#operation bite mark

[yumebambi-writes]

Z nation found family dynamics?

Z Nation Found Family Dynamics (SFW)

gonna do some for each season because that makes the most sense to me! hope that's alright <3 spoilers ahead!

season one

starting out with the obvious and literal: warren is the mama, and garnett is the papa <3 doc is like the crazy and cool great uncle, murphy is the weird uncle/cousin/guy that nobody knows how he's related to anybody, mack and addy give off cool older cousin vibes that'll ask you if you want to take a "walk" with them before dinner, cassandra is the cousin that keeps to herself but you just know is too cool for anyone, and 10k is the weird little cousin that is obviously homeschooled and is always asking if you want to play with him

does that make any sense? that's how i see them

ANYWAY

mack and addy are obviously inseparable, but addy eventually lets cassandra and 10k into the mix (though mack is still unsure about them both)

addy and 10k are peak brother/sister, and you can read more about that here

doc, warren, garnett, mack, and addy all knew each other from camp blue sky, and they were able to bond there

cassandra, murphy, and 10k all came later, and therefore it took them a lot longer to get settled into the group dynamic

doc instantly took a liking to 10k and took him under his wing, though 10k took a lot longer to warm up to doc and the rest of the group

cassandra and 10k have an unspoken bond because they joined the group around the same time. they don't share that same bond with murphy, though because nobody trusts him

because of this, 10k only really spends his time with cassandra, addy, and doc. cassandra, similarly, only spends time with 10k and addy. mack is basically only on good terms with those from camp blue sky, and murphy doesn't really get along with anyone but doc. garnett, addy, doc, and warren are all friendly with everyone for the most part

once garnett dies, warren kind of folds in on herself but is still forced to take on the leadership role. she's the mother hen of the group, but in a detached way :( she fears that caring about people and feeling like a family will only hurt her worse when they die

addy and cassandra's bond, similar to 10k and cassandra's bond, is less familial and more than platonic, and i am willing to expand more on that if anyone is ever interested lol

murphy and doc get along in the way an uncle and his nephew might. garnett doesn't have the same relationship with either of them (or really anyone in the group since he's seen as a father figure), and it hurts him

this is getting too long and i have four more seasons to go

season two

dynamics have shifted. javier has kind of taken garnett's role as the patriarch, and everybody hates it

after mack and cassandra died, addy and 10k were devastated. they grew closer to each other because of this, and they isolated themselves from the rest of the group (ESPECIALLY MURPHY)

warren is still very much in a slump, but she puts on a brave face because she has to for her family operation bite mark

murphy making cassandra a blend has forced her out of the family and made himself emotionally estranged from them

10k and addy (moreso 10k) HATE murphy, and doc has to act as a keeper of the peace most of the time

this season is just a dark spot for the group's familial relationship

season three

things are all mixed up in season three

the group is split up, and so is the family

hector has joined the group which now only consists of doc, addy, and warren (from operation bite mark) as well as sun mei

sun mei and hector don't ever really find purchase in the family dynamic (especially hector)

warren is the link to operation bite mark for the both of them, and they really cling to her and the connections they've made with her

murphy has forced his way into his new family of blends, that he made to replace the family he had found in season one

i can't think too much about season three 10k without feeling a deep pain for my boy, but just know that he is suffering without doc, addy, and warren

and they're suffering without him too

doc and addy bond more when they go to find lucy

warren has turned her sadness to anger, and it gets taken out on the family, unfortunately

an even darker spot for the group's familial relationship

season four

this season is a doozy

the family has been so split up for so long, that they're barely a family anymore

once doc and 10k reunite, it's like no time has passed for them though, so there's that spark of positivity!

red has been added to 10k's family, but she hasn't had the chance to bond with anyone else yet

though, red and sun mei do get along and are forced together due to the circumstances of their disappearance

sarge is added to the family! she's like your cousin's girlfriend that was invited to the family reunion, and she doesn't talk to anyone but your cousin the whole time

addy and lucy's little family means so much to me. addy's like the big sister that had to raise lucy like her own

murphy and lucy's relationship is complicated and beautiful and heartbreaking and i both love it and curse the writers for putting the characters and me through it

warren is still the mother hen, but she's lost a piece of herself that she can't seem to get back, and it shows through her leadership

doc is as he always has been: the rock

this is when murphy and warren's relationship seems to really hit (for me, at least)

season five

family is more or less back together

10k seems to be getting along better with murphy, though that's likely due to the fact they rarely interact

george is like the daughter warren never had, and addy is upset by this

addy being split from the group for so long was devastating to me personally, but she seemed to thrive on her own and might even be held back by the time she spends with what used to be her family

murphy and warren have some unspeakable bond at this point, and i kind of wish they'd get it over with already and work through it together

sun mei and red were forced together by circumstances, but it was okay because they made a family of their own in altura

sarge's death hits 10k more than it hits anyone else, and a part of him blames red for it

doc and 10k's relationship defies words. their bond means everything to me, and it feels finalized in a way that kind of makes me worry for doc's fate if the show is ever to get a revival

i'm sure i have lots more to say about the family dynamics of these goobers, but i think i'd need to rewatch in order to put those thoughts into words! hope this was okay, thank you for the ask! <3

[tashs-stories]

Bath Time and A Gift 🧟‍♀️💚

(10K Z Nation × OC!Fem!Reader)

10k lingered by the door for a moment, taking in the simple beauty of the scene. The apartment was small, the paint peeling off the walls and the old, warped floorboards creaking under his weight, but it was clean and it felt like home.But in that moment, the chaos of the world outside felt distant, as if they’d carved out this little piece of heaven amidst the nightmare.

"Hello Tommy" the sweet voice coming from the woman standing before him.

"She loves her baths, doesn’t she?" he said softly, as he bent down closer to their daughter.

Emma chuckled, her hands gently rinsing off their daughter’s tiny arms. "She’s a water baby, for sure. Just like her dad. You should’ve seen her earlier, Tommy. She was splashing like crazy."

Tommy smiled, reaching a finger out to tickle his daughter's little belly. The baby giggled, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and recognition as she splashed the water. "You’re getting us all wet, little one," he said, his voice filled with warmth.

Emma laughed, flicking a bit of water his way. "Oh, like you mind. I swear, you two are like peas in a pod."

He laughed too, wiping the droplets from his face before resting a hand on Emma’s shoulder. "I think she gets the splashing from you. You used to jump in puddles whenever you could."

Emma shrugged playfully. "What can I say? We’ve got to find joy where we can. Even now." She glanced at him, her eyes softening. "Speaking of joy, how was the run? Everyone make it back alright?"

Tommy nodded. "Yeah, Addy and Doc are just settling in their room, and Warren’s doing another sweep with Murphy. Everything’s clear, for now."

"For now," Emma echoed quietly, her gaze flicking toward the window, where the dark, decayed city loomed beyond. But then she smiled, shaking off the heaviness of the thought. "At least we have this. For as long as we can."

He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to the side of her head again. "We’ll keep making it work. For her." His eyes drifted back to their daughter, who was babbling happily, her little fingers reaching up to grasp at the air.

Emma turned off the faucet, her hands gently cupping their daughter to lift her out of the water. "Here, can you grab the towel?" she asked, and Tommy was quick to pick up the small, frayed towel from the counter, wrapping it snugly around their little girl. The baby cooed, nuzzling into the warmth, her tiny fists grabbing onto the fabric.

Tommy held her close, his heart swelling with that protective, fierce love he felt every time he looked at her. "She’s getting so big, Em. I almost can’t believe it."

"I know," Emma whispered, drying off their daughter’s soft hair. "She’s our miracle, Tommy. In all of this…" Her voice wavered slightly, but she quickly smiled again, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "She’s our reason to keep fighting."

He nodded, leaning in to press his forehead against hers. "Yeah, she is. And you’re mine too, Emma."

For a moment, they stood there, heads resting together, with the sound of their baby’s quiet coos between them. It wasn’t much, but in this broken world, it was everything.

"Come on, let’s get her dressed and fed," Emma said after a moment, pulling back slightly. "Before she decides to go on another splashing spree."

Tommy chuckled, still holding their daughter gently as he handed Emma the tiny onesie they'd scavenged from an old store weeks ago. It was faded, but still soft and warm.

As they dressed her, Emma kept glancing up at him, smiling each time she caught his eye. "I missed you today," she said softly, her hand brushing against his.

"I missed you too," Tommy replied, his voice low and sincere. "I always do."

~

As they finished dressing their daughter, Tommy suddenly remembered something he'd been hiding in his jacket pocket. He shifted slightly, a small grin tugging at his lips. "Hey, I’ve got something for her. Picked it up on the run today."

Emma raised an eyebrow, curious. "Oh? What did you find this time?"

With a bit of dramatic flair, Tommy pulled a small, faded yellow rubber duck from his pocket. The paint was chipped in places, but it still had its distinctive squeaky beak. "Ta-da!"

Emma gasped softly, her face lighting up. "Tommy! Where did you find that?"

"Old toy shop we passed through. Thought she might like it," he said, holding it out to their daughter, who immediately reached for it with wide, eager eyes. He gave it a gentle squeeze, and it let out a faint squeak.

Their daughter’s reaction was instant—she giggled loudly, clapping her tiny hands together in excitement. Her little fingers clutched at the duck, fascinated by its texture, and she brought it to her mouth, examining it like it was the greatest treasure in the world.

Emma laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. "I can’t believe you found a rubber duck in all this mess."

Tommy shrugged, smiling as he watched their daughter’s joy. "Had to give her something to make bathtime even more fun, right? Plus, look at that smile. Totally worth it."

Emma leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder as they both watched their daughter squeak and gnaw at the duck. "You’re a pretty great dad, you know that?"

Tommy glanced at her, his heart swelling at her words. "I’m just doing my best. For her. For us."

"You’re doing more than that," Emma whispered, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. "You’re keeping us safe. And happy."

He smiled, his arm wrapping around her as they stood together, their daughter’s laughter filling the small apartment. For that brief moment, the world outside didn’t matter. The Z’s, the constant threat—they all faded away. It was just the three of them, and a rubber duck squeaking in the soft glow of their makeshift home.

"Yeah," Tommy whispered, his voice full of love. "We’re gonna be okay."

Thanks for reading.

Interact in any way to let me know you liked it.

Masterlist

[this-ghost-story]

okay I'm definitely changing this up brb

[hyunmintae]

I WANT TO CRY SO BAD OMG IM WATCHING SEASON FIVE OF ZNATION AND OMG

[angel-with-a-sniper-rifle]

Would y’all be interested in embroidered hats??? Definitely gonna order my dad one for his birthday, but wanted to know if there was more interest! let me know! 🖤❤️

[this-ghost-story]

okay but what happened in the frozen food section?

[angel-with-a-sniper-rifle]

Can you tell that Z Nation is my favorite show? I have four full sets (each pin shown) available if anyone is interested in purchasing them! Message me for more info!

[angel-with-a-sniper-rifle]

Just packed up an order for a customer, I think my packaging is soooo cute 💓 I’ll be sending pins out on Friday, message me ASAP if you want to buy any!