The Rainy Day Coffee Shop - Sanders Sides AU

Part 3 - The Friend

"Welcome to the Happy Hippo Bakery!" Patton called absent-mindedly as he organised pastries.

"Hi, Patton," Virgil said as he pushed his headphones onto his shoulders.

"Oh, Virgil!" the short boy span around, his toothy smile glistening.

"Can I get a donut? I've just finished my shift at work." he smiled.

"Ah, we're out of donuts this morning." he straightened his gray apron awkwardly, "The new delivery's due to arrive any minute now, though, if you don't mind waiting a little."

"Yeah, that would be fine." Virgil pulled up a chair at one of the tables, "Just an excuse to procrastinate on homework."

Patton giggled and hopped childishly over the counter, "May I join you?"

Virgil gestured for him to sit down, and the blonde boy took a seat across from him.

"Where do you work, then?" Patton asked, gazing out of the shop window at the passing traffic.

"I work at the Coffee Shop just down the road, from five till eleven." he fidgeted with his sleeve.

"That sounds nice! having the smell of coffee around you in the mornings must really wake you up." he smiled.

"Eh, I don't really like it. I'm not really a social kind of person." he said.

"Fair enough."

There was a comfortable pause.

"What are your parents like?" Patton asked.

"Dicks. They threw me out cause I'm gay." Virgil shrugged.

"Oh, wow, that's awful!" Patton gazed at him with sympathy.

"Plus I have an asshole older brother." he started ranting, "He's the golden child, obviously. 'Oh, Virgil, look at Janus! Look at Janus with his Harvard degree! Don't you want to be more like Janus?' Ugh, I hate it." 

"Wow, that's terrible..." Patton sighed and paused, thinking, "Virgil and Janus... your parents like fancy names?"

"They're both Ancient Roman." Virgil shrugged.

"Cool!" Patton's dull look was replaced by a kind smile. Some might have called it a little insensitive, but it warmed Virgil's heart.

"What about your family?" Virgil asked.

"Oh, me?" Patton said, "My parents abandoned me and my little brother when I was six and he was two. We were adopted two years later by a guy called Thomas, who is now our adopted Dad!"

"That's, uh, pretty sad..." he pulled his sleeves over his hands uncomfortably, "It's good that you're happy now, though!"

"Well, I barely remember my biological parents; Emile is all I've ever known, and the care home we were in was alright. I'm so happy we found Thomas, though! As far as I'm concerned, he is my 'real dad'." Patton smiled.

"Huh..." Virgil scratched his head.

A happy family... he thought. He'd never known anything of the sort. As long as he could remember, he'd hated his family as much as they'd hated him. And to have brother who loved you, and who you loved back... he could never imagine Janus loving him. He couldn't even imagine loving Janus...

"Whatcha thinking about?" Patton tapped him on the arm, and Virgil realized that he had zoned out.

"Uhh, nothing." Virgil edged away from him a little.

It wasn't fair, he thought. Why is Patton allowed to be happy, and he isn't?

"Are you alright, kiddo?" Patton gazed at him with concern - his expression suddenly turned frightened, "Oh no, did I upset you? I'm sorry, that was really insensitive, given what you'd just said... I shouldn't have said anything!"

"No, no, no! It's my fault, it's my fault, really..." Virgil became tense all of a sudden. He'd messed things up again. 

He had the sudden urge to leave; leave and not come back. He picked up his backpack and swung it onto his back, hunching his shoulders. Mumbling some excuse, he shuffled towards the door.

"Wait, Virgil!" Patton stood up urgently, "What about your donut?"

"Don't worry about it, I should probably just go home..." Virgil sighed.

"I... I'm sorry..." Patton sighed sadly, letting out a little whimper.

Virgil stopped and turned around. Patton stood in the middle of the store, his head in his hand. He looked ready to cry.

"Patton, I..." Virgil was a little frightened. He'd never affected someone in this way before.

"Ah, I'm sorry..." Patton took of his glasses and rubbed his eye, trying to smile, "I didn't mean to make you upset. I was only trying to help..."

Virgil opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't think of anything to say. Instead, he did something he'd never done before. He came up to Patton and embraced him, squeezing his sides tightly. Patton leant into the hug, even though it was a bit awkward, due to the fact that Virgil didn't really hug people all that often. No words were spoken until the embrace was over.

"I'm really sorry," Virgil sighed, "I guess I was just... jealous. Jealous that you get to have a loving family, and I don't. I'm really, really sorry."

"It's alright, Virgil, I'm sorry too." Patton smiled, wiping away his tears, "It's just that I haven't made any friends in this town yet, and I just really wanted to get to know you..."

"You haven't made any friends?" he was genuinely shocked, "But you're, like, the most outgoing, friendly, funny person I've ever met!"

"Aww, thanks kiddo!" he smiled, "I guess most people at school think I'm annoying..."

"I don't think you're annoying." he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, "I mean, I haven't exactly made any friends here either..."

"Then it's settled!" Patton grinned, his previous sadness vanishing into thin air, "I'll be your friend, and you can be mine! That way we can both say we have friends!"

Virgil smiled a little, "That sounds good to me."

They stood in comfortable silence for a second or two, before the door behind the desk opened and a person walked in wearing a delivery outfit.

"The donuts have arrived, just to let you know." they addressed Patton, "I'll just leave them in the back."

"Okay, thank you!" Patton smiled and the person went back through the door. He looked back at Virgil, "I'll get that donut for you. Sorry for making you wait for so long!"

"It's no problem!" he said.

Patton smiled and made his way towards the door. He left only for a minute before he came back out with a packaged donut. He handed it to Virgil, and he rummaged around in his pocket for the money.

"Here you go," Virgil handed the cash out to the short bot, but he shook his head.

"This one's on the house!" he grinned.

Virgil looked at him with shock, before smiling and taking the bag, "Thank you, Patton."

Virgil turned to leave, but Patton yelled at him to stop. He quickly grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, and scribbled something on it, before handing it to him, "Here's my number. Text me and we'll meet up for a coffee sometime!"

"Sure thing!" Virgil took the paper and folded it carefully, sliding it into his back pocket, "See you!"

"Bye!" he waved, and Virgil left, feeling optimistic and warm inside.

Things were finally looking up, now that he had at least one friend.