Disclaimer: I don't own Andy's Apple Farm (Video Game). I don't own the picture (cover). Or the song.

(qwertuno and SilentReadersMatter)

(Inspired by Clementine and Alvin Junior (AJ) dynamic from Telltale Walking Dead: The final season. Andy is a child in this, around the age of five or six. Peter is a teenager around fifteen years old.)

(Also, Melody is around ten and also a child in this AU.)

(Hope you enjoy.)

Their people were on the run.

Not understanding the world around him, watching the adults fighting some kind of dark substance wrapping their bodies with the intention to kill or possess. Screaming as their bodies were claimed, dragged into the ground and made for the dead and turned into the shadows they had precious been fighting.

"Uncle Felix!" Andy screamed, shrieking as a shadows leaped toward him. "Help, please!"

The fish man shined the shadow off the little apple child before his attention was drawn by Melody waving him over to help her as well.

"I'm sorry, Andy." He muttered quietly. "Gonna need to help ya little sister."

"Felix!-"

He left before Andy could utter another word.

He whimpered as he began running from the shadows. The creatures room his moment as cowardice and began chasing him through the woods away from his group. Bailey shot them down before they managed to reach Andy.

"Shit. Shit." The accidentally cursed, picking up the child in her arms. "You shouldn't have to deal with this. You're barely old enough to understand...MARGRET?! WHAT DO I DO?!"

"Give him over!"

She practically chucked the child through the air and into Margret's arms. Catching Andy, she began running from the shadows to another place with Claus covering her by shooting the fleeting darkness with his shotgun while Margret headed for an abandoned building not too far.

When they reached their destination, Margret placed Andy on the ground. Stroking his cheeks, the older woman let out a sob before smiling to attempt to stay stranger for her people.

"Stay strong. We'll be back for you."

Kissing his forehead, Margret then left with Claus running in two. Claus looked back at Andy, sadness at the lie the mother figure just said.

"Just gotta wait." Andy hummed. "Just wait."

They never came back.

***

It had been a month of surviving on his own.

He had long since given up hope of them returning for him. Andy had taken the guns and at weapons he managed to get his hands in, traversing around the county to keep surviving and trusting himself only.

Everything changed in the blink of an eye.

As he walked through some woods, creatures appeared out of nowhere eating the flesh of their victims. Tasting and savouring the flavour of their one people's skin. Black tendrils leaked from their skin into the gashes and other wounds of the creatures, allowing them to become what they desired.

Andy called them the monsters. Most referred to them as the consumed.

"Darn it.."

His soft curse curse caught the attention of the monsters. Hissing almost inaudibly, they looked at Andy and suddenly stood, beginning to quickly walked toward the child who stepped back in frozen fear and he couldn't let it go.

'Move. Move!'

Drawing his gun, he drew a blinder bullet gun  and began shooting them at the shadows. They were basically gun with bullets that pierced and released a holding light that worked as a normal gun that just held a second function.

Andy genuinely thought of Bailey as a genius.

As the shadows collapsed to the ground, Andy kicked their head and stabbed their brain to ensured they stayed dead, however, some kept getting up an not staying down.

"Stay dead!"

Andy could take one or two, but three or more, then he was screwed. Having no other option than to abandon his potentiometer supplies, he began sprinting within the tree lines to hopefully gain some distance between him and the monsters. More just kept coming.

Bang.

Andy jumped, then turned to hide behind a tree as the shadows turned their attention someone else approaching from the shadows. He could see stronger blinder bullet piercing their skulls at a faster rate, forcing them on their knees and collapsing to the ground permanently.

"You think they would learn by now."

A man appeared out the shadow tree lined.

A pumpkin for a head, orange skin. A red t-shirt, wearing green paints and some near tearing brown shoes covered in the blood of the dead.

Shifting through their pockets and personal belongings. Robbing them blind basically. He took some weapons and some food out their bags, clothes off the men's backs, and the supplies Andy targeted when he came here in the first place.

'Darn...'

He thought in disappointment. The pumpkin man turned around. Their back no longer turned to him, Andy had a clear views of his eyes. Black pupils and single green one with nothing but despair and insanity radiating through everything else.

What did they lose?

At least they had the sanity to not start shooting everything in sight. Andy couldn't be bothered dealing with another psychopath.

The recently turned three year old sighed. Barely old enough to speaks, let alone fighting his way out the dead. He stared at stranger lighting their cigarette. Presumably to let off steam. Which they'd probably needed.

"They say these things are bad."

Accidentally inhaling the smoke, Andy coughed once, realising his mistake the moment the stranger's relaxed posture tensed and immediately grabbed his gun. Drawing it around everywhere. Looking for someone who might have ambushed them once they let their guard down.

"WHO'S THERE?!" The stranger called out, yelling threats like. "I'll fucking shoot if you try to ambush me! Come out and I'll make it quick."

Andy had no choice. Remembering the lesson Margret taught him on surrendering if there are a came a time for it to be necessary. Walking out from behind the tree, the stranger's eyes widened and briefly softened as they saw a fucking kid in their line of vision.

"Are...are you kidding me?" The stranger laughed, eyes flickering back to a normal kind of colour. "A kid? They're abandoning kids now?!"

The darkness seeped in once again, but this stranger seemed strangely in control. Andy felt somewhat comforted by their presence. The stranger bent down on one knee, beckoning Andy to come to which he strangely obeyed.

"Fuck. Who are your people, kid?"

"I don't know." Andy whispered, tears threatening to fall. "They took me around here and never came back...I've been on my own."

A dark looked crossed the man's eyes. Glazing over before he wiped his own eyes, he reached a hand and placed it on his shoulder. Drawing the kid closer, Andy calmed upon seeing a sane emotion in his eyes. Concern for him.

"I don't know how to raise a kid." The stranger smiled, then a cold expression replaced it. "I can try and get you to your people, but I can't guarantee we'll find them if I don't know why they are. You mind that, kid? You mind telling me your name? Mine is Peter the pumpkin."

"Andy the apple." Andy replied shyly. "You can really help me? I'm six, how old even are you?"

"Just passed turning thirteen."

Andy nodded, trusting another kid rather than an adult who may abandon him again. Suddenly feeling tired of all this, he decided there was nothing left to lose and raised his arms at his temporary guardian.

"Hold me."

Peter blinked, seemingly surprised by the boldness of Andy before shrugging. He picked Andy up and held him close. Unsure of how to hold a child since he wasn't a parent.

"A kid raising a kid. Don't see that everyday."

Andy hummed in response, lightly dozing off the recently exhausting events. Peter carried him back to the place he'd been saying the last few days to rest and recover for the road.

Hopefully this would work out.

***

"You know how to fight?"

A statement rather than a question. Peter sat on a bench watching Andy and Melody playing a innocent game of hopscotch. His instincts screamed not to leave him to these assholes.

"Kind of have to." He drew one leg up on the bench, leaning in his elbow and putting his head on as it supported the structure. "Betrayal and robbery's common these days."

"True, true."

The fish man sat next to him. Daring to shift closer, he slowly drew a fist, not knowing Peter saw the moment through the corner of his eyes.

"Wanna train?"

He swung down his fist, only to have it blocked and receive a punch to his stomach. Felix had no clue he just released the beast Peter worked to hard to keep within. Beginning to whisper thoughts of dangers and ideas to kill.

Protect your own.
Kill the pretender.
Abandoned him.
Left others to find no food nor shelter.

The thoughts continued as Peter let out an enraged yell. Not longer holding back, he was before Felix in an instant shoving him to the ground and punching his jaw repeatedly, catching the attention of Melody and Andy.

"Melody." Andy instructed. "Get someone to help us. Now please."

She nodded, running to get someone. Preferably Margret. She'd know how to settle this scuffle.

Both gasped seeing the sight before them. Andy immediately rushed over, only to be accidentally shoved by Felix to the ground and opening an old wound stitched a few days prior. Letting out a whimper, it gained Peter's attention. His transformed eyes widened as one turned normal as the thought of not knowing how to help Andy began flowing and staying with the others.

I won't be helpless to save him.

***

He acted cold toward the child—Andy—the apple kid who just snuck into his life somehow. Peter had no idea to raise, hell, look after a kid who's only three years old and in this shit.

"Don't tell me you wear a diaper?"

"Nope!" Andy shivered. "I learned to put on...what did she call it? Underwear for proper men!"

Peter wiped his brow. Oh thank God. He didn't have to see or change anything in the private area. Both would be traumatised from that.

"Okay, little one." He unconsciously started closing the child that nickname. "Just...what the hell is that?"

His eyes changed to that frightening shade Andy hated ever since he got here. Sliding your his sleeves, he showed the bullet would he in a fight a few days before meeting Peter. It stung badly.

"Just got it in a fight. It's bandaged and infected-"

"IT'S FUCKING INFECTED!" The teenager freaked out, kicking a chair to let out some of his pent up rage. "Do you people not know how to treats wounds or even teach you?! They're useless as their jobs of being your guardians."

"What can you do?" Andy shrugged. "All said and done. Can't change the past."

"Can overlook the future."

Peter grasped his arm. Pulling the child closer, be squeezed the wound to cause some pressure before Andy swatted his hand, taking the child to the bathroom where he hid the first aid kit.

"Now."

He pointed at the toilet. Andy sat down clutching his sudden throbbing arm. Peter clasped the would and looked him in the eye.

"This is going to hurt, Andy. I won't lie, but you'll lose your arm if it isn't treated."

Andy stared down as Peter disinfected the wound. He nodded silently, biting his lip before answering honest as could.

"Go ahead."

To not attract any shadow, one of Andy's hands grasped Peter's arm to squeeze from the pain. He ended up somehow sitting on one of the pumpkin man's knees and he sat on the toilet balancing the child before finishing the clean up.

"Proud of you, little one."

Andy sobbed from the internal and external pain of the injury. He whimpered weakly to acknowledge the statement. Peter stood up, put everything away, and took Andy to a the living room and on the couch.

"This place has no bedroom." He laughed softly at Andy's shocked expression. "Sucks, I know. You stay on the couch. I'll sleep on the floor. You've been fed, had water, and I even cleaned your wound. Is there really anything else that needs to be done. Water's not working in bathroom, so shower's off the table."

"I stink."

"Yeah. We both do."

Andy hummed that dammed tune again. Looking up at the ceiling, he observed Peter's obvious discomfort at being on the floor. The other kid was clearly used to being in his own and not having to make adjustments.

"Sleep on here. I can make room."

Peter kept a blank face. Through his eyes darted a few seconds considering his options before he got stood up and almost limped to the couch.

"Sons of bitches got my leg."

"Don't swear!"

"Shut up, short ass."

"Hey!"

Andy swatted his arms and turned pouting like the child he should be acting as. Peter didn't want his childhood taken quickly because of the damn apocalypse. He boldly pulled Andy close to him despite only knowing each other for a few days. The child turned out to be touch starved.

Real badly so he latched into Peter anytime he could. Subconsciously, unconsciously, even in his sleep. He just let the phase run it's course. The kid would find his people soon anyway.

Drawing a possessive arm around Andy, Peter noticed he was awake but didn't reject the affection. Instead curling up-to his chest and almost relishing the contact with a yawn as his only sign of Andy truly not minding him doing this. Andy didn't seem to care even if they weren't on the all basis and just knew each other a few days before getting comfortable.

The kid was asleep now by his soft breaths and beginning to snore. Loud. You got used to noise in the outside world. Peter didn't mind, though Andy worrying he'd kick him out over it was kind of funny.

Peter truly couldn't care less. He would keep his promise and help the kid back to family. A promise is a promise. You need to keep promises. The kid hadn't died with him either so that was a good start.

Meant less worry of another biting the dust.