Up in Smoke (fanfic)

Up in Smoke is a Hanna Is Not a Boy's Name fanfic that takes place during, well, the apocalypse. A virus that kills in a matter of days has been running rampant, people are panicking and rioting when they're not dying in the streets, and Worth decides it's best to get the heck outta dodge.

And to drag Conrad with him.

The story, written by desdemonakakalose, is a three-parter and beginning of a shared continuity extending over nearly a dozen oneshots and a six-part sequel, The Creeping Messiah Complex. The continuity currently extends through three years after the introduction of the virus, and details various post-apocalyptic adventures shared by Doc Worth and Conrad as they right wrongs, topple dictatorships, and bicker over Conrad's sexuality.

The very first chapter can be read here.


 * Anti-Hero: Worth, type III. Conrad qualifies as type I.
 * Apocalypse How: Type 3b
 * Arc Words: "To conquer death, you only have to die."
 * Blood From the Mouth: One of the signs of the virus is coughing and hacking up large amounts of blood. It's also the last symptom, as those who do this die soon after.
 * Badass Normal: Worth gets a bit of this. When you compare him with Hanna and the gang in the final chapter, and especially.
 * Crowning Moment of Funny:
 * Chronic Hero Syndrome: Hanna cannot resist a person in need, even if it puts him at a distinct disadvantage. He stops to help civilians in the middle of a quest, gives away supplies, heals injured bystanders when he can hardly stand... the list goes on.
 * Everyone Can See It: or at least, Bondye, Fell, and some town in the middle of nowhere can see it. Fully Justified in the case of Bondye and Fell, who we are led to believe are and can probably actually see that sort of thing in anyone.
 * Fantastic Racism: The humans hate the supernatural races, and the supernatural races consider themselves above humans.
 * Foreshadowing: The title, the fact that one of Worth's patients claims to feel better after a cigarette.
 * Friendship Moment: in The Creeping Messiah Complex, when Worth makes a human sheild out of himself between Conrad and . Obligatory Ho Yay aside, it's probably the first time that Conrad ever considered Worth might really actually give two shits about him.
 * Friend to All Children: Hanna, which is good, because Zombie is not really designed for the job, and Worth and Conrad are both equally at a loss around them. There's an argument in "Residue" that comes immediately to mind...
 * From Nobody to Nightmare: Nobody ever paid attention to . Actually, they still don't.
 * Government Conspiracy: The government tried to cover up the virus: Conrad tries to call the hospital his mother was in, only to not be able to find the address and the phone number went to a busy signal, patients who die in the hospital have their records erased and the staff act as if they never existed.
 * Guilt Complex: Worth believes Hanna has one. He apparently blames himself for the devastating final extent of the plague.
 * Hates Everyone Equally: Worth, of course. Probably most relevant in The Creeping Messiah Complex, considering the central conflict.
 * Hero of Another Story: Hanna's adventures in The Creeping Messiah Complex, which is fitting since in the grand scheme of things he is the hero. Just not the protagonist.
 * Heterosexual Life Partners: Worth and Conrad are suggested to be this by the end. Going through an apocalypse together will do that to you.
 * I Hate You, Vampire Dad: par for the course with Conrad, but becomes a plot point in a later installment.
 * I'm a Humanitarian: A family Conrad and Worth run into have been eating people to survive.
 * Legendary in the Sequel: Hanna, by virtue of working with creatures of legend. They have a flair for the dramatic, after all, and they like a good story.
 * Man Behind the Man: Well,  in The Creeping Messiah Complex. Also a case of "the man in front of the man".
 * Oh Crap: In-universe version when and  suddenly start hacking up blood.
 * Omniscient Council of Vagueness: What Hanna's project becomes a year or so into the timeline. Although at least one of their functions is implied to be taking up complaints from various communities and dispatching Hanna accordingly.
 * Politically-Incorrect Villain: actually averted with, who was actually pretty equal-oportunity albeit ruthless, despite the story setting you up for one of these.
 * Sacrificial Lion:  dies of the virus in his first appearance, in Worth's office. While Worth did have patients die on him, it's his death that makes him decide to just leave town.
 * Shipper on Deck: Hanna seems supportive of Conrad and Worth resolving their thus-far unresolved sexual tension. Although, he might just be hoping it will cut down on fist fights in enclosed areas.
 * Sour Supporter: although not to the same extent, Worth and Conrad are both this to Hanna.
 * The Stoic: Zombie, of course. It's noted that this (his lack of emoting) is actually what freaks people out the most. Apparently there was a Noodle Incident where he became temporarily... less dead?
 * Those Two Guys: as far as the supernatural world is concerned, Conrad and Worth are just Hanna's sidekicks. You know, the ones who start punching each other half way through the Ratification Feast toasts every year.
 * Took a Level In Badass: Conrad. Oh, poor put-upon Conrad, it's been all down hill for you since you broke that bottle over that guy's head.
 * Ungrateful Bastard: In the Creeping Messiah Complex, John.
 * World Building