Box Boy Universe (BBU) Basics
I've seen a lot of good posts on the subject lost due to deactivated OPs and had a hard time finding remaining ones that cover all this, so I'm making my own post going over common box boy universe worldbuilding.
Since there's not a single central canon to the box boy universe, I've put together an explanation/summary of the common parts of the world, to hopefully make it easier to approach.
But first and foremost: The BBU is a sandbox world, and one of its great strengths is the freedom it gives writers. You can use, change, add, or even entirely throw out any details you so desire! These are common ideas in the BBU, but they are by no means requirements. Each writer will have their own concepts and worldbuilding details for the BBU (including me! but I’ll try to be objective for this post and not inject my own version).
The BBU was initially created by @/sweetwhumpandhellacomf and further developed and popularized by @/shameless-whumper and @/ashintheairlikesnow, but you are not required to credit anyone when creating in the BBU unless you use their specific characters.
Okay here are some common threads I’ve seen in the BBU:
Pet whump world! - The BBU is a sandbox designed for whump, specifically pet whump. As such, there’s a lot of hurt and/or comfort in most of the stories that take place there, as well as the other stuff that usually goes with pet whump, like dehumanization.
Human pets (it’s glorified slavery) - The core idea of the BBU is that human pets are legal. As in, you can own a human being. They’re advertised as “pets” but some are used for various kinds of labor or sex, not just companionship. These human pets are usually just called “pets” or “boxies”. Gender-specific terms include “box boys” for the guys and “box babes” for the gals. I think I’ve also seen “box buddies” for enbies, but it’s not as popularized of a term.
WRU - A major player in the BBU is the WRU: A big bad company that trains and sells boxies. They may be a monopoly or there may be other companies, but WRU is usually the biggest/most powerful. (In the original post that started the BBU, WRU stood for Whumpees-R-Us because it was a joke post. Authors vary in how they handle it, from coming up with something else it stands for to simply not acknowledging that it’s an acronym at all.) In most iterations, the WRU makes an effort to appear ethical and legal on the outside, but secretly does lots of bad stuff like kidnapping people to sell, forcing signatures, and using torture instead of humane methods to “train” boxies. They’re pretty good at getting away with it.
Ordering pets - People with enough money can buy boxies. For additional money, they can even put in custom orders for traits they want. Whether those traits are natural inherited features, body mods, or special training, the WRU will make it happen. (Sometimes they kidnap people to fit a specific order, but that’s not public information). Boxies are expensive. In many versions of the BBU, only the very rich can afford them, though in some versions it’s possible for some of the middle class to put together enough money. The exact prices vary between authors. Boxies can also be acquired secondhand. A boxie who's been returned to the WRU, re-wiped, and retrained is usually called a "refurb," and is often discounted compared to a brand new one. A boxie bought from a former owner or other secondhand source such as a pet shelter will usually still have the training and memories from their previous owner(s) and be cheaper than a refurb.
Signing - In order to become a boxie, a person has to sign a legal document agreeing to it. Once they sign, they are legally not a person. Sometimes the WRU forces signatures using torture or other unsavory methods, then pretends it was voluntary all along. In order to sign, a person has to be of legal consenting age (i.e. age of majority). But the WRU also lies about people’s ages sometimes.
Bar codes & numbers - Once they’ve signed, boxies are given bar code tattoos, usually on the wrist. They’re also assigned a number (most commonly six digits) instead of their name. Their owner may choose to give them a new name once they’re bought, or leave them with just their numeric designation.
The Drip - The Drip is a fictional drug (or mix of drugs) administered via IV that’s used on trainees. In most versions, the Drip induces amnesia to remove boxies’ memories of their life before they became pets. In some versions it helps with conditioning them in some other way. In most versions, the Drip is given to every boxie as part of their training, but in a few versions it may be a measure only used on the more difficult ones.
“Training” (torture and conditioning) - In order to get a boxie to behave how the WRU/owner wants, they go through “training.” The official statement is that the WRU uses humane methods, but really they use a lot of torture and manipulation. Exact methods will vary between writers, but some common ones include white room torture, electric shocks (via batons or shock collars), and drugging. Boxies are called "trainees" while in the process of going through conditioning. The WRU employees in charge of training them are called “handlers”. Desired results of training usually include obedience, submission, gratitude, desperation for/leaning into touch, and certain automatic responses including learned phrases and specific positions. Most of these positions correspond to a number, but they’ll also bow on the floor in response to the word “respect.” Boxies are also made to wear collars, and conditioned to associate wearing one with being safe or wanted. Sometimes they're made illiterate as well. The typical trainee outfit is black shorts, a white t-shirt and a cheap collar or shock collar. The typical food they get while in training is bland and unpleasant. The training facilities generally have white rooms, maze-like hallways, and plenty of cameras. Most boxies are terrified of being sent back to the WRU after they've been bought.
Designations - Boxies are given specific designations depending on their training and expected duties. The typical designations are Domestic (menial labor, usually household chores), Romantic (sex), Platonic (non-sexual companionship or aid), and Guard Dog (bodyguard). Some writers also use other specialty designations. Boxies can also be combinations of multiple designations.
Delivery in boxes - Here’s where the name comes from! Once a boxie is trained and matched up with a buyer, they’re typically delivered to the buyer’s home in a box. The buyer opens the box to get their pet, and usually there are some certain steps the WRU recommends at this point, like testing their responsiveness (by hitting them) or getting them some water.
Ownership - Once a boxie is bought, they are legally owned by that person. They can basically do whatever, because after signing the boxie is legally not a person and does not have human rights. In most versions I’ve seen, boxies don’t even have animal rights. Typically there’s a three month return period, and after that it’s the owner’s business how they treat their boxie. Owners are expected to be responsible for their pets’ behavior outside the home though. Since they’re legally not people, boxies may be banned from certain establishments, both private and public, just like other pets. (For example, often human hospitals won’t take them and they have to go places specifically for pets.)
Pet lib - Pet lib is a movement against the human pet trade. They work to aid, empower, and free boxies. They often run safehouses where boxies can hide out and work on recovery. They may also smuggle boxies to countries where the human pet trade is illegal so they can be free.
