Virgil groaned in boredom, almost falling asleep as he was basically forced to watch a slave showcase to hopefully find some more help.
"Pattoooon!" He basically whined, throwing his head back against his chair.
"Yes My King?" Patton replied with a smirk, knowing that Virgil hated being called his position in his kingdom.
"Patton." Virgil groaned, rubbing his temples.
"I swear to god if you keep calling me that I will order for your head." He snapped with no actual bite to it.
"Awww but Virgil!!" The dad friend whined, hugging Virgil's side.
"I thought you liked me! I still have your card for famILY!"
Virgil blushed in embarrassment, covering his face with his hands.
"I thought that you would have forgotten about that!!"
Patton whipped his head around as if you had just insulted him and his entire bloodline, looking offended and placing a hand on his chest.
"I would never! You're my kiddo! How could I?!"
Virgil groaned, "I don't know, I mean…it was just a messy little card."
His friend huffed, crossing his arms and just continued to watch the showcase.
Virgil shrunk down into his seat, his purple eyes darting down to the green grass.
Even though he was a King, he still did not like any conflict…especially with his dearest friends…
"I don't like my title…" he mumbled, shrinking even more into his jacket while Patton looked back at him with sympathy.
"I know kiddo…I'm sorry, it's just…if I say your actual name too loud then we won't be able to hang out anymore…common people aren't supposed to be around royalty unless they are slaves."
"But why can't I change that?! I'm the King now aren't I?? I should be able to change these rules!"
Virgil huffed, crossing his arms.
Patton sighed, wiping away frustrated tears from his friend's face and smiling at him.
"It's okay my King, let's just do what we came here for, okay?"
Virgil sighed but nodded, as he turned his head to the stage that had a slave performing balancing tricks to entertain guests.
He had to admit, they were good.
Good enough to clap for them at the end but, he didn't really feel compelled to buy them.
The next one though, seemed to catch his friend's interest greatly.
Their hair a dark black, while having contrasting piercing blue eyes that practically glowed as they scanned the crowd.
They didn't seem to have an act, instead just kneeling before the auctioneer as they talked about how obedient the slave was and how he would listen to any command without fail.
Now that unsettled Virgil greatly, what if someone got him that only wanted the slave for sex or-or having a anger outlet…
It scared Virgil especially since he could already see the crowd give the boy hungry looks.
His friend was about to raise his hand to give an offer when Virgil stopped him.
"I have money." Virgil said sternly, "please don't bet away money that could be used for your food."
"Fine…" his friend grumbled, "but I'm paying you back!"
Virgil rolled his eyes, raising his own hand.
"Ten thousand!"
The obedient boy whipped his head in his direction, disbelief clouding their expression.
He heard sharp gasps around him as people were supposedly wondering who this person was and why they bet so much.
The only reason they couldn't recognize him was because he messed up his hair and put on clothes that hid his face and body figure well.
The auctioneer smiled at him when they heard that no one bet an amount above his.
"SOLD!" They shouted, having a group of people usher the slave away to get ready for being brought to their new home.
Meanwhile his friend looked at him as if he had grown seven heads.
"Ten thousand…ARE YOU CRAZY?!"
He laughed as Patton smacked him lightly upside the head.
"Whaaaaat?? You wanted him!" Virgil laughed, watching his friend falter.
"I can't even pay a tenth of that! How will I ever repay-?!"
"You don't." Virgil said simply, patting his friend on the shoulder.
Patton grumbled, but relented the argument that he was about to start and just decided to drape his arm around Virgil, giving him a light squeeze.
"You are too kind kiddo…" he whispered, letting go of the young King.
Virgil blushed, "Pattooon! Stop it! You're embarrassing meee!" The King whined, hearing his friend laugh.
"C'mon My King! I have to make some fun of my kiddo! Oh! Another one is coming up!"
Virgil sighed, chuckling as he looked back up to the stage.
This one had longer hair then the other…looking hardly brushed as the boys' curls went wild with no order.
he vaguely wondered if he would be able to even brush it through….
The boy stood defiantly up on the stage next to the auctioneer who gave him a glare.
The boy apparently named Roman shrunk under the gaze, but other than that did nothing else to kneel.
They described the boy as a dancer that was…rude. Disobedient. Troublesome and rebellious.
'Noncompliant.'
"Though there is a very easy way to fix this!" The auctioneer continued almost too cheerfully, smirking as he looked at the boy who gave him a look of knowing fear.
Virgil and Patton both gasped in unison as a whip was seemingly pulled out of nowhere, being cracked down hard on the ground.
The King then watched in horror as 'Roman' crumpled to the floor, his pleading being loud and desperate as he begged for the man to not beat him…
Before all the other people in the crowd could even react he screamed, "twenty thousand!!"
The crowd was completely silent…
Until the auctioneer looked at him and smiled sickeningly.
"SOLD!!"
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Virgil was seething by the time they made it up to the stage to quote on quote, "collect" their slaves and bring them home.
He wanted to punch that auctioneer right in his cruel face, but that wasn't a very Kingly thing to do…
He remembered that when he screamed out that number, how the boy flinched, looking at him as if he would beat him just for saying something wrong.
So…he walked up to the stage, seeing all of the bought slaves in a line kneeling and waiting for their new owners to come look at them.
Patton gasped, running forward as he saw the one with the familiar blue eyes.
The boy, though, looked to Virgil, bowing his head as he was under the impression that Virgil bought him to serve him alone.
"T-thank you for giving me a chance…Master." The black haired boy uttered, sounding oddly numb.
Virgil stood there, going silent.
Until he finally moved to slightly tilt the boy's head to look up at him, smiling softly.
He knelt down on one knee, brushing strands of black hair away from the boy's face.
"You don't need to call me that…you aren't fully mine either…"
The blue eyes looked at him with a hint of confusion, analyzing him carefully.
"W-what do you mean Master? I'm…afraid that I don't understand…I.."
his hands seemed to scrabble to grab something from his pocket, which seemed oddly like a…chew toy…?
The auctioneer then randomly came by, "oh! I forgot to mention that he has a bit of an oral fixation. If he panics, he usually calms down pretty quickly if you give him something to chew on."
Virgil almost lost it.
"SO YOU GAVE HIM A FUCKING CHEW TOY?!! LIKE SOME KIND OF DAMN DOG?!!"
He would end this sick trading business…no matter the cost.
He would free these innocent lives.
That's part of why he came here after all…to find their location and shut them down.
Patton had to stop him from jumping the man, whispering comforting things to have him go limp in the others arms.
"It's okay Virgil…now that we bought them, they won't be hurt anymore. They won't be mistreated…we will help them."
The King breathed heavily, sending a glare to the auctioneer who just looked back at him with a startled look on their face.
If Patton wasn't here…he would have torn them to shreds.
He had no doubt in his mind.
He huffed, carefully grasping the blue eyed boy's hand and walking down the rest of the line to find the curly haired boy.
The boy's hazelnut eyes snapped up to look at him, they were no doubt trembling…
Virgil's heart stopped as he saw that they had chained 'Roman' to the floor, keeping the 'disobedient' slave from running away.
He knelt down to the boy's level, seeing as how they were trying to desperately break the chains with a rock.
"You need any help with that?" He asked kindly, startling the boy enough to where they threw the rock in his direction, making him have to dodge.
Virgil chuckled breathlessly, looking at the boy with astonishment.
"Well you can really aim can't you?"
Virgil was honestly impressed, if he hadn't reacted as soon as he did, that rock would've hit him square in the face.
The boy covered his eyes, his thin frame shaking.
"S-sorry!"
That was the first time that Virgil had noticed something on each of the slaves necks, he moved closer, slowly tilting the boy's head up with a gentle hand.
A collar…
A steel, metal collar…
Oh Hell No.
He stood quickly, not even looking to notice the boy's flinch.
He marched through the line, grabbing the auctioneer by the scruff of his shirt.
He growled, practically ripping off his hood that had hid most of his face thus far and revealing the crown that he wore, making the auctioneer's face drop.
"Y-Your Majesty! I-I did not know that you were h-!"
"Silence!" Virgil ordered, watching the auctioneer immediately bow his head.
"You dare hold this slave auction even though you know that I have forbidden it!? You're lucky that I'm not calling for your head!
Have you lost your MIND?!! Your humanity?!
What has possibly possessed you into thinking that you're treating these people fairly?!!"
He didn't wait to hear the man's response, he let the man fall to the ground and walked away, carefully lowering himself onto 'Roman's' level but staying a couple feet from him.
He then saw from the corner of his eye that Patton had taken the chew toy from the other slave, only to gasp as the blue eyed boy started gnawing relentlessly on his hands.
Which led to Virgil quickly giving Patton a wad of cash.
"Go find him something to chew on that won't hurt him."
His friend nodded, carefully leading the slave away.
Virgil sighed softly, looking to Roman who was looking at him with pure terror.
He wordlessly grabbed the rock that the slave had thrown at him earlier and bashed it against the chains, breaking them.
Roman didn't understand…
Why would someone waste that much money on him?
Why would they stop the auctioneer from beating him until he had no other choice but to submit?
Isn't that what all Masters wanted?
To watch as he begged or pleaded for mercy? For forgiveness…?
He saw the light shine of gold on top of the buyer's head, was that a crown?!
His chains were broken.
He could run!
But if he were caught…
He would probably be beheaded.
He hung his head in defeat, there was nowhere he could go anyway…
He flinched as the buyer's hand stroked his hair, easily getting tangled as they rarely have baths or showers.
Another hand trailed against his body frame, tracing his frail ribs through his shirt delicately.
"D-don't!-" he yelled, eyes widening as he realized that he had raised his voice against his owner…
The stranger stilled, probably about to slap him! Or whip him! Or-or-!
Virgil's eyes filled with sympathy…
Immediately dropping the hand and putting it beside him.
Roman expected that hand to grab his hair, tightly wrapping into his locks…but…
Instead…it delicately patted his head, almost like how a parent or loved one would do for a child to tell them how good they did.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have scared you like that."
The stranger apologized…
But why?!
Past owners had just dragged him away with them, ignoring his kicking and screaming.
But this one…
This one confused him.
"Well?!" He snapped once more, trying to get a negative reaction so that he could know what this man was capable of.
"Aren't you going to hurt me?! Hit me?! Punch me?! Make me cry and scream just for you to stop?!! Whip me until I can't move?!!"
He looked up to see an unexpected expression from his new owner…
A look of pure horror.
Their hands were shaking in front of them, wanting something…
'Wanting to slap him no doubt-'
"Can…can I hug you?"
Now that was unexpected.
He held in a sob, knowing that this was where he was probably going to get hurt.
This would be the perfect moment to-…
But he was afraid about getting an even worse punishment for saying no, so…he nodded.
He couldn't help but to gasp as the stranger wrapped their arms tightly around him, tight but not suffocating.
Soft and warm.
Soft and Warm…
Safe…
He had never felt this before…
He hesitated…
Does the man want him to hug back…? Or to just go limp?
He knew not to push him away.
They didn't like whenever he would do that before.
Who was this man?
Patton walked around the various shops, smiling at the slave who looked in wonder and curiosity at the various items there were.
Virgil for some reason had given him six hundred dollars to spend for the blue eyed slave's care, which was more than enough to get him some kind of stress chew.
"Do you like anything hun?" Patton asked, seeing the other fumbling with his hands.
Logan blushed at the endearing nickname, "I…I personally don't find a purpose to this…I was perfectly fine with the chew that I had before."
Patton looked at him sympathetically, turning around and getting on one knee to look at the boy directly.
"I know that this is going to be a big change for you both, but that chew was something usually used for a dog…not a smart boy like yourself."
Patton could feel how his eyes watered while looking at the confusion on the boy's face, their sharp blue eyes now looking at him with certainty.
"But I'm worse than a dog Sir, my purpose is to serve My Master and never talk back. To never show emotion or else I will get hurt."
Patton went silent, hoping to every god that he knew that he would see something in the boy's eyes that told him that he didn't believe the words that he just said…
But when he looked back, he saw no such thing.
He choked out a sob, quickly standing and hugging the boy close.
"I'm sorry Sir, d-did I say something wrong? I'll remember that for future reference."
"No…" Patton whispered, "no you poor thing, you did nothing wrong."
Patton held the boy at arms length, looking at him with a gentleness that they had never experienced before.
Patton sniffled, "let's just get you something better than a chew toy o-okay? So much better…"
Logan nodded, "o-okay Sir."
And that's how they ended up in a store that smelled a variety of soft and hard chews, Patton watching as the boy explored.
He quickly saw that the boy looked confused, staring at the wide selection.
He walked up, "do you know which ones you would like kiddo?"
The boy shook his head, "I…never knew that there were different kinds…"
Patton chuckled, "well why don't you just grab a variety?"
The slave looked at him cautiously, as if Patton was going to yell at him, "b-but Sir, that would make you spend much more money than just getting one…."
All Patton did was smile, "that's okay kiddo! They don't cost all that much."
Logan looked at the man like he was insane.
"I…I don't understand…"
He couldn't help but flinch when a hand was placed gently on top of his head, messing up his hair.
"You don't need to…" Patton reassured, starting to grab a various selection of chews and watched as Logan gave him a baffled look.
"I…thank you Sir." Logan whispered defeatedly, bowing his head.
Patton chuckled, ruffling his hair beyond repair.
"It's really no trouble kiddo…now let's go buy these okay?"
The slave nodded, obediently following Patton to the counter where Patton grabbed a bag of something else that Logan couldn't fully see but he didn't ask about it.
He then followed Patton out of the door, stopping as Patton kneeled once more to his level.
"I got you something special, do you want to see what it is?" The man asked cheerfully, holding up the mysterious bag that Logan saw before.
The boy nodded in curiosity, his head tilting as he looked at the mysterious ball on a stick…?
"Here! Try it!" Patton insisted, handing him the stick that he obediently put into his mouth.
It was…sweet!
He hummed in surprise, chewing it absently to discover that it was rock solid.
"Wha is thiss?" He asked, attempting to chew through it and accidentally talking with his mouth full.
His new owner smiled, looking at him with admiration.
"It's called a 'dum dum', basically sugar on a stick. Do you like it?"
Logan nodded, managing to bite through the lollipop now which resulted in a crunch.
Logan had never heard of a lollipop before…so he clearly thought that he broke it.
Patton frowned as he saw a moment of panic in the boy's face, looking as if they had broken the most precious thing that he had.
"Is there something wrong kiddo?"
They muttered something, making Patton come closer and kneel down once more.
"I'm sorry kiddo, can you repeat that? I couldn't hear you clearly."
Logan took a deep breath to stabilize his nerves, looking up to face his new owner again.
This one was different right?
H-he wouldn't be punished?
"I…I broke it Sir…" he whispered, shutting his eyes tight.
Patton blinked, but then started to laugh, making Logan look back with a dazed expression.
"What's so funny Sir? I-I'm afraid that I don't get whatever is making you laugh."
Patton smiled with so much kindness that Logan usually only got when he followed orders perfectly…had he followed his orders?
He was so confused…
What had he possibly done to make his owner this…happy?
Patton became quiet after a while, moving to caress the slaves cheek.
"You're supposed to break it, it's how you eat it after all.
Do you want another one? That's why I bought a large bag of them anyway!"
Patton smiled brightly, immediately giving Logan a feeling of a comfortable warmth in his chest…
'What is this feeling…?' Both of the slaves wondered in unison.
