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It's calm, quiet.
It's night.
The kids were put to sleep hours ago, as the mascots don't have a set bedtime and are free to stay up for as long as they desire until they get tired or simply decide that staying awake is boring. All of their cell doors are open, the Playhouse is locked, ready for the mascots to roam its dark and empty halls, ready for the demon's to wake up and stake claim on their captors.
Yet they don't.
All of the cell doors to those cold, unforgiving blocks of concrete are wide open, allowing both entry and exits to those that live here, those that call this place “home”, even if it's only because they're trapped—
(“Arise, arise, we call upon thee,”
Chanting.
“Lord of Pride, Lord of Pride, allow us to summon thee, show us the Lord of Pride.”)
—because what other reason would any of them, the seven of them, what reason would they all stay here? DogDay couldn't actually care less about the kids, sure, he's treating them like humans, basic kindness and respect, but he has no desire to reach a hand, or, well, paw, out and—...
Ugh.
These thoughts always end up hurting his head.
He stares at the entrance of the Playhouse, listening to the familiar footsteps. Not familiar because he memorized them, no.
Well. He did, actually, but they're unique footsteps.
Because only one Critter down here walks on all fours.
They stare at DogDay as he smiles and leans back, shifting his position to sit cross-legged, allowing CatNap to crawl onto his lap as he begins to drag his paw-finger-thing-digits through purple fur, the purple fur that’s as soft as clouds, softer than any stuffed animal in this place, and—
Beautiful. The purple fur is beautiful, with their light purple underbelly almost always showing around DogDay, both the zipper and moon pendant lost in the sea of fluff. Yet, now, laying on his lap, DogDay watches their eyes close, fully relaxing on his lap, melting from his touch. Their soft breathing, even, calm, shows that CatNap isn't asleep, but also isn't awake, either, instead stuck in a strange limbo.
Limbo, huh?
Thoughts melt into a puddle, calming DogDay’s nerves, calming his mind, stopping his racing thoughts and allowing him to think.
Maybe that's the lavender scent, though.
“Oh, there they are. Told you they’d be here.”
DogDay’s ears fly up, embarrassment growing hot on his face as he whips behind him to watch two figures walk up; one bunny, one bear. Hoppy is quick to, well, hop over and curiously looks down at CatNap, tilting her head. “Sleepy kitty…~ ha, what a Sloth.” She teases, taking her own paw and pretty much knocking it to CatNap's black noise, a squeak leaving CatNap as they shrink back into their fur, pressing into DogDay,—
They squeaked, they didn't like that.
Don't touch what's mine.
“Shut the fuck up.”
It's hissed through sharp, plastic teeth in his throat as he slaps Hoppy’s paw away, giving CatNap’s head gentle scratches, bringing head out from their neck. He glances down at them before looking up at Bobby, and she smirks. Those black eyes hold a mischievous glint, one DogDay absolutely hates. He knows that look, he knows the look all too well. She's been bothering him nonstop about—
About “love”.
(“As we gather in your presence, we humbly raise our voices in prayer to thee. Thou art the embodiment of Pride, the strength and confidence that empowers us.”
Somewhere, Venus feels himself… Trapped.
“Be with us as we call upon thee, higher power, Lord of Pride. May your divine presence fill our spirit; taking our Sin as a sacrifice to thee, arise, arise, Lord of Pride.”
Who in the hell is summoning him? Wasn't his summon lost to time?)
“So, DogDay,”
And DogDay already hates this conversation. Hates how she says “his name”, hates how she smiles when she says it, hates how she so easily calls him that when it, in fact, is not his name.
And she fucking knows that.
“The fuck do you want, Bearhug?” He snarls out, because yeah, fuck that, two can play at that game. Two can play at the “poking fun because you're trapped” game, and that's a game he won't fucking lose.
“How's your lover?”
“I'm not dating them.”
DogDay shuts Bobby down immediately, his grip tightening on their fur, a soft noise is discontent leaving CatNap in response to the sudden grip. DogDay simply loosens the grip, not breaking eye contact with Bobby, who begins cackling. “Oh, yeah, sure, DogDay. Like anyone would believe that bullshit.” She sneers, but DogDay ignores her, sending a sharp glare to Hoppy who had put a paw on CatNap to pet the extremely fluffy fur on CatNap's body, who is—
Purring?
CatNap can purr?!
God, he's melting. He puts his paw right on CatNap's chest fluff, feeling the vibrations on the purple fur, on the fluffy chest, and feels CatNap's purrs. Feels how their chest rises and falls, feels how—
“Yeah,” Hoppy's teasing voice cuts through DogDay immediately, “he's “not in love”, look at him feeling up CatNap… Clearly, he’s only in it for the Power move of being a giant compared to CatNap, right, DogDay? Look at the size difference, it's… massive .” She giggles, and DogDay attempts to swipe at her but she darts away, giggling some more. DogDay scowls, holding CatNap closer, feeling, hearing, their purrs, it makes DogDay feel like he's ascending.
Heaven felt like this.
Soft, warm— good.
(“Lord of Pride, we ask thee for your Divine presence, arise, arise, Lord of Pride, may our actions be in alignment with your Will. We offer our humble gratitude for your presence and ask that you come to us, arise, arise, Lord of Pride.”
He has a choice.
He has a goddamn choice.
Go wherever that is or stay here in this… This fucking void of endless voices, corpses piled to the limitless sky, and hands that continue to grab and pull at him—
“In your name, we pray,”
… He has a choice.
“Arise, arise, Lord of Pride.”)
How CatNap is a demon is beyond him. Looking down at CatNap, he doesn't see a demon, a sinner—he sees a sweetheart that was tricked, just like he was. CatNap finally moves, stretching as they look up at DogDay, blinking as they hit DogDay’s chest with their head—
“Aw, look at his tail wagging!~”
DogDay’s eyebrow twitches, a low growl leaving him. “You're so fucking lucky CatNap's on my lap and keeping me from strangling you both.” He spits, petting CatNap slowly, gently, carefully as he narrows his eyes at the two girls. They both giggle, and Bobby presses a paw to her chest.
“At least I’m not a Sin that's in love with… Whatever CatNap is.”
“Alright you piece of—”
(“How come this one is so fucking tiny?!”
DogDay watches with interest as this tiny, fluffy, purple cat stomps around on four paws, unlike he and the others who walked like a normal human; two legs.
“Why?! I thought we summoned the most powerful-!”
“Oh, you did.” The feline chirps. “But He sent me instead. I'm His replacement.” The feline informs, tail flicking. “You should have expected that not all creatures you summon would answer.”
So cute and tiny, so fluffy—
… Ah, fuck.)
… Love.
This can't be love. He's a Sin, he doesn't feel love. Lust? Sure, he can feel lust, he has felt lust, but looking at CatNap, he doesn't feel that, at least, not as much as… As the warmth, the warmth he feels looking at them, the somewhat protective instincts that bubble in his chest over this tiny, fluffy ball of vibrations in his lap. He feels CatNap shift, sitting like a normal human as they kick their back legs, cuddling into DogDay's fur, still purring. “I haven't been listening… Why are you all angry?” They mumble, yawning as DogDay glares at the two other Sins.
Hoppy just smiles and holds a paw out. “A yawning kitty is a tired kitty! You should get some sleep, yeah?” She hums, and CatNap nods, mumbling a soft, okay, being picked up by the taller green rabbit. “I’ll put them to sleep. Don't have too much fun without me, Bobby.” Hoppy teases, walking away with the feline in her arms.
Bobby and DogDay stare at each other, and he scowls, getting up as he glares down at her.
Silence dances between the two.
The Sin of Pride glares down at the Sin of Lust.
They embody their Sins, are Lords and Ladies of their Sins, rule over those that commit those sins.
“... Is it really not getting through your head that you're more than your Sin?” Bobby speaks first, ears lowering slightly. “You're capable of feeding love, just as you're capable of feeling lust.” Bobby explains softly, stepping forward. “I just think-”
“I don't love them.”
I can't. I'm not good. I’ll hurt them.
DogDay stands tall, raising his chin up, crossing his arms, daring her to say another word. Her white pupils flick, a sign of hesitation, before she shakes her head and stops her hind paws on the floor. “You do, though—!”
DogDay takes his paw and snakes the heart on her chest, connected to the zipper, and yanks her forward, the bear yelping before steeling herself and looking up at DogDay, changing her own stance to mimic his.
She won't budge from this belief, it seems.
Though he's the leader of the Sins, they've always liked challenging his authority, even before they were all trapped in toy bodies.
And they always lost.
No one is as good as he is.
“Devi. Enough.” DogDay snarls, shoving her aside and out of his way, paws twitching, itching to put her in her place, but now's not the time or place for that. He simply walks off, listening to her grumble and grunt as she stands up. “I just deserve CatNap. I deserve them, they belong to me, got it?”
(Sitting alone in his cell, he's more than surprised to watch the four legged feline climb through, their long tail swishing as they stomp on DogDay's lap before plopping down. “Excuse you?” DogDay mutters, and CatNap falls back, hitting his chest. “The fuck do you think you're doing?”
“I couldn't sleep and saw you were awake,” CatNap mumbles, closing their eyes, “so I thought you might need the company.” CatNap murmurs, getting comfortable. “You did claim me, remember? Goodnight, DogDay.”)
… maybe, just maybe, one day he’ll find a way to say it, to phrase it in a way that makes the others believe him. This isn't love, this isn't lust—
Then what is it?
Greed, that's what it is. He was greedy and took what's rightfully his… Because that's what CatNap is. CatNap is his, and the little feline doesn't seem to care much at all that DogDay thinks that way.
But today—tonight—he simply wants to get to sleep, to stay awake until CatNap inevitably wakes up in the middle of the night to check if DogDay is awake, only to cuddle against him, on his lap, as DogDay’s body towers over CatNap's, protecting the little purple feline from the humans and other freaks in this damn place.
He shakes his head, trying to send the warm thoughts of cuddling with a feline version of clouds away, trying to chase away the stained smell of lavender from his paws and gain the strength to find the word, the proper answer, to what he feels when he sees CatNap.
Not yet, anyway. That strength is something he's still trying to find, still trying to describe, still… Still something he vaguely remembers feeling once upon a time.
But one day. One day he’ll find the strength, the words, put it in the air with this voice box in his body that isn't his. Say what he feels, hold a hand out to CatNap in hopes that they feel the same.
… One day.