Tenya Iida x Fem!Reader zombie apocalypse AU
Reader is 19 years old, working as a receptionist at her mom's inn. She is within a Safe Zone in Oregon.
The zombies are going to be like the ones from The Last of us because i think they're the coolest and make the most sense out of all the zombies I know of, but the world building is most likely not going to be accurate to the games because It's been a while since I watched the play-throughs 😅...
Also, if you're looking for smut, or anything fast paced, you're in the wrong place. This is gonna be quite the slow burn.
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Chapter One: As Per Usual
The front desk next to the window is the last place you want to be on a hot, humid, summer day like this. It's the type of weather that makes you feel like glue has been poured all over your body. I'm talking shirt stuck to your back, thighs vacuum sealed to the stool you've been hunching over, and funk radiating off of the guards and travelers at the inn. Even the old painting of the rich people that used to live in this house look like they've been sweating.
On these days, where the buzz of the cicadas and crickets seem never-ending, your mom talks about the wonders of antiperspirant deodorant and air conditioning like they were gifts from God. However, you weren't around to experience them. Sometimes you have dreams about the things your mom gushes over from her life before the Cordyceps fungus came and threw everything off its course 25 years ago.
Your internalized suffering is interrupted by the squeaking of the entrance screen door, and the sound of floorboards creaking under the weight of someone who's got somewhere to be.
You look up to stare at the man, who can't be much older than you, though, he looks like he's been through much more. He's got navy hair, no longer than half an inch, and stubble of the same color, peppered all around the bottom half of his face, minus a bare spot over the scar on his jaw. Despite his traits, he looks immensely handsome, and now you feel embarrassed to look so disheveled.
The hot beams of light coming through the window reflect off of his silver locket and cracked glasses, which are held together at the bridge of his nose with a thin strip of duct tape. The rifle slung over his shoulder rattles against the large backpack that must be carrying his whole life inside of it.
You might have stared a second too long before clearing your throat and greet him.
"Good afternoon, Sir, welcome to the Safe Zone 16 Inn. Verification ticket and full name, please". The script comes out of your mouth with ease from the years you've spent working for your mom.
"I'm Tenya Iida," He responds with an authoritative, but slightly rugged voice as he hands you the ticket with calloused fingers. You take it and slide it into the drawer to your right, then grabbing the Visitors' Log from the organizer hanging on the wall.
"Alright, and how long are you staying for?"
"Got it." You take extra time to scribble routine information into the log, trying to avoid the intense amount of eye contact from him. "Do you have your payment with you?"
"Oh, right..." His uncovered forearms flex as He shimmies his bag off of his shoulders and swings it up onto the counter with a thud, drawing out a small box of AA batteries. He hands them to you before asking "Will this be enough?"
"Yes, this will do". You store the batteries and hop off the stool. "Let me show you to your room!"
You both pass the great-room, and walk down the large halls where everything seems to be made of some kind of hardwood, with the worn maroon carpet stretching across the floor, and the green faded wallpaper as exceptions.
The walk to his room is nearly silent, filled with the subtle damped footsteps on the rug, and the occasional hello from the familiar armed guards lining the corridor. You try to make some small talk with Iida, like your mom tells you to do with all of the guests, but something about him makes you too nervous to say anything.
"Here, room 112." You hand him the occupied slip, as he stares down at you attentively with his dark red eyes. "Feel free to take a hot bath and use the soaps. That's what most people stop here for anyways." You say with a little chuckle at the end.
"Thank you, I appreciate your hospitality."
"Thanks! It's just my job." You show a gentle smile before heading back to the counter, though, you don't get very far before he speaks again.
"Wait, I didn't get your name." You whip your head around, pausing for a moment to register
"I'll see you tomorrow, L/N"
As per usual, you wake up to your alarm clock reading, 5:30 AM. The morning sun barely peaks through your only curtains.
As per usual, you get ready for the day. You put on your favorite jeans and a tank top, style your hair, and squeeze the very last bit of your rationed toothpaste out of the tube, and onto your toothbrush.
As per usual, you open your curtains. When you look outside, you notice in the distance, groups of people, dressed in black and armed with guns. They're making their way through the safe zone, and walking through the streets towards the inn. They must have gotten permission from the outer guards, unless, they didn't...
As per... well, the unusual, Your mom bursts through the door urgently, looking the most serious she's ever been since that one time an infected man somehow got into the inn a few years ago.
"Y/N, pack a bag!" Your mom rushed towards you, shoving a large backpack into your arms that you almost drop due to suddenness of it all.
"Wait, Mom, what's going on?!" You say with a worried voice you haven't used since you were young.
"There's no time to explain. Just pack a bag, NOW."
You shovel clothes, your toothbrush, your comb, a water bottle, anything you can think of into that bag, before your mom cuts your preparations short.
"Y/N, you need to leave now. I cant come with you. They're after me, and I'm too old to go with you."
"Mom! WHO?! WHO IS AFTER–"
"I'm so sorry I never got to tell you, Baby. You're just going to have to trust me." She says, her hands rubbing your shoulders, you can tell she's barely holding back tears. "Listen carefully, OK?" You nod, blinking, tears streaming down your cheeks. "You need to get to Safe Zone 14, It's in North Dakota. Your dad is there. I put a map into your bag for you." She speaks almost too quickly for you to understand.
She fumbles with her waist harness before tugging it off and fastening it to you, equipped with her pistol, wallet, and keys.
"The safe zone is protected for another few miles. There shouldn't be many infected." Your mom gives you one final hug before looking deep into your eyes. "Take the back exit, and run. Keep running for as long as you can, and don't wait for me."
"I–... Ok," You manage, voice barely above a whisper.
"I love you, Y/N. Now go."
You don't think you've ever ran faster in your life. You ran for about a mile, not stopping, not looking back, and not breathing even once. At least that's what it felt like. Eventually, you stop at a clearing of the forest next to the stream, and you drink what feels like a bathtub of water.
You want to think about your mom. You want to cry. You want to curl up into a ball and lay down forever. Even though you know that you shouldn't. You push yourself up, and stare into your warped reflection in the stream, thinking about nothing in particular for just a moment, as tears uncontrollably spill our your eyes like you'll never cry again. You let out one short, breathy, pathetic sob.
Suddenly, you're hyper aware of your own surroundings. You straighten out your back and look around you, wiping your eyes to get a clear view. You grip your mom's pistol tightly with sweaty palms.
The school at your safe zone taught you everything you need to know about how to survive outside of the safe zone. How to read a map, to hunt, to kill a clicker, to shoot a gun, but you never expected to actually need to leave. Now you're regretting being so comfortable with the life you had there.
A broken twig, followed by quick footsteps and hooves makes you turn your head so fast it could give you whiplash. Your hands shake over the trigger of the gun, and you almost forget to breathe, but a familiar deep voice stops you before doing anything.
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If you read all the way, thank you!!! This is my first time posting on Tumblr, so please, comment anything you guys think I need to know about posting on this app!
I have written one other fan fiction before, but i never finished it, and I didn't post it here. I'm thinking of posting this one on AO3 as well, but I'm not sure.
Today, I thought, "You know what we don't have enough of in the world? Apocalyptic fan fiction. You know what we also don't have enough of? TENYA IIDA APPRECIATION", So I wrote this in a couple hours!
I'm not sure if this will be a long or short series, but I'm going to try and finish it by the end of the summer.
Please leave criticism! As long as you're not straight-up hating, I will appreciate it! Also, let me know if I miss any tags.
