Chapter Text
Virgil’s life had never been great. Of course, things only got worse when he met a shifty looking man in the woods who was trying to give him-
“Magic beans.” Virgil deadpanned, not believing it for a second.
“Now now now, young man, don’t be so distrusting.” The snake-like figure held out his palm, displaying three luminescent green beans. Virgil did admit they looked strange, but likely they were just poisonous. “I have used them myself, and while I have no use for them now there is at least a little magic left encased in these precious beans. Plant these under the pale moonlight and I assure you that you shall see fabulous riches beyond your wildest dreams.”
“Yeah, no thanks.” Virgil said, pushing the hand away. “I’m not exactly the ‘dreamer’ type.” He walked away from the man, unaware that as he brushed by the stranger slipped the beans into his pocket.
The beans bounced along in the fabric, eager to find the ground again. When Virgil got home, he took off his coat and laid it on the table. Instantly the beans rolled out, moving as if on their own towards the cracks in the floor. Virgil in his exhausted state didn’t even notice their sudden appearance, nor the faint glow that was briefly seen as the beans planted themselves into the soil.
Of course, it was hard not to notice when the house began to shake. Virgil froze, grabbing onto his bed frame to stay upright as the structure around him rumbled, and seemed to shoot...up?
He gasped, watching part of the house be ripped apart as vines began to intertwine around his home. A hole opened in the floor, through which Virgil could see the ground quickly disappearing beneath him as he ascended into the clouds via this strange, monstrous plant. Virgil let out an unholy screech, frantically spouting off every profanity he knew as his knuckles turned white.
All of a sudden, the fast ascent stopped. Thrown by the sudden change, Virgil was tossed forwards into the hole. He screamed, landing on one of the many giant leaves the plant had sprouted along its growth spurt.
“Nononono-” Virgil tried to cling to it and climb back up, but the leaf seemed to have a will of its own. It tiled to the right, causing Virgil to roll off the side. He braced himself, ready to fall for a very long time, but after what felt like only a moment Virgil landed on something with a hard oof.
Slowly blinking his eyes open, it took a moment for Virgil to realize he wasn’t dead. Looking up, he could see the beanstalk had finally stopped growing several meters above him. His house rested at the top, or at least...what was left of it. Virgil sat up, realizing he was sitting on one of the clouds. The beanstalk went further down to the Earth below via a gap in said cloud, which Virgil quickly scooted away from lest he fall in.
“What the hell is this?” Virgil stood up, glancing wearily at his surroundings. The beanstalk didn’t seem to be the only giant plant around here. What looked to be thick stalks of grass protruded from the ground to his left, expanding into a massive field. The shortest of these came up to his chest, but many if they stood straight would be above his head. Virgil glanced to his right, noticing how close he was standing to the edge of the cloud. Virgil gulped, deciding to take his chances in the grass field.
Virgil carefully tracked through the grass, noticing how strangely cold it was up here. He shivered, wishing he hadn’t taken off his coat back home. He couldn’t stop gazing around, growing more and more anxious as he saw that the grass was only the first sign he was in over his head. This whole world was giant, and it seemed as though in the center of the land (where Virgil was heading) was a giant castle.
Suddenly he paused. Waaaait a minute… Why would a castle be so grand? Surely no human could open the gate. Virgil would have to step between the bars. Indeed, standing this close now it was clear that no one could move that huge door.
...no one human, that is.
As if solely to confirm his fears, Virgil heard a thumping approaching. He paled, legs quaking more than the dirt beneath him as he turned to see the source of the noise. Out of the woods a Giant appeared, his thunderous voice nearly hurting Virgil’s ears the closer they came. He seemed to be singing a song Virgil didn’t recognize, a pack slung on his back and a sword at his hip. Virgil gulped, trying not to imagine just how deadly an armed Giant would be.
The Giant seemed to stop, momentarily confused as it looked at something on the ground. He crouched down to examine it, and with a growing sense of dread Virgil realized that it had spotted the beanstalk. It’s almost predatory eyes followed something in the grass, almost as if he was hunting some thing d- oh, oh no. Virgil’s breath hitched as the Giant’s gaze fell on him, a loud gasp sounding across the field.
Instantly Virgil bolted the other direction, ducking between the bars of the gate and sprinting as though his life depended on it.
“Wait!” He could hear the Giant running after him, shaking the ground again. Virgil glanced around, looking for a place to hide. He turned around briefly, only for his jaw to drop as he watched the Giant vault over the fence and land with such a tremendous thud that Virgil was knocked to the ground. He groaned, trying to scramble to his feet, but before he had the chance a large shadow overtook him.
Virgil yelped, feeling a tugging sensation on his leg as he was hoisted upside-down into the air. Not for the first time today the ground disappeared beneath him, and he began to tremble at the sight.
“Great Odin, you’re freezing !” The Giant exclaimed. “Come here.” Before Virgil could even process what was happening the world whirled around. He was now upside-right again but smothered in darkness.
“Patton, I found another one!” The Giant’s voice shook all around him, making Virgil realize he had been pressed to the Giant’s chest. He squirmed, trying desperately to cover his ears as the Giant continued to be far too loud.
“Oh?” A second voice responded, and as Virgil was shaken about he realized the Giant was going inside towards the individual he guessed was Patton. “Let me see!”
The grip around Virgil shifted, light temporarily blinding him as he was now held in a fist. He squinted against the light, wanting to bring an arm up to shield his eyes but both his arms were trapped by his sides. Slowly his vision adjusted, and Virgil realized two Giant faces were crowding his view. He gulped.
“Aww, he’s so cute.” The one with glasses cooed, and Virgil flinched when he brought a hand up to Virgil’s head and began, ugh, petting him. “Where’d you find him, Roman?”
“Out in the garden.” Roman explained, and Virgil noticed he looked a bit smug about his ‘discovery’. “Another one of those weeds popped up, but this one looked like it went straight through a doll house.” For some reason, that was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
“Hey!” Virgil yelled, causing Patton’s hand to jerk away. He tried to stay brave, letting his anger override his fear as he glared defiantly up at his captors. “That was my house, you giant oaf!”
There was a relatively quiet gasp as Patton put his hand to his mouth, looking shocked. Roman’s expression was unreadable, and that made Virgil begin to regret his decision as he remembered exactly where he was. It was already likely that these giants were going to kill him; Virgil had heard the legends of man-eating giants in the clouds. Still, if Virgil was going to die anyways, he might as well die doing what he did best. Which was, of course, making others hate him.
“Oh, you’re pretty full of yourself for a half pint.” Roman finally said, raising an eyebrow. Virgil’s eyes widened, fear resurfacing as the grip around him momentarily tightened. He gasped, for a second unable to breathe.
“Well, he is just a human.” Patton reasoned quietly. Virgil frowned at what Patton was implying, but Roman seemed pleased with this line of reasoning. At the very least, the grip loosened enough that Virgil was able to gasp for air.
“You’re right, Pat.” This time it was Roman who reached up and teased Virgil’s hair. “And quite an adorable one at that!”
“Do you think we can keep him?” Patton seemed to bounce on his toes, looking excited.
“I think I can keep him.” Roman corrected, and Virgil was once again pressed against the Giant’s chest. Patton’s face fell. “As I recall, you lost the last one.”
Virgil tried to keep track of their conversation, none of this making sense. Were they talking about other people? How do you lose an entire person? But still, if they escaped, maybe Virgil could escape too...unless by ‘lost’ that poor human had met a less than pleasant demise. Virgil gulped at the thought.
“That wasn’t... totally my fault.” Patton said, biting his lip. Virgil hated how lightly they were talking about this, as though his life were just a dish to be passed around. Of course, that metaphor only reminded Virgil what was going to happen. He grit his teeth, looking down and willing himself not to cry.
How would the Giants cook him? Would it be quick like a beheading, or slow and painful like a lobster boiled alive? Perhaps they wanted him raw, still alive and kicking…
“Can’t we share him?” Patton insisted. “I promise I’ll be more careful. I won’t tell Logan.”
“And what, exactly, will you not be telling me?”
At the sound of a third voice, both Giant’s eyes widened. Before Virgil could even process what was happening, Roman turned around, hiding Virgil behind his back so quickly that Virgil’s stomach threatened to upheave its contents. Not that there was much in there, anyways.
“Logan!” Roman greeted the newcomer, sounding nervous. “I thought you were still in the study.”
“I was.” Logan’s voice was accompanied by heavy footsteps coming closer, and Roman took a few steps of his own away. “But then I saw you tearing about the garden like a ruffian and wondered what got you so exhilarated.”
“I haven’t the slightest clue what you’re talking about.” Roman fibbed, his fingers twitching around Virgil and making the human tense. He didn’t know why this other Giant seemed so frightening to the first two, and that made his own anxiety skyrocket.
“You vaulted over the gate and abandoned your pack.” There was a loud shifting noise which Virgil assumed was the pack being shown off. “As well as your sword, I may add.”
“...oh.” Roman grimaced. “You see, about that-”
“Maybe we should just tell him?” Patton interrupted, sounding almost...meek.
“Patton!” Roman hissed.
“Roman, what are you hiding?” Logan spoke sternly, his baritone voice resonating to Virgil’s core. There was a long silence, but then with a sigh Virgil felt himself moving. The third Giant looked down at him through a rigid pair of glasses, his gaze icy and unyielding. Uh oh.
“Now, before you say anything…”
“No.” Logan cut Roman off, snapping his head up to glare at Roman.
“You didn’t let him finish.” Patton lifted a timid finger, but when Logan’s glare shifted over to him he ducked his head.
“You know what? I don’t care what you say, I’m keeping him.” Roman insisted, and Virgil nearly fell over as he was brought higher, stopping right in front of Roman’s hawk-like eyes. “You want to stay with me, don’t you?” As soon as Roman spoke, Virgil’s eyes locked on his sharpened fangs and his already pale complexion became whiter than a sheet.
“You can’t keep him.” Logan insisted, sounding a bit weary.
“Don’t listen to them.” Roman teased, waving off Logan’s words. “They’re just jealous of how cute you are.”
Cute enough to eat? Virgil cringed, almost laughing at the cruel irony. He closed his eyes, wishing those huge razor-sharp teeth would just bite him in half already so that this could be over with.
“Roman, you know as well as I these creatures are far from harmless.” Logan adjusted his glasses. “It would be dangerous to keep him.”
...wait, what?
Dangerous? How could Virgil be dangerous to them? They were Giants! Giants who could (and soon would) cook him into a stew. In their eyes, he should be as dangerous as a carrot. Which was a discouraging thought, but surely it held some truth.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.” Roman lowered Virgil to his chest, holding him there as he went over to pat Logan on the shoulder. “You have nothing to worry about, concerned-icus.”
“Roman-” Logan called after the Giant as Roman slid right past him, continuing down the hall at a speed walk.
“Can’t hear you, I’m too far down the hall!” Roman yelled back, Virgil ducking his head as if to stop the ringing in his ears that started up at the Giant’s volume. Virgil tried to keep track of the many twists and turns Roman took, wanting to know the way back just in case he was granted even the slimmest chance of escape. Eventually Roman stopped, ducking into a room.
Virgil looked at this new scene, eyes widening. All the kingdom could fit in this room. A lavish four poster bed sat in the back center, dark red velvet curtains billowing out. The interior of the room seemed to be decorated in an elaborate display of whites and golds, intricately balanced to create quite extravagant decor.
Of course, as Roman approached a particular piece of furniture, Virgil’s eyes locked onto it. It was a gilded birdcage, hanging elegantly from a golden pole that shimmered from the light shining through the window. It seemed more decorative than practical, but with a sinking feeling of dread Virgil realized Roman’s intentions. He struggled fruitlessly as if he had any chance of changing his destination.
“Ah ah ah,” Roman held him up again, waving a finger in front of him as though he were a naughty child. “I’m onto you. You may be cute, but don’t take me for some fool. I know your human tricks. You are going to stay right here where you cannot take anything else.” Before Virgil could point out he hadn’t taken anything, Roman opened the cage door and tossed Virgil inside. Virgil groaned, the cage swinging weakly back and forth as Roman locked it again.
“Now stay.” Roman said firmly, pointing at Virgil. The Giant didn’t even wait for a response, just commanded him like a pet and turned on his heel. Virgil gritted his teeth, slowly getting to his feet.
“No.”
Roman froze at Virgil’s voice, and Virgil realized he may have just signed his own death warrant. Of course, he was already a dead man, so did it really matter? The Giant turned to him, and Virgil managed to keep his defensive stance up.
“No?” Roman repeated incredulously, raising an eyebrow.
“No!” Virgil repeated, coming closer to the front of the cage, each step causing his prison to sway slightly as it became unbalanced. “No, stop toying with me already! If you’re gonna kill me, then-” Virgil’s hands shook, but he gripped the bars to steady himself. “Then just do it already!”
Roman looked surprised at Virgil’s outburst, both eyebrows shooting up. “I would never do such a thing!” He insisted, quickly walking back towards the cage. “We aren’t monsters .” The way he was looking the human up and down made it clear that’s what he thought of Virgil, and this just set Virgil’s blood boiling even faster.
“Well nor am I!” Virgil insisted, earning him a scoff so loud it ruffled Virgil’s hair. “I haven’t done anything wrong, I didn’t mean to come crashing into your garden, and frankly I just want to go home!” Although briefly Virgil remembered that ‘home’ was currently a set of broken pieces atop a giant plant.
“Oh I’m sure you would love that, wouldn’t you?” Roman all but sneered, leaning closer and crossing his arms. “So you can go rat us out to all your other little friends.” Roman paused, seeming to have realized something. “That’s why you’re here, isn’t it? I bet the last one went back down bragging about us, boasting about how easy it would be to rob us of our riches.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking a-!” Virgil froze, eyes going wide. The strange man in the woods, what was it he had said?
...I assure you that you shall see fabulous riches beyond your wildest dreams…
“I don’t care about your riches.” Virgil shook his head, clearing his thoughts.
“Uh huh.” Roman said, looking unimpressed. “That’s what he said, too.”
“I’m telling the truth!” Virgil insisted, but the Giant wasn’t listening to him anymore. Roman turned towards the door, and Virgil yelled after him to make sure he was heard. “HEY!
Get back here, I’m not done! You can’t just keep me like a prisoner or a pet or whatever the hell you’re doing!”
Roman didn’t even look back, the door shutting once more with a sickening thud.