#readerx10k

Title: “Car Trouble”

Author:  @wolfinpink

Pairing(s): Readerx10K

Notes: Reader is Deaf with voice off. Reader is gender-neutral. Violence and zombie children. Auslang (Australian Sign Language).

Word Count: 2193

Fandom: Z Nation Pairing: reader x 10K Word Count: 508 Warnings: jealous but impressed 10K

In which you’re also counting how many Zs you kill and run into 10K who counts them too.

“5,620.” The number falls from your lips like you’re just a computer keeping score, while your bullet rips through the head of a Z. Counting how many keeps you sane, despite feeling slightly bad that these were once people and now they’re just numbers to you. But it helps keep you sane.

That was the last Z in the small group that had attacked you. You kept walking towards the gas station right in front of you. Another zombie pops through the door as soon as you opened it, and you used the hunting knife you found to stab it straight in the eye. As it falls to the ground, you let out a quiet “5,621.”

You walk in and find that the gas station was left untouched, a godsend since you ran out of food 2 days ago. You grab a candy bar, unwrap it and bite into it, savoring the sweet taste that hadn’t graced your tongue for what felt like decades. You kept taking bites out of it while you grab whatever you could: chips, slim-jims, more candy, several bottles of water.

You hear a truck’s engine cut outside. You closed your backpack and got ready for a fight. A black woman jumped out of the truck first, intimidating you slightly. She looked like she could kick some serious ass. Then a redhead, then an old man, then an edgy kid about your age. They didn’t look like they were there for a fight, but you could never be too careful.

As they entered the store, you jumped in front of them and aimed a gun at them. The black woman held her hands up.

“We’re not looking for trouble. We ran out of food a few days back. We’re just here to take whatever we can get.” You trusted her, but the redhead and the boy still had their guns aimed at you. You wouldn’t be the one to back down first. The redhead slowly lowered her gun, but the boy wouldn’t budge.

“Come on, 10K. It’s okay,” the old man said to the boy. He lowered the gun too. You kept yours up, scaring the other people.

“Look, I’m Warren,” the black lady said, obviously trying to calm you down.

“That’s Doc and Addy. And 10K.” 10K and Addy fastened their holds on their guns, ready to fire if need be, but kept their guns pointed towards the ground. You pulled the trigger.

The bullet lodged itself in a Z right behind Doc. Everyone turned around, surprised at how good your aim was.

“Damn, 10K. That could’ve been your 4,000th,” Doc said, trying to lighten the mood.

“5,622,” you said. They all looked at you. 10K’s eyes looked like they were gonna pop out of his head.

“What?” he asked.

“I’m (Y/N), and that was kill #5,622.” You stepped to the side to let them in and felt 10K’s eyes burning on you the entire time they walked it. You were scared and intimidated by him until he let out a breath.