Thomas Sanders Sides OneShots 4

The child next door - Patton & Virgil

9:23pm

I am sixteen bitches and g o s h do I need to pee

Somethings never change

Au
—

Patton laid awake late into the night, staring up at his white ceiling while counting sheep in his mind. He desperately wanted to get at least some shuteye before having to go to work at seven am, but it seemed whatever he tried to do just wouldn't work. He tried everything that had worked in the past, and even resorted to the second page of Google, but nothing seemed to help.

Sighing out irritably, he debated whether or not to text his friend - Roman - who was currently in Britain shooting for a new movie, as he would be awake right now, but thought against it as he was probably quite busy. His other friend, Logan, lived by a tight schedule on most days, and would've gone to sleep at exactly eleven pm sharp, which was four hours ago now.

Rubbing his eyeballs, he went to stand and make more hot chocolate when a small whimper stopped him abruptly. He didn't know if he heard right, and stayed deathly silent, straining his hearing and gazing across the room. He heard it again. A slight whine. Sitting up, he removed himself from bed and padded across the room, wondering if somehow a small animal had gotten in. When he reached the opposite wall to his bed, he paused, the whimpering coming from between his closet and desk. That was when he realised it was from the room over.

Now, Patton lived in a block of flats, meaning the room next to his was one he didn't own. He knows many of his neighbours, but these ones specifically? Not much. All he did know was they kept to themselves and had a son. One he admittedly hasn't met. He didn't really know the parents, either, but did have an encounter with an older lady who lived a few flats away from Patton.

They were standing beside the bins, Patton helping her throw them over the top. "You're a good lad" she commented, patting his shoulder. Patton beamed and closed the lid of the large black bin. "It's no trouble, Ma'am" he waved off, glancing over his shoulder when he heard something shatter. The two rose their eyes to see the balcony on the third floor - the floor they both lived on - populated by the parents Patton lived next door to. The dad was knelt on the ground, cleaning something up while the mom stood over him, every so often glancing through the window back into her flat, slowly sipping from her wine glass.

"They're an odd two" the old lady murmured. Patton turned back to her and quirked an eyebrow curiously. She smiled, amused. "You haven't lived here long enough, my boy" she sighed, bringing her cardigan closer to her body. "They're very quiet. Too quiet if you ask me. They don't speak to anyone, and ignore whoever tries to. I feel for their boy" she shook her head, staring at the concrete ground she stood on in her woolly slippers. Patton cocked his head, even more questions springing up in his mind.

"Their son" she clarified, "young kid, three or four? Haven't seen him much. He should be starting school soon but..." she drifted, eying the parents who were still on the balcony. "Something's telling me he won't" Patton wanted to ask what she meant but she excused herself, explaining how her daughter was coming to town and she needed to get ready.

After that Patton didn't really ask much more about them to the old lady; she always seemed to get uncomfortable and grumpy when they were brought up. However, he did ask other residents after that conversation, and each said similar things. It seemed like the parents didn't like anyone, and no one liked them. Because of this Patton didn't get involved; plus after his two friends advised him to stay clear, he had no reason to talk to them.