we survive; we always survive (a dark comedy)

[ladygawain]

summary: a vicious and mysterious zombie epidemic wipes out whole cities across the united states, leaving our girls with no option but to take to the road on a mad-cap roadtrip that might never end (until they run out of gas, that is). during this adventure, bonnie, caroline and elena discover just how much they're willing to do to survive. this

Comments

[scorpiod1]

I can't count all the ways this is flawless and perfect and I seriously love everything about this; the atmosphere, the visceral gritty details of a zombie apocalypse, how it's boring after a while, the way survival wears them down until they only have the energy to focus and care about each other (which is not that different from canon) and how you mix that in with humor (Punch it! xD). I can't even pinpoint which scene was my favorite because everything is kinda amazing but Caroline feeding on Bonnie while Elena watched just really stuck with me (and also Bonnie just grimacing while Elena feeds on Ryan, the better you die than I, Jeremy's death, them curling up together to sleep and that bit near the end where with feathers, my heart ). I love everything, basically.

[ladygawain]

Thank you!

I loved Elena watching Caroline feed on Bonnie--something voyeuristic and just hungry about it.

Yay, I'm glad you liked it :)

[pocochina]

oooh, I really like this exploration of these three as the survivors they are, and how you captured TVD gallows humor tone so well.

[ladygawain]

Thank you v. much--these three and their survival skills, but they each have such distinct modes of survival too, were fun to play with.

[angryzen]

Hands on my face and stars in my eyes. I don't do zombies, but I like this. My favorite parts are Caroline feeding on Bonnie while Elena watches without blinking (because that's very important) and them asking Bonnie to cast a spell. There's something so innocent about the latter.

Ugh, I miss sex.

Me too.

Well, I never actually got to have sex-but I miss it in theory.

Loser.

Shut up.

So sad. I trust they showed her what she'd been missing.

Bonnie killed Jeremy.

I take what I can get. What?

I imagine most of the dialogue taking place between Caroline and Elena (since it wasn't specified for the most part), but Bonnie would suggest keeping the guy. And they'd look at her like, "I never expected that would come from you," and it would only be because they weren't paying close enough attention. It happens more in Fandom than it does in canon, but eh. You captured it here

[ladygawain]

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! But zombies are such sparkling characters, bb :)

(yes it is so important, that scene was the actual sex scene of the story tbqh)

And you can be rest assured Caroline and Elena showed Bonnie everything she was missing and more.

Lol, I put that in for you, if anyone's going to get to kill Jerbear, it's going to be Bonnie Bennett. Accept no substitutes.

It was mostly Caroline and Elena except for the bits with the obvious moral conscience like you picked out, and where it's clear there's a third voice coming. But that bit where someone asks if what they're doing is wrong, I wrote as Bonnie being the one to do the justification and Elena and Caroline showing a bit of unsureness. Lol, it's mixed in some spots, I guess.

Hee, yes thank you, that was one of my favourite bits just because Bonnie's as complicit in this mess as the rest of them but she's always so uncomfortable in that space because of her many issues with morality blahblah.

Thank you, my dear!

p.s. i miss you.

[angryzen]

Lol, I put that in for you,

This makes me so happy!!!!! Thank you!

I forgot to say that another scene I loved was the sleeping arrangement with Elena always having a crushing hold on Bonnie's hand and even when Bonnie protests, she barely loosens up.

Yeah, I picked up on that one because of the amendment from "You" to "We don't have a choice."

No problem!

And I miss you too!

[ever_neutral]

Ugh, this is gruesome and depressing and all the excellent things.

Elena was a clinger. She clutched Bonnie’s hand in a claw-like grip that didn’t let up even in the deepest parts of the night, almost as though she was afraid they’d all disappear.

Nooooooooooooooooooooo

“You know, Katherine always used to say this thing-‘better you die, than I.’” Elena murmured, “I think maybe she was right.

MY FEEEEEEEEELS

“Ugh,” Caroline huffed from her spot at the foot of the bed, “Zombie apocalypses are boring.”

Teehee, this is so delightfully Caroline.

And of course I love the measures they eventually take for survival and their ultimate acceptance of it: That's what we do.

[ladygawain]

Thank you, thank you!

Yesssssss, forever girl.

Katherine-Elena knowledge exchange (I have heard that in the unwritten sequel to this story, Katherine runs into these three about 100 years letter when there are only pockets of humans left and a bunch of vampires, good times.)

Always.