#when i have time (lol) i want to mod the fairy to make it a vathic fairy i think. with bug wings and the crab head

[axolotlelle]

baby's a scholar now

[puppycheesecake]

Do you have any tips/secrets you can share for someone wanting to improve their CAS game (aka me lol)? Your Sims are so fun, and each post is such a treat! You have a great eye and sense of style and always seem to have the best CC. Idk how you do it!

Hey, thank you so much! :D

Honestly, organization is everything. I've always organized my Mods folder pretty well, but recently I've started using this method to organize my CAS catalogue in-game and it's been so helpful. The difference is crazy. I have hair and clothes organized alphabetically by creator, but hats, for example, are organized alphabetically by function, so now when I want to make a fairy Sim I just click hats, scroll down to W for Wings, and save myself a ton of time that would have been spent scrolling back and forth.

I also highly recommend @yoruqueenofnightsims's Tidy CAS Category Organizers. (An update on @sparrowcc's mod.) I don't know what I'd do without it, especially for skin details and tattoos. Absolute lifesaver.

More CAS Columns is another necessary one that makes scrolling through/finding stuff in CAS crazy faster.

For bonus aesthetic stuff, custom lighting mods can make a big difference. @mosaica has some great ones. (I keep meaning to change mine but I'm just too stuck on Candy Crush.)

For finding CC, there's a bunch of great CC finds blogs that I recommend: @occult-cc-finds, @sims4-fantasy-cc-finds, @mmfinds, @public-ccfinds, @freeexclusives4thesims, @ts4-poses, @ts4presets...more that I'm sure I'm forgetting. Sometimes I'll miss a post from a creator I follow but I'll catch the reblog of it from one of those.

As far as just, like, general Sim-styling tips, I kinda like to pick a clothing piece/accessory/etc. and build a look off that. Like for these guys I think I was testing out the red top, the mask, the ruffle collar, and the purple dress; the rest of the looks were built around those centerpieces.

This was a lot of talking (whoops) and I'm not sure if it helped, but hopefully it's worth something!

[the-bjd-community-confess]

Should I extend grace and unban this person?

==post comments==

me: [what doll is it?]

A: DBS 1/3 BJD Dream Fairy

me: That doll maker is a counterfeiter and their counterfeit dolls are not permitted on [group]. https://www.instagram.com/p/B20FS66pYUC/

A: I’m not advertising my doll though. I like the doll in comparison to the Barbie’s who also have bendable joints. So, I can only post about high end expensive BJD dolls on [group]?

A: I can add that this is a cheap knock off banned counterfeit doll but posted for the lols.

me: No, you can post cheaper bjds as well, but they must not be counterfeits/knockoffs. We do not allow counterfeits to be posted to [group] except in the case when the poster is looking for the original doll/maker. Additionally, I believe the DBS dolls are a vinyl doll which technically isn't a bjd either.

A: Well, I just joined [recast group], so delete all you want. Can’t post jokes here, I guess.

me: 👋

I then send a ban message with the note: "I mean, i don't really police if people join [recast group], but if you get all in a huff and sour grapes about a removed post and then announce it. sure?"

A: Why am I banned?

A: I tried to post a funny size comparison photo of a BJD vs Barbie’s and a guy not believing my doll was actually that big. I get y’all don’t like recast dolls but I tried to make it a point that I wasn’t trying to advertise my doll. I thought it was a BJD community where people liked to talk about BJD’s and because mine came from Ali Express I am banned?

me: ?? it definitely sounded like you wanted to leave and join the other group... [screenshot of comment] it doesn't matter if you're advertising or not, counterfeits are not allowed to be posted in [group] except when looking for the original. This is clearly in the rules and has been for a long time. You're banned for disregarding the rules and then flaunting that you're joining the counterfeit group.

A: You don’t allow people to be a part of two different communities? I don’t only want counterfeit content. I like stuff from Ali express but I also want to see authentic BJD stuff. I only joined the other one because I liked the pictures I took and thought the BJD community would appreciate them. I was getting [likes] then banned.

me: again as i said in the original banning message "I mean, i don't really police if people join [recast group], but if you get all in a huff and sour grapes about a removed post and then *proudly* announce that you're joining the counterfeit group. sure?" I def do allow people to be in [recast group] or own recasts if they don't post them nor openly support them. You just happened to be an ass about it while arguing with a mod and openly supported recasts by announcing publicly that you'd be posting it over there. All that because you were sour that your counterfeit doll post was removed from [the group] according to the rules. You can still view content. you just can't comment or post anymore.

A: I’m new to bjds (only a year of experience) and am practicing painting on cheap dolls until I figure out how to paint properly to paint on more expensive dolls.

A: Well sorry I am autistic, I didn’t mean to be an ass.

~Anonymous

[llazyneiph]

Hello!! This is probably a very random question, but I've recently downloaded your Royalty mod and honestly it's brilliant! It's so cool like, I can't even begin to understand how much work and time goes into something like this! I was especially excited when I read about the dungeon update and that your monarchs could outlaw magic and things like that, because my sims kinda have a sad but bad girl princess who falls in love with a witch who's being hunted down...thing. 😂

But I was wondering if SpinningPlumbob's witches or even fairies would count as breaking the no magic law? I'm not sure exactly how their mod works, I'm not cool like you guys lol, but I know that it also requires realm of magic so I was curious, especially because I find SpinningPlumbobs mod does way more justice to actual irl witchcraft than the Harry Potter like spellcasters, and if not, would you ever maybe consider reaching out to them and maybe adding the Fairies vs Witches mod to your companion mods list??

I apologize if I've said anything wrong or anything like that. I get kinda nervous because I don't tend to explain myself very well and I'd never want to make you feel like I've disrespected you or all your work in any way. I really do appreciate all you've done for this and all your other mods, this was just something I was curious about. <3

I've just taken a look at her code and it looks like it currently would not trigger the law breaking. I have a couple ideas of how I might be able to make things compatible on my end, so I'll try and make them compatible :) No disrespect in your message at all so no worries :)

[stinkrascal]

get to know me sims edition tag thingie ! tysm for the tag @rebouks <3

1. What’s your favourite sims death? ummmm getting eaten by a cowplant tbh. gets me every time

2. Alpha CC or Maxis Match? maxis match hair, preferably the kind with the hair strands, and then alpha everything else

3. Do you cheat when your sims gain weight? when im doing gameplay then no, but if im taking screenshots for my stories then their weights dont really change bc i dont play w them anyways so they dont change much. so i guess the answer is still no

4. Do you use move objects? always!!

5. Favorite mod? probably slice of life? idk i think its so fun!! i also like mccc for the utility but thats a boring answer so sol wins

6. First expansion/game/stuff pack you got? ive basically always torrented ts4 so i got the eps when they first came out and idk which one i played first. but the first one i bought on an origin account was cats and dogs!

7. Do you pronounce “live mode” like aLIVE or LIVing? like alive!!

8. Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made? breanna!! caspian!! vaughn!! i like them all can that be my answer

9. Have you made a simself? yeah!

10. What sim traits do you give yourself? lazy, goofball, geek

11. Which is your favorite EA hair color? the white/blonde color!!!!

12. Favorite EA hair? that one hair that came with the luxury stuff pack that was vlad's hairstyle for like 3 years before i changed it.

this one!!!

13. Favorite life stage? young adult duh. thats why i have vampires so they can stay young and pretty forever

14. Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay? both duh!! it's all fun for me :D

15. Are you a CC creator? no but i can make simple recolors and adjustments to meshes if i need to! id love to learn how to make meshes from scratch. i really wanna make my own trees for story stuff but i dont really know how to start that. but one day!!

16. Do you have any simblr friends/a sim squad? all my mutuals of course :)

17. What’s your favorite game? (1, 2, 3, or 4) honestly probably 4 because even if the gameplay is lackluster, w all my mods its pretty fun and i always gravitate to it. i think ts3 was the first game i ever played from the series and its great too. i played ts2 about a year ago and it is also fun but its too ugly for me so i never wanna play it lol. and i never played ts1!

18. Do you have any sims merch? no

19. Do you have a YouTube for sims? yes but all the videos are unlisted, you can only access them through my tumblr. i just upload random silly things and tutorials sometimes, but i havent uploaded in years. im still gonna make an updated editing tutorial vid i promise aha

20. How has your “sim style” changed throughout your years of playing? i think my sims are more blushy now, and they have more skin details and textures since i use alpha skins now. but besides that not much

21. What’s your Origin ID? actually its stinkrascal but i dont use it for ts4. i just have my dragon age games on it ha

22. Who’s your favorite CC creator? umm idk!

23. How long have you had a simblr? since 2017 :) but i made this blog in 2019

24. How do you edit your pictures? photoshop 2022! i promiseeeee im gonna make an updated editing tutorial one day

25. What expansion/game/stuff pack do you want next? i want horses, fairies, and a new city world like san myshuno! besides those things im pretty happy w what we have

25. What expansion/game/stuff pack is your favorite so far? growing together or werewolves! obviously i like vampires too!! oh or island living that ones great too. idk i like a lot of them

im gonna tag @gothoffspring @woohooincoffin @itsmariejanel @pxltown @omgkayplays @lucidicer @barbieaiden @void-imp and anyone else who wants to do this!! <3

[wildmelon]

sims tag

ty @prematurehag and @gerbits 😘😘😘😘

1. what’s your favorite sims death? i avoid death at all costs in my game, not one of those people who lets the game do its thing and builds my story from there. so old age lol

2. alpha or maxis match? a mix, always

3. do you cheat when your sims gain weight? no

4. do you use move objects? ofc

5. favorite mod? mccc, lumpinou's, and adeepindigo's 💯

6. first expansion/game/stuff pack you got? get to work

7. do you pronounce “live mode” like aLIVE or LIVing? both? i never noticed, but it depends!

8. who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made? no way i can choose just one! i answered about a few of my all-time favorites here, here, & here 💞

9. have you made a simself? yeah but it was only to give my tumblr buddies an idea of what i look like, i've never been drawn to making or playing with simselves 🤷🏼‍♀️

10. what sim traits do you give yourself? mixing ts3 & ts4 traits: hopeless romantic, good sense of humor, over-emotional, creative, dramatic

11. which is your favorite EA hair color? warm black, darkest brown, white-blonde

12. favorite EA hair? no idea, cc only around here

13. favorite life stage? young adult

14. are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay? used to be gameplay but now i'm 99% cas! never been a builder but i've been slowly improving my interior skills 🛋️

15. are you a CC creator? i'm trying to learn to make clothes rn lol

16. do you have any simblr friends/a sim squad? would never use the phrase sim squad personally 😭 i'd say i have simblr friends but not a group 🫶🏼

17. what’s your favorite game? (1, 2, 3, or 4) ts3 for playing and nostalgia, ts4 for cas

18. do you have any sims merch? no lmfao

19. do you have a YouTube for sims? no, i'm not really interested in that

20. how has your “sim style” changed throughout your years of playing? i hate my old sim style, it was rife with creepily proportioned bodies, tiny noses, & other projections of my insecurities. i think i really improved last summer and developed a style that's more balanced between simmy and realistic ✨

21. what’s your Origin ID? wildmelon

22. who’s your favorite CC creator? @/simstrouble, @/serenity-cc, @/daylifesims @/northernsiberiawinds, @/lamatisse, @/greenllamas, @/okruee, @/clumsyalien, @/myshunosun, @/evellsims, @/sheabuttyr, @/laeska, @/arethabee, @/charonlee, and many more!

23. how long have you had a simblr? since march 2020, but only been posting regularly since summer 2022 😎

24. how do you edit your pictures? answered here 💫

25. what expansion/game/stuff pack do you want next? fairies fairies fairies 🧚🏼‍♀️🧚🏼‍♂️🧚🏼

26. what expansion/game/stuff pack is your favorite so far? i'm a city living loyalist 🏙️ but i love growing together also, and all the occult packs! 💓

tagging: @mmonetsims @olya-occult-lover @alltimefail-sims @simgerale @cowboycid @alpine-lapine @quarterkrogan (feel free to ignore/sorry if you did this and i missed it!!!)

[pyromaniac-cyndaquil]

Hey! I saw that you were playing random pmd and had shiny celebi/popplio as your starters? I was wondering if you set those yourself or got really lucky with the randomizer?

(Also, does a randomizer work on your expanded starters mod? I don’t remember if it did or not and I can’t find a post saying what the verdict was ^^;)

Either way it’s always a joy to see your randomizer posts on my timeline! It really brightens my day every time just cause I see how excited YOU are about it ^-^ I hope you’re having fun with it!

Awww thanks so much! :D Really glad you're enjoying it 💜

I got really lucky with celebi, but added popplio as a starter manually myself! This was actually a randomizer I started playing sometime last year and stopped when scarlet and violet came out. I'd edited vanilla eos to add popplio (with fanmade sprites I found on the-spriters-resource that I edited slightly to have diagonals and other things missing from all the sheets the heroes use, plus portraits I made myself). Never shared the ROM bc it didn't feel right to make it public with those sprites, but with the sprite repository being a thing now I was able to use sprites from that in my expanded sky mod and not feel bad about it :D

Me and my friend are planning to play a randomizer soul link of eos soon and we wanted to use expanded sky so I've been testing randomizing it with... Kinda sad results. The romhack makes use of a script mod that takes a bunch of dummy data (or something????) and turns it into like 1000 or so extra slots for pokemon, so I installed that and added all the starters as new. Skytemple randomizer on the other hand, gives you a checklist on pokemon you wanna randomize (most selected by default) that only goes up to the standard amount vanilla eos would have.

Planning to circumvent this for our soul link though so if anyone wants to know how: you can pass expanded sky into skytemple randomizer as normal, save the .nds, then open the now randomized rom in skytemple. Go to lists>starters and then just replace whichever starters you wanna swap in the list with the new ones!

The randomizer also doesn't seem to acknowledge the fairy gummi slot either, so you probably won't be able to find those manually. I'm not really sure where to tweak in the files to get those though lol, maybe something in the dungeons could work but I'll edit this when I know lol

[pudding-parade]

upon seeing your pink fairy dude posts i *had* to try out the transmogrifier. what are some of your favorite uses of the mod, i'm curious to know, thank you :)

Well, small-object-as-jetpack is probably my favorite Transmogrifier use. :) But, I do a few other things regularly with it, and I've put a list behind the cut.

Change the function of rabbitholes. Like, if I want to use a building that's only a city hall because it fits the look I want, but I want it to have the function of a combo one, I'll use the Transmogrifier to turn the single-function building into a combo one. Or sometimes I want a smaller building. Most of the schools, for instance, are large, so I'll sometimes turn, say, a mausoleum building into a school.

Make purely deco objects functional. I do this often with decorative wine racks and wine fridges to make them actual wine storage. I've turned decorative jewelry boxes into mirrors so that Sims can use them to change their appearance or use the "gussy up" function. (It looks sort of weird when they use the jewelry box for practicing speechifying, but…eh.) I've turned houseplants into magic jelly bean bushes, though for the life of me I can't remember now if it worked properly. LOL I've turned CC candles that don't function into functional candles that give off light. That sort of thing. It doesn't always work, most often because some scripts require interactions with slots that the transmogrified object doesn't have, but it's fun to experiment with to see what works.

Make deco objects into functional objects that they shouldn't be. Since I tend to play older/more rustic scenarios, this can be useful if I want, say, my primitives to be able to dance at some celebration or another. I'll temporarily turn a rock on the lot into a radio so that they can do so.

Moar storage! I've turned lots of objects, both CC and EA, that in real life would be used to store stuff into general storage boxes for the game's purposes, which I then use to store different things in to get stuff out of inventories or out of the fridge. Upper kitchen cabinets, storage trunks, sacks of grain, baskets of fruits/vegetables, things like that. I like to turn this CC coffee grinder I have into storage for coffee beans. That sort of thing. The only problem is that you have to remember where you put what, so I don't go too crazy with this, but you could if you wanted to, since pretty much anything can be turned into a storage box.

Turn a cheap fridge/stove/TV/bicycle/witch broom/car/boat/etc. into an expensive one. (Or vice versa.) Generally, I don't like the look of, for instance, the expensive EA fridges because they usually don't fit my Aesthetic(TM), but I also want their longer food storage time. So, I just transmogrify a cheap fridge into an expensive one. Or, sometimes a fancy-looking, expensive CC fridge was originally cloned from a cheap one, so it has the shorter food storage time. I fix that with the Transmogrifier. Similarly with the vehicles, I sometimes want the speed of an expensive one but the look of a cheap one, or I want a slow expensive vehicle. Or I want the vintage-looking TV but with all the channels of an expensive one. Stuff like that.

Limited-life cut flower arrangements. If you have the new flower arranging mod, you can use the Transmogrifier to turn any EA or CC flower arrangement into one that will die eventually. No more immortal vases of cut flowers!

Laundry Hampers I turn any laundry hamper I put into a house into Nona's "Super Hamper" so that all laundry on a lot gets collected into one hamper and no piles of clothes are left littering the floor.

Alarms and alarm clocks. I don't use these things often in general, but you can change just about any small object or deco clock into such things. Turn a painting into a burglar or smoke alarm. Turn a non-functional CC alarm clock into a functional one. Turn a CC surveillance camera into a burglar alarm. Etc.

And I'm sure there's other stuff that I do that I'm just not thinking of. And anyone who reads this should feel free to add their own ideas, too.

[that-one-fluffy-anon]

taylor!

ayo i finally made a ref for her :D

this is taylor! half of the "fairy tale endings don't exist" duo. that's the title i made for them because god, i have so many ideas-

anyway, here's some info! under the cut ofc :D

-she rarely wears anything other than her vest, turtleneck, shorts and leggings in public. at home she'll wear a cropped hoodie and pajama pants sometimes. emphasis on sometimes.

-she hates tach. so much. so fucking much.

-she normally keeps to herself, except around her friends.

-she loves building random crap in minecraft. but she spends like six hours working on a single build. she also tried to mod once. tach, uh.. ruined it. let's just say there was an incident involving pigs and chickens.

-she's ambidextrous!

-she has had one romantic relationship before. her ex-partner disappeared...

-she can fight, but rarely does. only in self-defense, and sometimes to tach. it's also not very good fighting, per say, but she's got strength.

-she's quick on her feet.

-she wears an earcuff! it's a little black ring, but i didn't picture it lol

-she hates rings. she wears fingerless gloves for painting, but rings just hurt her fingers.

-if her hair isn't down and messy, it's probably pulled up in a ponytail. she has an undercut! but it's hidden and sneaky >:3

-she hates tach. so so so much.

-did i mention she hates tach?

-she painted a mural a long time ago. a long long time ago.

quotes:

"It's fine. jk it's not-"

"Hey, do me a favor and shut the fuck up."

"Nobody wanted to hear from you, asshole, go away."

"When did my colored pencils move? Oh wait there they are."

making a ref for tach next! here's a doodle of their general relationship towards each other.

it's sideways, but you get the gist. she hates him, haha

anyway, that's all for now! :)

[petitelepus]

Hey hey!! Can I request a Dream Daddy matchup?

I’m a shorty (4’9”) with really long dyed curly hair! It goes down past my calves and is a pink ombré (yes it’s a hassle to take care of), and I have green eyes and lots of freckles on my face!! Also my skin’s like, really pale - almost embarrassingly so. I have no body mods lol I’m a weenie. I’m het-romantic asexual and identify currently as agender with she/he/they pronouns.

Personality-wise, I’m a little scatterbrained and all over the place, but I do mean well - even if there’s some days where the English language eludes me, haha. I also tend to go from being unable to form coherent sentences to speaking long-winded, refined monologues - this also translates to my writing, as I either send fifty-seven emojis immediately or I take forty five minutes to write around seven paragraphs on meaningless topics. My hobbies are doing math for absolutely ridiculous problems (how many bees would it take to permakill Thanos, for example) and playing the ukulele. I love love love cats!!!!!

I match you with Mat Sella!

Mat knows better than to judge someone based on their looks, but you still manage to surprise him with your actual age. You're really cute, you know that? Your freckles are so cute, your eyes so pretty, and your hair is so long, wavy and so beautiful.

As a long-time single father, Mat is used to doing her daughter Carmensita's hair and would love to do yours. If you let him, he would happily braid flowers into your hair. He makes you look like a flower fairy from old mythologies. 

Mat meets a lot of people in the music world and many have different pronouns, sexualities, and identities, so when you explain yours to him, he understands and totally supports you, no matter what.

You’re honestly so cute when you turn into a little scatterbrain. Mat always smiles when he watches you trying to remember the word you wanted to use but couldn’t remember, and he helpfully offers you some words that could fit the situation.

Oftentimes, he offers just the right word you were looking for, but if not, he enjoys watching you stutter as you try to come up with the word you're looking for.

Mat enjoys getting your emoji-filled texts because it's like a game of charades, only with a phone. That doesn't mean he doesn't enjoy your refined monologues. If you're coming over to Coffee Spoon, he enjoys surprising you by bringing you your favorite beverage to the table before you manage to even sit. Talk about fast service!

You and Carmensita get along so well, it makes Mat so happy. When the two of you get excited over something, it's like the two of you have your own language in that you are talking.

While bringing you something to eat and drink, the single father tried to once ask what you were talking about and the two of you bombarded him with bizarre questions that left Mat speechless. Once his breaks start though, he spends them all talking with you two.

Mat sees hearts when he listens to you play your ukulele. He has tried to get you to perform with him on open mic night, but if you don't want to then he won't force you. Music is meant to be shared, but he doesn't mind being your only audience either. As you play for him, he enjoys serenading to you and declaring his love for you with guitar, piano, or some other instrument.

Cats, huh? Mat doesn't have anything against little furballs, it just never occurred to him that he could be a pet owner. Of course, Carmensita is all for it and if you two beg enough and give him those big puppy eyes then he relents. Alright alright, you get your cat, but you better clean after it.

[af-answers]

What do y'all tend to want/crave when you're sick? I'd love to know what our resident genius would want but I assume fairies have their own versions of recipes like chicken noodle soup? (For me it's my dad's carbonara lol) Also mod you're a true gem of this fandom! I'm so glad I found your blog!

Artemis: It depends on how I’m sick. When I have a head cold I eat a lot of spicy Indian curry to clear the sinuses.

Holly: Ah, I love a good curry. We should swap recipes sometime, Butler.

Butler: I’ll substitute out the chicken stock.

Juliet: Sickness is the only time I’ll drink tea. Tea with a butt ton of lemon. It’s the only thing I know makes me feel better, so I gave it to the twins too. Now I know Beckett’s getting sick when he starts eating lemons whole.

Foaly: Caballine makes me carrot soup when my throat is sore. The carrots are boiled so much they dissolve in the mouth. Awesome.

No.1: Demons don’t get sick, but I do love soup anyway.

Mulch: I don’t eat anything, I take a bunch of laxatives and wait it out. Dwarf illness is... explosive.

[fandom-sheep]

Fundy 28 APR 21

Delayed Liveblog Vault Hunters Part 1/1

Our favorite fox is damp. And apparently can’t get his hair to sit right.

He’s already having to raise the redemption price. It’s been 5 seconds.

I don’t even quite get Vault Hunters I know Hbomb did it last season and that it.

Charm. Lovely.

Is the bottom right a confetti cannon?

Oh no we have to fight? We can’t be trusted.

We are the sort of people to purposefully lose the fight.

Don’t get me wrong. We love Fundy and will cry on command. But also we are rather mean to him.

Mystic Tomato. I don’t know what it is but I love it.

I was saving up Chanel points for water and ads. But now I gotta save for those and the little fun reward pack things.

Oh no. Did we hit 100 subs already? That’s what it says over his name?

Confetti canon?

5up! Hooray!

HBomb humoring Fundy with the emotes.

Fight fight fight!

So close. We tried out best to fight the giant.

Alright chat. We need another arena. Everyone get him.

Everyone in chat yelling about Phil doing stuff in OSMP. Wrong server y’all. We can deal with that later.

Ooo are we doing VC?

Everything is so chaotic already.

Tubbo and Fundy trying to figure everything out.

You know things are confusing when the original people are like “the what?”

There was a how to play meeting? And somehow these boys are still confused.

Tubbo at least has an excuse to be confused.

I love skill trees in games. They just look so pretty.

“I see a melon!” -Fundy

5up our beloved.

My streamer is being beat up with a boomerang.

Fundy doesn’t know what’s happening, but he’s rich so it works.

Tubbo is just saying every name in hopes he says the right one.

Pizza!

We attack!

WE WIN!

We did it! We’re a good chat!

Is 5ups skin still cog champ themed? Maybe not. Maybe my brain is being goofy.

Is Fundy complaining about his hair? I’m not actually paying attention. What is chat on about.

That’s one thing that can be said about all the chats. They like it when their streamers have fluffy hair.

Chat really is just crying aren’t they. Fundy’s chat has a skill of crying at everything.

Hooray 5up is active! Fundy go say hi for us!

Hooray friends!

Super good item! I don’t get it, but super good item!

ITS THE BEING!

Arena arena. We’re almost to the arena!

Aww. I missed the bets.

ARENA TIME!

Beat em up chat!

Oh no. He’s hitting hard.

WE DIDS IT!

ARENA TIME!

Oh were getting hit hard.

But we did it!

Good Job Wolf! Awesome Millionaire!

No arena box for winning. Rude.

Chat can’t even remember how many fights we’ve won.

Stupid full inventory.

Temporary base on the hill.

Pretty chest!

All the gifted subs. Such a popular streamer.

That looks so cool! I missed what it did but it looks cool!

Ooo all sorts of cool things.

Look at chat go

SHULKER SHELLS!

Look at everyone giving Fundy things.

It’s neato that they use peoples skins. That you can see the people who donated.

Shulker crates! Nice! That’ll be good for transporting things.

We’re so fancy.

Ooo sorting. The most complicated thing.

Chats over here spoiling our streamer.

Wool?

ARENA TIME!

We got this!

Beat em up subs!

WE WON!

Looting 2 noice.

Mods bribing chat to stop barking with Scooby snacks. I love them so much.

Wolf my dear you have done nothing wrong.

Oh cloud9 has a fox skin!

Ooo create mod. We know about that.

A lovely little base.

Cake is being stolen all over the place.

Stab stab the dragon.

Hooray follow goal! Music time!

Oh... that was it. Alrighty we’ll take what we can get.

Time to win an arena subs. We want music.

Our boy is confused.

Fundy just read the chat. They are telling you.

I got to get this time! The subs will destroy everyone!

Happy Halloween?

Gasp! Mega gift!

Pretty skin!

We love the Fundy mods dearly. They are so chill and nice.

The water well has run dry.

The streamer has escaped. It’s just us, the mods, and the chair.

Oh a Schlatt plush! Neato!

Schlushy I agree with that name.

“Not the hat the other one.” LOL.

Chat go Glatt

Went to get water the. Forgot to drink it.

Subs can modify emotes left and right.

Viper good job! Good book!

Fundy doing his game at middle of the night o’clock.

Streamer... please sleep. Please eat meals.

We’re almost at the Arena!

Sleep 8 hours... just at the wrong time.

Chat fully admitting to thinking our streamer is dumb enough to fall in lava.

We have learned to balance our expectations Fundy.

Oh this is going to be a long stream. A really long stream. I’ll probably need to take a break and do some work.

Arena Time! Beat em up subs!

Good job subs!! You did it!

Let’s see what we get for the arena.

So many Wolf!

Diamond!!!

Putting the winners on their boxes. Nice.

I have so much work to do, but I just want to watch the funky Fox.

Villagers? We love villagers.

PIANO!

Oh we’re switching screens it’s serious piano.

So lovely. I love listening to music people do their things.

I love the fact the subs keep shouting FundyJam!

I swear improv music should not sound this lovely

Spooky sounding tune. Sounds like a boss fight in a haunted castle.

Awesome piano!

Poor boy so annoyed by his hair. Bless his heart.

For anyone who doesn’t touch Twitter. The Fundy Updates Twitter is fabulous and amazing. They are just always so upbeat over everything.

Trying to nether portal. You go fox friend.

Wow Just portal to the center do a lava lake. Under soul sand.

You go 5up! You get that bastion.

Rip 5up.

Poor Fundy doing his best.

How’s the VC crew doing?

MENDING GOLD PANTS!!!

The drip is back!

Also I voted no in the will he burn pole. I have faith in my streamers.

We’re calling Fundy emo now. And he’s trying to deny having an emo phase, and failing.

I don’t know what’s happening half the time in this chat.

Fire Fox!

We’re still calling Fundy emo. Chat spoils the streamer and chat bullies the streamer.

Oh are we trending emo Fundy? Nice. I’m conveniently scrolling on Twitter.

Look at us bully our streamer.

The two people in chat. Those saying emo Fundy. Those going “his hair is nice stfu”. The duality of chat.

Sounds of suffering coming from the nether.

Fundy has taken responsibility for enderpearls.

We cursed Fundy? I look away for 10 seconds.

Pixel has turned on Fundy.

Fight that ghast.

Fundy’s going to get all the endermen.

Piglin goes smack.

We’re wearing the drip. Nice.

Everyone gets rich so fast here.

Well. We’ll just leave the corpse there.

Sizzle.

The people who bet on him dying are so rich in channel points now.

*sad fox noises*

Surely not. Fundy we have lost all hope in you.

Pixel doing everything they can to do anti emo Fundy.

Aww. I missed the prediction. I bet he won’t die. I believe in him.

Fundy being scared by his own body. Cant wait to see that clip everywhere on YouTube.

Back to attacking the endermen.

Tubbo is such a villain. He’s so willing to kill HBomb.

Fundy just getting back to work.

I’m sorry corpses become skeletons. That’s horrid.

Off to get the dragon. The dragon the dragon.

Tubbo was smote.

HBomb and Fundy fully ready to be that person that steals the temple.

Hbomb shaped chest. That is great.

Everyone bullying HBomb.

Almost Arena time.

Betting yes on the arena. The subs are strong and they’ve got this.

My twitch app is being stupid. This might be my signal to take a break and do my school work.

8k boosters and the chat goes nuts.

Chat from where I am is just a bunch of booster packs. I think I need to close and reopen the app.

There we go. There is the lovely chat.

Arena time!

Aww. My bet disappeared when I moved the app.

No! He’s cheating! The subs are doing their best!

Good job subs!

I mean it’s a diamond sword. It’s not diamonds but it’ll do.

I heard a du du du du?

I’ve got to go. Time to be productive with my life and time.

Let me know if I miss anything especially stupid or funny.

Alright it’s been 2 and a half hours but I’m back.

Looks like I missed a lot, and the boy has been going 5 hours.

Still on Vault Hunters? How is he not tired of this yet good gracious.

We’re enchantin’

I don’t know what’s happening but I’m watching.

Who stole all the luck from the boy?

Good that he’s drinking plenty of water

Good that he’s taking a break for foods.

What is with the lightening sounds? I don’t like it.

Spare the soup pet.

Sadness. No 3rd cow.

Yes! One more arena!

Lure da cows.

No that’s the Fundy Cow!

Nooooo. That’s worse than killing it!

Did we win our other arenas? I only say the first 5 or so.

Lightening Cow. Lovely.

Noooo the cowwww!

For once Fundy isn’t the one thriving.

He tunneled the cow out. Wow.

Bye 5up! Good luck!

Hi Crumb. The cow was snatched.

Noooo. Quit stealing our cows!

What he jumps like Superman and steals our cows.

Cow bunker.

These cows will get snatched. I just know it.

No. No taking da cows.

Our cows must be protected.

Enchanting is not on our fox’s side

Oh so they did beat the enderdragon. Good for them.

All sorts of neato elytra.

I must go again. I am called to dinner.

Good job getting you diamond sir.

30 minutes later I am back and we are chatting with HBomb.

Sharp boomerang.

Saw a bit of cat maid peaking out there.

5up judging Fundy for just sitting and mining.

Oh the facecam is off. I’m just noticing.

I guess it probably goofed up and froze.

Everyone in chat talking about how much to make the magic packs. I like the people saying 6.9k just for the funnies.

I’m voting 6.9k in the pole just for the funny.

I know it won’t win but I’m doing my part.

Goblins? What the squeak did I miss?

What. We stab the goblins. And they give us emeralds?

This mans has been going for 6 hours and a while. I hope he doesn’t forget to look after himself. He was talking about eating an hour ago.

I love all the product minions. All the donators just chilling on their chests.

Why are all the minions black and white? I missed that one?

Oh they run out. They ran out of stuff and out of color.

Wealth in the chest, since we don’t have a mouth.

Angel or Fairy? Is that even a question? (Chat chose fairy)

Fairy Fox. I want to draw that but have negative amounts of art skills.

We’re killing time until we hit 7 hours.

We’re meeting up with 5up! Nice!

Oh HBomb left and thought Fundy hadn’t done anything in 20 minutes but jump around his castle. LOL.

We hit 7 hours and dipped.

7 hours and almost a thousand subs. Look at us go.

Hello Puffy Raiders! You’re a bit late but hello!

Oh no. He’s panicking and not ending.

Please someone who feels like being annoying remind the mans to eat.

Raffle? Oh donators! They go through a raffle thingy! Nice!

Hooray OSMP but also Fundy please sleep and such.

Not even raffling. Just opening and closing.

Nice spin noises.

WOLF! Wolf earned to win the raffle.

Wait wait wait? Fundy go get some food and go to bed!

Hey look there is our streamer!

This is the max post size lol. 5up raid let’s go! Hello 5up! We are here! But now I’m going to bed. Oh nevermind. I hear the fox. Ah that’s smart 5up. Anyway. I’m gone now.

[forbidding-souda]

About Mod Souda

You guys should talk to me in the ask box more smh you guys are fun

Like just tell me about your day but I won’t guarantee that like 1000% I’ll respond but I’ll read them all.... efkjlwdbsc or or ask me questions or something idk I like talking

1500 followers face reveal when (shocked emoji) /srs

Anyways here’s some things about me because I never really introduced myself (since this is my account and why would I do an introduction)

THIS IS LITERALLY MY LIFE STORY GOODBYE BAHSBAH

-Mod Souda 

Hi I am Mod Souda and I go by he/him ofc ofc I am a gay man.

Uhh I am an a native amercan mixed kid AND an Aquarius ugh I’m so unique right. I was raised by a raver and a metalhead skater in Vegas. I’ve been in the pit since I was 4 years old (specifically at a Primus concert LMAO).

The first fandom I was in was Creepypasta, and I was about 8 years old. It’s funny because the first musician I ever actively liked was Madame Macabre. 

As a child (like 7-11) I mainly listened to Vocaloid, Madame Macabre, and Nicki Minaj.

When Avengers came out I was still in elementary school. And .. Loki... wrjhfbwejdhb bro!! gay awakening!! holy shit. I was in love with him but I didn’t want to admit it smh shhh.

The first anime I ever watched was Black Butler. I was IN LOVE with Joker from Book of Circus ehbwdjqshdfb. The last episode of that season ended the day I moved to California. I remember crying bc of the last scene inside of the moving truck.

I also got into Fairy Tail a lot. Also tragic. I had the hugest crush on Gajeel Redfox mmmmmemdwkgsnekfdjsglkvcx

I live in the Bay Area, and grew up in the same house, compared to living in Vegas where I moved every two years. There are ... so many poc here ... and in vegas I was in a class with all white people. Being around so many poc was so like ?? fun ?? idk how to describe it but it feels like how life should feel like; not stressful at all.

I started listening to goth music when I was 12 because I was in the Mr. Creepypasta amino and somebody was like “you guys should join the goth amino” and I was like oh that sounds so fun !!! Boom... goth Mod Souda arrived.

I was all about Sopor Aeternus and Switchblade Symphony. 

I discovered my lifelong favorite artist in like 2016. It was because I was making playlist for my Fairy Tail oc (tragic) and I added this song I got off of a “Creepypasta Theme Songs” and it was Bernadette by IAMX (which was assigned to Laughing Jack). And I listened to the song and was like meh this is cool. Then one day I played the playlist and it just.... hit different. LMAO I was like waiitittttititit. The next day, on the way to the airport, I downloaded all 7 (at the time) of his albums and listened to them the whole way. I’ve seen him live too like mm chris corner I love you.

I got into DR in 2015 because of an edit of (anime) Syo and Junko to Pound the Alarm LOL. I was like “this looks cool” so I watched it on my phone while sitting on the couch all in one go. Spoilers but I cried the most when mondo and sakura died, fun fact. Life went down from there smh!! 

I really believed that I was dating Gundham Tanaka. Like everything in my life was Gundham Tanaka related like I was ... obsessed with him. And I coudln’t see art of him and sonia because it would make me have a breakdown bc I thought he was cheating on me PLZ BHDSABHJBAHAAHHA it’s funny because I kin sonia now and I’m in love with her.

This was the same year where I ???? got bruises on my eardrums somehow (I asked my dad recently how I got them and he went uhh idk) ???? and I couldn’t hear anything for like three years plz. My hearing has gotten better but idk if my ear percentage is 100%/100% or if I’m just grateful it isn’t what it is before LMAO so that’s when I started learning ASL.

This is also the same year where I got hospitalized for being a neurodevelopmental schizophrenic lol OOPS !

A funny story of me growing up with danganronpa is uhh when future arc was still airing ,,, Spoilers,, and the episode with Juzo passing aired,, I literally printed the frame of him talking to himself confessing his love and BROUGHT IT TO SCHOOL. I LIT A CANDLE FOR HIM TOO LIKE BYE

Freshman year of highschool I started dating an emo kid who brought his electric guitar to school. TRAGIC. We dated for like two years please what.

Sophomore year I started getting into metal and punk. This is mainly because I went to a Slayer concert. I was trying to branch out of my goth bubble and !!! metal really stuck with me. My favorite subgenre is goregrind. It’s mmm so good. Punk... was a miss. I absolutely hate punks. If anyone in the alternative community is reading this right now I’ll tell you this: the punks that I interacted with to learn more about the community were from OC .... goodbye

I still listen to Glass Street tho ^ they are hc/crossover and I really like their music omg I have their merch now plz HBSAJKH and I still like the patch pants / crusties I made so that’s cool. A lot of kids look up / glamorize me just because of my fashion but at least they give me clout ig ...

The year after that I downloaded Spotify for the first time. I was an apple music/youtube person (tragic). Uhh what else omg. I finally figured out that I was neurodevelopmental and that it affected my way of thinking and that ,, it wasn’t JUST because I am sch so that was an awakening.

Anyways now trying to get a minor in asl interpreting mmmm and trying to get a job SMH !! why is it so hard. I’m into DND now oo that’s new and I’m collecting the dice.

I started this blog in July 2020 when I was staying with my friend in a tent in New York for a couple of months. I forced her to watch despair arc (LOL) and now she’s a junko cosplayer so B^)

Metalhead anon and everyone else who’s been here for a long ass time make me SOOO happy like woah.. it’s been so long omg. I used to post fics three times a day like wtf the EFFORT (that was before school started lol oops my bad)

Since then I’ve got a boyfriend and a whole wave of danganronpa cosplayers who are my friends now. It’s really cool to talk to so many young people (sometimes) who are hella into like,, open conversations about gender and politics and whatnot. I’m used to talking to 20 year old goth people you know? 

Whenever I do something “cringey” (like if I want to do dr character impersonations or if I want to rant about how much I love this anime character or if I want to try out neopronouns) I’m like hmmmm I can go to the danganronpa cosplayers and I know they won’t judge me for this.

Anyways that’s it. It’s 22:50 where I am right now aaaanndd I go on this blog way more than I should LOL

[talkingbl]

Tropes/Plots I want to see more of

In no particular order, I want to see more:

Fish Out of Water. This trope literally provides the best starting point for character growth, natural conflict, and a conventional love story with a spicy twist. 1000Stars/ATOTS was a decent showing of this trope (and actually the only live action BL I've seen employ it). Really want to see a humanoid alien try to assimilate to earth-faring human life like the one from JJBA Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable.

Mafia. I'd really like to see specific actors play cutthroat Mafia heirs with arm candy.

Single Parent. SPOILER FOR MANNER OF DEATH. This is one of the best tropes ever to me for the potential emotional rush alone. Some of my favorite BLs would be instantly better if one of the main characters had a child and some of my favorite BL characters would be better if the plot of the show they were in called for a single parent main. ATOTS' Phupha as a father is suddenly not a dumbass. MIR's Frame is probably not a you-know-what if he's worried about a girl he just knocked up (before anyone yells at me, I understand the issue with this line of thought). MOD's Bun and Tan end their story happily when they legally adopt That instead of inducing Bun's trauma response with that fucked marriage proposal (the proposal can still happen, just not in that way and enhanced by them becoming an official family).

END OF SPOILER FOR MANNER OF DEATH.

Sex work. I love a good story about/showcasing the realities of sex work. The ways in which its harmful to many and empowering for some, necessary for others and an experiment for a few, makes it such a dynamic trope to employ. Long ago I read a really good AU where our protagonist and his friends all worked in a brothel. He met a rich mafioso and fell in love. It was great. Anyway, a story like this pretty much requires good acting. If it's Thai, I'm automatically casting PP Krit and Gun ATP.

Divorced/Exes. I already had a vague AU prompt for this trope lol. But the idea of exes reuniting has strong subversive energy. It provides an unconventional way by which we can get to know the characters, which is already interesting on its own. Add in a broken home trope and this is a recipe that wins every time (with the right writing of course).

Character with disability and character without disability. Just for the representation this could be awesome. I read a really good one shot about a guy who was deaf and a guy who was hearing who met in an unconventional way and went out on a date. The creative ways through which they had to communicate and the subtleties of nonverbal communication leaving the reader to connect the dots was literary genius.

Revenge. Read a good story about a guy who wanted to murder the president of his fictional country for the indirect death of his mother and worked his way up society's ranks just to get into the same room as the president. He then fell in love with the president and the president's underling before actually murdering the president. Didn't like other aspects of that story but the bare bones written here could make for an interesting live action, edited, adaptation.

Time warp. You know those AUs where one character is in 1999 and the other is in 2019 and they magically talk to each other through some decrepit online chatroom or by writing notes to each other in a magical book? That but set in South Korea. I don't have a lot of faith in Thai BL studios to pull it off but if they could, I nominate Nadao and would love to see Fiat Pattadon (in 1999) and JJ Chayakorn (in 2019) finally get their shine.

(more of a genre but) Thai Fantasy or Sci Fi Adventure. Preferably either a Thai Game of Thrones-esque low fantasy, an apocalyptic scenario, or space adventure. I think Sweden or the US LGBT and BL industries could pull one off very well budget-wise. Also could be interested in a high fantasy Lord of the Rings type show/movie with humanoid elves and hobbits and fairies and whatnot living amongst humans in some hierarchical society.

Victorian Era Royalty. Think Cutie Pie but they're all blue bloods (not just corporate royalty) and live sheltered, high-society lives.

[merlinfic]

group ask for lost fics #26

Hi y’all! Below are a few lost fics that us mods just can’t seem to find. That being said, we’re hoping that you lovely followers are able to help! If anyone knows any of the fics below please reply or send in an ask with which anon/user and group ask that the fic corresponds with!

Note: previous group asks and all lost fics!

Anon 1 asked:

Hello, thank you for all your work for this fandom!! I was wondering if you could find a fic I read a while back and lost -- Merlin is saving Arthur and gets injured, and he hides it well enough that Arthur just gets annoyed with him for being dramatic? And eventually there's a magic reveal, as well as merthur endgame. It was on ao3, if that helps! If not no worries <3

Anon 2 asked:

Okay, i always lose this fic and i'm never able to find it again even though i know it's somewhere on this blog... It's the one where merlin falls off a cliff and then arthur kisses him when he gets to merlin and merlin thinks it was just adrenaline? Thank you in advance, I'll make sure to bookmark this time lol

Thanks to @thatsniceiguess for sending in take my hand (there's a world I need to know) by ariadne_odair (need ao3 account)!

Anon 3 asked:

Hello, I would like if you could help me find a fanfiction that I read a few months ago. I can't remember the name but I remember that in the story Arthur took a gap year and he met Merlin on a train to Paris, I think, after they spent that year together, Arthur leaves and he goes 5 years without seeing Merlin. It's more or less that, I also remember that Morgana marries Gwen. I would be very happy if you can help me, I love your incredible work💖

Anon 4 asked:

I recently (as in like this week) read a fic where Gwen walks in on Merlin and Morgana are practicing magic. She runs out but Arthur goes and grabs her and explains that he knows. No matter what I search I can't find it!

Thanks to an anon, that could be Flank to Flank and Facing Forward by ohHeyThereBigBadWolf

@yankee-doodle-danger asked:

Hi! First of all I adore all the work you’re doing! I was looking for this very specific fic. Merlin and Arthur were both vampires who were going on a hunt. Percival and Gwaine were hunters, and at one point Merlin gets buried in a coffin with a stake in his heart while Arthur searches for him. This fic is driving me crazy so if anyone knows what it’s called it would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you so much!!

@ntjnke asked:

Hi there! I'm forwarding this ask from @FyMerlinxArthur. It sounds amazing, but I can't find it with my pretty simple searching skills. I was wndering if your mods would be more successful. The ask might take 2 boxes, bc I don't want it cut off, since all there are are content clues: "Hi ! I’m hoping if you can help me? I’m looking for a fic that I read a year or two ago where Arthur has a son who has magic. Merlin and Arthur are together raising the child, but Merlin is still a manservant. They are hiding their son’s power from Uther. In one part the son runs off to find his mother and it was revealed that Merlin is actually the other parent. Somehow he and a fairy had switched bodies and Merlin nor Arthur were aware and Arthur slept with the fairy (it was during one of their off periods and Merlin was traveling). The son was dropped off as a baby anonymously but no one could deny that it was Arthur’s. It was about eight chapters long when I read it on ao3. I’m not sure if it was posted on any other website. Thank you so much !!

Anon 5 asked:

Hi! I've been trying to find this story and I've searched every tag I can think of on AO3 but it's a Merthur story where Arthur has a habit of sleeping with servants and Merlin walks in on him a few times. And I think Arthur ends up with a servant that looks like Merlin. I'm also wondering if there are stories similar to this one? Thank you so much for all you do!

@oceancliffs asked:

hey, i’ve trawled through all the possible tags i can think of and cannot for the life of me find this fic. basically arthur is super in love with merlin but won’t act upon it because of the power imbalance and is convinced that merlin would go along with it if he ever made a move simply bc he’s the prince/king. it isn’t “for merlin’s honour” though!!

Glad you found it! For those interested it’s Knowing and Nobility by srin!

@fall0utmind asked:

LOST FIC--- It's short and on AO3. It is about Arthur realising he likes Merlin but also Merlin's previous loves, esp Gwaine and Lance. At one point Arthur finds out about this (Merlin accidently says) and is like you slept with not one but two of my knights?! He's like shocked and jealous. Hopefully that's somewhat useful! Thank you

Anon 6 asked:

Hi again! You've helped me before so I'm hoping you can help me now. I've been looking for a fic I read a while back where Arthur returns and tires to rekindle his relationship with Merlin but Merlin refuses. I remember Arthur saying, "Is it because you're old now? I don't care about that." They start living together and there's a guy from the grocery store who likes Merlin and Arthur sets them up on a date. Thank you so much!!!

@entertainmeh asked:

Hi I cannot express my gratitude enough hbxsjnszjn, the nights I spent reading amazing fics thanks to you!!but anyway I've come to ask about a fic I read a good while ago.. Arthur decided to teach Merlin how to fight with swords, but Merlin fell of a Cliff or sth and Arthur thought he died but turns out not and he had to drag him back to Camelot were he eventually died and then arthur bargained for Merlin's life with the triple goddess. There was magic reveal too. Do you know it?? Take care <333

Thanks anon for sending in The Best and Worst of Times by theimportanceofcurves!

Anon 7 asked:

i have lost a fic 😢 in it, it was expected for merlin to be arthur's bedwarmer, and basically uther forced them together, but arthur was a sweetie and even went to a brothel to learn how to not hurt merlin and stuff. I think they got magically married at some point. it had many chapter, and it was unfinished the last time I read it and... now I can't find it anymore 😢😢😢 help

Thanks to @thinkingabouttyrus for sending in Manservant by MerthurDestinies (WIP)!

Anon 8 asked:

Hi, I lost a fic and your recent posts about uni/college made me remember it existed in the first place lol so I'm seeking your help. I only remember little so it's fine if you can't find it. It was set in uni, and at first Merlin and Arthur didn't like each other. I remember them being very different since Merlin was poor, and that (at the end?) there was a touching rooftop scene (which I think ended with some heavy petting). Sorry if it's too little :(

Thanks to @hernativelanguagewasthought for suggesting a whole lot of history (you and me) by ladililn!

[ds-ts-smut-fics]

Cave Boys [Chapter One]

Edit: Please tell me if the ‘read more’ isn’t working because this is the third time I tried adding it in and on our blog, it shows, but when I see it on my dash it isn’t there. I’m really sorry if it’s still not working. 

Synopsis: While exploring, Logan finds an unknown cave. He’s too curious for his own good and wanders inside, only to be kidnapped by monsters and taken to their civilization as a prize to be sold to the highest bidder. 

Genre: Logan-centric whump with a happy ending for all, NSFW, romantic intrulogical, parental loceit, parental logicality, romantic moceit, background romantic prinxiety 

Trigger warnings (for the entire fic): Angst and whump, blood, gore, kidnapping, monsters, human in a cage, human in a collar, human on a leash, I think maybe technically body horror?, implied unsympathetic Janus, implied unsympathetic Virgil (neither of them is unsympathetic they’re both just assholes lol), human slavery, human being treated as property, human up for sale, threats, eventual non-con, lots of bullying, poverty

Trigger warnings (for this chapter): Traps, ankle injuries, knives that go unused, suicidal speech, talk of a person ‘fading’ (very briefly and it doesn’t happen), arguing and insults, implied poverty 

Word count: 6171 

Written by: Claire and Virgil

Edited by: Virgil

A/N: Hi, I played Janus and if you ask me where his personality comes from, I have no answer ~Mod Virgil 

When Logan was upset, he explored the forest by his house. 

The woods spread over hundreds of miles. They were covered in towering pines, ground in thick moss and large boulders. There were plenty of places of interest marked out and documented— Hot springs, caves, clearings, ponds. 

Logan had visited all of them. 

It got to the point where he merely wandered, focusing on landmarks instead of the people who upset him, who had once again let him down. After all, he had to be able to find his way home. A few times he got lost in the forest for longer than desired. 

He was several hours into his hike, in a direction he had never been before, when he came across an undocumented cave. He checked every centimetre of his map- The one he updated every night -but no one knew of its existence. 

Humming, he flicked on his light, circling the area just in case, and making a note of the find in his journal before stepping in carefully, eyes wide with wonder. “Stupendous…." 

The entrance of the cave was made of high ceilings and jagged walls covered in moss. The gurgling of running water from somewhere to his left echoed through the room, and straight across, through a narrow crack in the wall, was something… Glowing. Glittering, even, shining with purple, pink, yellow, and blue. 

Gasping softly, he crept carefully towards the crack, a small shiver running down his spine. "Were I more superstitious, I would say this is a fairy ring or some nonsense… how does it shimmer like that though!” Reaching out, he slipped some gloves on to touch the nearest one, the darkest blue he’d ever seen. 

It was… So warm. Warm and beautiful. What was this rock- No, crystal? If he got some of it back home, he could test it… He’d have to get through the crack to harvest some of it. 

Leaning out a little further, he grunted. The moment he stumbled out of the crack, metal slid against metal, and as bars flipped upward to lock him in a claustrophobic cage, pain exploded in his ankle as something clamped around it. Cheers sounded nearby. 

A terrified yelp spilled from his lips as he pushed and pulled at the metal. What’s going on?!

Thick, hairy hands curl around the bars of the cage, the metal screeching along the stone floor as Logan was hauled into the darkness. 

“That’s four for me,” the voice closest to him grunts, “and none for you. Have you noticed that? I have.” 

His hands flew to his ears. He quickly lost track of where he was, darkness and the long strides of whoever, or whatever, now had him, making it impossible. The screaming pain in his ankle had hardly subsided by the time the moving finally stopped. The only direction Logan was certain he went in was down. He started to realize why this place wasn’t marked on the map. 

“Do him like the other humans, there should be an open spot close to the city,” the same voice ordered. “I’ll go update the books.” 

His heart sunk. He flinched back as a long arm reached for him. The monster tugged at him even as he kicked with his unbound leg, fumbling in his pockets for his knife and swiping. “Get the hell away! Let me go!!”

The thing laughed gleefully as its slim form easily avoided his slashes. “You know,” it clamped down on Logan’s injured ankle, pain forming black spots in his vision, “those stupid crystal things were the best thing we’ve ever done for our jobs. Made things so much easier.” 

Logan snarled, certain that if he could just get one hit in, it would be fine. Maybe he’d even wake up, bed sheets wrapped around his ankles instead of this millipede nightmare.

“If you don’t stop struggling,” it sang, “you’ll never be able to use that ankle again.” It squeezed tighter, digging the metal further into his flesh, Logan’s vision turning white.

He screamed and fell limp. 

The thing dragged him forward by his ankle and slapped something against his neck. It crumpled and curled around like a collar, but the material was some type of metal Logan didn’t recognize. It almost… Harnessed heat. The longer it stuck to his skin, the more it burned, like holding your hand too close to fire without touching it. 

It clipped a chain on the collar and dragged Logan across the dirt floor. Logan will never forget the things he saw as it led him further into the cave system. 

It brought him down to an area with square holes cut in the walls, light seeping into the makeshift hallway. What could only be described as monsters peeked through the windows, watching Logan with expressions he couldn’t recognize. There was occasional hissing, chirping, incoherent English mumbling… But not a human in sight. 

Slumped in the larger pen, he tried to put together what had happened for a long time after the creature left, he finally had looked down to see the bloody mess his ankle was, and the trap attached to it. It throbbed with his panicked heartbeat ever since he had given up getting it off. 

“You’re such a bitch, you know that?”

An androgynous voice, sounding almost-human, echoed down the hall as two pairs of footsteps headed for his cage. Were they human? Were they going to save him? 

Shifting to his feet, Logan carefully hopped back a little. A soft whine left his lips as he imagined the horror to come. 

“What?! I’m a bitch?!” A louder tone answered, an almost trill to the end echoing off the cavern walls. “You!” The voice sputtered, as if trying and failing to defend itself. “You’re not even looking at me, fang boy!”

“I don’t have to look at you to know you’re a moron. You’ve tripped over more rocks than me, and I’m fucking blind.” 

Two figures came into Logan’s vision. One of them was biped, and looked vaguely humanoid, but a long snout protruded from its face and in place of nails, long, black talons curled. They were sharp enough to slit Logan’s throat. The thing’s eyes, for what tiny slits they were, had no colour. 

Gesturing with a broad swipe, the second figure proclaimed loudly, “So, I wanted to be fashionable and pretty for the new arrivals, Count Woe-laff! So sue me!" 

“Count… Who?”

Logan gingerly hopped out of range of the claws and the cloak the louder one wore. It floated and fluttered, as if it sat on a tide. Eyes lifting to meet Logan’s, the loud one found a rock and went down hard. He squeezed out a pained breath. 

The badger thing slapped a paw to its face, right above his snout. “God, you are such a moron.” It knelt down and wrapped a paw around the other’s wrist, and for a moment Logan thought those talons were going to draw blood, but the thing helped its counterpart up and patted its back roughly. 

Huffing, it dusted off, just now noticing Logan. "So, I missed a safety measure or three. Did you see-? Oh! There’s a human!" 

A deep rumble fell from the badger boy’s throat, presumably a laugh. “No, I don’t see. But do you know how I know anyway? Because I listen when we’re given orders.” 

The two of them stopped in front of Logan’s cage. The badger held large, flat pieces of stone and ran a single talon along it. The nail wormed its way between all the grooves and indentations, face clenched in concentration. 

“Logan?” It tried. “Did I say that right? You’re listed as male, is that correct?” 

Mouth opening a few times, Logan managed after a few moments, "I… Yes? How do you know that?! I haven't… There weren’t any questions asked!”

“Everything I have here is first impressions, things our superiors could tell from sight. My name is Virgil, and the idiot back there is Roman. He uses he/him, I use they/them. What do you use?” They cocked their head towards Roman and mumbled, “Did I ask that correctly?” 

Roman snorted softly. “I’m not an idiot, V!" 

"Yes, a bit stiff and formal, but basically correct. I prefer he/him pronouns and my name is Logan. Why am I here? Can either of you get this device off of my leg?!” He balanced, using a part of the cage furthest from the two beings, uncertainty clouding his mind.

“You were unlucky,” Virgil answered, and then the rest of Logan’s words caught up with them. They snapped something in a language Logan didn’t understand, in the same implication of one spitting out a chain of curses, and asked, “Damnit, Roman, did they leave that fucking thing on again?”

“Looks like it. They pushed it in, too! Even when they struggle, that’s just mean!” Lilting sounds left his lips in much the same implied tone. “We have to get closer to get it off.”

“I’ll do it. Just make sure he doesn’t escape.” Virgil gave Roman the tablets and pulled a set of keys from one of their many pockets. They spoke as they unlocked the door. “Roman and I are assigned to guard you when you’re on good behaviour. If you act out too much, we can’t help, and you won’t like where you end up.” They knelt in front of Logan and pat the ground. “Put your ankle right here. You’re going to have to trust us, and accept the situation.” 

Slowly pushing off the wall, Logan carefully slid to where Virgil indicated, voice soft and stubbornly resigned. “Do I have a choice? I don’t know where ‘here’ is or how to get home, even if I thought that I could walk or climb to get there.”

“You’re smarter than most humans they catch.” Virgil slipped a talon into a slot on the device, a thin tongue poking between their lips. They plunged the talon deeper, and the device popped off, ripping off some of Logan’s skin with it. 

“FUCK! That hurts!” He groaned. He tugged his foot close and rocked, pressing at the bleeding parts of his foot. He glared. “What good does being smart do me? I’m still here.” 

“I’m sorry.” They sounded genuine. “I didn’t want to warn you, it would have just freaked you out.” Virgil stood and left the cage, closing and locking the door behind them. They took the tablets back from Roman. “We don’t have a lot of human food. Do you have… Uh, fuck, what did that girl call it? Come on, Roman, speak up, you know way more about humans than I do.” 

Roman jumped a little. “Which girl, the one that had those little bars in her bag or the one that said she couldn’t eat nuts?”

“The one who couldn’t eat nuts. She said it’d kill her. We weren’t aware humans weren’t able to eat all human foods. That’s so fucking weird… You guys are fucking weird, you know that?” 

“Those are called allergies. Sensitivity in differing degrees to parts of our environment. I don’t have an allergy to anything. That I’ve encountered so far at least?”

A horrible grating sound sliced through the air as Virgil noted that down with their talon. “And how old are you? We’ve tried guessing age before but another thing humans are fucking weird with, you guys don’t look the same ever.” 

Covering his ears, Logan gritted his teeth. “Twenty- I’m twenty years old.”

Virgil noted that down as well and, to Logan’s immense relief, pocketing the tablets. “Okay. So what’s gonna happen is I’m gonna grab you some food while Princey here watches you, then-”

“VIRGIL! ROMAN!” An impatient voice echoed through the corridor, rapidly coming closer. “I’M HERE TO MEET THE NEW HUMAN!” 

“Get lost, Janus,” Virgil growled. “The human’s not open for meet and greets yet!”

Logan hissed softly, pushing back against the wall. No more new things… 

At first glance, the rapidly approaching creature looked human. It almost startled hope in Logan, until it came into the light. 

It was not human. 

Its skin was ghostly pale in the spaces it wasn’t covered in shimmering green scales. Its eyes were slit like a snake’s, its fangs poking out between its lips. It had similar talons to Virgil’s, but a fraction of the length and looked almost manicured. 

A dazzling grin slid across its face as its eyes landed on Logan. “Oh, hello darling.” It frowned, gaze dropping to his ankle. “Oh, dear, did these two do that to you?” 

Virgil shoved the thing. “You can’t keep doing this every fucking time a human arrives. Just because you meet them first doesn’t mean anyone can guarantee you a lower price.” 

“P-Price?!” Logan trembled. “You mean I’m to be sold… Like property?!” His vision swam. He curled up tight around his injured limb, rocking slowly as he panicked. “Maybe I should just fucking run… Hope I find a damn cliff or something’s claw…”

All three of them jumped in visible panic, jumping over each other to discourage him. 

“-horrible, horrible idea-”

“-please, darling, you’ll only get hurt-”

“-you won’t make it far enough and the punishment will make you regret trying-”

The snake thing wrapped a hand around one of the bars. “I know it looks bleak now, but if you trust me, convince the others that I would be the best buyer… You’ll be happy they took you in the first place.”

Logan laughed with a snort. “Why the fuck would I want something like that?!”

“You’re going to confuse him,” Virgil growled. “Don’t make him think he has any say. Just go and wait for his display day, okay?” 

“You’ll look fabulous! And certainly end up with a better owner than snake lips there!” Roman blocked the view with his body, winking.

“I can make you happy!” It insisted. “Please, don’t listen to them! My name is Janus. What’s yours? Let me get to know you, darling.” 

“Happy?! Go suck an egg and choke.” Turning, Logan tugged at his ankle, turning to Virgil. “Is there any medical treatment? Water? Clean cloth?”

“Yes, I’ll bring you water with your dinner. Roman, did you-”

“Sorry to interrupt,” Janus did not seem sorry, “but I’m not familiar with that human expression? Was that- Was-”

“You were rejected,” Virgil said flatly. “When are you going to accept that no one wants you?” 

“I don’t trust any of you and I don’t like this one bit,” Logan muttered softly. 

Janus hesitated, then spun on his heels and left. 

Virgil sighed. “Roman, did you remember the gauze?”

Producing a roll from a bag on his hip, Roman nodded. "Of course!”

Virgil took it and unlocked the cage again. “I’ll go grab your food after I get this wrapped up, okay? Did they hurt you anywhere else?” They sat and patted the same spot on the floor. 

Slowly stretching out again, Logan thought. “The collar-thing felt like it was burning… But I don’t think so?” Looking at his hands, he hummed. 

“Bruises on his hands at least,” Roman piped up, “probably all over from those damn cages.”

Virgil wrapped Logan’s ankle and held out their paws, palms up. “Give me your hands.” 

Carefully, Logan held them out, palm down. “What is the purpose of taking humans? What use are we to you?”

“It’s different for each buyer.” Virgil’s dark skin was surprisingly soft as their fingers rubbed along Logan’s palms. “The simple answer is that there’s a huge market for it. There are rumours that people buy humans because they want to take out their anger at being locked down here while you all are free up there, but I think that’s bullshit. We could go up there if we wanted, we just don’t. I think the people who think that are cowards.”

Logan snorted. “Everything I’ve seen here is like a cross between a fantasy tale and a nightmare… Things most people don’t believe even exist! There’s no way there’s a lock or force keeping you here! That’s just not logical!" 

“Exactly.” Virgil grinned, squeezing Logan’s hands. “You walked right in, didn’t you? What’s stopping the ones desiring to walk right out?” 

"Well… I was exploring, curious. I rather fell in? It was a doorway, though!” He blushed, thinking back. “Seems it was a trap, though, from what they said.”

“Yeah,” Virgil mumbled as they rose to their feet. “It’s those crystals. Humans go crazy for them. The severity depends on the person, but it just makes you want to know… Everything about them. And you’ll put that priority over any others.” Virgil slipped out of the cage, then shut and locked the doors. “Humans are so stupid,” they sighed, and left to get Logan’s food. 

Logan curled in on himself. Did I upset them? “Oh…" 

Roman hummed softly and slipped into place at the door. "Should we get you more coverings? Are you too cold?" 

Pausing, Logan shook his head. Virgil came back a while later with a tray of what looked close to oatmeal, and a few bottles of water. They slid it through a gap in the bars, towards the bottom. 

“You should try to sleep after you eat.” They shoved a thick roll of cloth through as well. “Tomorrow’s going to be a big day. You’re going to meet one of our superiors, and she’ll be preparing you for your display day. Please, please obey us, and obey her. If you misbehave, Roman and I will not be able to help you.” 

"I… Okay, I’ll do my best. Thank you for the advice. What- What exactly is a display day?" 

“One of our superiors will take you to the city, along with some other humans, and, well, put you on display. People come by to meet you and look at you, and bids will start.” 

"Oh… Has anyone ever… Gone home?”

Virgil hesitated, expression darkening. “You mean… Left the cave?” 

“Yes. Is there a chance that I will ever see the surface again?” He raised his head to watch the expression of this strangely compassionate being. “Will I ever see my home again… Or am I here until I die?”

“Don’t ask questions like that,” Virgil hissed. “That’s exactly the kind of thing that will land you in a place you don’t want to be in. I’m sorry, I’m sure it must be hard to accept, but this is your best option now.”

“Oh…"  His head dipped, resting on his knees. "That tells me what I need to know, I guess.”

“It’ll be okay,” Virgil promised. “If you’re smart, you can find yourself a good owner who’ll make you happy.” They looked over their shoulder. “Roman, will you set up our tent? I’m taking second watch tonight.” 

Roman rolled his eyes. “Been setting it up as you two gossips talked, guess you really are blind, batboy!”

Virgil looked at them incredulously. “Do you think I’m exaggerating when I say I’m blind?”

Logan couldn’t help but laugh softly, a hand muffling the sound as Roman teased in that other language, causing Virgil to swipe at him.

Virgil finally just rolled their eyes. “Goodnight, Roman. Don’t be stupid, wake me up for my shift, okay?”

He huffed softly. “Fine… Sleep well, emo nightmare!”

“Goodnight, Logan. Let Roman know if you need something.” Virgil ducked into the tent and zipped it up behind them. 

Logan spent most of the night struggling to sleep. The blanket Virgil gave him barely softened the hard stone floor, and every time he fell asleep for a few minutes, he jerked awake, body insisting he was in danger. Eventually, he settled for leaning against the back wall of the enclosure and mentally reciting the constellations to try and remain calm. At some point he must have passed out, because he jerked awake when the door opened, an unfamiliar voice speaking with the two guards from earlier.

“How has he been behaving?” The feminine voice asked. 

“Perfectly,” Virgil said dryly. “Just went right to bed last night, didn’t even think about escaping.”

“Hmm. That’s perfect. Have you noticed anything strange about him, anything to take note of?”

Roman chuckled. “He seems quite intelligent, if a bit scared. The first crew beat him up a bit and I’m not sure if he’s having issues from that first handling?”

“Hmm,” she sounded indifferent, “I’ll check when we get him to the tailor. We’ll definitely have to market his intelligence, most humans are so dumb.” 

Slowly pushing up, Logan hummed softly as dread crept into his stomach. Watching her body language for clues, he steeled himself for whatever she might do to ‘display’ him. 

She talked with the two a little longer. She looked remarkably similar to Virgil. 

She unlocked the cage door and beckoned Logan forward. “Are you awake? Come here, please.”

“I am.” Standing, he slowly approached, watching those long claws carefully. “Am I allowed to speak, ma'am?”

Her barely-there eyes widened a bit. “Wow, you guys weren’t kidding. He is smart. Yes, Logan, you can speak, but keep it to a minimum. I presume Virgil and Roman told you where you’ll go when you misbehave, and I feel it’s important to tell you that our rules and their rules will not be the same.”

“What are those rules, ma'am? I would prefer to avoid punishment if possible.” Gulping as she approached, he fought not to run.

She gracefully slid her talons under his collar and brought him closer, clipping on a chain. She gently tugged, like beckoning a dog, and stepped out of the cage. 

“The obvious ones,” she told him as they walked through the dark corridors, Roman and Virgil flanking them, “like don’t try to escape, don’t be rude, don’t attack anyone. Any others, you have permission to break once, since you won’t know, then any time after that you’ll be assigned new guards.”

He nodded. If he were to break any rules, it would certainly be fighting back or being rude. “Yes, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am.”

“You’re very welcome, Logan. You’re very polite.” 

She took them down a route Logan didn’t recognize, and seemingly all at once, the cave walls turned into carved out homes, the narrow hall opened up into a huge cavern bustling with noise, and he was surrounded in life. It was a complete city, underground, and crawling with monsters. “Roman, please visit the office and update the books while Virgil and I bring him to the tailor.”

Smiling wide, Roman saluted. He took the tablets from Virgil before turning with a flourish. “Certainly! I’ll meet back up with you there!" 

Virgil’s boss led him through the city. Despite her lack of vision, she never ran into anyone or anything. She brought them to a tiny little building made of jagged rock, some of the door crumbling as she pulled it open. 

“Go in, now.” 

Stumbling slightly, Logan ducked inside. His eyes slowly adjusted to the lowered light. He could barely make out a small shop with piles of fabrics, some chains and restraints on the walls. "H-Hello?" 

Scratching sounded as a figure rounded the mounds, low syllabant voice purring as wings and claws came into view. "Greetings, human… Hand over the chain, Sylvia? I need to see all of him easily, you know!”

A griffin. 

Sylvia chuckled and passed it over. “He’s very intelligent, so we’ll need an outfit to highlight that, Rose, make sure everyone who sees him knows.”

Rose’s paw looped the chain over a stand as she drew him in closer. “So I see… His eyes are watching everything. Maybe if we highlight them….” Grabbing some materials, she draped them to check the shade. She sketched concepts with soft mutters. “Scholar… Robes?”

Sylvia hummed appreciatively and found a seat. Virgil stood guard by the door. “Yes, I’m sure that’ll work,” Sylvia said. 

“Of course, darling, I AM the best!” Moving Logan with firm but gentle paws, she measured and worked on creating a heavy-looking robe with colours that complimented his features. It made him look wise, and yet hampered movement so he wasn’t tempted to run. Showing him off when she finished, she motioned for Logan to turn. “I would add some makeup for those eyes if you really want him to sell at mark up, sweetie!”

“I’ll mention that to the stylist tomorrow. I trust you’ve done a wonderful job, if there’s anything the boss has to say I’ll bring him back before closing hours.” 

She stood and pulled a few gems out of the bag at her hip. One of them was an amethyst, but Logan didn’t recognize the rest. She held them out in Rose’s general direction. 

Taking the stones, Rose purred and traded them for Logan’s chain. “A pleasure as always!”

“Virgil, come take this.” She held out the chain, and Virgil felt around until they found her wrist, and felt their way to the end of the chain. “Wait outside for Roman, then get him back to his cage and make him something to eat. I’m going to make sure the work on his display cage is going smoothly.” 

“Sure.” They gestured for Logan to follow, taking it on faith that Logan saw and tugging him out the door. 

Logan stumbled as he adjusted to the change in leading style. “Virgil?”

Sylvia passed them outside and disappeared into the crowd of people. Virgil leaned against the wall of the tailor. “What’s up?”

“Just a question. Am I to wear this outfit only for presentation, or is this to be my new daily attire?” Logan touched the navy fabric, careful not to mess it up. 

“We’re just fitting you for your display day. After we get the boss’ approval, you’ll change back into your original clothes and we’ll keep that safe until everything’s ready. Why?”

“Oh… They are much warmer than what I currently have. The space I was in, it’s colder than I’m used to?" 

Virgil stepped forward and clumsily rubbed one of their paws over the side of Logan’s face. “Hm. You’re right, I don’t think humans’ skin is supposed to be this cold. I’ll grab you a hoodie when I get your breakfast. Jesus, do you see Princey anywhere? He’s so fucking distractable.”

Shivering, Logan leaned into the touch. "Mmm…" 

Roman scoffed softly, coming up behind Virgil. "Petting him without me, V? You’re bonding nicely!”

They dropped their paw with a sigh. “He’s cold. You should carry him back. Body heat should be able to warm him up just as well as fabric.” 

“Oh!” Stepping in, Roman scooped Logan up after a quick consideration on how to position him. “Okay! He’s so light… Are they supposed to be this small?”

Virgil shrugged as they made their way back. “I don’t know. Like I said, humans almost never look the same. Feel below his chest, can you feel his ribs through his skin?”

Logan squeaked as Roman poked at him. “I am not underweight!”

“Just let Roman check,” Virgil sighed. “We need to make sure we’re feeding you correctly.”

Blushing a bright red, Logan nodded and tried to relax. 

Roman hummed softly. “Not easily… Skinny but like just not a lot of natural padding? He is super cold though… Shivering.”

“Yeah, like I said, you gotta warm him up. Use friction.” 

Chuckling, Roman cuddled Logan close, hands sliding under his clothes to rub gently. “Got it, V!”

They brought him back to his holding cage, Virgil holding out his old clothes. “Go ahead and get changed, I need those.”

Turning for modesty even though he knew it was useless, Logan nodded. He held out the robes to Roman. “Here… Might I request something warm for food? It helps.”

“Of course. We have some soups that are safe for humans. I’ll be right back.” 

Roman grinned and settled Logan in his lap, stroking gently. “Soooo… Do you want to talk while V’s doing the boring stuff?”

He blushed and cuddled into Roman’s chest. “Sure?” 

“Awesome!” Petting Logan’s hair, he bounced a little. “So, what do you do for fun? Do you live alone? 20 is above the age of leaving your parent’s territory, right?”

“It varies from person to person. It’s not an abnormal time to be on your own.” He shrugged a little. Somehow, thinking of his old life seemed… Bleeker. “I read a lot. Um, I did a lot of exploring, obviously. I liked finding things I didn’t know about and taking it home to run some tests, see if there’s anything interesting. And, uh, yeah. I lived alone.” 

“Oh! So humans’ life patterns vary? There’s no set time to leave your first home, find a mate?” Roman’s eyes were wide, fascinated. 

Logan nodded slowly. “Yeah… I mean, you can do whatever you want, really. Do you… Have a ‘set time’ to find a mate?” 

He blushed. “Kind of? My species has a limit on how long you have to search. We have a token that we’re to give to our mates after courtship… and if you don’t, we kind of… fade?" 

Logan frowned deeply. “That’s horrible. What if you don’t want a partner?”

 Roman’s head tipped in confusion. "Who wouldn’t want a life partner? The world is lonely sometimes!”

“Well, plenty of people upstairs.” Logan turned to face Roman, wrapping his legs around him. He was slowly warming up, but not quick enough for his liking. “I mean… Well, are we talking about ‘life partners’ or ‘mates?’” 

“Oh! You separate the sexual pairs from the companionship ones?” Roman chuckled. “That makes more sense now!”

He nodded, hesitantly resting his head on Roman’s shoulder. “Yeah. Some people only want one or the other, or neither. I mean, most everyone wants someone to be with for their lives, but… More separated. It’s hard to explain. People can just do whatever they want with their own relationships.”

Roman hummed, sliding off his outer covering layer to hold Logan closer, fingers playing with his hair. “It’s complicated. We do have some help, though? Our tokens can act as a guide, giving a nudge if we’re blind to our feelings!" 

“Hmm… That’s really-”

“VIRGIL? ROMAN? ARE YOU BACK YET?” 

Wincing, Roman groaned and tucked Logan against him. "Son of a sea cow! GO AWAY!”

Janus appeared in the light, looking flustered. “Oh- Logan! You’re out of your cage!” He smiled shakily. “How did you sleep? Oh- Are you cold?” He started to shrug off his jacket. 

Logan snickered softly. He patted Roman’s hair as he hissed at Janus and bared his fangs. 

“I am,” Logan said, “I slept some… Roman is taking care of me, but, thank you?" 

“Oh, I don’t mind!” Janus messily grabbed some gems out of one of the pockets and stuffed them in his pants’ pocket, then held out the jacket. The inside was covered in patches of various fabrics, some of those patches with patches of their own. “I was hoping you’d be more up to talk today? Are you busy?”

Deciding it to be rude to refuse the gift, Logan slid into the jacket carefully. It wasn’t very comfortable— Scratchy, the material stiff. "Well… Um, I don’t think I’m allowed to before presentation day? I don’t want trouble.”

“Janus.” An irritated voice echoed through the tunnel, and Virgil came into view. “Why are you back?” 

“I’m trying to talk to Logan.” Frustration bit into his voice, Janus’ hands curling into fists. “Is that a problem?”

“Yes,” Virgil snapped. “He doesn’t want you. You can bid on him tomorrow like everyone else.”

“Thank you for your interest, Janus… But perhaps some other time?” Logan set his head on Roman’s shoulder, confused by the odd snake creature’s persistence.

One of Janus’ fangs poked into his lip. “Of course. I wouldn’t want to bother you. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Virgil set the tray of food down and came over to Logan with a thick hoodie. They felt over Logan’s shoulders and frowned in confusion, then anger. 

“Take that off,” they snapped. 

Blushing, Logan quickly obeyed. “Sorry… It seemed rude to refuse?”

Virgil tossed the jacket on the floor, one of their talons catching and ripping another hole. “When Sylvia said you couldn’t be rude, that certainly does not apply to him. Don’t trust him. Don’t take anything he gives you.” Virgil wrapped the hoodie around Logan’s shoulders and patted him softly. “Let’s get back in your cage, okay?”

Janus picked up his jacket silently, and left. 

“Oh… why?" 

“He doesn’t deserve to be around humans. You don’t know how things work down here, so you wouldn’t understand, but trust us. He should not be around humans.” Virgil held out his food tray once Logan was in the cage. 

Taking the tray, Logan leaned against the bars, wishing for Roman’s warmth again but sipping the soup happily. "Do you have any other advice?" 

“You’ve been doing fine,” Virgil promised. “Just get some rest for your display day.” 

"Are most humans bought after just one display day?” His forehead pinched at the thought of being uprooted again. 

“No. There are usually four, and you’ll be waiting at least a month. How long exactly depends. Bids are open for at least a month, and depending on the popularity of the subject- You -the date might be extended to try and raise a higher price.”

“O-Oh… and I’ll be kept here, or a different place between displays?” I wish I had my notebooks, my things… I dropped all that outside the hole when I fell in.

“It depends on your behaviour. If you behave, you’ll be kept with us until you’re bought. If you break a rule, though, you’ll immediately be switched guards until you’re either bought or the superiors are convinced you won’t act out again.”

Shaking his head, Logan nibbled his bottom lip. “I meant is there a way to earn perhaps… Warmer space, things to distract myself with? I am used to activity, knowledge-seeking.”

Virgil frowned. “I’m sorry. No, that’ll have to wait. You can ask your owner when you’re bought.” 

His shoulders slumped. “Oh… This will be a very long month then.” I’m to be bored and confused and scared, lovely.

Virgil headed back to Roman. 

Blushing a little, Roman pulled out a small package and handed it to Virgil. “Oh, before I forget, I saw this new tea at the vendors! It’s supposed to be super calming and it smells really good!" 

Virgil pressed the bag to their snout, sniffing it curiously. “Mm! Spicy! Thanks, Ro!” They jumped to their feet. “I’m gonna go make some, do you want any?” 

Preening a little, Roman made a little chirp of happiness. "Sure!”

Logan arched an eyebrow. Is… Is Roman courting Virgil?!

Virgil squeezed his hand and rushed away. Logan arched an eyebrow. “So… You did say gifts were instrumental to the courtship process, did you not?”

Blushing bright red, Roman turned to Logan. “Yeah… Doesn’t have to be expensive, just thought out!”

Logan finished his soup and hugged his knees. “How many gifts have you given them? Do they understand what you’re doing?”

Roman hummed softly as he thought. “There was the material for a new hoodie, some repair on their clothes… The tea, a few meals. I don’t know if they do, but I hope so! They’re so sure that nobody would want them, silly Clawsian!" 

“How long do you have until your, um, deadline?” 

Looking down, Roman tugged at his cloak gently. "Six lunar cycles…" 

Logan’s eyes blew wide. “What-? That’s- Tell them! You have to tell them!” 

Roman blush deepened. "Well, I don’t want to make them become my mate out of a sense of duty, to somehow save me? They’re so honourable…. Kind.”

“That’s-”

“That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard.” 

Two mugs clanked against the stone and Virgil charged forward. They felt up Roman’s arms, his shoulders, neck, finally cupping his face, then tilted his head to kiss him hard. 

Melting into the strong hands, Roman moaned, kissing back with equal passion as he revelled in the caring touches. “Virgil~”

Logan laughed. “I would agree… They seem quite amenable!”

Virgil slid their talons into Roman’s hair. After a moment or two, he pulled away, voice ragged. “If you ever put yourself in danger for me, ever again, I will break up with you so fucking fast, Princey-”

Face bright red, Roman nodded quickly and chased the touch. “O- Okay! I promise to tell you if I’m ever in danger again!" 

Virgil poked his nose. “Good.” 

They grabbed their mugs of tea and settled against Roman’s side. Virgil’s smelled approximately ten times spicier than Roman’s. 

Nuzzling lightly, Roman smiled. "Does that mean we’re together then, you accept me as your mate?!”

“Depends on how good this tea is.” Virgil took in a long sip, eyes fluttering shut. “Yes, I accept.”

Laughing, Roman snuggled in and sipped his own. Virgil finished the mug and rested their head on Roman’s shoulder, falling asleep for a nap while Roman took watch.

The sub of this duo, Virgil, does commissions! Earn yourself 300 words for each coffee and the knowledge that you’re helping me pay the bills and start my own business 

You can read my writing specifically here