Notes

Words -
Trigger Warnings - Abuse, drug abuse, neglect



"Hey!" A happy voice squeaked, snapping the 5-year-old out of his thoughts. Virgil slipped his black hood down, revealing his pale sunken face with deep eyebags. He had freckles splattered on his cheeks, along with scars and scrapes from 'falling over'.

Virgil looked up through his brown curls at the squeaky kid. He had lightly tanned skin that was covered in freckles. He wore a blue t-shirt and khaki coloured shorts. His hair was a mess of warm brown and light blonde curls. His eyes were a bright electric blue.

"I'm Patton!" He grinned, showing his few teeth. "This is my brother Anwir-" He was cut off by a taller boy behind him.

"Shut up! My name's De," The boy said. He was identical to Patton but his skin was paler and he had a massive birth mark on the left side of his face. There was a scar from the left corner of his lips to the middle of his cheek. His eyes were dark brown. Except for the left one. That one was a strange orangey-brown mix that looked foggy. He clearly could barely see through that eye.

He wore a black t-shirt with a yellow snake in the middle. His jeans were dark blue and his shoes were yellow and black.

"Sorry, De," Patton smiled sympathetically. He turned back to the small child sat underneath the tree, paper and pencils in hand. "What's your name?"

"Vir-Virgil," He stuttered, scared that they were going to hurt him like his big brother did. Well, biggest brother.

"Hey Virgil! We're both new," Patton gestured happily to his brother. "Can we be friends?"

"I-I- Su-sure," Virgil replied, shocked that anyone would willingly be friends with him. Patton grinned cheerfully and grabbed his brother's hand. He sat down, dragging De along with him.

"Since we're friends, we need to know important things about each other," Patton paused, thinking deeply. "Like our favourite colours! Mine is blue!"

"Mine's yellow," De replied, looking half asleep despite it being only half-way through the day at school.

"I like purple," Virgil mumbled shyly.

-----

"Virgil!" Remus' drunken voice rang through the tiny old house. Virgil's pencil clattered against the desk as he jumped up and ran into the living room.

"Y-yes?" He asked, his voice almost silent and filled with terror.

"Get me a drink," Remus instructed.

"W-why can't yo-you get one-one yourself?" Virgil stuttered out, looking at his eldest brother sprawled out on the sofa.

Smash.

An empty beer bottle shattered against the wall directly beside Virgil's head. Some of the glass shards even fell onto his shirt

"Get. Me. One. Otherwise, I won't miss next time," Remus growled.

"Okay!" Virgil squeaked, running to the kitchen and grabbing a water bottle. He passed it shakily to Remus.

He opened the lid and sipped it before letting it fall from his hand and spill over the dusty, creaky wooden floor.

"Are you trying to kill me? There's no alcohol in this...Stupid child," Remus spat, looking Virgil in the eye. "Come here," he demanded. Virgil remained still. "DO I HAVE TO REPEAT MYSELF?" Remus practically screamed.

Virgil rushed over, standing by his side, shaking intensely as tears dripped down his cheeks. Suddenly, burning pain shot through his face, causing him to fall back onto the floor. He grabbed his cheek with his tiny hands, looking up at his eldest brother. He saw Remus raise his arm to slap him again but hurried to his feet and dodged it.

He darted up the stairs, Remus' drunken footsteps following behind. He ran into the bathroom and locked the door.

Bang.

Bang.

Bang.

Virgil shook violently as he pulled his knees up to his chest and sobbed into them. He listened to his brother pounding on the door angrily.

"VIRGIL!" Remus yelled.

----

"Virgil!" Patton squealed as he ran up to the eight-year-old, hugging him as usual.

"Hey, Pat," Virgil chuckled, used to being hit when people ran at him but trusting Patton completely.

"Hi," De saluted him with two fingers, a smirk on his face.

"What's got him all happy?" Virgil asked De, pretending to whisper but really speaking loud enough for Patton to hear.

"He met a new boy, Logan," De rolled his eyes, "I'm pretty sure he loves him or something," he joked, sending a playful wink at his brother. Patton flushed a deep red and squeaked.

"I do not!" He whined, hiding his face in his freckled hands.

"You totally do," De smirked again. Virgil let out a small laugh, rubbing his arms unknowingly. They were covered in bruises from his oldest brother.

"You know, I agree with De on this one," He laughed. Patton squeaked again and buried his face in his hands further.

"Nooo!" He whined.

"Yesss!" Virgil and Dee mimicked.

----

"Hey, V," Remy, Virgil's other older brother, said as he walked into Virgil's room.

"Re-Remy!" Virgil shouted, running up to him and hugging his legs tightly.

Remy chuckled and patted Virgil's hair, kneeling down to his height. "I missed you too, kid. Did Remus hurt you while I was at work?"

Virgil nodded his head, hugging his brother properly. "He kic-kicked my le-legs."

An angry look passed Remy's usually calm face. "Do you want me to take a look?" He asked. Virgil nodded, rolling up the cuffs of his jeans, revealing the purple and blue bruising. If possible, Remy looked even angrier.

In an attempt to calm his brother, Virgil hugged him again.

"I missed you," He muttered. "Remus shouted again..."

"Stay here, kid, stay safe, okay?" Remy said gently before pulling Virgil's arms off carefully. He stood up and walked out, shutting the door.

Hours later, Virgil was still listening to the argument raging on downstairs. There was Remy trying to get Remus away and trying to protect Virgil and threatening to call the police. Then there was Remus,reminding Remy that the police wouldn't listen to him because of Remy's history of vandalism and drugs.

Virgil stared blankly at his unpainted walls as tears rolled down his freckled cheeks.

------

"Greetings," Logan said as he walked up to the 9-year-old Virgil.

"Hey Lo," Virgil replied, saluting with two fingers as he looked up from the bench.

"There's a new boy in my class, Roman Crown, I think you would get along with him," Logan stated, his British accent revealing itself in his voice.

"Uhuh, you know I hate new people," Virgil protested, dropping his pencil immediately.

"Well, the teacher assigned De as his tour guide so you will be seeing him more often. Just a bit of advice, try not to offend him or he will start yelling Disney at you...Jeremy learnt that the hard way."

"Who's Jeremy?" Virgil asked.

"Some boy in my class, he hangs about with Michael."

"Ohh, him," Virgil replied. "So the new kid actually yelled Disney?"