it because he's dangerous?

The man gives Y/N a pleading look. It looks so painful. Every small mouth movement seems to pull at the skin around his lips. Y/N couldn't take seeing someone like this. She opens the door fully and steps to the side. “Come in, quickly.” She gestures for him to enter.

The man scurries in. He looks nervously around the hallway as Y/N locks the door and puts her shotgun on her back. She grabs the stranger's wrist and heads to the storage room, quickly passing the living room. She knew the tall man would not be fond of this guy.

Once in the storage room, Y/N closes the door behind them and points to a spot on the floor as she looks for something. “You can sit down there.” He stays standing for some reason, looking a bit confused. Y/N looks back at him and points again. “You can sit.” She repeats with a comforting tone. He sits this time.

Y/N finds her toolbox and takes out a pair of pliers. She doesn’t notice Wireface shuffling nervously. She mumbles to herself. “Where did I put that- oh here it is.” She picks up her first aid kit.

Wireface’s eyes widen. He scrambles to the back left corner as the sight of the green box with the recognisable white symbol on the front. Y/N’s head darts around at the sudden movement. The man was shaking, flailing his arms, making distressed noises. She puts the box and pliers back down and holds her hands up. “Woah woah woah hey hey hey it’s okay-“

She crouches down to be eye level with him. He was still shaking as he watched her. “I didn’t mean to- I-I just want to help you.” Y/N explained in a soft tone. She scanned his face, trying to understand the extreme reaction. Her eyebrows furrowed. “You can hear me right?” His face didn’t change.

Is he deaf? Hard of hearing? He might be. He doesn’t seem to react to what I say.

Y/N stood back up slowly. Wireface watched her intently, trying to predict if she was going to grab the first aid kit again.

I don't think he's gonna let me do anything to him tonight. I’ll leave him be.

"You should get some rest. You've probably been out there for hours right?" The man still didn't react. Y/N put her hands in a praying position and put them on the side of her tilted head. "Sleep?" Wireface nodded. "Okay, I'll come check on you in the morning then."

The homeowner turned to leave, she glanced at the first aid kit as she left.

Y/N sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes, they felt heavy. She didn't sleep well. All she could think about was that poor guy she let in last night with the wires on his mouth. She pulled the blanket off of herself and got up. She picked up her blue sweater that she had haphazardly left on the floor and pulled it over her head as she thought about what her plan for the day was.

The new guy is top priority. I know he was scared when I tried to help him last night but I can't leave him with all that stuff around his mouth. I should probably talk to the others before I see him though, just to let them know what's going on.

The homeowner walked into the hallway and headed over to the living room. She found the tall man sitting on the sofa with the widow next to him, chatting to each other. They both fell silent as Y/N entered.

“Good morning.” The home owner greeted. She could feel the awkward tension as she came to sit in the armchair. They were definitely just talking about her.

“Morning.” The widow replied. There was an uncomfortable silence. Y/N decided to break it.

“Um I just wanted to let you guys know that there’s a new guest in the house. He’s-“

“Got his mouth sewn shut?” The widow interrupted. Y/N blinked.

“How did you-“

“He came into the bathroom a couple hours ago to use the toilet, scared the shit outta me.” Y/N instantly felt guilty.

“Ah shit I’m sorry. Maybe I should’ve-“ The widow leaned closer.

“Are you kidding me Y/N? The guy has WIRES in his mouth." She dropped back into the sofa with a soft thump. She outstretched an arm in Y/N's direction before quickly dropping it as she questioned. "Why did you let him in?”

“I just-“

“You took pity on him,” The tall man, who had been staring at the floor since Y/N started speaking, finally interrupted. “didn’t you?” He looked up at the homeowner with a glare. Y/N kept her mouth shut. She hated these conversations. Every decision she made was always questioned and scrutinised. She could never do anything right in their eyes. She leaned forward.

“Look, what if he’s not a visitor?” She asked in an attempt to stand her ground.

“What if he is?” The man questioned back, leaning closer as well. “That is the mindset you should have.” Y/N stood up and headed for the door, she was becoming irritated.

“Okay well he’s here now so you can either deal with it or leave.” She said dismissively. She put her hand on the doorknob and pulled it down. The girl sighed. “Sorry. That was harsh. I’m gonna check him for signs and I’ll let you know what happens.” She didn't bother looking back to see their faces, she knew they weren't happy with her choices. They never were.

As she entered the hallway, the little girl came running up to her.

“Y/N!” She was holding the ginger feline, a big smile on her face.

“Oh hey kid, you okay?” The homeowner hid her stress quickly, putting a hand on the girl's head.

“Me and the kitty have been playing.”

“That’s nice. What have you been playing?” The girls smile dropped a little.

“The lady said there’s someone in there.” She pointed to the closet. “Is it a bad person?” She looked worried and held the cat closer to her chest. Y/N squatted down to be at her level.

“I don’t think so. But I’m gonna check on him now to be sure so don’t go in the closet until I say it’s safe okay?” The little girl nodded.

“He sounds scary.” The widow must’ve mentioned the wires to her. Y/N shook her head and gave the girl a reassuring look.

“I don’t think he’s scary. I think he just needs some help to feel better.” The child fidgeted.

“Okay.” It was obvious that she was still unsure. Y/N stood back up and headed to the closet. She turned back around and pointed.

“Look after kitty for me until I’m done.” This seemed to amuse the girl as her smile returned.

“Okay! We’re gonna play in the office.”

“That sounds nice. You guys could read a book together?” Y/N suggested. The girl shook her head.

“No all your books are boring books for adults. The only one with pictures are just maps.” Y/N chuckled. She hadn't looked through that bookshelf in years but she wasn't surprised there weren't any kids books on there.

“Okay okay you go play your game then.” The girl ran off and Y/N focused her attention on the closet door.

She knocked softly before entering. Wireface was leaning on the left wall, his head lifted up to look at her.

“Hi.” She waved with a smile, hoping to look friendly and keep the guy's nerves down. Wireface waved back, a slightly unsure look on his face. His eyes seemed to scan Y/N's every move. She closed the door and leaned on the wall opposite. “Umm… how do I start this…”

She pointed at her ear. “Can you hear?” Wireface touched his own ear and gave her a puzzled look. “Do you have a hearing problem? Maybe you can read my lips if a speak clearer or slower?” Y/N asked hopeful.

The first aid kit fell off the shelf and slammed on the floor suddenly. Both of them jumped. Y/N put a hand on her chest. “Jeez that scared the shit outta me.” She went to pick it up and stopped. “Wait. You jumped.” Y/N turned back around pointed a finger at him. “That means you heard it hit the floor.” Wireface’s eyes were fixed on the first aid kit.

Oh no he's gonna get scared again. I'll bench the communication problem for a minute and sort his mouth out first. Maybe if I get this part over with he can relax and help us understand each other.

She pointed at the first aid kit and then her own mouth. “I’m gonna get that stuff off your face.” Wireface's eyes widened and he shook his head. Y/N nodded, grabbed the pliers and went to sit on the floor. “Yes. Yes I am. Come sit here.” She gestured for him to sit. He slowly lowered himself.

Y/N opened up the kit and rummaged through it. Wireface leaned forward anxiously to see what she was doing. She took a bit of clean cloth and poured rubbing alcohol onto it, and then sterilised the pliers. Wireface fiddled with his shirt as Y/N turned to him. She spoke in a soothing soft tone. "I'm gonna be as gentle as possible okay? I've gotta cut the wires first."

Y/N used her free hand to gently hold Wireface's chin to steady him. She thread the pliers through the wire on the far left and angled it so the cutting part was in line. Wireface shut his eyes tightly, not wanting to watch. The pliers were squeezed shut and the wire broke with a snap. He made a small pained sound. Y/N rubbed her thumb against the side of his face. "I know I'm sorry."

She continued to cut each piece, Wireface wincing at each one. He kept his eyes tightly shut. When all the wires were cut, Y/N pulled his lower lip down gently and used the pliers to pull out each piece of wire. She did the same with the top lip, making a mental note that his teeth had a yellow tint to them.

She took some more rubbling alcohol and a new cloth and softly dabbed it around his mouth, her other hand holding his chin again. He sucked in air through his teeth. "Sorry about the sting. I'm nearly done." She reassured. As Wireface got used to the sensation, he slowly opened his eyes back up. Y/N had gotten a lot closer to him since she started. He wasn't expecting her to be almost sitting on his lap. Y/N rubbed her thumb back and forth on his cheek again. "Really nearly done now okay?" She was too in the zone to notice the boy's cheeks turning red.

She finally backed away and admired her work. Luckily there was minimal blood, the area around his mouth was more red but that would go down with time. She looked at his face as a whole, he seemed to be avoiding her gaze. She could see the whites of his eyes, no redness there.

"Feel better?" She asked. Wireface finally looked back at her. He smiled awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Zs gszmp blf uli svokrmt nv. Hliib dv szw gl tvg hl xolhv zmw kvihlmzo. Z yrg vnyziizhrmt wlm'g blf gsrmp? (Ah thank you for helping me. Sorry we had to get so close and personal. A bit embarrasing don't you think?)" Y/N blinked.

"...what?"

"R'n tfvhhrmt blf wlm'g fmwvihgzmw nv. R'n mlg hfikirhvw. R szevm'g ulfmw zmblmv dsl wlvh hrmxv gsv dliow vmwvw. (I'm guessing you don't understand me. I'm not surprised. I haven't found anyone who does since the world ended.)"