An unfinished Ramon goes to the Wastelands to find his dad fic. (Yes the title is from Drag Path by Twenty One Pilots).
I teased this fic a while back (like back in February and I teased the idea of it in the CTNB zine discord before that), and though I don't see myself returning to it, it'd be good to not have it collect dust in my Ellipsus account. The line separations are there because I work disjointedly and would've later connected the scenes.
Trigger Warning for blood and death in the final paragraph and tags. Fic starts under the read more.
Many Mondays had passed by the time he finds them. Preciously resting on top of a beat up chest which used to store their spoils from their adventures. They're scratched to all hell, cracks in the glass waiting to erupt at even the slightest point of pressure. The leather strap rough, stitching loose in some places while tight in others. There's a pattern on one side, in a dirty yellow thread out of uneven stitching; a circle with a small slice cut out as if it was an open mouth waiting to consume the ghosts which haunted its wearer. Of which he had many.
But they were his. They were his dad's. And they're one of the few pieces of his dad that he has left. One of the few marks on this world he had left.
His dad always made a point of not leaving a trail behind. For someone could very easily trace it back to you. "Leave no crumb behind" was a mantra he could practically recite before he could sing most of the simple songs that they sung at school. Despite that, he made an effort for his son, as he grew older, to plant some roots. Even if those roots were replanted elsewhere more times than he was comfortable with, he had done it for his son. For his safety.
One day, though, he'd vanished. Without a single word. Just a simple acknowledgement as he put his son to bed, a reminder that he'd see him at the beginning of the week. He'd suggested, without explicitly stating so, that he go spend the weekend with his Pai and brother. They'd not had a weekend as a trio in a long time, and he'd had some important pieces of work to deal with. He knew there was a risk of his dad not returning, that his boss would lord something else over his dad's head. Holding him hostage in his own contract despite having fulfilled what was required of him. His dad's boss was sneaky like that.
The weekend was fun despite that knowledge weighing him down. He'd spent half of it with his Pai and brother, doing nothing of importance, just living as the age they were. The pain they'd endured previously seemingly vanishing behind laughter and song for just a moment. That moment didn't last long before he was whisked away by his uncle, put to work tinkering with a new machine he'd made in hopes that the pair could get it functioning smoothly before making several to inhabit his uncle's home. They had finished for the night with only a few tweaks to fix and bolts to tighten, with him being sleepily guided to Sunny's second bed, suffocated in plushies and pillows.
He hadn't stayed over on Sunday night; anticipation skyrocketing as he waited to know what his dad had spent his time doing. If the terms of his deal had finally been deemed complete. If he could finally be free from it all.
When Monday arrived, and he had awoken to a thin layer of dust on his dad's still made up bed. Which couldn't really be deemed a bed as it was just a single pillow and duvet on the cold cobblestone floor, a remnant of his time before. He had all but sprinted to his Pai's house at the bottom of the hill, tripping over weeds and his own feet a few times. Without caring if he woke up those several blocks away, he'd rushed in, shaking his Pai awake before his emotions became overwhelming.
‐--‐-----------------
Resting his head on his Pai's chest, he was comforted with coos and the feeling of his Pai's chest vibrating as he hummed a soft melody. It was one from before the big upheaval. From when he still lived in a slanting tower of stone. Words would not, could not, come out of his mouth no matter how hard he'd tried.
‐--‐-----------------
The idea hits him one day when he's at the Town of Fobo for a week, giving his Pai and Richarlyson a reprieve from him and his almost manic stewing. He hadn't spent a night at the Shit Shack since that first Monday. It was too soon. There was never going to be a day that wasn't too soon for him to be emotionally ready.
If he, somehow, found a way to contact Cucurucho to find where his dad's final coordinates on the Island were, maybe he could find him. It was a stretch, and he knew that, but he'd try anything. His dad would do the same for him. He'd attempted to explain it to his Uncle Tubbo, he had prepared diagrams and red string connecting his ideas on a spare corkboard he'd found laying around, but he'd quickly realised that pursuing Tubbo's aid fruitless when he finished and saw Tubbo's apprehensive face. He had Sunny to think about after all, he was their only parent and couldn't risk it.
He pleaded his case to anyone that would listen, receiving the same pitying looks and excuses that he had started to become internally bitter, despite his love for them. He'd worked solo for the following months, going on ventures to theoretical locations that he'd overheard some nights when he'd pretended to fall asleep.
‐--‐-----------------
He hadn't lasted long, not even lasting a full day before his second death was upon him. He hears the whoosh of someone flying by before he feels it. The sharp, diamond spear skewering him in his torso, blood trickling from the open wound slowly. It was within the hour that his vision began to fade, succumbing to the pain, dejection beginning to set in.
796 words | fluff and angst with hopeful ending | some TW's apply
TW: referenced canonical character death(s)
The light from the sunset, breaking through the forest and fence his dad had put up warmed his face as he rested. It was rare that he was able to have a moment of true peace, where no one would interfere, and he was thankful for it.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/66453940 <- links still don't work for me idk why
Coming home to my family afterward makes the work richer, easier and more fun.
Day 1 of the Hideduo Kiss Week Event by LazyCat
Day 1 prompt: Kiss on the cheek
1.6k words|stardew valley au family fluff| no TW's apply|ao3 link
After a long day in the mines, all Fit wants to do is sit at the fire with his husband Pac and their three kids, Richarlyson, Ramón and Rosa.
This is him doing exactly that and what comes after.
Fic under the read more
The sun set slowly as Fit was walking back to the farm from the mountains, having gotten up early to go mining for a quest put up by Shane on the questboard at Pierre’s shop. He was tired and he hadn’t seen Pac all day, both of them having important things to do, on and off the farm. Despite his exhaustion, he still felt like walking back to the farm instead of taking the rickety minecart that he had given away bars of copper, iron and gold to the community centre for its repair. He didn’t yet trust that it wouldn’t break down mid journey, so he took the scenic route; past Linus’ tent and the Carpenter’s Shop.
Pac, the night before, had insisted that he’d stay at the farm the next day, wanting to spend time with their sons Ramón and Richarlyson and daughter Rosa, wanting to get the new animals that they’d bought recently from Marnie to get acclimated to the farm. Fit smiled to himself, despite being the primary owner of the farm, it having been his grandfather’s before him, he would not have thought to try to acclimate the farm animals personally. He’d have just let them do their thing until they were comfortable enough for him to shear them or take their eggs. But that was very in nature for Pac, especially when he, while Fit went mining or to Calico Desert for the Skull Caverns, looked after their two boys and the newest addition to their family. Though that’s not to say that Pac didn’t also do those things, they took it in turns to go mining while the other spent time at the farm.
Reaching the northernmost point of the farm, Fit made a pit stop to the water bowl outside the house, refilling it with water from his watering can. It was a task that normally they’d let the kids do but Fit noticed it to be empty. He didn’t like their cat, at first; it being a mangy old thing that Ramón had fallen in love with when it had made its home underneath the covering over their small orchard. He ’d succumbed to the puppy dog look that his three boys pulled when he suggested moving the cat somewhere else. Having filled Katos’ bowl and emptied his items in their assorted chests, he headed into the house.
Their house was laid out in a pretty standard way, Fit thought, with the first room you entered from the front door being the living room with kitchen on the left, in an open plan design. On the furthest wall from the front door was a fireplace that he and Pac had built together, as the house when he first moved in had no central heating. It wasn’t built well, clearly having multiple repairs made to it over their time living on the farm but he loved it. It was a show of their love of their home. Of their life spent together.
Shouts too loud for the time it was could be heard from the armchair in front of the fire, followed by little footsteps that could only belong to his two sons. He crouched down, reaching their height as they bulldozed their way into his arms, feeling the full force of two young children slamming into his body.
“Well isn’t it good to be back home eh? I hope you boys have been behaving yourselves for your Pai,” Fit looks at the two boys in his arms, having stood up with a child in each arm.
They both nod before, in almost unison, rambling about what happened while he was gone, voices getting muddled as they spoke on top of one another. Fit nods as if he’s understanding the two, when in reality, their voices blend into one amalgamation that no one would be able to understand. The young boys don’t notice this however, both too engrossed in informing their dad of the day’s events.
He walks to where Pac was still sitting with their youngest child Rosa leaning on his chest, sleeping soundly. He gently lowers each of the boys back onto the armrests of the chair, ruffling Ramón’s wavy hair, knowing that it wouldn’t have the potential to badly affect the boy’s hair like it would Richarlyson’s tight, curled hair.
“Oi Fitchie. Tudo bem?” Pac talks quietly, aware of the sleeping toddler, eyes quickly taking in any visible injuries on Fit’s person. Fit smiles to himself at the action, feeling Pac’s love through his searching eyes. He had no injuries for Pac to treat but he allowed his husband to look for some anyways.
“Oh you know, the usual. Too many slimes and cave flies,” Fit reaches a hand out to cup Pac’s face before kissing his cheek, “I’ll let you continue the story while I shower and get ready for bed.” He emphasises the end of his sentence, knowing that his boys do not like the preemptive part of going to bed, but adored the actual act of sleeping greatly. Pac, as if their relationship was brand new and not several years old at this point, blushed scarlet at Fit’s action, still not fully used to the initially stoic man showing such affection.
He heads off to shower and as he walks away, he can hear Pac picking up from where he left off, midway through telling a story of an adventure of him as a teen with their Tia Bagi and Tio Cellbit. The trio were known as the ‘troublesome trio’ growing up, having grown up in Pelican Town unlike Fit.
Feeling fresh and mostly rested after his shower, Fit walked back into the living room to see Pac having finished his story with their two boys on the verge of sleep, resting their heads on his shoulders. Picking up Richarlyson softly, so as to not rouse him from his almost slumbering state, he leads Pac holding both Rosa and Ramón in his arms to the children’s bedroom. As the two boys were still young they shared a room while Rosa got the smallest room that connected to Fit and Pac’s room. Once the two grew older, they’d commission Robin to build another room in the house for whichever of the kids to move into.
Fit took off Richarlyson’s prosthetic, knowing the boy would be too drowsy to unhook the little bands and clasps, before tucking him into his bed. He also tucked Richarlyson’s hair into his bonnet, preventing the potential for his hair to frizz as he slept. His side of the room was a lot messier than Ramón’s, with a mural in its beginning stages being painted on one wall and paint supplies and sketches strewn across the floor. As Pac had told him once, if it had happened at the orphanage where he grew up, the culprit would’ve been forced to get rid of it themselves; sanding away the paint and giving the wall a fresh coat of whatever bland off-white they’d decided to paint that specific room.
To Fit’s right, he could see in his peripheral vision that Pac was doing the same with Ramón, tucking him in tightly and leaving a kiss on the top of his head before exiting the room. Fit followed after him, having leaned Ricarlyson’s leg against his bedside table so that it was in arm’s reach for when the child woke up. Ramón’s side of the room was no less messy, more it being an organised mess. He knew where everything was despite the numerous pieces of machinery he’d been tinkering with scattered across any available surface.
They go back to the lounge after having put Rosa in her crib, sitting together on the armchair despite them clearly not being able to fit comfortably. Speaking in quiet voices, they tell each other of their days; who they spoke to, what fofoca Pac managed to get and other such things. As they spoke, the crackles of the fire faded into background noise, the two solely focusing on each other with a slight ear out listening for the potential of Rosa waking up.
It’s late into the night when their conversation dwindles down, the need to sleep finally taking hold of their bodies. Pac kisses his cheek before lightly tapping his ass, signalling him to get up from his lap so that they could go to bed. It’s not a common motion for Pac to do, so it causes Fit to stutter and stumble slightly as he lifts himself from his husband’s lap and walks to their room, glancing briefly at all of the different adventures the family had been memorialised in a gallery wall.
Their room was decorated simply. With framed birth certificates for each of their children and the deed to the farm pinned to one wall. Their bed rested against another wall and was a successful experiment of Robin’s, and was kindly given to the pair as a wedding gift when she had heard Pac jokingly complain about Fit’s old bed. They walked to the bed, each choosing a side, before getting comfortable. They were both quite specific on how they slept; Fit needed flat pillows for he slept on his back, having needed to sleep that way when living in a rundown area of Zuzu City, and Pac needed fluffy pillows for he slept on his side facing away from the wall, needing to be aware of his surroundings at all times because of the hostility in the orphanage he grew up in. They fell into a deep sleep quickly, the events of the day fully catching up to the pair.
With the sound of chickens clucking and their other animals waking up, Fit rouses to a weight on his chest. Expecting it to be Pac, he rests his hand on their hair, only to feel the bonnet that he’d gotten Richarlyson to wear not even twelve hours prior. He lifts his head up slightly, looking to his side to see his position replicated but with Pac and Ramón, his heart warming at the sight.
A little nonsense now and then is cherished by the wisest men - 02/05/24
Day 2 of the Hideduo Kiss Week Event by LazyCat
Day 2 prompt: "Kiss on the forehead"
1.5k words| stardew valley au family fluff| no TW's apply| ao3 link
Pac's been gone for a few days, having travelled to Zuzu City for Bagi and Tina's wedding preparation.
This is his return; to see more sparkles on Fit's normally quite shiny head than he's used to seeing, to see his three kids lounging around the fireplace, to see home once more.
Fic underneath the read more
Rain lightly hits the closed windows as the sound of smooth jazz plays from a worn down vinyl player in the living room of the farmhouse. Fit and their three children had been huddled in the house all day, not wanting to get sick after having just recovered from the winter common cold that had rampaged through the town just a week prior. With no major farm activities to complete due to the weather, they all sat in the living room. Fit sat on the floor with Rosa on his lap, with a multitude of sticker sheets strewn across the floor all in arms reach. Katos lay sleeping in front of the fire, soaking in any and all heat he could get. Ramón and Richarlyson sat together on the armchair facing towards the fireplace as they drew in their personal notebooks. It had been a task their teacher Penny had assigned them a little while back, having not completed it due to being busy with the animals or personal projects.
All distracted by what they were doing, none of them visually noticed the front door opening, however they did feel it. Spring had not fully hit yet, no matter what Mayor Lewis’ calendar stated, the wind still clasped onto the sharp coldness of the previous winter. Fit slightly turns his head towards the door, feeling a little hand place another of many stickers meaning to go on his head and it landing on the curve of his ear as he sees Pac enter the house.
“Oi Pac,” Fit speaks, not quite looking at Pac fully, alerting the kids to their Pai’s return from Zuzu City. He’d been gone for a couple of days to help two friends plan their wedding as one of the bride’s bridesman. They could have only afforded the one person going out of town due to the low but expected profit made over the winter, so with Bagi and Tina’s wedding coming up, it only made sense for Pac to visit Zuzu City briefly. Both Ramón and Richarlyson ditch their schoolwork upon seeing their Pai at the door, haphazardly tossing it behind them on the armchair as they quick-walk to their Pai, having missed him greatly. Pac crouches down to his boy’s heights before hugging them, giving them each a kiss on the forehead.
“Boa tarde filhos, go finish your work. You know, Penny might not let you go on the beach trip in the summer if you don’t complete your work.” Pac looks up at Fit, still sitting on the ground with their Rosita, to see a vast array of stickers scattered on his head with no visible empty patches. They made eye contact briefly before Rosa placed another sticker on Fit’s face, this time his cheek. He chuckled before turning his attention back to their sons, who had gone back to finishing their homework. He walked to where Fit sat, leaned down and placed a kiss on a star sticker that was quite central on Fit’s forehead, before heading to their ensuite to rinse off a day of travelling.
It’s a few hours after Pac’s return when they make the kids dinner and slowly wind down for the night with a board game or two. Half-hearted arguments started due to Richarlyson sneakily stealing money from the bank when they played what was supposed to be a quick game of Monopoly. Rosa had been put to bed once dinner had ended, tired from all the excitement of covering her dad’s head with stickers. They each kissed her forehead as she fell asleep in the toddler bed, having recently grown out of the crib.
Richarlyson had stuck close by his Pai since his return, having missed him more than he had let on to Fit. Once it had hit the boys’ bedtime, Richarlyson had almost completely fallen asleep on Pac’s shoulder, not paying the slightest attention when Ramón managed to sink all of his battleships.
“Você está cansado, filho? Você quer que a gente coloque você na cama?” Pac murmurs softly. He feels Richarlyson nod his head against the joint between his neck and shoulder.
Each hoisting one of their sons in their arms, they, just like any other night when the two of them were home, took them to their joint bedroom. They followed the usual night routine of taking off prosthetics, putting on bonnets, putting glasses on the bedside table, finding plushies across the room for them to cuddle and ending with a lullaby each, with Fit singing for Richarlyson and Pac singing for Ramón. Keeping to the same night schedule had been an important aspect of their lives that they had fought to keep, no matter how the hecticness of farm life threw a wrench in their plans.
Seeing the two boys fall asleep, Fit stands up from the edge of Richarlyson’s bed with Pac doing the same from the other side of the room before leaving quietly. As they leave, their hands join in the middle, and they walk to their bedroom.
“You know, it looks like you had a fun day today.” Pac speaks jovially, gesturing with his spare hand to Fit’s head. He hadn’t realised just how many stickers had been needed or used to cover the entirety of Fit’s head, but seeing it up close, it amazed him.
“Yeah, Richas was given some sticker sheets by Emily and he gave them to Rosa. Fast forward a couple hours and this is the result.” Fit replies, recounting what Richarlyson had told him earlier that day. They talk about Pac’s trip to Zuzu City and how as one of Bagi’s bridesmen, he had to get a suit fitted and how excited she seemed. The wedding was not for another season or so but Bagi and Tina’s insistence to get their accompanying bridesmaids and bridesmen outfits sorted early was a definite bonus.
Pac entered the bathroom first, turning on the overhead light and gathering some cotton balls and rubbing alcohol in case any of the adhesive was particularly tricky to get off. Fit followed suit, sitting on the edge of their shower bath, enjoying the serenity of the moment.
Peeling the stickers off from Fit’s head is a process that Pac knows they’d repeat sometime in the near future, with their daughter’s current obsession being stickers. It’s in their ensuite bathroom where they task themselves with removing them all, only to reveal red patches of skin where the stickers once were.
“Fitch, you know, you might have to stay at the farm tomorrow. Unless you want everyone to ask why your head is like that.” Pac points to all of the red patches, he chuckles to himself at the thought; seeing a town member’s reaction to Fit’s patchy bald head.
Fit sighs, still peeling off stickers as he speaks, “yeah. I did wonder why my head was itching the whole time. I guess I’m allergic to the adhesive or something.” He turns his head from side to side, perceiving all of the visible red patches before continuing to peel off stickers one section at a time. He sighs before chuckling lightly as he feels Pac take a step back before hearing the sound of a camera shutter. He turns around to see Pac giggling to himself, undoubtedly sending the photo to everyone that they knew.
“Pac, you know Phil’s gonna be on my ass about this forever right? Like, I’m not gonna be able to do anything without him bringing it up?” Fit lightheartedly mentions not feeling betrayed by his partner. He’d almost expected it, Pac could be quite mischievous at times and this was evidently one of those times. This was just one of the many shenanigans his husband had taken part in, undoubtedly not being the last.
The sounds of notifications on both Pac and Fit’s phones explode as their friends see the message, with the most common response being some form of laughter. Phil sends Fit a voice message of him cackling, struggling to breathe due to how funny he found it. Others message with concern over the red splotches, to which Fit responds in kind that it’ll soon disappear and that it was nothing to worry about.
“Okay. Okay. You’ve had your fun. Now let’s get the rest off me and get to bed. If I’m not leaving the farm tomorrow, I want to wake up early so I can do everything.” Fit says, simultaneously amused by their friends' reactions and tired from entertaining their three very energetic children. Pac returns to his previous spot, behind Fit where he couldn’t see the number of stickers placed on the back of his head.
It didn’t take very long, the two working quickly so that they could enjoy the comfort of their bed sooner. As the last sticker is taken off Fit’s head, he turns around to face Pac, pressing a kiss on his forehead with a quiet thank you in Portuguese before walking to their chest of drawers for clothes to wear to bed with Pac following behind.
They get into bed, covers pulled over their shoulders, cuddling after not having been able to for the previous few days, enjoying the comfort of each others presence as they fell asleep.
He could never escape the sterile quartz that the Federation used in every building. It would haunt his nightmares, both waking and not.
A deeper look into Ramón's first and last day on Quesadilla Island, from his perspective.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
"Against a dark sky, all flowers look like fireworks'
2,343 words | family fluff with background angst | TW's apply |
TW: some dissociation and mentions of death
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Nightmares, flowers, past alliances and fireworks.
Not too much of an unusual day for Fit. Except for his boyfriend who isn't physically responding to his surroundings after a nightmare
