please feed the plot bunnies

.𖥔 ݁ 🪐˖/ᐠ - ˕ -マ ⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆ writing sideblog of @rabbitsonthemoon. lots of fanfiction. floating somewhere between the stars. gets dark sometimes. a place for my creativity. 18+

[cosybunny]

Welcome to the plot bunny hideout. Mind where you sit, there's plot bunnies everywhere. This is my side blog. My fics can be found on Archive Of Our Own under cosybunny. I'm an adult and sometimes my fics contain adult content, so please be mindful of that. This blog is 18+ for the same reason.

✨. Current interests circling my orbit are Sonic the Hedgehog, My Hero Academia, and Resident Evil. On this blog, they're under the tags #sth and #mha and #resident evil.

✨. I love screaming about the lil losers (affectionate) who live rent-free inside my head and vibing with others who've caught the illness (brainrot). Send me asks anytime.

✨. My pronouns are she/her and if you're not sure what to call me, Rabbits or Cosy is fine.

✨. I'm here to have a good, silly time. I believe there is no moral weight in fiction, and it can be healing to explore dark topics in a safe space. Nobody's entitled to demand disclosure of your reasons. Don't Like, Don't Read. I think curating your online experience is important, and my responsibility ends at the ingredients list (the tags and trigger warnings) to inform the reader of what the fic contains.

✨. Phew, that got heavy. I've been writing fics for over a decade but posting them online like this is new and scary. Buuuut the plot bunnies thrive off of comments and encouragement, and I love finding people who also enjoy my self-indulgent shenanigans. Like whaaat, it's not just me? :0 that's so dope.

rabbit divider credit: @/kthice ✨ flower divider credit: @/ghwosting

[cosybunny]

Oatmeal cookies today, buns!

Thoughts on Zeno learning to sew. Starting with the basics, minor repairs. He probably already knows how to remove blood and other bio hazards from his clothes, or maybe he has to learn? I doubt he wants to lose his clothes, decapitation stains be damned, and leon strikes me as the type to do post-mission laundry via the garbage lol

But yes, zeno taking the time to learn the skill of mending. Maybe hes still clumsy, but he can proudly say he did it himself!

The buns took one nibble and are now attempting to integrate oatmeal cookies into their society as currency. It's not working because they keep eating them. 🍪 I've been taught how to sew but it didn't stick. my fine motor skills have some funky medical stuff going on with 'em. ZENO, on the other hand... 🪡

Leon is absolutely the type who does post-mission laundry via the garbage chute unless it's something he's emotionally attached to, like a good jacket, lol. It's actually a point in the fic that he brings kits with new outfits on missions for when whatever he's packed gets ruined. The D.S.O has a laundry & dry cleaning service that specialise in biohazard cleanup. When you're covered in infected gore, I don't think you're allowed to just chuck your shit in the washing machine with a lil plop of detergent and call it a day.

I don't think The Connections ever gave Zeno the autonomy of even owning his own clothes, let alone being allowed to clean them. It's something he'd be very interested in, the idea of being allowed to take care of his own clothes. When they're not on missions, laundry CAN be done like normal. I think Leon shows him how the washing machine works and it becomes one of Zeno's Chores. Laundry is a new and fascinating concept. It makes him feel useful and accomplished. These things are clean and fresh because he made them so. He doesn't have to do it, he has the CHOICE of doing it, and he thrives in that difference. Leon tries to offer to take turns ONCE and Zeno looks so offended that he never asks again. Let him have this. It's some kind of weird little enrichment routine for him. He reads all the labels and separates colours. The clothes have never been treated better and Leon's laundry room smells like cigarette smoke now. The first time Leon offers to let him buy whatever detergent he wants to try breaks his brain a little. He didn't know there were options.

But back to SEWING! oh man. Being able to repair something? Restoring its use? The very concept that broken things can be mended instead of being thrown away? Very. Very appealing to Zeno. He'd be determined to learn. Leon probably gives him some of his old ripped clothing to practise on (Licker tongues are a bitch, what can he say?) and lets him go nuts. His first attempts are atrocious and Leon's absolutely useless for once, but he persists. He gets better. He discovers the joys of patches and personalised embroidery. His at-home clothes accumulate their own customisations. He's so very fond of silver accents and subtle punk goth aesthetics. He's absolutely the kind of fucking loser who'd spend 78 hours embroidering an obscure mythology icon onto one of his favourite black sweaters. Just a small patch where a breast pocket might go, but packed full of symbolisms and meanings that he'll happily start yapping about like a total theatre kid if you ask the right questions. When he's gotten good at it, Leon notices he's getting pretty good at this actually, and asks him if he can sow some extra pockets and straps onto some of his work clothes as a favour. Zeno is almost shy about doing it but absolutely fucking glows when Leon thanks him and puts the extra inventory space to good use.

When Emily needs her school uniform sown in the annoying and unexpected ways school uniforms ALWAYS need to be sown, and Grace is in a panic about it, Leon knows exactly what to do: toss it at Zeno and promise him a shiny trinket in his future if he does a good job.

There were nametag labels provided. He didn't have to parse the school's dress code with the scrutiny of a man who's skilled at finding institutional loopholes, just like he didn't have to embroider EMILY ASHCROFT on the back and add adorable little black cat accents that definitely took days because he knows it's her obsession of the month and she's been yapping in Grace's ear about adopting a black cat ever since finding out some people consider them bad luck charms. He's just showing off at this point, really.

Emily adores it. Grace is overflowing with gratitude. Zeno is so so smug. Leok buys him that dramatic-ass silver brooch of a crow eating a snake that he knows he's been eyeballing longingly ever since it popped up in the antique shop display. Everyone wins.

[cosybunny]

what if Zeno's never seen a normal dog before. One that's not infected and absolutely feral, I like to think Chris has some giant mountain dog and I can only imagine Zeno very hesitantly petting it with one hand as far as he can get his body away from it

the plot bunnies, sniffing this ask: food??? edible??? friend??? snack???

Ooh. This is totally possible. I also love the idea of Chris owning a big fluffy friendly boy (gender neutral). Looks scary, is an absolute sweetheart. Kind of like Chris himself. Maybe a Newfie because I love them. Ooh or a Bernese Mountain Dog. That seems very Chris.

god I love dogs.

Logistically I dunno if he'd have time to take care of one while doing all the shit he does, but this is fictional, so yes. You can't tell me a guy who chooses to name his team Hound Wolf Squad and give everybody appropriately themed codenames isn't a fan.. Although I have this mini theory that it's because dog B.O.W.s were his first contact with this batshittery as an innocent little S.T.A.R.S bwean and it's a callback. Whatever the case, Zeno is bound to encounter Chris's dog eventually, with or without the man being present.

Has he ever seen an uninfected dog before? No — but he understands the concept. Like most things, it's very different from the practical application of coming face to face with one. If he were a different man, he would be jumping Scooby Doo-style into Leon's arms. His instincts register canine = threat. Maybe he's been pitted against dog B.O.W.s in the past. Maybe he read Cujo for the first time over the weekend and it's still got him a little on edge. Chris's dog doesn't really care. They like Leon and they like this other human who also smells like Leon. and fear.

I'm not saying Zeno is gonna get comfy with dogs within a day but I will say that if it's his prior conditioning on one side and an incredibly warm, fluffy thing that wants him to put his hands all over it and snuggle on the other... the odds are rigged. This man loves Textures and Soft and Heavy and Warm. It's like his weighed blanket if it could love him back.

Also, Leon carries major golden retriever energy so there's half the exposure therapy right there.

I also think it would be hilarious if Chris is struggling to adapt to Zeno being A Thing That Exists now, way behind the curve when all the sensible people in his life already like him (Jill has him as a sparring partner, for fuck's sakes), and then he finds out even his fucking dog is in cahoots and getting cosy with Mr. Not-Wesker. (see above gif but imagine Zeno is buried somewhere underneath them).

[cosybunny]

Does Zeno know how to swim, or ride a bike, I mean swimming might've been a skill the connections decided was important for emergencies but if so they definitely seem like the type to just shove Zeno in with no warning, bike riding he's definitely got no idea

Meanwhile Leon loves his motorcycle and has to fix Zeno not knowing how to ride a bike

I had an entire yapfest written for this and then Tumblr straight up monched it while I wasn't looking. RIP. Whatever, go feast my bunnies. 🐇🐇🐇

The Connections absolutely trained Zeno how to swim in the worst way possible. His introduction to water was being told to strip and then being thrown into the deep end of a pool of freezing cold saltwater meant to simulate harsh ocean conditions so they could observe whether Wesker's virus does anything interesting in water, such as trigger an instinct for swimming, or perhaps adapt their lungs to breathe underwater.

The answer is that they fucking drown.

Even Albert Wesker had to learn how to swim, and he had world-class tutors to teach him how from a young age. Seems The Connections kinda overlooked that.

Completely unrelated I'm sure, but Zeno is very reluctant to admit he can swim when asked about it. He can, he's pretty good at it and it was part of his training regiment. They punished him every subsequent time he drowned. It's just that when Leon suggests using the D.S.O's pool to sharpen up those rusty skills before he's back in the field, Zeno is absolutely fucking terrified.

Leon's 'this isn't normal' radar is a bit more attuned by now. He prods a little into what his previous experiences actually were and just about manages not to react to the absolute what the fuckery he comes out with. He buys him a thermal wetsuit that's already pretty overkill considering the pool is heated, but just the reassurance of wearing something this time has Zeno warming up to the idea. Convinces him it's going to be different, though he's still extremely wary.

Instead of being thrown into the deep end with no objective but to survive, it's being allowed to sit at the water's edge and feel that it's warm. It's being allowed the time to slip in and feel the solid tile beneath his feet because the water's only waist-deep. It's Leon encouraging, not rushing, him to show him what he knows. Gets his hair wet to help ease him past his instinctual fear of being submerged. Teaches him via demonstration how to saturate his lungs with deep breaths before he goes under. Efficient methods to conserve energy while moving through water. Zeno is genuinely uncertain if he's learning correctly because this lesson doesn't hurt, but Leon seems to think he's doing well, so perhaps he is. By the time their session is up, Zeno is completely comfortable with being in the water that he couldn't even look at properly at the start. Leon throws a fuzzy towel at him before he can even get cold.

A sweet bit of mentor & mentee for the soul.

As much as Zeno trusts Leon with swimming, he is absolutely not taking bike riding lessons from this man. He would be happy going the rest of his life never touching a motorbike again. There's a fine line between subservient and suicidal and Zeno does not want to die.

[cosybunny]

Hi, is everything alright? I hope so. I love the way you write Zeno, and I've been thinking 🤔🤔 that I'd like to hear your opinion on. I see Zeno wanting a large family, not absurdly large like 20 or 30 children (or maybe yes, haha). What I'm trying to say is that Zeno grows up seeing clone children being discarded like trash, and he himself was one of them. This feeling of abandonment never left him, and when he thinks or hears Reader saying he's going to have a baby, a feeling of fear and protectiveness takes hold of him, as you said, or rather, the memory of the rejections he suffered and those who were like him also suffered.

Sorry if it's confusing, haha. I just want a Zeno with a large, loving family that helps him overcome his childhood fears of rejection.

I'm doin' good! ⸜(˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝ tysm! I'm gonna be honest, x reader ain't my cup of tea when it comes to plot bunnies. I just don't have any thoughts.

BUT I do like the exploration of how he feels about abandonment and children. He likes babysitting Emily. She was raised in similar laboratory conditions. They're basically learning how to be human together.

I think he would feel a lot of empathy towards the concept of having no-one who cares about you. Movies about abandonment would make him teary. He's so sure it's in his future someday. Every time the found family around him reaffirms that they actually like having him around and they'd care if something happened to him, he gets this sparkle of wonder in his eyes. It's very sweet, and very sad.

[cosybunny]

Plot bunnies DO reproduce through mitosis, actually.

[cosybunny]

Live footage of my reaction to that information. /silly

Holy moly, I feel so loved. Thanks, guys! ❤️

[cosybunny]

Coughing Up A Little Extra Time Travel AU Bunny

future cosy: holy fuck this got long.

A mini bun, if you will. It got ahold of a snack while I was scrolling and I wanted to yap.

Wesker doesn't drink or smoke. Chris is absolutely sure of this. He shows distain for his and Leon's vices. It muddies the mind and his mind is his greatest weapon, or something. Personally I think he just doesn't like feeling like he's not in control of his faculties, even if it's something as low-key as a hit of nicotine. He'll indulge in a glass of wine on occasion, but it's fussy stuff with pretentious labels and a low-to-nonexistent alcohol content.

It's the reason Leon doesn't get into Wesker's allotted space in the liquor cabinet like a spaniel rummaging in garbage when they live together. 'if the ABV ain't double digits, what's the point?' Chris's European whisky has no such protection. Chris loves his imported whiskey. Leon also loves Chris's imported whiskey.

AnYWAYS there's a mission to destroy the G-virus that goes very, very wrong. But that's like, side plot to the fact Wesker is trying to convince William to join him in defecting to Chris and Leon's Totally Real Mystery Organization under the banner of S.T.A.R.S. He is. extremely unsuccessful in this endeavour. It's a whole betrayal and a half.

I haven't decided if I want it to go as dark as my original idea entails, but regardless, Wesker's getting strangled to death with his own belt by the man he once considered his closest friend while the virus keeps him alive enough to feel every second of it. And it might be the least worst thing that happens to distract William until S.T.A.R.S. gets out of the potential contamination zone. Oh yeah, did I mention Birkin successfully synthesised the G-virus into a gas. Because he did that. Real breakthrough stuff. And it's their problem now.

In Wesker's mind, this is a perfectly calculated set of risks and choices. He's doing what he does best, reading the room and manipulating every advantage he has over Birkin to attain his goal. He could choose to sacrifice S.T.A.R.S. and kill this man in a snap. This is a controlled negotiation. The personal history, the defeat, the degradation, the physical pain, doesn't matter. He can't hurt him in any way that matters.

Unfortunately, Wesker is falling victim to his own hubris again. Forgetting that he's still human and human minds don't work like that. Losing the closest thing he had to a lifelong friend and being subjected to losing control (his worst fear) in such a violent and horrific way isn't something he can just walk away from without feeling anything, even if he recovers physically in minutes.

Doesn't help that Chris and Leon hear every minute of it because they absolutely saw it coming that Wesker would try to do something sneaky behind their backs and put a second mic on him in case he disables the first one (which he does, so they're valid for that, but cutting off contact so he can plead sincerely with Birkin isn't the evil scheming they had in mind).

Chris is very fucking distraught and doesn't know how to handle the fact Wesker got hurt on his watch. That it was to protect them, no matter what dismissive bullshit Wesker brushes it off with. All the powers of a tyrant and he still let Birkin absolutely chew him up and spit him out in order to buy them time to disable the gas. None of this was supposed to happen. None of this did happen, last time. His feelings about Wesker getting ten times more complicated because the man in front of him isn't the same man he killed, and now, after all this meddling, might never be. Making him an ally, getting to him first, using all that future knowledge to change him like this before that godhood complex could even take root, turning one of his most empowering experiences into one of his darkest moments, might just have been crueller than just shooting him in the head the moment they met again. His Wesker would certainly think so.

Leon is a bit more calmer and calculated about it. He never had any history with Wesker, so he doesn't have the same hang-ups as Chris does. He's the one who notices the European whiskey is missing when he goes to nick some from the cabinet. He also knows who took it, no matter how much Chris insists Wesker wouldn't. He grabs a spare glass and heads to the balcony attached to Wesker's room. Finds him there with the whisky, and a pack of Chris's cigarettes. Not quite the application Umbrella had in mind when they encouraged the Wesker children to steal shit to further their own goals, but whatever.

Leon doesn't say a word about it. Just sits a comfortable distance away and pours some of that good fuckin' whisky for himself. Watching Raccoon City's nightlife together while Wesker silently chain-smokes and drinks himself into a stupor. Gets some honest words out of him, kind of like he's processing it for himself and Leon just happens to be there. "We have known each other almost all our lives. I was his best man at his wedding. He asked me to be his daughter's godfather. We were a pair, a set. There was a time I would've followed him into hell, had he asked. I asked him to join me — and he killed me. Over and over again. Just to see if he could. I wish I was angry. I wish I could hate him for it. But we are both scientists at heart. It's simply in our nature to experiment and observe."

Leon's the one who calls it quits on the drinking and gets Wesker to bed when it's obvious he can't stand up without threatening to topple over the balcony. He has NEVER been this drunk, and it shows. He's saying things he would commit murder to keep secret. Chris absolutely wouldn't be able to handle it but Leon isn't Chris and he's been on the opposite end of this scenario too many times to judge. He gets him comfortable as possible, tucks his sunglasses away in their case, and makes him drink a whole glass of water. "You'll be grateful I did this in the morning, trust me."

Wesker remembers exactly none of it when he's sober. Leon doesn't mention a damn thing, what comes from the bottle stays in the bottle, but that's not the same as forgetting.

[cosybunny]

Love reading your Zeno & Leon ideas, cant wait for the full fic! Their dynamic is so interesting, it can be angst, fluff, hurt/comfort, and everything in between. Also a big fan of it being enemies to friends instead of slash (I'm aroace and like blasting The Character with the friendship beam lol)

Feeding the plot bunnies some fresh kale from my garden!

I headcannon that appart from RCS, Zeno didn't really get sick, but now that he has lost his powers he could. So maybe he gets the flu and freaking out because oh no his body is failing again?? And Leon having to reassure him and feed him soup <3

OR Leon getting sick and Zeno has to somehow figure out how to take care of him. either situation sounds fun (albeit stressful for Zeno but when isn't it for the wet cat)

Did you read my mind? I was rotating this concept around in my brain yesterday. Love, love, love being on the same page!! And TYSM, you're so sweet. 💖💖💖 I'm ace and the friendship beam is my favourite weapon for blorbos.

The plot bunnies are nibbling enthusiastically! 🥬🐇🥬 They have become paper shredders. I am also stealing some kale. Love putting kale in my pasta dishes.

Zeno's immune system is SO used to the virus doing all the work for it. There's enough leftovers swimming around for it to nibble on and gain baseline immunity instead of leaving him totally immunocompromised. Plus, there's benefits to being bioengineered instead of born. He has the natural immunity you'd expect out of someone up-to-date on all modern vaccines and every possible advantage in his genotype. But still, it's no T-virus.

He's going to get knocked on his ass by a mild cold. This man has never been sick in his life. Illnesses is something that happens to other people. He starts running a fever and thinks he's dying. He tries to hide it from Leon because he thinks it'll be grounds to dispose of him.

Leon watches Zeno struggling to hide the symptoms of a common cold with fascination and pity. His lies are getting progressively sadder and pathetic. He would call him out on his bullshit immediately but he's been reading self-help books about looking after traumatized children (it's the closest thing he could find) and he thinks it's important to let Zeno make the decision to come to him for help. He doesn't know Zeno's never gotten sick and genuinely thinks this is The End™ until he's quietly admitting there's something very wrong with him and he doesn't want to die. Cannot emphasise enough that his symptoms are 1) low-grade fever 2) runny nose 3) sniffles.

Leon does his best to explain to him that this is Normal and he's going to be fine. Zeno is extremely doubtful. He refuses to rest until Leon makes it an Official Handler Order. Same goes with getting some hot chicken noodle soup into him. I like to imagine him snuggled on the couch with his weighed blanket and something mild on TV for background noise, trying not to doze off and failing miserably. To the surprise of No One Except One (1) Person (Zeno), he's feeling much better the next day.

Maybe Leon isn't such a bad handler after all.

Alternatively, his weakened immune system after nearly dying to RCS leaves Leon wide open to pick up some kind of nasty secondary infection. He was coughing up an awful lot of blood. You know what loves a warm, wet environment? Pneumonia. Bronchitis. Upper respiratory infection. He develops a cough that could rumble floors. You know what else he is? Stubborn. Stubborn, stubborn old man who won't admit he's sick. Tough guy who scoffs at the idea of cough syrup. Leon S. 'dishes out so much care and concern for others but can't take it when it's directed at him' Kennedy.

Zeno's first act of real disobedience against his handler is to discreetly inform Sherry that he is sick. In his mind, it's better be punished for pulling strings to make Leon recover quickly than it is to risk being passed along to someone worse if his handler is deemed too unwell to perform his duties. He is Nervous but Determined. That rebellious streak does come in handy for powering him through his fear.

His grave air of resignation accidentally scares the hell out of Sherry, who thinks Leon is on death's door or something.

Leon ends up with a hospital appointment he's not happy about. He knows there's only one person who could've snitched. He's sulking the whole way. Zeno accepts his grumpiness with well-meaning but misguided 'there's going to be hell to pay later, but at least he'll be fine' and is SUCH a good boy at playing caretaker for his handler. Takes his role so, so seriously. This is an Important Mission and he will Complete It Properly, even when he thinks the only thing in it for him at the end is punishment. Listening to the doctor. Asking questions. Going through the list of medications with a fine-toothed comb. Memorising all the dosages, timing, and whether they're before or after meals.

Leon keeps up the grumpy front but he's secretly touched Zeno cares so much. Never really had someone who'd do all that for him. Leon's a bastard when he's sick and he knows he is, but Zeno seems to have endless patience for him. He's gentle but persistent. Any doubts Leon has about whether Zeno's happy with this arrangement or just putting up a front are wiped away in the meticulous way his pillows are fluffed, anything he wants is brought to him, sometimes before he even has to ask, and his medications show up with clockwork precision. Acts of service as a language of care, my beloved. Sick old man and his emotional support dog.

When Leon is recovered from his admittedly pretty bad bout of illness, Zeno stands by awaiting the consequences of his disobedience. Leon agrees and takes him out, and he's confused but willing, trusting his handler will settle on a punishment suitable for the crime.

Needless to say, Zeno is very confused as to why Leon thinks being spoiled with several new shiny trinkets for his collection and a nice lunch is a discouraging punishment. Zeno. It's not. He's thanking you, you dense muffin.

Conclusion: handler is still very bad at handling.

it's a good thing Zeno's his first and only charge. someone with less professionalism would absolutely take advantage of this silly man.

[cosybunny]

Moving onto pastries, croissants for buns!

So I'm pretty sure Grace has never played a proper game of Uno, and only played with Emily as an adult. When its just those two, it's quite cute and fun, so naturally Emily would want to bring it for an after dinner game...

The Buns: ✨ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ... 🥐🥐🥐

Tragically I have also never played a proper game of Uno, but I do love the friendly-competitive atmosphere of group games. I used to be a real shark at Go-Fish.

It's a change of pace from Jake and Zeno's usual post-dinner cards-and-smokes sesh! For one, it involves not letting them teach a small, impressionable child every dirty trick to cheat at poker. They're outvoted two to four (Emily also wants to play Uno). Boo.

Zeno doesn't know how the game works. He's very uncertain. Jake takes over as a mentor because he's a Good Big Bro. They're basically sharing all their cards and Jake's putting down ones that'll help Zeno next turn.

First round doesn't really count, it's a warm-up. Anyone could win. Second round, friendly, but there's something simmering. Third round is when it goes absolutely fucking chaotic because they've all gotten the hang of it and every single person at this table has a competitive and/or stubborn streak a mile wide. They feed off of each other's energy. Sherry is reckless, Grace is calm, Leon is crafty, Jake is mean, Zeno is learning fast and developing a playing style that's a mix of the former two, and Emily is an absolute monster. Somehow, she's setting up chain reactions that could make grown men... well, not cry, but definitely slam fists on the table. aHem, Jake.

Every single one of them gets their asses kicked by a little girl who's absorbed the best of all of them. She's too happy about it for anybody to hold a grudge. She's having the absolute time of her life.

Even after almost everyone's had their fill and left the table, she's still playing up against Jake and Zeno. Jake gives up first. Zeno keeps playing, because he's so focused on studying the way she plays and adjusting his own to try to beat her. You'd think a pair of masterminds were having the chess game of their lives over there. It goes on for such a long time, but Grace and Leon stay longer, because, well—

They're both smiling.

[cosybunny]

"Grace how do you... yknow, punish Emily? When she miss behaves?"

"Time out in the corner usually, why?"

wheezing cackling flopping over laughing

Time-out in a corner would genuinely be the kind of punishment Leon resorts to as a handler, just to make Zeno shut up about the cattle prods.

"Handler, is this... a sensory deprivation protocol?"

"You're supposed to be quiet."

"Oh. You reconsidered the muzzle, then?"

[a very 'i didn't ask for this but here we are' sigh]

"Zeno. I would really appreciate it if you'd stay in that corner and be quiet for the next ten minutes while you reflect on your behaviour. Please."

[corner timeout-ed silence]

hes so fucking easy

[cosybunny]

The Sillies

Because they're affecting my transit hours now, too. Dear lordy. Anyways I was thinking about the Zeno & Jake bro friendship and—

Grace being invited to the family dinner that's become a Thing now and she sees Zeno and Jake in the same room together.

Grace, nervous: O-Oh, you look so much alike! Are you relatives?

Jake, comfortable in his knowledge that Wesker definitely didn't manage to pop out another child: Heh, I don't think so.

Zeno, comfortable in his knowledge that he's the only surviving Wesker clone from the project: It's exceedingly unlikely. The DNA I was created from was very limited.

Jake: Wait, what? What kind of sci-fi bullshit is that? You were made? Like, you're a clone of somebody else?

Zeno: Correct. Did I not mention it before? My apologies.

(Jake channels the brain cell for 0.5 seconds)

Jake: A clone of who?

Zeno: I doubt you'd know him. He was a famous bioterrorist who infected himself with his own virus.

Jake: did he also wear fuckass sunglasses and have a god complex.

Zeno, pleased that he doesn't have to explain: Oh, so you do know Albert Wesker.

Jake, internally screaming: So, don't take this personally, but I need to ditch you and go find Leon.

Zeno: My handler ought to be in the kitchen with Ms Birkin... why?

Jake: Gonna punch him.

Zeno: Wh-

Jake, sincerely putting a hand on his shoulder: Do not stop me.

Grace, the innocent catalyst: ??? Is he m-mad at me??? Wuh-Was it something I said???

Leon, in the middle of cooking dinner with Sherry: Weird, I got this bad feeling that usually comes before a boss fight.

Leon 'forgot to mention Wesker's clone to Wesker's son' S. Kennedy: Must be this flimsy potato peeler.

[cosybunny]

wet stray Zeno Plot Bunny whispers

Oh wouldn't it be soooooo fucked up if he's used to being put in a muzzle. Maybe that's the standard procedure while testing on B.O.W.s or otherwise performing procedures that would cause a lot of. distress. involuntary movement. screaming?

Tldr: Bad B.O.W.s get the muzzle. :(

I just think he should by voluntarily offer to be muzzled as correction for bad behaviour bc compared to other methods, it's downright merciful. And Leon 'Blissfully Ignorant S. Kennedy' is just. Muzzle? Like, a dog muzzle?? You don't have a snout how would that even work???

Here Zeno is, volunteering the methods his previous handlers used to keep him in line, trying to reassure his new handler that he's very manageable and absolutely no trouble pls don't throw me to the wolves, and Leon just keeps asking stupid questions like 'why would anyone do that' and 'that seems unnecessarily cruel' and 'seriously, who the fuck does that?'

Zeno thinks his new handler is very bad at handling.

[cosybunny]

(here with some carrots for the bunnies, fun fact the reason we associate rabbits with characters is because of bugs bunny. Bugs liking carrots came before rabbits liking carrots basically. But I'm getting off track)

How would Zeno react to seeing Gideon again if Gideon some how survived. Especially with the trauma Gideon gave him with the whole decapitation.

Also what if one day Zeno somehow got his powers back? If he did get them back he is definitely not as coordinated with them anymore

Same thing with mice and cheese! Nutritionally it really ain't doing much for em. Thankfully, plot bunnies suffer no such dietary limitations. 🥕🐇

Ooh, fun question! It depends what state they're both in, I think. Is Gideon still a fully transformed nemesis or somewhat back to his original body? Is Zeno still recovering from his injuries or cleared for field work? Those factors would greatly influence Zeno's reactions.

Even though Gideon decapitated him, I don't think Zeno would be overly pissy about it. They're both well versed in the art of being a dramatic little shit fighting dirty. They worked together once, they still have some kind of rapport built on hating each other's guts. It's less 'i can't believe you did that' and more 'of course you would do that'. That being said, Zeno is in no hurry to repeat the experience and he's not about to let Gideon live. Not when he can finally fulfill those old, wistfully-thought fantasies of being able to pop off shots with Redemption into his snakey little face.

Gideon is impressed that Zeno somehow survived and like. just wants to carry him off and do science to him. Worst possible version of 'i want to crawl inside you and take you apart to see how you work.' He's so fucking creepy it's almost endearing. Almost.

Anyway as soon as Zeno's cleared to engage in combat (he would wait for permission, the professional little idiot), he makes a snarky little remark about handing in his two weeks notice and a very cool boss. vs. boss fight ensues. The little sarcastic quips coming out of his mouth are 100% Leon's fault. The only time Zeno would lose his cool is if Gideon started yapping about Leon in his usual batshit insane way. He did have Zeno's handler as a prisoner, briefly. He makes sure to let him know.

You wouldn't think a guy who's lost all his supernatural speed could fire, reload, fire, reload, fire, a pistol like Redemption that fast in flawless, blank-faced succession.

You'd be wrong.

SPEAKING of Zeno's powers— oh my wouldn't that be something interesting and juicy and definitely not also a major plot point in the fic I'm cooking up which is why I'm not going to yap too much. He would be sooooooooo upset. All that autonomy and normalcy that was within his grasp, gone. He can't even hide what he is. He's back to being a weapon just when he's gotten used to the idea that he can be a person. All that domestic happiness gone poof, he'll never be allowed to have that again. Sure would be great if he had someone nearby, maybe like a handler or something, who could immediately shut that shit down and give him a big ol' hug and tell him it changes nothing, he's not a thing, he's Zeno, now let's blow up this fucking Connections laboratory and go home.

I love this timeline where I get to yap and what I'm passionate about. 💖

[dionysiaproductions]

[cosybunny]

okay, so, (tosses the buns home made biscuts) if you had the chance to give zeno any show to watch to help him... Idk figure out himself, what would they be?

My choices are FMA Brotherhood and Hasbin Hotel. (Sing along leon, its gonna be stuck in your head regardless)

The buns, on their way towards culinary evolution: ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ... 🍪🍪🍪

Oooh! What a fun question. I truly do wonder. Just for fun, I think he would appreciate the dramatics of The Matrix and John Wick. Most of his available viewing material is whatever Leon's got lying around the house. He's still working out the streaming service, mainly because Leon is a grumpy old man who doesn't really get it either. Why are there so many menus. Why does it have two remotes.

FMA Brotherhood like one of my favourite animes ever and the idea of Leon getting the 'Don't You Forget' brainworms is fucking delightful. asksksksksks. But for Zeno, I got a feeling he'd be VERY into the dark, gothic aesthetic of Hellsing Ultimate and its tragic themes around humanity and monsters and the undead. And the Castlevania animated series, for much the same reasons. I could also totally see him getting really invested in Avatar: The Last Airbender, say, if someone else was watching it and dragged his ass along.

For non-animated shows, I think he'd discover crime mystery serials like CSI and Law and Order and get completely hooked. Idk he just strikes me as the type who likes solving mysteries. He really doesn't like the medical ones though. Big skip. Too close to home.

He says Scooby Doo is ridiculous but he still watches it with Emily because she gets scared on her own and has to watch it with an adult (as a former child I can confirm this is a valid conundrum). Zeno is adult-shaped. He'll do. He'll never admit he kind of likes the show. But there will be signs. Little smirks. Complaints about specific plot points that betray how much thought he's putting into it. He bitches much less about Courage The Cowardly Dog and The Grim Adventures Of Billy and Mandy. Even an old CD of Count Duckula that doesn't always play. (Emily has morbid tastes in cartoons, man.)

No matter what he watches, he always savours it and comes away thoughtful. Binge watching? Can't be him. He likes to chew on it a little. Media is wonderful. He's surprised at how much he's gone without. It even opens his mind a little to consider his own place in all of this.

It's not uncommon to find him having a smoke after particularly thought-provoking movie or episode, weighted blanket wrapped around his shoulders.

After someone lets him watch A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) Leon complains about the whole apartment reeking of smoke for like a week lmao. I watched it as a child. It made me fucking bawl. Also, the whole 'artificial clone trying to earn affection worthy of the original' plotline would absolutely knock Zeno on his ass lol.

[cosybunny]

congratulations to 10k words on this self indulgent nonsense!

let's celebrate with another preview. I love sharing. The feedback on this makes me feel the way a thirsty desert plant must feel when it rains. I am absorbing it directly into my being. It is rehydrating me on a spiritual level. I hope you enjoy this! TW for medical mentions.

Text version below the cut, as always!

“What are you doing?” Zeno asks.

Leon glances over his shoulder. He’s sitting at the edge of the bed now, watching with detached curiosity, massaging his throat in idle strokes. Leon makes a note of that as he straightens up, arms full of medical intervention. In the back of his mind, he’s calculating how many anti-inflammation lozenges he has in that blister pack. Not enough, that’s for sure. Between their injuries, they’ll both be popping them like candy.

Logistics aren’t looking good on the other fronts, either. The drive is twelve hours and Leon hasn’t packed enough of anything for two people. A local supply run is in order. That creates its own kind of dread.

He flashes teeth in a strained smile.

“Just patching myself up,” he answers, trying not to give away any hints about the severity of his injuries. “Don’t worry, it’s your turn next.”

Zeno’s back goes ramrod-straight and his expression— does this thing. Emotions passing under pinched brows. For a second he looks – he looks scared, before it shutters back into perfect neutral and his posture relaxes like he’s consciously untensing every muscle. Leon frowns.

“I know I’m not a medic, but I’ve gotten pretty good at this,” he assures him gently. “I won’t break ya.”

“Reassuring.” There’s that drawl again, sounding even more forced in that ruined voice.

Leon retreats back to the ensuite, shaking his head. That was fucking weird. It’s a relief, almost, to fall into something familiar and routine, even if that routine is tending to wounds that he should’ve sorted last night. He’s generous with the iodine, just in case. Real tempting to gargle it, see if that does something for the swelling inside his throat from getting choked out by a seven foot-something mad scientist.

He refrains, distracts himself with the attractive task of applying butterfly stitches to his cuts. Takes a disconcerting number of strips to close all the holes that have been poked into his body. He loves these things. Mostly because he’s shit with a needle. He rations the medical supplies more than he’d normally bother after a mission. Zeno may or may not have been inside when the building collapsed. He’s treating partial decapitation like it’s a mild inconvenience. Leon’s got a hunch he’s not the type to air grievances about what’s bleeding.

Christ, is this fatigue what the D.S.O. medics feel when Leon breezes through their department?