What's Left [Prinexity]
AU: Apocalypse
TW: Swearing
WC: 2044
Date: 8/5/2021
"You're so crafty they said, you would be great to have around in an emergency they said," Virgil huffed as he continued to shift the trash to get to the parts that he needed. He was out looking for medical supplies, always a rare commodity, but he would settle for a few electronics he could strip. Honestly, Virgil had not been expecting to see the white plastic of a first aid kit buried in the pile he had been searching.
Pushing himself up the pile, he grimaced, his leg aching with the effort. Searching trash heaps wasn't always a safe occupation. He had done the best he could to patch himself up but he really needed some good bandages and maybe an antiseptic.
"What they forgot was that I have scrawny noodle arms!" Pulling things out of the pile was even more difficult without being able to put his weight on his leg, but he finally got the plastic container out, only for the pile to shift under him. He cursed.
In the past few years, the world had gone to hell. Turns out zombies were not only real but the virus that caused them could spread pretty fast. It was only Virgil's caution that kept him safe during the initial wave. The hoard spread quickly through society, especially towns like the one he lived in, but the infection also burned itself out pretty quickly. After taking its toll on the world, it faded into only a few cases, and those were fairly easily contained.
But society had suffered a destruction they couldn't easily come back from. Now Virgil was just trying to survive. He found a lot of what he needed in landfills, canned foods that could still be eaten, parts that could be used for purifiers, and a number of other things. It was disgusting, yes, but it kept him alive.
At least, it normally did. This time he had taken the risk and climbed a pile while his leg was still healing. Now, for his stupidity, he was either going to land on something that killed him, suffocate in a pile of garbage, or somehow survive but be miserable until he could find a place to clean off. Honestly, he wasn't sure which was preferable.
Virgil closed his eyes, resigned to his fate until he felt two muscular arms catch him and sweep him away from the falling trash. "You have to be careful there."
What was going on? Did he really just get saved? Maybe if he kept his eyes closed this would all go away. Other people were dangerous, they normally had an agenda and when life was on the line, a lot of scruples failed. Virgil took in a shaky breath, but the man did not go away. Slowly opening his eyes, he looked up at a man with dark skin and even darker hair. He had a gleaming smile and Virgil felt his heart skip a beat. He was handsome. His arms felt strong and protective, maybe he could relax just a little bit?
"Nope," Virgil immediately replied as he pushed himself away from the other. "Thank you for catching me, I'm off now."
"Wait," it wasn't a command, there was far too much hope and insecurity in his voice. "I was thinking we could work together for a bit since we're both here?"
"I work alone, Princey."
"Princey, do you think I'm a Prince?" Virgil could hear the smugness in his voice and he already knew playing with this man would be beyond entertaining, teasing him and messing with him, but Virgil wasn't going to get attached. He was trying to shake the blush off of his face. Being alone for so long apparently had made him weak to hot men with kind voices.
He didn't answer the other's question. He was just going to walk off and pretend this never happened, until he tripped again, his leg aching from the stress and strain. For the second time, he found himself caught by strong arms rather than the hard ground.
"Sure you don't need any help?"
He really didn't, but it might actually be good for him to have someone else around. Virgil fought with himself. "What do you get out of it?"
"Two sets of eyes are better than one."
Virgil hesitated. That was true, but medical supplies were rare for everyone. He didn't want what he needed to be stolen. "What are you even looking for?"
"I was sent out for..." he shuffled through his pants. "A wire that looks like this."
That was actually an easy find, Virgil had about six of those back at the house he called his.
"I can help you with that, but only if you help me with what I'm trying to get."
"Certainly, what exactly are you looking for, Maralyn Marose?"
"Med supplies,"
"That's a tough ticket to find, though we do have some back at our base. Anything specific?"
"Wait, we?"
"Yeah, I have a small group, I work with my brother who always goes off on his own to collect things, his boyfriend who is pretty amazing with gardening, the nerd who knows everything, including medical procedures, and the lying snake who keeps us hidden, and though I loathe to admit it, is pretty good at keeping us safe inside our walls."
"Wait, gardening, like, fresh vegetables?"
"Yeah, he's pretty good at it too."
Virgil could feel his mouth-watering, he hadn't had fresh vegetables in a long time. He had been barely surviving off old canned food he was able to scrounge up. It wasn't a healthy diet at all. "What kind of vegetables?"
"Oh, a couple of things. We have to work with what space we have, and all of that but Patton plants beans, corn, potatoes, and squash normally. Also a lot of garlic, I never thought I'd get so sick of garlic." He laughed a bit, but Virgil's mind was elsewhere.
Was he now considering going with this man purely for the food? Maybe.
"How about we strike a deal? You give me some of those veggies, and let me have a talk with your med boy, and I'll provide you the wiring you need."
"Really?" The man asked, clapping his hands together. "By the gods of Rome that would be amazing!"
"Yeah, yeah, pick your jaw up off the floor. Just remember, I have a few tricks up my sleeve so if you try anything I know how to stop you."
"I wouldn't try a thing, Storm Cloud."
Virgil rolled his eyes. "Come with me, I've got some of those at my place."
He was nervous about leading a stranger to the small house he had taken up as his own. He had been watching the place when the outbreak first happened and the owners never returned. Two years later, and they still hadn't made it back. Virgil figured he could claim it as his own. The government had pretty much fallen apart anyway, who was going to stop him.
They didn't get very far when Virgil felt the other man's eyes staring at him. "What?"
"You are limping."
"No shit."
"Were you bitten?"
"No, I sliced my leg a bit. Nothing that won't heal in a few more weeks."
"Is that why you were looking for med supplies?"
"Maybe."
"Would you like me to carry you?"
"What?"
"You are injured, I would be happy to carry you."
Virgil sputtered, "What, no, I don't need to be carried."
"Are you sure?"
The idea was tempting but no, he was completely self-sufficient.
"You know, Janus, one of the guys in our group, is constantly reminding us that it's okay to ask for help."
"Fine, yes, you can carry me. Just shut up." Virgil said with a blush, letting the man pick him up. The smirk on the other man's face made Virgil want to smack him, but he didn't. He needed to figure out how to get the upper hand again.
They got to his place, easily grabbed the cable that was needed, though, Virgil grabbed a few extras as well, just encase. Apparently, his companion was hopeless when it came to technology so Virgil could only assume what their setup looked like. He planned on walking to wherever this man's base was, but he was picked up again. Virgil wasn't extremely heavy, but carrying someone that long of a distance wasn't an easy feat. He was impressed, though he wouldn't admit it out loud.
When they got close, Virgil was surprised. This wasn't a house, it was a mansion. How was something that big defensible in any way shape or form? He could hear the slight buzz of electricity but without the power grids active how did they maintain that?
"Janus! I'm back." The man holding him shouted, "And I've got an injured, so lower the defenses."
"Really, your majesty can't even carry a damsel to safety properly, tsk tsk." Virgil could hear the sounds of clicks and the electric hum died. Who were these people?
"You really don't have to carry me," Virgil reminded... he hadn't even gotten the man's name yet. Shit, this was awkward.
"I really don't mind, we are almost there anyway."
"My name is Virgil, by the way."
"Roman," He answered with that same charming smile. "And welcome to our home."
As they walked through the door, another man, thin as a beanstalk, was already waiting for them. "I will take it from here Roman."
Virgil was finally lowered to his feet, his emotional defenses up. "Alright specs, I came here to trade tech cords for veggies."
"Yes, but you are also injured, so it would be a good idea for us to look at that first."
"LOGAN! I heard we have a sick kiddo!" Another man came running over, short with freckles all over his face; he had gardening gloves on and a kids frog hat.
"Yes Patton, I am doing my best to review his condition now. Would you mind setting an extra plate for him?"
"Of course."
Virgil watched him leave. "Quite the setup you have here."
"It certainly is, we simply need someone who is good at tech." Virgil looked down at the cords in his hands. Tech was probably his best skill.
"Aren't you more vulnerable in a large group like this?" He barely paid attention to Roman following behind them as Logan began to take him to a different area of the house.
"Now that the main viral threat has passed, we have found that sticking together typically helps us protect one another. It has also been beneficial to our emotional health."
Virgil swallowed hard at that. He knew that his isolation had been a bit rough on his mental health. There were plenty of days he didn't even want to get up, but it was different to hear it straight out.
Logan opened the door to a room with a padded table covered in a white sheet. "Alright, if I may, can I see your leg?"
"Yeah, sure."
He tried to ignore the prodding and poking of his leg as Logan took a look at it, instead, focusing on the sounds and smell of the house. Food was apparently cooking and it made Virgil's stomach growl.
"It looks like with proper care this could heal in a week or so. Do you have your own companions to return to?"
"Nah, I can handle myself alone."
"Absolutely not."
"What?"
"You are injured, I highly request you stay here until you are fully healed."
"Look, you don't need to take care of me."
"This is not about that. I may not be a doctor but I certainly do not recommend you being alone. What are you going to do if your leg starts showing signs of infection?"
"I can take care of myself."
"I'm sure you can, but for my own conscience, I do not recommend it."
"Fine, whatever, but if I'm going to stay, I'm helping with your tech issues."
"That would be beneficial."
"Welcome to the family Virgil," Roman said from behind him with that same stupid smugness.
Did he just get tricked into staying with them? He sighed, fuck it. He was ready for his next adventure anyway.
AN: Sorry this was late. I had a rough day yesterday and just couldn't post this.
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