Chapter Text
Tommy knows the sun must still be there, sitting above the clouds. He knew that because every single day, the cycle of light gray to midnight black skies ebbs and flows as if the morning and night had never ceased. They continue their cosmic dance even as the creatures below go through their lives trying to figure out a new normal.
Even after ten years, normal felt like a foreign concept with the eternal winter. Nobody was prepared for freezing temperatures nearly every night and snow that never really seemed to end. Of course, there were warmer and cold months, but even the warmer months considered the ‘summertime’ wasn’t the weather you went to the beach in. Summer as he knew it didn’t exist anymore.
Tommy missed summer.
His childhood memories might be fragmented, but he recalls those hot and humid days. The ones where you can’t help going to the pool. He remembers getting sunburnt and his mother scolding him because she had warned him to wear more sunscreen. He can’t quite remember his response, but it must have been good enough to appease her. A trip to America where he saw lightning bugs for the first time, catching the fireflies in his tiny hands only to set them free. Spelling out his name with a sparkler while his parents stood smiling.
When the war started, he was only six, and his parents had stopped smiling. He didn’t know what their hushed whispers about tensions between Russia and the United States meant, but he remembers the fear. Fractured memories of panic and preparation for the worst-case scenario should nuclear war start. Nobody knew the worst lurked in the shadows long before the bombs ever dropped.
“They disguise themselves as our friends and neighbors while wearing our faces. Making themselves familiar to us while ending up truly being something to be feared and loathed. Something to be avoided by all means possible. Some would say they are alluring and terrifying, like a poisonous flower. Pretty enough to draw you into it and deadly enough to make that one mistake your last.
“Immortal bloodsucking parasites that used to reside on the edges of society are now among us. The Sun no longer rises to keep them tucked away in the shadows, so they roam free. They believe wholeheartedly they are superior to us in every. Single. Way. Even to the extent that they call themselves the Chosen Ones.
“We call them Vampires in our myths and stories.”
Tommy paused, his blue eyes staring at the radio station console. He didn’t believe there was anyone out there to hear his pleas. However, his doubts were not echoed by his tech genius best friend. After all, it was Tubbo’s idea to use the radio station to try and bring in more survivors from further out. Tubbo wanted society to be possible again despite the odds set against them. Unfortunately, Tommy thought this escapade was more likely to draw attention from Shades or Kings than it was to bring in survivors.
“This is utterly useless, Tubs. There probably isn’t even anyone out there in the first place! We haven’t seen another survivor or a camp in at least four years, so I doubt there will be people from even further away interested in joining our little group,” Tommy sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. His eyes darted back up to Tubbo, starting a little staring contest with the shorter of the two teens.
Tubbo’s green eyes bore right back into Tommy, trying to hold him in place. The brunette was headstrong and blunt, two things that Tommy couldn’t help but admire in the older boy, but that meant he was more reckless as well. Danger clings to Tubbo’s skin like a blanket because the teen disregards the hostile world as something as harmless as a fly. A trait that Tommy loved to hate as it left Tommy saving Tubbo’s sorry ass several times as a result.
“Listen, Big Man, we don’t know if things might be different across the channel! What if someone came here and didn’t know what they were in for?! We can give them that knowledge that could save their lives,” Tubbo paused, tilting his head, “Well, I mean, you could, seeing as you’re the current Vampire expert. It will work; just trust me, Toms.”
Tommy rolled his eyes and huffed in response.
“Tubbo, you know I trust you, I really do man. This just- I mean- I don’t think this will work. I’ll try it, though. Only for your sake, but that’s it.”
Ocean blue eyes darted back to the console, a deep sigh escaping Tommy’s chapped lips. He dreaded talking about his own experiences with the bloodsuckers. It always ends up bringing back unwanted memories of the times before he and Tubbo were safe. When Tommy thought that his uncle had died along with his parents, it was on him to keep himself, Tubbo, and the other remaining kids in the neighborhood safe. The times when it was hard to keep his promises.
“Vampires are a bit more complex than we ever really heard about before the Winter. While some of the old stories hold truths, there’a a lot of differing accounts. For example, while speed and the need for blood are accurate, there are more differences than similarities to the myths. They have types. My group and I have discovered three distinct ones, but there could be more we don’t know about. This ‘type’ dictates a lot about behavior and appearance. It also shows their hierarchy in the metaphorical Vampire Food Chain.
“The first type we lovingly call Blighters. These bastards are more deformed vampires that look more like monsters than humans. A huge identifier is when their skin turns jet black at their fingertips, and they become very distorted. Almost like balloon animal versions of people all knotted and shit. They don’t think about anything but blood either. I tried to talk to one once; it didn’t exactly end in a conversation, and more that they tried to rip my throat out. They get all animalistic and shit like they don’t know anything but the hunt. Which is weird because they move in packs, so we think maybe higher-class vamps are controlling them because their behavior sometimes is too fucking perfect to be anything else.
“Shades are the second type and by far more intelligent than Blighters. While Blighters look like SCPs, Shades are scarier, in my opinion. Like they are all wise and shit, and they look human if you don’t know how to tell the difference. Y’know those cheesy vampire B-List movies from before the Winter? They don’t sparkle like in ‘Twilight’ because that shit is cringe, but-”
“Twilight was pretty good and not cringe at all. I quite liked it, Toms,” Tubbo interjected, much to Tommy’s dismay. Tommy groaned audibly and rolled his eyes.
“Of course you liked it; you’re a sap and cringe yourself. You like whatever movies we can find.”
“I am not a sap or cringe I’ll have you know!”
“You cried to Up-“
“So did you, Tommy! You cried during the parts that weren’t even sad!”
“Hey, that’s not fair; You know I love animals, okay? You don’t see them much anymore,” Tommy had been torn up about not seeing that many animals since the Winter started, and Tubbo knew that. Bringing that up against Tommy was foul play, in his opinion.
“We can argue more about this later Tubs; how much time do we have left with the genny?”
Tommy was obviously a master at changing the subject. While he would usually congratulate himself on his extraordinary ability to avoid discussing feelings and shit, he had to talk about the one thing he hadn’t addressed in close to a year in front of other people who weren’t Tubbo. Which is a little nerve-wracking because Tubbo is the only person Tommy had told the nitty gritty details to ever.
“It’s looking like roughly fifteen more minutes before the generator runs out of power, give or take a few minutes on that estimate,” Tubbo answered, eyeing said generator warily. Tommy really hoped that approximation was accurate because he wasn’t exactly sure how well he could talk about the experience that literally shaped his outlook for the next eight years.
Tommy took a sharp breath and tried to steel himself in the face of the inevitable outcome. Even he, as big of a man as he was, had to admit that Tubbo was right; Tommy was one of the few to get close enough to one and live to tell the tale, making him the resident expert on the subject. If there were any survivors, they needed to know the truth about the beasts that murdered most people he had ever known in cold blood.
“As much as I would love to be able to explain the third type to you… Well, I mean, if you really do end up with the short end of the stick and encounter one, my advice won’t actually matter. The big thing is trying to avoid them at all costs. Do whatever possible to steer clear because they won’t hesitate to kill you in the blink of an eye. I’m damn near certain they are at the top of the food chain, because if there is someone- or something- above them then we truly are fucked as a race.”
As Tommy spoke, the radio station melted away. He was there again, surrounded by the younger children and trying hard to ensure everyone got out alive. He saw everything as if it were happening all over again, but Tommy knew that couldn’t be possible. They were already dead, and there was nothing he could do to save them. Tommy sealed their fate when he made eye contact with that shitty little Crow.
Tommy forced himself to keep going, though. Forced himself to keep speaking and push the information out there while trying to shove down the sensations that thinking about it brings.
“We started to call them Kings. They have areas they stick to. On either side of Brighton, we know of two separate territories. One seems to be run by the Goat and the Pig runs the other. Shades and Blighters listen to them in ways I’ve never seen. They are terrifying.”
Tommy bit his lip hard enough to fill his mouth with iron in an attempt to try and forget. He could feel his breath start to speed up and the chill of the Winter air filling his lungs as if he were still running from the Blighters and Shades that hung onto the Crow’s every word. In a few moments, Tommy went from a punk ass eight-year-old with an authority problem to a more serious and trauma-ridden child that put the burden of protecting everyone else onto himself. The thought made his stomach turn in protest.
“The only other story I have ever heard about them involves a King taking the form of an animal, but please don't underestimate that appearance. They’re the size of normal animals, so it might not be easy to tell the difference, but you can feel something is different. It is suffocating and overwhelming in all the worst fucking ways.
“It felt like staring into the face of death, and she stared right back. Like it could pinpoint every vulnerability I have ever and will ever have. Handpicking the best way to slaughter us one by one until no one was left. Except for me. I made it out alive. Unfortunately, the people I was with weren’t so lucky.”
Tommy could see the blond hair and cat-like blue eyes staring into him when the Vampire took human form. The Blighters and Shades rushing past him as if Tommy didn’t exist and right to the people he swore to protect. Tommy could feel the lump in his throat thicken with the urge to cry. He missed them so much it was nearly unbearable. He forcefully pushed it down by clenching his fists, making crescents in his palms.
“Avoid them. If you see one, you’re probably already dead,” Tommy knew tears and pain coated those final words, but he was incapable of keeping it at bay. It was a tsunami coming to shore, and Tommy knew he couldn’t hold it back for long.
Tubbo made eye contact with Tommy as if he were about to protest, to make him speak more about Kings and as a result the incident, but something in Tommy’s expression must have made Tubbo swallow his words. Maybe it was the shadows that seemed to deepen his face and make him appear twenty-six rather than sixteen. God, this world had really put them through Hell.
“I’m done, Tubs; turn this shit off.”
Tubbo nodded wordlessly in response. The green-eyed boy made his way over to the microphone before gently nudging Tommy to make room for himself. Tubbo gently uncurled Tommy’s clenched fist and interlocked their fingers together tightly before daring to speak again.
“For anybody able to hear this broadcast, our base of operations is in a church in Brighton. You will know the one when you see it. We have food, water, and other supplies. If you need anything, please come see us and be safe in your travels.”
Tubbo gave Tommy’s hand a final short squeeze before quickly and efficiently working to turn off the broadcast and the generator. To Tommy, the process seemed streamlined and practiced. Almost like Tubbo had been planning to use the radio station long before he told Tommy it was even a thing.
“-enough gas… single broadcast, but… explanation.”
Tommy nodded in response, not quite grasping all the words, but acknowledging them nonetheless. He knew Tubbo hated it when Tommy didn’t recognize what he was saying.
“Did you hear me?” Tubbo turned back around to his best friend. Tommy hadn’t moved much, nodding again, eyes glued to the console. There was a far-off look in his eyes as if he were still trapped in the past.
Tommy tried to breathe properly while Tubbo gently returned himself to Tommy’s side, curling himself as close as he dared and re-lacing their fingers. Tommy appreciated Tubbo’s company as a mantra of “You’re not there” and “You’re safe” tumbled from the brunette’s lips. Tubbo’s free hand found itself untangling the knots in the younger boy’s wild curls, another gesture that Tommy appreciated greatly. Tubbo always knew how to bring the blonde back to himself.
When Tommy found himself fully back to Earth, the two continued to sit there in the radio station’s peaceful silence. The pair had no idea how much time had passed in the outside world, but they didn’t really care as they relished in their makeshift paradise. They were in their own little universe where nobody could harm them, at least for that moment. In that moment, all they had was each other.
“We might have to get going or I think Sam will kill us,” Tommy said softly, finally breaking the quiet. Tubbo hummed in a soft acknowledgement of what the blonde boy said. Despite Tommy pointing out the ‘threat’ to their lives, neither one of them made a move to untangle themselves for a few more minutes. They savored their closeness before Tommy removed himself from the cuddle pile and began checking their bags for the trip ahead.
“Toms, I think Sam is gonna kill us anyways. We can’t leave…”
Tommy looked up from the bags with a concerned look. “The fuck does that mean?”
Tubbo pointed to the window wordlessly. Tommy’s blue eyes flickered to the glass pane to see the ‘Sun’ had mostly gone down, making it too dark to travel. A loud half groan half laugh left the blonde’s lips as he drug his hands down his face in frustration.
“You have got to be kidding me right now! Both Sam and Puffy are going to have a fucking field day when we get back tomorrow morning.”
“Not if the Blighters have anything to say about it,” Tubbo said while rejoining Tommy to begin unpacking their bags once more. Tubbo earned a punch in the shoulder for the Blighter remark, which Tommy totally thinks he deserved.
“Hey! Don’t get mad at the messenger, asshole.”
Tommy glared at Tubbo and started to roll out the sleeping back they brought in case of an emergency along with some dried meat and chips to eat for dinner. It wasn’t much, but it would get the teens through the night and in the morning they could eat the granola bars Ponk had made for breakfast. They got settled, leaning onto one another, while they ate in silence.
Silence wasn’t really Tommy’s strong suit though.
“Tubbo?”
“Yeah Tommy?”
“Do you ever think about what life would be like without the Winter or the Vampires?”
A pause hung heavy in the air between them. It was an innocent question, but one that was loaded. There was no right or wrong answer and Tommy was genuinely shocked he hadn’t thought of asking before they got themselves into this situation.
Tommy could hear Tubbo let out a soft sigh from across the room, “Of course, what kind of question is that?”
There was laughter in Tubbo’s voice, but it wasn’t the kind that Tommy couldn’t help but join in on. It was the cold laugh that comes with not knowing how someone might respond to an answer. The kind of bitter laugh that accompanied the feeling of restlessness when thinking of the past.
“What would you do?” Tommy readjusted so he was looking at the green eyed boy’s profile intently. He watched as Tubbo pursed his lips as if debating his answer.
“I would like to run a country one day with you. Experience all the things we never got to since the Winter. We could go to amusement parks and ride all the biggest and scariest rides while telling Sam to fuck off if he tried to tear us away for a moment. Maybe we could go to France and see the Eiffel Tower, or maybe we go to America instead? I read that it was an interesting place before the bombs dropped. Maybe New York City is still intact? Oh! Or the Arch thing in that one state that sounds like it’s named misery. I read about how it was the “Gateway to the West” and people used to go there all the time because of how tall it was!”
Tubbo’s voice got more and more excited as he went on. He gushed about all the things that life had to offer and how they would go see all of it and more. Tommy felt himself smile as he avoided getting his by Tubbo’s hands as he rambled about the Seven Wonders and Japanese culture. Tommy loved it when Tubbo talked.
“-you don’t seem super interested in the idea of anime or manga, but I promise it would definitely be fun!” Tubbo turned to meet Tommy’s eyes and the blonde couldn’t stop himself from saying something he knew Tubbo wouldn’t like, but was a promise he would keep.
“I will protect you, no matter what.”
Those seven words were all it took for Tubbo’s face to fall. Tommy almost regretted saying them out loud, but there was no going back now.
“Tommy, you need to protect yourself too,” Tubbo said, eyebrows furrowed in disappointment, “You matter more than you give yourself credit for.”
“But Tubbo I-“
“No!” Tubbo stood, ignoring how the blond reached for him to sit back down. “I won’t listen to another fucking word! Not when all you’re going to do is talk about how much I need protecting!”
“Tubbo, please just listen-“
“Fuck that! Toms, you don’t trust me.”
The words were like a knife in Tommy’s heart. Tubbo was right though, Tommy didn’t trust him. Not completely. Tommy didn’t trust anybody, not even the ones closest to him in the world. He couldn’t even trust himself.
Tommy slowly rose, treating Tubbo like a wild animal that would run away at any sign of erratic movement. He placed his hand on Tubbo’s shoulder gently.
“You know that’s not what I meant, Tubs.”
When the older teen didn’t protest his statement, Tommy continued.
“I want us to see the Sun again. Together. I would do anything , be anything , for that to happen.”
Tubbo huffed, but seemed to accept his response.
“We will, but you have to trust me a little more.”
Tommy nodded, if only to shelve the conversation for a later date. He sat back down on the sleeping bag, carefully pulling Tubbo down with him. Tubbo obliged and the two laid down face to face.
“I love you, Tubbo,” Tommy said as he bumped their foreheads together softly.
Tubbo snorted lightly and bonked their heads together with a little more force. “I love you too, dumbass. Now go to sleep, we are already going to die. I don’t want to see how Puffy or Sam would react if we showed up exhausted.”
Tommy made a noise of affirmation. The blonde waited for his companion’s breaths to even out before allowing the blanket of sleep to consume him into nothingness.