Sanders Sides Parenting/Kids One-Shots

(152) The Cute Boy At The Petting Zoo - Moceit (and Sibling Moxiety)

Summary: Patton goes to a petting zoo with his parents, but he's not fond of the animals that aren't the cute little bunnies and hamsters. But he soon finds a friend to help him through the fear.

The petting zoo is based off the one I went to when I visited my pen pal in Poland a few months ago XD.

Words: 1092

Patton loved days out with his big brother. The older brother was in high school now and still wanted to spend special time with his brother, so that must mean Patton was big and mature too! Days out included going to the cinema or the park or the mall, and it always involved lots of ice cream wherever they went.

But this time was different than the rest of the hang outs, as one of the old cafes had recently became a petting zoo. "Will there be puppies Vergie?" Patton chirped, looking up at his brother who was wearing his usual purple hoodie and black headphones. Virgil smirked and giggled at his elementary school brother.

"Probably not - but TripAdvisor said there'd be bunnies and hamsters!" Patton's eyes widened and glistened at that. He still had the same excited glance he had as a baby when Virgil became a big brother eight years ago.

"Can we take one home?"

"I don't think they're up for adoption Pat, but maybe bring it up with Moms when we get home." The pair approached the petting zoo door, walking in and talking to the front desk for only a minute or two. Virgil wasn't that good at talking to people in any other situation, but he felt like in these days out with his little brother he had to upkeep a confident, happy persona to give Patton good hope for his teenage years.

The worker soon let the brothers into the main petting zoo, a large room surrounded by different cages and enclosures with all different animals. And there were a lot of people. At first Virgil lingered back as Patton ran forward, immediately into the bunny enclosure with half a dozen other kids all around him. Virgil leant against the wall like some of the parents were doing, making sure his brother was safe while admiring all the animals on display. There were walk-in enclosures for squirrels and parrots and even a fat raccoon. Enclosures you couldn't walk into had bunnies, guinea pigs and hamsters. And lastly there were two cages you had to ask a worker to open for you - a snake and a spider.

So of course Virgil immediately gravitated to the giant tarantula. He knelt in front of the cage for a little as he didn't want to talk to the worker straight away, he just admired the creature in the cage. "Do you want to hold her?" The worker beside the cage chirped, and Virgil nodded with no hesitation. He could see his little brother staring into the birds enclosure, but he soon turned around and his eyes widened in fear.

Patton was petrified of spiders, and always had been. In middle school Virgil saved up for his own pet spider, but once he realised how petrified little Patton was of the creatures he admit defeat and made the sacrifice to get a bearded dragon instead. Spiders could wait for college - he still adored them. "Pat! You want to come over here and meet Miss Tarantula?" Patton quickly shook his head, making his brother laugh, but then he came closer. "You're being brave aren't you? You want to help me hold her?"

Again Patton shook his head, just watched his brother from an arm's distance. Next to the two brothers was another boy around Patton's age - giving the snake he was holding the same look Virgil was giving his spider.

"Do you want to hold the snake?" The boy chirped to Patton, turning the snake towards him. Patton flinched a little but then met with the new boy's green-hazel eyes and... Virgil felt like he was intruding on something. Both boys' eyes were glistening and Patton's cheeks were going pink just by the look. Slowly, he accepted the snake as his nerves had seemingly transferred from his reaction to his boy in front of him. After giving the snake over the boy ran off towards his parents in the squirrel enclosure.

Virgil placed the spider back into its cage and leant down to his brother. "Do you like that boy Pat?" It felt nice Virgil was here to witness his brother's first crush. He seemed pretty oblivious to the world of boyfriends, partners and girlfriends before.

"He's really pretty, did you see his freckles?" Patton giggled, his cheeks becoming pinker as he focused on the snake he was given. The boy was also looking back every so often from wherever in the petting zoo he was. The boy's parents were chatting to each other, completely oblivious of this moment, but they didn't seem to be the hate crime types that Virgil learnt to avoid in public.

But like a big brother should, Virgil was happy to give pointers. "How about you go up to him and ask him for his parents' phone number? So you two can continue hanging out." Patton looked unsure but watched the boy intensely. "And you should ask him for his name too. I can take the snake for you?"

It took some hesitation but Patton eventually nodded and handed his big brother the yellow and black snake so he could walk over to the fellow elementary schooler in yellow. Patton skipped over and his eyes widened facing the boy, and they initiated child-like chatter that kids so easily do. The boy's parents eventually involved each other in their conversation too. After some mumbled chirps Patton pointed to his big brother, and then the father of the family brought a piece of paper out of his pocket and wrote something down.

And soon Patton came trotting out with the small piece of paper in his hands that he was waving. "Virgil! Virgil! I have Janus' parents' phone number and I need to give it to Mom and Mama, and they're OK that I have two moms too!" It was unfortunate Patton knew to be weary about telling adults he had two moms, but at least he had a new friend. "They said I can have a play-date with Janus. Is that a real date Verge? Is he my boyfriend now?"

Virgil laughed and stuffed the piece of paper into his pocket, knowing his moms will be as excited as he is that Patton wants a boyfriend. "You'll have to ask him first. But do you want ice cream?" Patton's eyes glowed more at that and he nodded. The pair left the petting zoo, but not without a new stuffed teddy each, and all the way Janus was talking about his new maybe-boyfriend-maybe-just-really-cute-best-friend.