Chapter Text
Boxten knew the moment Poppy was born that he needed to protect her. Their parents weren’t the greatest, and he wanted nothing more than to make his sister happy.
He watched her grow up, watched how she changed over the years into a bright young lady. He felt a sense of pride when he looked at his little sister.
He still remembered everything about their childhood together. He remembered her first words, he remembered the first time she walked. He was just a little kid back then, but those memories stuck with him for years afterwards. He remembered sitting at the dining table with her, helping her with her homework.
He remembered his sixteenth birthday, it hadn’t been good. Their father snapped that day, Boxten had disappointed him yet again. But even after they were kicked out of the house, even after all the long nights he had to stay awake, making sure Poppy was safe, he still loved his little sister more than anything.
Boxten wasn’t popular by any means, but that didn’t matter to him. What truly mattered to him were the small things in life, the rainy afternoons he’d spend sketching new inventions, the days he’d spend baking with Cosmo, the way Poppy hugged him after a long day at school. That’s what really mattered.
Poppy had always been a little mischievous. Getting into trouble, playing pranks, partying with friends. But even if she got in trouble, she was still a good kid. She was smart, kind, she had a bright future ahead of her.
She looked up to her older brother, loved him more than anyone. He’d been her role model, her hero. He kept her safe, he made sure she had food to eat and clothes to keep her warm. Despite her wild spirit, she tried to be on her best behavior for him.
Working at Gardenview was supposed to be just a temporary thing. Boxten had lost his previous job, and he needed some way to pay rent. He just figured he’d work there until he could find something better.
Unlucky for him, his little temporary job would soon become his entire reality. He still remembered waking up in the human world, mind hazy and vision clouded as his entire life flipped upside down.
The last thing he remembered was clocking out, going home and cooking dinner. Poppy returned from school soon after, getting home a little late after going out with a couple friends. She was just barely eighteen. Boxten ate dinner with her and hugged her goodnight, as he did every day, before retreating to the sanctuary of his room. He spent a while tinkering with his newest little invention before finally falling asleep.
When he woke up, he was already at work again. He’d never leave Gardenview again. It wasn’t so bad, and he thanked whatever god was out there that Poppy got to come with him. Some others weren’t so lucky. Still, it was hard to accept that his whole life had just been a cartoon. But he could tell it took a toll on Poppy as well, and he knew he needed to stay strong for his sister, just like he always had.
Poppy took a long time to adjust to her new life. She had a bright future ahead of her. She could be a bit airheaded at times, but she still planned on going to community college. She wanted to have a life, she wanted to party and make friends and see the world, and now she was trapped in this dumb building.
When the humans disappeared one day, at first it looked like a glimmer of hope. The handlers and staff were all kind people, but it was hard to tolerate them while they were all stuck in such a cramped building. Dandy took over as their leader, since the humans’ version of Gardenview was based around him anyways. And everyone had hope for a while, that they might find some way to get out of the barricaded building.
But soon they realized the gravity of their situation. They were stuck. They weren’t getting out, and the humans wouldn’t be back to bring them food or things they needed to survive.
It was a scary time. They used up their supplies as slowly as possible, but every meal strengthened the looming sense of doom in the air. Poppy tried to be as outgoing and optimistic as she always had been, but it was difficult. Dandy refused to accept their situation, assuring everyone that he’d find something, he’d get them out. Still, he sounded so unsure himself, and it was obvious that he didn’t know what he was doing.
And then came the corruption. It started out slow. Everyone was already nervous and a bit on edge, so they didn’t realize at first that something was wrong. The sickness, the fear, the insatiable craving for… Something. By the time anyone realized something was wrong, they were all far too gone.
Boxten lost control one night, after a particularly bad nightmare. He’d been having them for a while, and every time they got worse. That night, he woke up feeling worse than he ever had. He tried to breathe, calm himself down, go find somebody to help.
His thoughts were so loud, he could hear screaming and crying and voices and thoughts that didn’t belong to him. Everything looked like it was covered in T.V static. His throat and eyes were burning. It was as if there was something inside of him, trying to get out.
His emotions were bubbling over. He was so weirdly happy, he wanted to laugh and laugh and skip around with joy because he was just so happy. But his body wouldn’t let him. He walked slowly and calmly, as if his mind was quiet. And maybe his mind was quiet, because he didn’t quite feel like himself anymore.
Making his way to the kitchen, his hands were shaking as he tried to pour himself a glass of water. He took a sip, but that only seemed to make it worse. As soon as he swallowed it he could feel it come back up as tears, joyful tears. They burned his eyes, but the pain was refreshing. His throat burned with the taste of something sweet yet sharp. He rejoiced in the feeling, though some small part of him could still feel the agony.
He sat on the kitchen floor, drinking his water and laughing to himself with glee.
Poppy, who’d also woken up, heard her brother’s manic giggling and followed the sound until she found him sitting in the kitchen. She could barely recognize him with all the static in her eyes, but she knew it was him.
Sitting down next to him, her brain was hazy, but it felt good. She laughed along with her brother, wrapping her arms around him. And even though the pain was agonizing and her mind seemed to conflict with itself, it was comforting. She felt peace for a second.
The pair sat together for who knows how long. Usually people would be coming in for breakfast by now, though they were too far gone to remember that. Sitting their with his arms around his little sister, the barely cognitive part of his brain remembered the nights they spent together on the streets. He could just barely remember protecting her, keeping her far away from the harm of the world. It didn’t matter that they weee homeless back then, because they had each other. They kept each other strong.
And when a certain little detective came in the kitchen, searching for clues as to what had happened or somebody to help her, he felt it again. That need to protect his little sister.
“Boxten…? I-Is that you? Help! Please I don’t know-“ Toodles’ voice was grating against his ears. He knew she was a friend, but he couldn’t seem to recognize her.
Standing up, he stared down at her. “What’s wrong?” He wanted to say, but he couldn’t seem to find his voice. Instead, he sat down, lowering himself to Toodles’ level and reaching his arms out, offering a hug. That seems like something Boxten would’ve done, right? Right…?
He hugged her for a moment, a shadow passing over his head, though he didn’t see what it was. She backed up, a horrified look on her face. And then he saw it, the long, snake like arms reaching out for her. And somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew those were his arms, even if he wasn’t controlling them.
She backed away just in time, but bumped into Poppy as she ran. “What’s wrong?” Said Poppy, her once beautiful voice now scratchy and almost unrecognizable. And Toodles could swear she heard something else inside, whispering as Poppy spoke, though she couldn’t make out what it said.
Poppy beckoned her closer, but Toodles didn’t trust her. She could see the red in her eyes and the dark ichor staining her bow. Instead, she ran out of the kitchen and didn’t look back. Poppy and Boxten wouldn’t be of help to her, she’d have to go elsewhere.
Poppy sat back down next to her brother, leaning her head on his shoulder. Why did that little toon run away from them? Had they done something wrong? Why did she look so scared? Didn’t she want to be happy too?
Boxten hugged his sister and didn’t let go. The loudness in his mind didn’t matter in that moment, all that mattered was that he and his sister were happy. That was what really mattered, getting to sit and laugh with his sister again, getting to protect her, to see her smile. He loved things like that, the little things in his life.