The Neighbor Next Door

Exhausting

3gs sat alone in the living room, idly listening to the chatter of the tv while he texted his partner. He would've called last night, but he was just too angry after the call with Cobs. He didn't want to accidentally end up taking any frustration out on anyone who didn't deserve it.

'I'm probably staying for a bit longer than expected, things w/ my dad didn't go well. Can we call tonight'

He kept it simple, not really wanting to get into the important things over text. He was also very open with his partner, but some things didn't feel right going into at all just yet. He was still thinking a lot about Red right now. The last things he ever said to him. How he never visited, and never knew. Maybe that was karma, really, for not visiting, but he didn't like thinking like this.

'Yeah we can call tonight, stay safe. Let me know when you plan on coming back though please.'

'Love you btw' A text from his fiance.

'Love you too, thanks for understanding. I'll let you know soon, I still have a lot to talk out w/ my brother.'

'Yeah, that's fine. I'll keep the apartment clean. Won't throw any ragers.'

'Not this time at least', topped off with a wink emoticon.

3gs just let out an amused huff at this. It was early in the morning again, another day, and he wasn't concerned about whatever his dad's threat was, really. He had been in the military for so long, it would take so much more than hollow words to make him worried. And what was he going to do? Take the house away? 3gs knew that thought wouldn't even cross the old man's mind. Whatever. 3gs didn't want to think about him right now. He was pissed at him anyways, and he didn't deserve his time.

So he shifted his thoughts, placing his phone down on the arm of the couch. MePhone just had such a constant, terrible aura of sadness and upset throughout the entirety of yesterday. It was noticeable, and 3gs didn't say anything about it, but he knew he'd probably have to. It was easy to tell now that their dad did something to ruin how he used to act as a child. That he was just so lost from years and years of whatever happened, and that surely all he needed was to be found again. For someone to care.

3gs was also just... Guilty. He needed to make it up to him somehow. For everything. For being a bad brother, and for never visiting, or knowing. Never asking, or pressing further for real answers. Of course most of the blame could reasonably shift onto their dad, but he knew he messed up with this, too. Maybe he was too scared to visit dad, but he probably could've tried reaching out to his brothers... Brother. 3gs sighed. It was also just so confusing to him, too. They were all robots. What could have been so bad, so damaging that Cobs refused to do anything after he was injured? Would he be a twisted enough person to use whatever happened as a punishment?

He didn't want to think his dad was that horrible of a person, but with the call, and having never been told, it was harder to justify. He just sighed, getting up. He didn't feel like having all these thoughts just yet. He checked the time, and it was nearing noon. He decided to go check on MePhone, slowly heading down the hallway, and cracking the bedroom door open. He was still sleeping, clinging on to one of the pillows he slept with. 3gs just watched for a moment, waiting to see if he'd stir, or get up, but it was clear he was very much resting. 3gs wasn't going to wake him up. He figured he'd probably need the sleep anyway. He looked so... Exhausted yesterday, even after having taken a nap. He moved to close the door, but this is when the cat scurried out, sprinting between his legs down the hall. 3gs jolted a bit, almost losing the grip on his cane. Honestly, he had kind of forgotten about the cat. He closed the door, heading the same way the cat had, looking around the main area in an attempt to spot it, seeing it almost immediately as it hopped up on the counter with a meow.