A masterlist of all the important info for the Apocalypse AU! Â
Character Designs
Virgilâs Promise - Virgil, his mother, and his little brother Thomas have been living in the woods since a virus outbreak wiped out most of the population, including Virgilâs father. Life can be bleak, but they make the most of what they have. However, when Virgilâs world is turned upside down again, will he have what it takes to keep his little brother safe?Â
Archery - Thomas asks if he can learn to shoot a bow. Virgil says no.Â
Pattonâs Goodbye -Â Isolated on a farm, Patton has been survivng the apocalypse as best he can. The loneliness is hard to deal with sometimes, but at least he has his sister by his side. But not even their remote farm is completely safe from the terminal hordes. On the brink of losing everything, Patton meets a group of other survivors for the first time and must come to terms with the new reality he's facing.
Into the Garden - Patton leaves his old home behind him, and prepares to step into an uncertain future.
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This is kind of urgent. Hello!!! This question is for Bee, I can't seem to find your ao3 or any of your tumblr blogs. It seems unlike you to just disappear off of the face of the Earth. Are you okay? - đŚ
Bee is now @buzz-by-bee! (Iâm answering this for her rn cuz we were having a bit of trouble getting this blog to accept the new mod and I wanna make sure the other followers on here know whatâs going on)Â
Bee is moving more towards producing original writing content rather than fanfiction, so she decided to delete her old blog and start a new one. But weâre still cowriting this fic! Hopeully the next installment will be out soon, weâve been working on it kinda slowly but surely over the past few weeks. -âď¸
Oh my gosh, @ironwoman359 and I have been brainstorming this au a lot lately, and we have some big ideas coming up, and Iâm sorry to tease but Iâm too excited. - đ
In case anyone was wondering, this is what itâs like when @a-valorous-choice and I plan this AU:Â
Virgil just befriends everyone. He holds out Thomas and the locket towards them and is like "These are the only two things my mother left me. Look how cute they are."Â
We are Serious Writers writing a Serious Story, I promise -âď¸
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as a prompt, maybe dee teaching thomas archery? (love the au btw, its really really good
Archery
Summary:Â Thomas asks if he can learn to shoot a bow. Virgil says no.
Content Warnings:Â Trauma, guilt, anxiety/panic attacks, some brotherly fighting, mentioned death of a parent, mentions of guns and death in general, let us know if it needs anything else!
Word Count: 1,010
Read on AO3 here
A/N: This was supposed to be âDee teaches Thomas archeryâ and it turned into âVirgilâs Trauma Hour,â my bad. Hope you enjoy it anyway! Takes place during the first year Virgil and Thomas live at Eden, so not long after Virgils' Promise, and a few years before Patton's Goodbye. -âď¸
---
The first time Thomas asked if he could learn to shoot a bow, Virgil said no. Thomas pouted, he whined and complained and made a huge fuss, but Virgil refused to budge. Thomas spent the rest of that day shooting heated glares Virgilâs way, and Virgil pretended that the looks didnât sting.Â
The second time Thomas asked, he asked Virgil why he said no, and Virgil stammered out something about the strength it took to draw the bowstring back. Thomas accused Virgil of treating him like a baby before storming off into their cabin, and Virgil had a panic attack with his back against a tree.Â
The third time, Thomas didnât ask Virgil, he asked Dee, and Virgil bit his tongue so hard he tasted blood. Dee gave him a questioning look, but Virgil could barely even breathe, let alone speak. Deeâs face morphed into a frown, then he turned and said something to Thomas, though Virgil didnât hear what it was over the blood rushing in his ears.Â
â-rgil? Virgil!âÂ
Virgil felt a pressure on his arm and jerked away, but he relaxed by a notch when he saw Dee raise his hands and take a step back.Â
âItâs okay, Virgil, breathe.â
Virgil managed a few deep breaths, and grimaced up at Dee.Â
âIâm sorry, Iââ
âNothing to apologize for, Virge,â Dee said with a wave of his hand. âYou wanna tell me what that was about though?âÂ
Virgil shrugged, stuffing his hands in his hoodie pockets. He glanced around, then frowned when he saw that Thomas and Remus, whoâd been with them a moment ago, were no longer standing nearby.Â
âI had Remus take Thomas down to the main hall,â Dee said. âNow câmon V, whatâs going on?âÂ
âThomas has asked about archery before,â Virgil said. âI keep telling him no. Iâm sorry he dragged you into it too, Iââ
âWhy?â Dee interrupted, tilting his head slightly to the side.
âWhat?âÂ
âWhy tell Thomas he canât learn archery? Heâs old enough, if we make him a modified bow. It wouldnât be much good at first, but heâd be able to use it to build up his strength eventually andââÂ
âNo!â Virgil said, shaking his head. âI...I mean...no, itâs...itâs not âcuz I donât think he could do it, I just...â Virgil sighed, running a hand through his hair.Â
âYou just what?â Dee prompted, and Virgil looked away.Â
âI donât want him knowing what this feels like, Dee,â he said quietly. He reached up and touched the locket around his neck as he spoke, running a finger absently along the edge.Â
âThis?âÂ
âThis!â Virgil repeated. âWhat we deal with every day; what we face down every time we have to go out there for supplies. I donât want him to have to look into someoneâs eyes and make that choice, because it isnât a choice, how could it be, but you still have to pull the trigger andââÂ
Virgilâs breath hitched, and he shook his head firmly, blinking back tears.Â
âI donât want him to ever have to carry this guilt around,â he said. âI donât care if he hates me for it in the meantime.âÂ
There was a beat of silence, then Dee shook his head.
âYes, you do.â
âSorry?â
âYou do care, Virgil, I can tell,â Dee said with a sigh. âI know you think youâre doing him a favor, but youâve already lost everything else. Do you really want to lose your relationship with Thomas too?âÂ
âIf it keeps him safe,â Virgil insisted, and Dee shook his head again.Â
âSafe was out of the picture a long time ago, Virge. We both know it. We can hide behind the relative security we have here all we want, but the fact of the matter is that Eden is only somewhat safe in the first place because the people here know how to defend themselves.â
âThomas shouldnât have to defend himself!â Virgil exclaimed. âHeâs nine, Dee, heâs a nine year old who watched his mom die in front of him!â
âAnd youâre an eighteen year old who shot your own mother to keep him safe,â Dee said gently. âNone of this is fair, V. And as long as heâs here, everyone here will protect him, I promise you that. But he should still learn how to protect himself. Besides,â he added with a small smile. âHe desperately wants to be useful around here; heâs a child whoâs been forced into an adultâs world. He needs to feel like he has some kind of control in his life.âÂ
âYouâre probably right,â Virgil admitted, ducking his head and wiping at his eyes. âBut that doesnât mean I have to like it.â
Dee shrugged.Â
âNever said you did.âÂ
â...okay,â Virgil said finally. âYou can teach him. But heâs not taking that thing with him on raids until heâs older.â
âThatâs perfectly reasonable,â Dee agreed.Â
âAnd...and I want to be there, for the lessons,â Virgil added. âSo...so I can keep an eye on him.â
âWhy Virgil, are you saying you donât trust me?â Dee asked, his voice dripping with mock hurt.Â
âNever,â Virgil deadpanned.
âYouâd never say that, or youâd never trust me?â
âWhat do you think?â Virgil asked with a smirk, and Dee nudged his shoulder.Â
âThereâs that snark I missed so much.â
âThereâs that pain in the ass I know,â Virgil shot back.
Dee laughed, and the tightness in Virgilâs chest loosened, if only a little bit.Â
Thomas does not ask to learn to shoot a bow again.
He does ask Virgil to watch while he proudly notches his first arrow and pulls back on the string as hard as he can. His elbow is too high and he squints too much and the arrow lands three feet away from the makeshift targets by the lake, but Virgil still claps for him while Dee adjusts his form and murmurs instructions in his ear.Â
Thomas notches his second arrow, and Virgil breathes.Â
Things may not be fair, but Virgil thinks that they just might be okay anyway.
as a prompt, maybe dee teaching thomas archery? (love the au btw, its really really good
Archery
Summary:Â Thomas asks if he can learn to shoot a bow. Virgil says no.
Content Warnings:Â Trauma, guilt, anxiety/panic attacks, some brotherly fighting, mentioned death of a parent, mentions of guns and death in general, let us know if it needs anything else!
Word Count: 1,010
Read on AO3 here
A/N: This was supposed to be âDee teaches Thomas archeryâ and it turned into âVirgilâs Trauma Hour,â my bad. Hope you enjoy it anyway! Takes place during the first year Virgil and Thomas live at Eden, so not long after Virgils' Promise, and a few years before Patton's Goodbye. -âď¸
---
The first time Thomas asked if he could learn to shoot a bow, Virgil said no. Thomas pouted, he whined and complained and made a huge fuss, but Virgil refused to budge. Thomas spent the rest of that day shooting heated glares Virgilâs way, and Virgil pretended that the looks didnât sting.Â
The second time Thomas asked, he asked Virgil why he said no, and Virgil stammered out something about the strength it took to draw the bowstring back. Thomas accused Virgil of treating him like a baby before storming off into their cabin, and Virgil had a panic attack with his back against a tree.Â
The third time, Thomas didnât ask Virgil, he asked Dee, and Virgil bit his tongue so hard he tasted blood. Dee gave him a questioning look, but Virgil could barely even breathe, let alone speak. Deeâs face morphed into a frown, then he turned and said something to Thomas, though Virgil didnât hear what it was over the blood rushing in his ears.Â
â-rgil? Virgil!âÂ
Virgil felt a pressure on his arm and jerked away, but he relaxed by a notch when he saw Dee raise his hands and take a step back.Â
âItâs okay, Virgil, breathe.â
Virgil managed a few deep breaths, and grimaced up at Dee.Â
âIâm sorry, Iââ
âNothing to apologize for, Virge,â Dee said with a wave of his hand. âYou wanna tell me what that was about though?âÂ
Virgil shrugged, stuffing his hands in his hoodie pockets. He glanced around, then frowned when he saw that Thomas and Remus, whoâd been with them a moment ago, were no longer standing nearby.Â
âI had Remus take Thomas down to the main hall,â Dee said. âNow câmon V, whatâs going on?âÂ
âThomas has asked about archery before,â Virgil said. âI keep telling him no. Iâm sorry he dragged you into it too, Iââ
âWhy?â Dee interrupted, tilting his head slightly to the side.
âWhat?âÂ
âWhy tell Thomas he canât learn archery? Heâs old enough, if we make him a modified bow. It wouldnât be much good at first, but heâd be able to use it to build up his strength eventually andââÂ
âNo!â Virgil said, shaking his head. âI...I mean...no, itâs...itâs not âcuz I donât think he could do it, I just...â Virgil sighed, running a hand through his hair.Â
âYou just what?â Dee prompted, and Virgil looked away.Â
âI donât want him knowing what this feels like, Dee,â he said quietly. He reached up and touched the locket around his neck as he spoke, running a finger absently along the edge.Â
âThis?âÂ
âThis!â Virgil repeated. âWhat we deal with every day; what we face down every time we have to go out there for supplies. I donât want him to have to look into someoneâs eyes and make that choice, because it isnât a choice, how could it be, but you still have to pull the trigger andââÂ
Virgilâs breath hitched, and he shook his head firmly, blinking back tears.Â
âI donât want him to ever have to carry this guilt around,â he said. âI donât care if he hates me for it in the meantime.âÂ
There was a beat of silence, then Dee shook his head.
âYes, you do.â
âSorry?â
âYou do care, Virgil, I can tell,â Dee said with a sigh. âI know you think youâre doing him a favor, but youâve already lost everything else. Do you really want to lose your relationship with Thomas too?âÂ
âIf it keeps him safe,â Virgil insisted, and Dee shook his head again.Â
âSafe was out of the picture a long time ago, Virge. We both know it. We can hide behind the relative security we have here all we want, but the fact of the matter is that Eden is only somewhat safe in the first place because the people here know how to defend themselves.â
âThomas shouldnât have to defend himself!â Virgil exclaimed. âHeâs nine, Dee, heâs a nine year old who watched his mom die in front of him!â
âAnd youâre an eighteen year old who shot your own mother to keep him safe,â Dee said gently. âNone of this is fair, V. And as long as heâs here, everyone here will protect him, I promise you that. But he should still learn how to protect himself. Besides,â he added with a small smile. âHe desperately wants to be useful around here; heâs a child whoâs been forced into an adultâs world. He needs to feel like he has some kind of control in his life.âÂ
âYouâre probably right,â Virgil admitted, ducking his head and wiping at his eyes. âBut that doesnât mean I have to like it.â
Dee shrugged.Â
âNever said you did.âÂ
â...okay,â Virgil said finally. âYou can teach him. But heâs not taking that thing with him on raids until heâs older.â
âThatâs perfectly reasonable,â Dee agreed.Â
âAnd...and I want to be there, for the lessons,â Virgil added. âSo...so I can keep an eye on him.â
âWhy Virgil, are you saying you donât trust me?â Dee asked, his voice dripping with mock hurt.Â
âNever,â Virgil deadpanned.
âYouâd never say that, or youâd never trust me?â
âWhat do you think?â Virgil asked with a smirk, and Dee nudged his shoulder.Â
âThereâs that snark I missed so much.â
âThereâs that pain in the ass I know,â Virgil shot back.
Dee laughed, and the tightness in Virgilâs chest loosened, if only a little bit.Â
Thomas does not ask to learn to shoot a bow again.
He does ask Virgil to watch while he proudly notches his first arrow and pulls back on the string as hard as he can. His elbow is too high and he squints too much and the arrow lands three feet away from the makeshift targets by the lake, but Virgil still claps for him while Dee adjusts his form and murmurs instructions in his ear.Â
Thomas notches his second arrow, and Virgil breathes.Â
Things may not be fair, but Virgil thinks that they just might be okay anyway.
as a prompt, maybe dee teaching thomas archery? (love the au btw, its really really good
Archery
Summary:Â Thomas asks if he can learn to shoot a bow. Virgil says no.
Content Warnings:Â Trauma, guilt, anxiety/panic attacks, some brotherly fighting, mentioned death of a parent, mentions of guns and death in general, let us know if it needs anything else!
Word Count: 1,010
Read on AO3 here
A/N: This was supposed to be âDee teaches Thomas archeryâ and it turned into âVirgilâs Trauma Hour,â my bad. Hope you enjoy it anyway! Takes place during the first year Virgil and Thomas live at Eden, so not long after Virgils' Promise, and a few years before Patton's Goodbye. -âď¸
---
The first time Thomas asked if he could learn to shoot a bow, Virgil said no. Thomas pouted, he whined and complained and made a huge fuss, but Virgil refused to budge. Thomas spent the rest of that day shooting heated glares Virgilâs way, and Virgil pretended that the looks didnât sting.Â
The second time Thomas asked, he asked Virgil why he said no, and Virgil stammered out something about the strength it took to draw the bowstring back. Thomas accused Virgil of treating him like a baby before storming off into their cabin, and Virgil had a panic attack with his back against a tree.Â
The third time, Thomas didnât ask Virgil, he asked Dee, and Virgil bit his tongue so hard he tasted blood. Dee gave him a questioning look, but Virgil could barely even breathe, let alone speak. Deeâs face morphed into a frown, then he turned and said something to Thomas, though Virgil didnât hear what it was over the blood rushing in his ears.Â
â-rgil? Virgil!âÂ
Virgil felt a pressure on his arm and jerked away, but he relaxed by a notch when he saw Dee raise his hands and take a step back.Â
âItâs okay, Virgil, breathe.â
Virgil managed a few deep breaths, and grimaced up at Dee.Â
âIâm sorry, Iââ
âNothing to apologize for, Virge,â Dee said with a wave of his hand. âYou wanna tell me what that was about though?âÂ
Virgil shrugged, stuffing his hands in his hoodie pockets. He glanced around, then frowned when he saw that Thomas and Remus, whoâd been with them a moment ago, were no longer standing nearby.Â
âI had Remus take Thomas down to the main hall,â Dee said. âNow câmon V, whatâs going on?âÂ
âThomas has asked about archery before,â Virgil said. âI keep telling him no. Iâm sorry he dragged you into it too, Iââ
âWhy?â Dee interrupted, tilting his head slightly to the side.
âWhat?âÂ
âWhy tell Thomas he canât learn archery? Heâs old enough, if we make him a modified bow. It wouldnât be much good at first, but heâd be able to use it to build up his strength eventually andââÂ
âNo!â Virgil said, shaking his head. âI...I mean...no, itâs...itâs not âcuz I donât think he could do it, I just...â Virgil sighed, running a hand through his hair.Â
âYou just what?â Dee prompted, and Virgil looked away.Â
âI donât want him knowing what this feels like, Dee,â he said quietly. He reached up and touched the locket around his neck as he spoke, running a finger absently along the edge.Â
âThis?âÂ
âThis!â Virgil repeated. âWhat we deal with every day; what we face down every time we have to go out there for supplies. I donât want him to have to look into someoneâs eyes and make that choice, because it isnât a choice, how could it be, but you still have to pull the trigger andââÂ
Virgilâs breath hitched, and he shook his head firmly, blinking back tears.Â
âI donât want him to ever have to carry this guilt around,â he said. âI donât care if he hates me for it in the meantime.âÂ
There was a beat of silence, then Dee shook his head.
âYes, you do.â
âSorry?â
âYou do care, Virgil, I can tell,â Dee said with a sigh. âI know you think youâre doing him a favor, but youâve already lost everything else. Do you really want to lose your relationship with Thomas too?âÂ
âIf it keeps him safe,â Virgil insisted, and Dee shook his head again.Â
âSafe was out of the picture a long time ago, Virge. We both know it. We can hide behind the relative security we have here all we want, but the fact of the matter is that Eden is only somewhat safe in the first place because the people here know how to defend themselves.â
âThomas shouldnât have to defend himself!â Virgil exclaimed. âHeâs nine, Dee, heâs a nine year old who watched his mom die in front of him!â
âAnd youâre an eighteen year old who shot your own mother to keep him safe,â Dee said gently. âNone of this is fair, V. And as long as heâs here, everyone here will protect him, I promise you that. But he should still learn how to protect himself. Besides,â he added with a small smile. âHe desperately wants to be useful around here; heâs a child whoâs been forced into an adultâs world. He needs to feel like he has some kind of control in his life.âÂ
âYouâre probably right,â Virgil admitted, ducking his head and wiping at his eyes. âBut that doesnât mean I have to like it.â
Dee shrugged.Â
âNever said you did.âÂ
â...okay,â Virgil said finally. âYou can teach him. But heâs not taking that thing with him on raids until heâs older.â
âThatâs perfectly reasonable,â Dee agreed.Â
âAnd...and I want to be there, for the lessons,â Virgil added. âSo...so I can keep an eye on him.â
âWhy Virgil, are you saying you donât trust me?â Dee asked, his voice dripping with mock hurt.Â
âNever,â Virgil deadpanned.
âYouâd never say that, or youâd never trust me?â
âWhat do you think?â Virgil asked with a smirk, and Dee nudged his shoulder.Â
âThereâs that snark I missed so much.â
âThereâs that pain in the ass I know,â Virgil shot back.
Dee laughed, and the tightness in Virgilâs chest loosened, if only a little bit.Â
Thomas does not ask to learn to shoot a bow again.
He does ask Virgil to watch while he proudly notches his first arrow and pulls back on the string as hard as he can. His elbow is too high and he squints too much and the arrow lands three feet away from the makeshift targets by the lake, but Virgil still claps for him while Dee adjusts his form and murmurs instructions in his ear.Â
Thomas notches his second arrow, and Virgil breathes.Â
Things may not be fair, but Virgil thinks that they just might be okay anyway.
I donât know if you got my ask, but just to be sure, I meant ficlet. -(Remus & Dee Anon)
We did get it, thank you! Weâve got our idea kinda set for what we want for that ficlet as well. Bee is gonna take the head on writing that one while I write another prompt, though we have no set âreleaseâ plan for them, theyâll come out when we can get them done! Between our jobs, our other stories that we write independently, and our timezone differences (Im American, sheâs Australian) sometimes it can take awhile for fics to get finalized for this au. But weâre super excited to write more for this au, so I hope you guys are excited to read for it! -âď¸
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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Hey guys! Bee and I were talking and we think itâd be fun to do short little bits about life at Eden, so if thereâs anything youâd like to see more of, either of the three year gap between Virgilâs Promise and Pattonâs Goodbye or of Pattonâs early days in Eden, let us know! Prompts are open! -âď¸
Summary: Patton leaves his old home behind him, and prepares to step into an uncertain future.
Content Warnings: Apocalypse AU, discussion of family death and grief, sympathetic deceit, sympathetic remus, a bit ofcursing. Let us know if youâd like something else tagged!
Word Count:Â 2,900
Read on AO3 here
Authorâs Notes:Â Hello, welcome back to this au! I know itâs been over four months since we updated this story, but I promise weâre not dead, or undead, or even mostly dead! Hopefully the next part will be out much sooner, thank you for sticking with us in the meantime! If youâd like to be tagged in future parts, please send us an ask, or you can turn on notifications for this blog to be notified when we post. We love you guys, hope you enjoy this fic!
â
Patton took one last look behind him. From his current vantage point he could just make out the familiar outline of his barn in the distance. Once they entered the woods though, that was it. Heâd likely never see the farm again.Â
âBest keep up the pace if you donât wanna get left behind,â Wadeâs voice called from deeper into the woods.Â
âNo oneâs getting left behind,â Virgil said with a sigh, and Wade made a grumbling sound, adjusting his grip on the chicken carrier he and Virgil were hauling between them. The birds inside squawked at the disturbance, and Thomas made a shushing sound at them as he walked behind Virgil.Â
Patton himself had a hikerâs bag heâd found in the basement on his back, packed as tightly as he could manage with all the essentials he had, along with a few sentimental items that he hadnât been able to bear parting with. Wade had shown distaste at the idea, but Virgil had assured him that thereâd be room for a few personal effects where they were going.Â
âChin up!â Remus said cheerfully, coming up behind Patton and breaking him out of his thoughts. âYouâre gonna fit in great at Eden! Most of the folks are quite pleasant, Mr. Sourpuss there is the exception, not the rule.âÂ
"What sort of place is Eden, anyway?â Patton asked. âI mean, the name isnât exactly subtle, so I can guessâŚ"Â
"Well, to call it a paradise is a bit of hyperbole,â Remus conceded. âBut itâs about as much of a haven as you could hope to have in the apocalypse. Dee and I found it a few years back; itâs an old summer sleepaway camp that we sorta set up base in. Itâs not much, but at this point, itâs home!â
âThat sounds nice,â Patton said quietly, his hand circling into a fist at his side as he kept walking.Â
Suddenly, he felt a tap on his hand, and he looked down to see Thomas looking up at him with wide eyes.Â
âCan I hold your hand?â he asked simply, and Patton found himself smiling.Â
âSure, kiddo,â he said, and allowed Thomas to nestle his small hand into Pattonâs grip. Patton felt emotion well up inside him, and he blinked rapidly to stop any tears from forming in his eyes.Â
Damn Iâm so sorry about the little amount of notes this has. It deserves a lot more.
This is a great chapter ! Love Pattonâs interactions with the others, especially Thomas and Virgil. You can see the friendship blooming slowly,ďżź itâs really nice. The part where Thomas asks Patton to teach him how to ricochet pebbles is making me emotional ngl. I might be interpreting this completely wrong, sorry, but Patton was the little brother before, who would probably be the one to ask questions like that (when younger) to his older siblings (or his parents), and he now has the role of the older one teaching the younger one. That idea gives me Feels. Sorry if this not at all what you hoped people to interpret it as.
I didnât make the connection before between Lauren and Kaiâs girlfriend oh my god ! I love that theyâre both included. And I love that Eden doesnât have an ableist attitude of "if you canât do this fuck offâ that a lot of survival groups have in apocalypse fiction. Kai canât go on raids, and itâs respected, heâs not forced to, and although I donât know much yet about this place yet (and might be wrong, sorry), I assume heâs not deemed useless for his disability, since heâs not rejected from Eden or something.
Iâm so happy you liked it! That is EXACTLY what I was going for with Patton and the skipping stones, I'm so glad that came accross! And yes, Kai canât go on raids, but thereâs plenty of other things he can do, not to mention that Dee wouldnât just throw someone out if they were âuseless.â I feel like Deceit âscrew societyâ Sanders wouldnât think that way, so our Dee doesnât either! -âď¸
Summary: Patton leaves his old home behind him, and prepares to step into an uncertain future.
Content Warnings: Apocalypse AU, discussion of family death and grief, sympathetic deceit, sympathetic remus, a bit ofcursing. Let us know if youâd like something else tagged!
Word Count:Â 2,900
Read on AO3 here
Authorâs Notes:Â Hello, welcome back to this au! I know itâs been over four months since we updated this story, but I promise weâre not dead, or undead, or even mostly dead! Hopefully the next part will be out much sooner, thank you for sticking with us in the meantime! If youâd like to be tagged in future parts, please send us an ask, or you can turn on notifications for this blog to be notified when we post. We love you guys, hope you enjoy this fic!
â
Patton took one last look behind him. From his current vantage point he could just make out the familiar outline of his barn in the distance. Once they entered the woods though, that was it. Heâd likely never see the farm again.Â
âBest keep up the pace if you donât wanna get left behind,â Wadeâs voice called from deeper into the woods.Â
âNo oneâs getting left behind,â Virgil said with a sigh, and Wade made a grumbling sound, adjusting his grip on the chicken carrier he and Virgil were hauling between them. The birds inside squawked at the disturbance, and Thomas made a shushing sound at them as he walked behind Virgil.Â
Patton himself had a hikerâs bag heâd found in the basement on his back, packed as tightly as he could manage with all the essentials he had, along with a few sentimental items that he hadnât been able to bear parting with. Wade had shown distaste at the idea, but Virgil had assured him that thereâd be room for a few personal effects where they were going.Â
âChin up!â Remus said cheerfully, coming up behind Patton and breaking him out of his thoughts. âYouâre gonna fit in great at Eden! Most of the folks are quite pleasant, Mr. Sourpuss there is the exception, not the rule."Â
"What sort of place is Eden, anyway?â Patton asked. âI mean, the name isnât exactly subtle, so I can guessâŚ"Â
"Well, to call it a paradise is a bit of hyperbole,â Remus conceded. âBut itâs about as much of a haven as you could hope to have in the apocalypse. Dee and I found it a few years back; itâs an old summer sleepaway camp that we sorta set up base in. Itâs not much, but at this point, itâs home!â
âThat sounds nice,â Patton said quietly, his hand circling into a fist at his side as he kept walking.Â
Suddenly, he felt a tap on his hand, and he looked down to see Thomas looking up at him with wide eyes.Â
âCan I hold your hand?â he asked simply, and Patton found himself smiling.Â
âSure, kiddo,â he said, and allowed Thomas to nestle his small hand into Pattonâs grip. Patton felt emotion well up inside him, and he blinked rapidly to stop any tears from forming in his eyes.Â
Summary: Patton leaves his old home behind him, and prepares to step into an uncertain future.
Content Warnings: Apocalypse AU, discussion of family death and grief, sympathetic deceit, sympathetic remus, a bit ofcursing. Let us know if youâd like something else tagged!
Word Count:Â 2,900
Read on AO3 here
Authorâs Notes:Â Hello, welcome back to this au! I know itâs been over four months since we updated this story, but I promise weâre not dead, or undead, or even mostly dead! Hopefully the next part will be out much sooner, thank you for sticking with us in the meantime! If youâd like to be tagged in future parts, please send us an ask, or you can turn on notifications for this blog to be notified when we post. We love you guys, hope you enjoy this fic!
â
Patton took one last look behind him. From his current vantage point he could just make out the familiar outline of his barn in the distance. Once they entered the woods though, that was it. Heâd likely never see the farm again.Â
âBest keep up the pace if you donât wanna get left behind,â Wadeâs voice called from deeper into the woods.Â
âNo oneâs getting left behind,â Virgil said with a sigh, and Wade made a grumbling sound, adjusting his grip on the chicken carrier he and Virgil were hauling between them. The birds inside squawked at the disturbance, and Thomas made a shushing sound at them as he walked behind Virgil.Â
Patton himself had a hikerâs bag heâd found in the basement on his back, packed as tightly as he could manage with all the essentials he had, along with a few sentimental items that he hadnât been able to bear parting with. Wade had shown distaste at the idea, but Virgil had assured him that thereâd be room for a few personal effects where they were going.Â
âChin up!â Remus said cheerfully, coming up behind Patton and breaking him out of his thoughts. âYouâre gonna fit in great at Eden! Most of the folks are quite pleasant, Mr. Sourpuss there is the exception, not the rule.âÂ
"What sort of place is Eden, anyway?â Patton asked. âI mean, the name isnât exactly subtle, so I can guessâŚ"Â
"Well, to call it a paradise is a bit of hyperbole,â Remus conceded. âBut itâs about as much of a haven as you could hope to have in the apocalypse. Dee and I found it a few years back; itâs an old summer sleepaway camp that we sorta set up base in. Itâs not much, but at this point, itâs home!â
âThat sounds nice,â Patton said quietly, his hand circling into a fist at his side as he kept walking.Â
Suddenly, he felt a tap on his hand, and he looked down to see Thomas looking up at him with wide eyes.Â
âCan I hold your hand?â he asked simply, and Patton found himself smiling.Â
âSure, kiddo,â he said, and allowed Thomas to nestle his small hand into Pattonâs grip. Patton felt emotion well up inside him, and he blinked rapidly to stop any tears from forming in his eyes.Â
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Summary: Patton leaves his old home behind him, and prepares to step into an uncertain future.
Content Warnings: Apocalypse AU, discussion of family death and grief, sympathetic deceit, sympathetic remus, a bit ofcursing. Let us know if youâd like something else tagged!
Word Count:Â 2,900
Read on AO3 here
Authorâs Notes:Â Hello, welcome back to this au! I know itâs been over four months since we updated this story, but I promise weâre not dead, or undead, or even mostly dead! Hopefully the next part will be out much sooner, thank you for sticking with us in the meantime! If youâd like to be tagged in future parts, please send us an ask, or you can turn on notifications for this blog to be notified when we post. We love you guys, hope you enjoy this fic!
â
Patton took one last look behind him. From his current vantage point he could just make out the familiar outline of his barn in the distance. Once they entered the woods though, that was it. Heâd likely never see the farm again.Â
âBest keep up the pace if you donât wanna get left behind,â Wadeâs voice called from deeper into the woods.Â
âNo oneâs getting left behind,â Virgil said with a sigh, and Wade made a grumbling sound, adjusting his grip on the chicken carrier he and Virgil were hauling between them. The birds inside squawked at the disturbance, and Thomas made a shushing sound at them as he walked behind Virgil.Â
Patton himself had a hikerâs bag heâd found in the basement on his back, packed as tightly as he could manage with all the essentials he had, along with a few sentimental items that he hadnât been able to bear parting with. Wade had shown distaste at the idea, but Virgil had assured him that thereâd be room for a few personal effects where they were going.Â
âChin up!â Remus said cheerfully, coming up behind Patton and breaking him out of his thoughts. âYouâre gonna fit in great at Eden! Most of the folks are quite pleasant, Mr. Sourpuss there is the exception, not the rule."Â
"What sort of place is Eden, anyway?â Patton asked. âI mean, the name isnât exactly subtle, so I can guessâŚ"Â
"Well, to call it a paradise is a bit of hyperbole,â Remus conceded. âBut itâs about as much of a haven as you could hope to have in the apocalypse. Dee and I found it a few years back; itâs an old summer sleepaway camp that we sorta set up base in. Itâs not much, but at this point, itâs home!â
âThat sounds nice,â Patton said quietly, his hand circling into a fist at his side as he kept walking.Â
Suddenly, he felt a tap on his hand, and he looked down to see Thomas looking up at him with wide eyes.Â
âCan I hold your hand?â he asked simply, and Patton found himself smiling.Â
âSure, kiddo,â he said, and allowed Thomas to nestle his small hand into Pattonâs grip. Patton felt emotion well up inside him, and he blinked rapidly to stop any tears from forming in his eyes.Â
Summary: Patton leaves his old home behind him, and prepares to step into an uncertain future.
Content Warnings: Apocalypse AU, discussion of family death and grief, sympathetic deceit, sympathetic remus, a bit ofcursing. Let us know if youâd like something else tagged!
Word Count:Â 2,900
Read on AO3 here
Authorâs Notes:Â Hello, welcome back to this au! I know itâs been over four months since we updated this story, but I promise weâre not dead, or undead, or even mostly dead! Hopefully the next part will be out much sooner, thank you for sticking with us in the meantime! If youâd like to be tagged in future parts, please send us an ask, or you can turn on notifications for this blog to be notified when we post. We love you guys, hope you enjoy this fic!
---
Patton took one last look behind him. From his current vantage point he could just make out the familiar outline of his barn in the distance. Once they entered the woods though, that was it. He'd likely never see the farm again.Â
"Best keep up the pace if you don't wanna get left behind," Wade's voice called from deeper into the woods.Â
"No one's getting left behind," Virgil said with a sigh, and Wade made a grumbling sound, adjusting his grip on the chicken carrier he and Virgil were hauling between them. The birds inside squawked at the disturbance, and Thomas made a shushing sound at them as he walked behind Virgil.Â
Patton himself had a hiker's bag he'd found in the basement on his back, packed as tightly as he could manage with all the essentials he had, along with a few sentimental items that he hadn't been able to bear parting with. Wade had shown distaste at the idea, but Virgil had assured him that there'd be room for a few personal effects where they were going.Â
"Chin up!" Remus said cheerfully, coming up behind Patton and breaking him out of his thoughts. "You're gonna fit in great at Eden! Most of the folks are quite pleasant, Mr. Sourpuss there is the exception, not the rule."Â
"What sort of place is Eden, anyway?" Patton asked. "I mean, the name isn't exactly subtle, so I can guess..."Â
"Well, to call it a paradise is a bit of hyperbole," Remus conceded. "But it's about as much of a haven as you could hope to have in the apocalypse. Dee and I found it a few years back; it's an old summer sleepaway camp that we sorta set up base in. It's not much, but at this point, it's home!"
"That sounds nice," Patton said quietly, his hand circling into a fist at his side as he kept walking.Â
Suddenly, he felt a tap on his hand, and he looked down to see Thomas looking up at him with wide eyes.Â
"Can I hold your hand?" he asked simply, and Patton found himself smiling.Â
"Sure, kiddo," he said, and allowed Thomas to nestle his small hand into Patton's grip. Patton felt emotion well up inside him, and he blinked rapidly to stop any tears from forming in his eyes.Â
"So, Thomas," he said casually. "You're a pretty good shot with that bow of yours."Â
Thomas immediately brightened, and Patton heard Remus chuckle softly behind them.Â
"Thanks! Dee's been teaching me, I'm not as good as him yet, but I'm getting there! I told Virgil that I was good enough to bring it on a raid, I told him!"Â
"He doesn't like you coming along?" Patton asked, and Thomas shrugged.Â
"It's not that...I mean, I don't think he likes it, but he likes leaving me alone even less, so I come whenever he does. But just 'cause I'm younger doesn't mean I can't help! If I'm gonna be here, I might as well be useful!"Â
"Well, you were very useful at the farm," Patton said, and Thomas beamed.Â
"Thank you!"Â
The party continued on, sometimes making small talk, sometimes walking in silence, and the sun was hanging low in the sky by the time that Lauren raised up a hand, signaling the group to come to a halt.Â
"We're here!" she called.Â
Patton peered around the group, and saw what looked like a makeshift wall made of branches and scrap metal stretching out between the trees. He saw two figures silhouetted by the setting sunâs rays, and judging by how Lauren spoke to them, he figured they were on lookout duty. The little party went on through an opening in the wall, and followed the trail to where the campgrounds began proper.
It was reminiscent of the 4H camp Patton had gone to as a child, just with fewer animal pens. There were a few buildings scattered naturally into the woods that he supposed were cabins, with one slightly larger than the others that he guessed had once belonged to the camp director. They kept walking through the little group of cabins, past a few decrepit basketball courts and what Patton thought was an empty field at first before he realized it was a swimming pool that had long since overgrown. They passed all of this and approached the campâs main lodge: a large, two story building with wide double windows at the front. There were a few other people milling around, some of them carrying supplies, some just talking, and a few casting curious glances Pattonâs way.Â
âHow many people live here?â he asked, trying not to stare at what was easily the largest group of living people heâd seen since the outbreak had started.Â
âIncluding us? Around thirty,â Virgil said.
âIt feels more like a hundred,â Patton replied, looking around at the bustle of activity.
Lauren smiled kindly. âI guess it would, to you,â she said. âYouâve been isolated on that farm for so long.â
âSpare us the sob story,â Wade said as he and Virgil placed the chicken carrier down. âWeâve all got problems.â
âSome more than others,â Lauren muttered and Wade glared at her.Â
âCome on! Letâs go and find Dee!â Thomas said stopping any further arguments from ensuring.Â
He let go of Pattonâs hand and pulled open the door to the lodge before disappearing inside. The others trailed in after him, Patton falling behind the rest of the group; he was quite nervous if he was being honest with himself. No matter what Remus or Virgil had said, the decision of Patton staying at Eden was ultimately up to Dee.
There was a guy in a tattered checkered shirt and glasses sitting in the lobby, with dyed hair that had long since lost its vibrancy poking out from underneath a backwards baseball cap. He rose once he saw the group come in, and Lauren's pace quickened. She wrapped the petite figure in a hug as soon as she reached him, and Patton heard him grumble something, but he leaned into the hug anyway.Â
"Her brother?" he asked quietly, and Virgil shook his head.
"Her partner, actually. He has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, so he can't go out on raids with us. First thing Lauren does everytime she comes back is tell him she's okay."
âOh,â Patton said. âThat must be pretty hard on them.â
âThey manage,â Virgil shrugged.
After a short whispered conversation, Lauren turned back to face Patton. âThis is Kai,â she told him. âKai, this is Patton.â
âHi there,â Patton said as cheerfully as he could muster.
Kai nodded at him. âAnother person?â he muttered to Lauren. âYou think Dee will allow that?âÂ
âOnly one way to find out,â Lauren said. âWhere is he anyway?â
âMain hall,â Kai replied, lowering himself back down on the chair. âIâll wait for you here.â
âOkay.â Lauren kissed him on the forehead and the group continued forward.Â
As they walked deeper into the lodge, Virgil explained the buildingâs many purposes to Patton. There was a kitchen where they cooked and ate their food, they had turned the camp nurses office into an infirmary, a few extra rooms had become storage areas, and finally there was the main hall.Â
The main hall was the true heart of Eden, according to Virgil. It was where the residents held meetings, played old board games they had found or just hung out and spent time together. As they walked in, Patton could see a few groups of people scattered around the room, talking quietly amongst themselves.Â
âDeeDee!â Remus shouted suddenly, and he sprinted towards one of the clusters of people.Â
A man in an old cargo jacket and beanie started to turn around, but he didnât get very far before Remus had leapt onto his back.Â
After hearing the others talk about him, Patton had been pretty nervous to meet Dee, but seeing him allow Remus to ride around on his back like some kind of pet monkey made Patton second guess his worries.Â
Lauren must have known what Patton was thinking because she giggled and said,Â
âTrust me, Remus is the only person in this entire place who can get away with treating Dee like that.â
âHi DeeDee!â Remus squealed. âDid you miss me?â
âNot in the slightest.â The other man, Dee, replied dryly. âI was actually rather enjoying the solitude.â
âAww, I missed you too!â Remus said, giving Dee a sloppy kiss on the cheek.
âRemus, you are a menace.âÂ
âI love it when you talk dirty to me.â Remus cooed.
âGet off!â Dee snapped.
Remus pouted, but then he slid to the ground with a grin, and Dee turned to face the group.Â
âHowâd it go?â he asked, and one eyebrow quirked upwards as his eyes fell on Patton. âI take that it was an...eventful trip.âÂ
âThis is Patton,â Lauren said. âPatton this is Dee.âÂ
âNice to meet you,â Patton said, smiling as best he could.Â
Dee opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, Thomas rushed forward and threw his arms around Deeâs legs.Â
âDee!â Thomas cried. âGuess what?âÂ
âWhat?â Dee asked, his expression softening as he returned the hug.Â
âI shot my bow in a real, actual fight, and I hit a terminal more than once!âÂ
âOh, wow, you did? Thatâs great, Thomas!â
âI know! Patton said I was really useful!âÂ
âDid he?â Dee asked, looking up with Patton with an unreadable expression before looking back down to Thomas. âTell me something, little man, what do you think of Patton?âÂ
âI like him!â Thomas said immediately. âHeâs super nice, and he let me pet his chickens which are super fluffy, and he makes really good omelettes!âÂ
âIs that so?â Dee said, amusement clear in his voice, and Thomas nodded.Â
âUh huh! And heâs sad right now, which Virgil says is because he just lost his family, so I know how he feels. Maybe I could show him things that help me feel better when Iâm sad about mom.âÂ
Patton blinked back the sudden tears he found threatening to well up in his eyes as Dee looked up at him again.Â
âMaybe you could do that, Thomas. Iâm sure Patton would like that very much.â
Patton nodded dumbly, and Dee flashed him a grin.Â
âWell then Patton, welcome to Eden.âÂ
--- --- ---
Patton woke up to sunlight shining directly in his eyes and he let out a quiet groan, raising a hand to shield his face. Why had he left the curtains open? He always went to sleep with them closed-
âTime for archery!â said a cheerful voice.Â
Memories of the day before flooded his mind, and he groaned again, sitting up.Â
âThomas! Quietly! Weâre sharing this room now,â Virgil said, shooting Patton an apologetic glance.Â
âItâs fine,â Patton mumbled around a yawn.Â
It had been late when theyâd reached Eden last night, so heâd quickly been assigned a cabin where he would stay with around five other people, including Thomas and Virgil, to Thomasâs delight. There hadnât been much unpacking to be done in the small space, and Patton had quickly realized that for the foreseeable future, heâd be more or less living out of his bag.Â
Still, for a shelter during the apocalypse, it could be much worse. The cabin had two bedrooms with a bathroom between them, so even though there were five others staying there, it didnât feel too crowded.Â
Heâd fallen asleep the moment his head had hit the pillow.Â
Thomas waved sheepishly at Patton before hurrying out the door with his bow strapped to his back. Virgil moved to follow, but paused for a moment, looking back to Patton.Â
âTake as long as you need to get settled in,â he said. âIf you have any questions, you can ask pretty much anybody.âÂ
âThank you,â Patton said with a smile.Â
Virgil nodded in acknowledgement, then followed Thomas out of the cabin, leaving Patton alone.Â
Patton realized very quickly that he didnât like being alone.Â
He should have been used to it, after all, heâd spent years in isolation back on his familyâs farm. But that was different; even though thereâd been no contact with the outside world, heâd still had his family. Even the last week or so when Morgan had been...unwell, sheâd still been there. Heâd never truly been alone.Â
Patton was outside before he fully realized what he was doing, wandering a little aimlessly through the campgrounds. A few people glanced at him as he went past, but most seemed busy working and Patton didnât want to disturb them.Â
A flash of light caught his eye, and he turned to see the morning sunlight glinting off the surface of a lake a few yards away. He spotted a few archery targets on the bank as well, and he turned and headed in that direction, hoping that Virgil would be there...and hoping that if he was, he wouldnât find it weird that Patton had trailed after him like a lost puppy.Â
As Patton approached the lake, the first person he saw wasnât Virgil at all, but Dee. He was sitting on an old log bench with his back to the rest of the camp, and as Patton came closer he saw Thomas standing nearby with his bow drawn. Virgil was sitting on the bank a few yards away, throwing stones into the water and glancing in Thomasâs direction every so often.Â
âMind if I join you?â Patton asked him, fiddling with the sleeves of his jacket.Â
âBe my guest,â Virgil replied, and Patton sat down next to him, looking out across the water.Â
Patton was quiet for a moment, unsure if conversation was welcome, but Virgil broke the silence for him.
âYou get settled in okay?â he asked, tossing another stone into the water and glancing at Patton.Â
âYeah...I didnât have much to settle, really,â Patton admitted.Â
âIf youâre not comfortable with anything, just let us know,â Virgil said. âWe can figure something out.âÂ
âItâs quite comfortable, thank you,â Patton said with a smile.Â
âOkayâŚâ Virgil said, giving him a look. âSo whatâs wrong then?âÂ
âHuh?âÂ
âSorry if thatâs weird, I mean, you donât have to tell me, obviously,â Virgil said quickly. âItâs just...well, it seems like somethingâs bothering you.âÂ
Patton stared at him for a moment, then chuckled.Â
âWelp, youâre observant, aren't you kiddo?âÂ
Virgil shrugged.
âKinda have to be. Iâm raising an eleven year old by myself over here; Iâd be doing a pretty piss-poor job of it if I couldnât read people properly.âÂ
âYeah, I guess thatâs true,â Patton said, gazing back out across the lake.
âSo is there?âÂ
âHmm?âÂ
âSomething bothering you,â Virgil said, and Patton sighed.Â
âI donât know,â he said. âI think...I think Iâve just been running on nerves and grief and adrenaline for the past few days, and now I donât really know what to do with myself.âÂ
âI get that,â Virgil said, picking up another stone and turning it over in his hands. âI felt the same way when Dee and Remus brought me here. Iâd been pushing so hard to survive and to be there for Thomas, and then we were here and suddenly everything just...froze. Everything almost hurt more then than it did right when Mom died.âÂ
Virgil turned to Patton and offered him a small smile.Â
âBut it does get better eventually,â he said. âTheyâll give you a few jobs to do later today, and youâll meet the others, and before you know it things will start to feel almost normal.âÂ
Patton nodded slowly.Â
âThat makes sense, I guess. It was sort of the same on the farm, too...things werenât normal normal, but they were a new normal. I guess this is just the adjustment into another new normal.âÂ
âIâm not gonna pretend there wonât be growing pains,â Virgil agreed. âBut it hopefully won't hurt forever.â
He chucked the stone in his hands as far as he could, and it fell into the water with a loud *plop!* Patton looked down at the bank and selected a stone of his own, leaning back and sending it flying with a flick of his wrist. The stone skipped five times over the surface of the water before it sank, and Virgil let out a low whistle.Â
âNice. I can barely manage one skip.âÂ
âMy older brother taught me,â Patton said. âMy dad was the best at it though, we used to have contests on our pond and heâd beat us every time.âÂ
He flicked another stone, and it skipped four times before sinking out of sight.Â
âWhoa, that was so cool!â a voice exclaimed, and Patton looked up to see Thomas coming towards them, with Dee trailing behind. âDo that again!âÂ
Patton smiled, and selected another stone. Thomas watched in awe as he skipped it across the water.Â
âHow do you do that?â he asked.Â
âLots of practice,â Patton shrugged.Â
âCan you teach me?âÂ
Patton blinked, then a smile slowly spread across his face.Â
âIâd love to, Kiddo.âÂ
He patted the ground next to him and Thomas sat down, listening with rapt attention as Patton began to explain how to pick the best skipping stones. He glanced up at Virgil and Dee, who were wearing similar, fond expressions, and he smiled back at them.Â
Remus had been right...Eden may not be a paradise. But Patton was beginning to see how it could be a home.Â