Archive of Our Own ^beta

An alarm blared for just a moment and Jozu carefully unlocked a peephole and looked outside before unlocking and pulling up the metal shutter next to it. The morning sun shone in through the window and everyone in the room let out a shuddering but relieved breath as the light his their faces.

The brothers immediately going around to hug each other and clapping others on the back.

“We made it out.”

“We survived.”

“Gotte live another year!”

“These things seem to take longer every year, so glad it’s over.”

Marco too was immensely relieved as he was in a tight hug with his old man. It was all thanks to their Pops that their family made it out of this damned yearly event.

When the purge first took its appearance 10 years ago, everyone thought it was a joke. Why would the government organize something like this? And who would even want to participate in that? And even if it did happen, people would just do silly things or at most steal some cars, not like… brutally murder anyone they wanted… right?

Wrong.

They were so wrong.

The very first night of the purge they almost lost their brother, Thatch. He still has a nasty scar on his abdomen from where he was stabbed by their own brother, Teach.

Just like they often did, they had an movie night at Thatch’s place. The location always switched and sometimes almost all brothers joined, while other time just a few. But they always had fun anyway.

To make fun of the purge, they had made this a horror movie night. While Marco, Izou, Jozu and Namur had been prepping things in the house. Getting the popcorn ready, pouring out soda’s and beers, pulling down the white screen and starting up the beamer to get a real movie like feel, Thatch had gone outside to his porch to pull in one of the cushioned law chairs for Jozu. The man was above average size and the lawn chair was perfect for him to lay on fully.

All was well until they heard Thatch’s agonizing screams. Getting outside they found Thatch standing hunched over and a big figure next to him. Izou ran to Thatch, asking what was wrong, but the other just held his side as he groaned.

It was Marco that saw the glint of a knife from the stranger when the big man raised his arm, presumably to stab again. Without thinking Marco threw himself to the big man, successfully making him stumble and slip on the stairs behind him. There was a loud crack when he fell down and landed on the concrete below, but they didn’t care as Marco focused on his brother that was bleeding.

They had tried to call 911 but… the line was disconnected. A message playing that the number would be unavailable until dawn. It was then that they realized this purge was real, even more so when the next day no one got in trouble for what they did the previous day. Not even if murders had been captured clearly on camera.

For them the next morning had been even worse then they thought. While Marco, with his knowledge as a doctor, had been able to save his brother’s life by using whatever the man had had in his home. That didn’t prepare them to find another one of their brothers at the bottom of the steps from the porch.

Teach. Marshal D. Teach, one of their beloved brothers and had been with them since they were children. They had screamed and tried to rustle him to get him to wake up, even if the big pool of blood around his head and the coldness of his body had been a clear sign he was already long gone. Whilst shaking him, the sound of metal pulled their gaze to their big brother’s hand, a knife. There was a knife in his hand.

Dots already connected in Marco’s head as he had been the one to push the attacker down. And one look at Thatch’s ring camera showed no one else came up to their porch that night, so even without night vision on the camera, the man who attacked Thatch was the same as who laid dead on the ground. Their brother who had always loved Thatch’s cherry pies had tried to kill him.

It was hard to accept for everyone and they all still attended the funeral, even if they’ll never know why Teach did it. It hit Marco and Thatch the most. Thatch because he was almost murdered. And Marcp because he was now a murderer. Even if not on his file, even if all his brothers said it wasn’t his fault, that he saved Thatch’s life. In the end he murdered someone even if it wasn’t his intent.

So, how did Pops ensure they didn’t need to go through this again? Ensure that they would be safe?

Well, he poured all of his life savings into making the family home a bunker. Gone were the plans for an early peaceful retirement, move to a smaller house close to the sea and just relax on his old days. But the old man didn’t mind and never complained, because all he wanted most was for his family to be safe. And every year that he succeeded just proofed that all he did was the right thing.

After that first year he had put in shutters, metal shutters on every single window. The second year he added more to the entry ways too. Closing of the front- and back-door off and even putting an extra metal shutter before the garage-gate as that one had been thin aluminum before.

After the purges, business popped up, promising protecting. Ranging from hiring guards to installations of security systems. Pops had even gotten a lot of quotes from several of them, but ofcourse people were cruel. And those that had taken your money and promised to protect you, ended you instead. Using the floorplans of the house you provided to get in, sell that information to others. Or those who installed automatic systems such as self-closing gates and shutters got killed after they opened mid-purge.

Once that happened, Pops threw all the quotes he had in the trash and invested into locks. Locks were added to the inside of the shutters. No one would be able to pull them open from the outside. More locks were also added to the doors and windows even with the shutters already in place before them. The time needed to break in could save them their lives, to run away or to make it to dawn.

By the fourth year, as the purge had gotten more gruesome each year, construction of a big and sturdy wall around the property had begun. At the beginning it looked ugly, like a wall out of a war. No decoration nothing, it was the last of the elder’s worries. Only when it was finished and he knew it would protect his kids. Did he, and his children, work together to paint the wall and add some decorations to make it look less threatening and more like a normal decorative wall. The only place they didn’t touch was the top of the wall, that needed to stay clear.

In the top of the wall were holes, and when the purge neared, in every single hole they would anker down spikes and connect barbed wires between them to ensure no one would climb over the wall.

With this completed, the family house turned into a bunker. Yet every year Pops would add more things. Things that above all this protection, would help them in different ways. He added cameras on the outside of the house so they could see if anyone got in. He added sound-proofing so that they need to sit with their ears covered the whole night as people were murdered and robbed right outside. Added their own generators so they would have enough electricity for lights. But he also added entertainment. And while not often used as even after years everyone stayed nervous, Pops added things like a comfy reading nook for Marco. A gas powered stove for Thatch so he could bake even if the electricity got cut. A sewing area for Izou. A spot were Jozu and Fossa could tinker with wood or mechanical parts. All close together so they wouldn’t be spread out over the house and could stay together. They would be stronger in group if in some way anyone ever got in.

This was their life now. Every year, already a month before the purge, the brothers would start prepping for the event at their Pop’s house. Checking over all the things their Pops put in and make sure they were in working order. The month still giving them time to repair things if repairs were need. In the last two weeks they started adding the barbed wire around the wall, taking their time to secure it and make sure no spots were left over. In the last week, food and drinks were brought in. Enough to survive a whole week, because even if the purge lasted only one day. The destruction around didn’t always make it possible for shops to immediately open again.

And lastly, the day before the purge, everyone who hadn’t already been staying at Pop’s place the last week, would arrive and they would shut down the place. No matter if it was only 3 in the afternoon. If everyone had arrived they closed off the house. Not taking any risks to be even a second late to closing down.

Every year people asked their Pops to bunker down in his house too, and every year, with pain in his heart, Pops turned them down. Only his sons and their wives and children could stay. This wasn’t only because he just didn’t have the room to house everyone, but also a measure of safety. Sadly… just like you couldn’t trust the people that offered security, you couldn’t even trust the people who said they wanted to bunker for safety. Just last year they lost their neighbors this way. A new couple on the street, not prepared for the purge as they had only just moved in, had been allowed by the neighbors to spend the night and day with them. Pops had helped the neighbors with getting their own shutters in. They had been protected and safe for years. Until after that one day, the shutters didn’t open again. The neighbors as well as the couple dead. The neighbors murdered and the couple by suicide. No one. No one could be trusted during this event. Pops would only trust his sons and their family. And still he wouldn’t sleep during that night and keep a look out. None of his sons would loose their lives on his watch.

“It’s over son.” Pops spoke softly as he rubbed Marco’s back. “It’s over. Everyone is alive. Look at them, they’re all okay.”

Still holding on to his Pop’s arm, Marco looked back, scanning over the room and doing a headcount. Everyone was there. Even the newest, and smallest, member of the family. Namur’s one month old daughter was safely in his mother’s arms who was, together with Namur, pressing kisses to the small head.

“We made it-yoi.”

“We did. We all did, son.”

Pops smiled as his son squeezed in for another hug, and who was he to decline it so he wrapped his arms around the blond and squeezed tightly. Giving a big kiss to the blond tuft just like he always did when they were younger, and now practically every day this year.

“Now that it’s over.” Pops spoke a bit louder for everyone to hear, “Let’s get the shutters up, let the light in and eat together. Then we can all take a rest.”

People agreed left and right and without even needing to divide tasks, the brothers split up. Some pulling up shutters and others going to make breakfast for everyone and setting the table.

As breakfast was almost ready, Pops took Stefan’s empty food bowl and filled it to the brim. Smiling at the dog’s pitter pats right next to him. Following him as he had walked to the food container and back. Bending down he placed the bowl on the ground before the big window that saw into the garden. “That’s a good boy.” He stroked over the white fur while his loyal companion ate. Giving a few more pats on his head before going to the kitchen table to eat his own breakfast.

It was mostly quiet as they ate, no one really ever up for small talk after this day, even if their family was okay, who knew what had all happened again outside this year.

Woof!

“Gurarara, already finished Stefan? You’ll get a little more later.”

Woof woof!

“Stefan-“

WOOF WOOF WOOF!!!!!

Now everyone was alert. Stefan didn’t bark so loud, so mean without a reason. Getting up they saw Stefan growling and barking at the big garden window. Hairs standing on end.

Nervous looks were exchanged and Pops was the first to step forward, Marco quickly following as he didn’t want his father to go alone.

“What’s wrong, Stefan. What do you see?” Pops put a hand on the dog’s head, making the barking stop but not the growling. He looked outside, trying to find the cause. Had anyone sneaked in? Their cameras hadn’t send a notification though of movement in the garden, and the purge was over so if someone broke in now, they would be charged.

Frowning Pops scanned over the garden again and again, “there’s nothing here, Stefan. Was there a chipmunk maybe? Did a chipmunk come to taunt you at the window?” They did have some daredevil chipmunks living somewhere nearby that knew Stefan couldn’t get passed the window. It probably wasn’t to taunt on purpose, but the animals just didn’t bother to flee or be scared as they ran over the back porch if the window was shut.

“Over there-yoi!” Marco called out pointing, “on the wall, there’s something hanging from it!”

Murmurs came from the brothers as they came to look and saw an object of some kind dangling over the wall. A rope of some kind holding up a sack.

“That wasn’t here yesterday.” Namur spoke, shielding his wife and baby from the unknown danger, “I checked the gardens before we locked up.”

Jozu came in too, “and I checked that the cameras switched properly from daytime to nightvision when it grew dark, I didn’t notice anything hanging over any walls.”

“Shouldn’t we get a notification when that was thrown over or something?” Another one if the brothers asked, but Haruta, the more IT-tech lover of the group denied that. “No, the cameras wouldn’t detect that. It was probable one swift movement close to the wall and stopped. The cameras are set to detect bigger and continuous movements. If it were to go off for throwing something over that didn’t even hit the ground, it would go off for every bird landing on the wall.”

“What is it then? It- it can’t be a bomb right?”

“A bomb?!” – “Ah shit- we’re going to die!”

“Calm down my sons!” Pops called out to everyone. “The purge is over. Those things are no longer allowed.”

“But what if someone doesn’t care!”

“Then they’ll get charged for that. And anyway, we need to get it off. We can’t just avoid the garden forever.” And at that gave Stefan an order to stay and opened the sliding door part of the window before stepping out.

“Pops!” – “Wait! Don’t go Pops!” Several members panicked and called out to their old man. A few following outside at a small distance.

Pops was almost there when Thatch pulled Pop’s arm.

“Son, I need to see what it is.”

“Pops! Don’t! What if- what if you get hurt!”

A soft smile was on his lips as he put a hand on Thatch’s shoulder, squeezing it. Next to Marco, Thatch was his most scared son, having actually gotten hurt during a purge before. “And then I’ll be happy if it was me instead of my sons.”

“Wha- no! Let’s- lets poke it! With a stick! Or throw a rock at it.” Thatch hurriedly suggested. “Nothing wrong with that right?????? If it- if it is a bomb, we’ll all be a safe distance away!”

Pops hummed, there actually wasn’t anything wrong with that at all. “Alright.” The elder nodded and looked around, not immediately finding a rock, but he did pick up Stefan’s squeaky ball.

“Step back my sons, your old man is going to show why he was the star of dodgeball back in my high school years.”

While there were some complaints about a squeaky dogtoy not really going to give them any tips on what was in the bag, Pops still ready himself, aimed and threw the ball at the bag.

It just skimmed it and bounced off the wall with a loud squeak. The elder rubbed his neck with a small chuckle, “Looks like I’ve gone rusty-“

Waaaah-Waaah!

Movement and crying came from the bag and Pop’s parental instincts where activated immediately. Not caring anymore that any of his sons had suggested there may be a bomb he ran to the bag. He saw Marco follow behind him and quickly picked him up as if he weighed nothing and held him up high. “Marco, can you reach?????”

After a moment of confusion Marco stretched his arms, just able to touch the bag which he now saw was actually a jacket. And the rope holding up the bundle was a scarf. “Just a little higher, Pops!”

After being jostled and moved around, with the help of his bigger brothers, he stood on ones shoulders while Pops made sure he didn’t fall and supported the bag while trying to loosen the knot at the top.

As he got one sleeve loose, the jacket fell open and his eyes were wide. A child. There was a child in this jacket. With a bit of difficult he left the makeshift rope and jacket attached and just pulled the child out of the jacket and held him in his arms.

“I got him!” He called down and held the child to his chest with one arm, while with the other he supported himself on the wall as he was lowered to the ground. Once on the ground, he crouched down, hunching over the small form as he took a good look at the child. Now sniffing in his arms as he held a small teddy-bear.

“Son?”

“It’s- it’s a baby. A toddler-yoi?” Marco whispered and looked up to his Pops, slowly standing to show the being in his arms.

The elder didn’t know what to say. Someone had thrown a small child over his wall. He reached out a hand to feel the raven hairs, to know that it was an actual living child.

The second he did the baby looked to him and squealed. A smile as bright as the sun as the teddy bear in his hand waved, the other extending to him too. Automatically he took the being from his son, knowing the telltale sign of wanting to be picked up after having had so many children.

“Jiji!” the child called out and just like all his own children had done, a small hand went to his big moustache and pulled whilst laughing.

“Pops! There’s blood-yoi! On his pants!”

Pulling his old eyes away from the cute freckled face, he hurried scanned over the child and indeed. Not only on his pants but on his shirt were dark spots. Quickly he raised the shirt, much to the child’s amusement.

“Aaaah! Tickle!!!!!! Noooo~!”

He just looked further and gave his son access to check over the leg, but none of them found injuries on the child.

“Maybe…” Haruta stepped closer, “maybe someone threw him over to save him?”

“He could have died if he fell all the way down, or even from the recoil from being thrown over and hitting the wall.” Kingdew scoffed. “What an idiotic thing to do.”

“I would risk it.” The voice of Jozu’s wife echoed, a hand on her small bump, just three months along. “If throwing my child over was the only chance at him surviving… I would do it.”

“But why even take a child out in the purge.” Kingdew said like the parents were stupid. “That’s just dangerous and stupid and you can’t control kids. They’ll try to run from you or even give you away by crying or something.”

“Maybe they didn’t have a choice!”

“Or maybe they abandoned him since it was purge day and decided they didn’t want the brat anymore.”

“Enough.” Pops put a halt to the fight, everyone was still on edge from the purge and from these strange events, fights would break out easily with the amount of people here even if they were family. “We don’t know what happened and it doesn’t matter right now. For now this child is in our care.”

“Jiji! Jiji!”

“Yes, boy.” Pops tried to speak softly to the child in his arms, if he had to guess, he would judge him 3, maybe 4 years old.

“Num nums?”

The elder blinked, “Num nums?” he knew that child speech, “Are you hungry?”

Nods were there from the small being, “Alright, let’s get you some num nums.”

“Yaaa!!!”

“C’mon sons. Let’s go back inside. We’ll take this down later and try to figure out what happened.” Pops spoke to the others while going back inside, speaking to the boy once his sons followed. “How old are you, boy?”

“Eehm this!” And a full hand of fingers was held out.

“Five? You’re five?” Pops asked but noticed the child look confused and to his fingers, lowing one and holding it out again, “Four?”

“Fouwr!”

“I see, such a big boy to know your age.”

“Ace big boy!”

“Ace? Is your name-“

“Doggyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

The child wiggled in his arms the second they entered, Stefan who gave a bark at the squealing child didn’t help and made the boy struggle even more. Knowing his companion was good with kids, he placed the child down. Immediately the toddler did a small wobbly run to the dog and hugged him. “Doggyy!!”

“Ace-yoi.” Marco looked up to his pops. “So we have a name and an age.”

Pops nodded, “It seems so. We’ll try to figure things out. For now he’s safe here. Something obviously happened since he’s covered in blood, but I’m glad the boy seems okay.”

“Yea.” Marco nodded as he watched Stefan plop to the ground and show his belly as the child was patting him all over, “I hope we can find his parents… unless he was really abandoned.”

“And if that’s the case.” Pops spoke as he put a hand on Marco’s shoulder, “The boy will find his new home here.”

“… A new little brother-yoi.”

Pops nodded as he went to retrieve the child, picking him up and making him sit on his arms. Booping his nose, receiving giggles in return. “The Newgates never let a child go without a family.”