Work Text:
As the night came to be, the Wittebane boys were already in their beds, anticipating some shut-eye.
Rest was something that was very crucial, especially for the younger one of the two.
"Goodnight, Philip," Caleb spoke in a gentle whisper to his little brother as he smiled and closed his eyes.
Philip smiles at Caleb, resting his head back on his pillow. "Goodnight, Caleb!" he beams before tightly shutting his lids.
Feeling so snug beneath his soft blanket, Philip sighed a relaxed sigh.
"Goodnight, Kitty," he whispers warmly to his companion.
As small hands go to stroke the light and familiar fur of his friend, Philip's blue eyes soon shot open in realization.
Kitty wasn't there!
Philip lifts up his blanket, hoping to find Kitty hiding, but he doesn't.
"Kitty?" he quietly calls out, hoping to receive a response, but is met with complete silence.
As worry starts to set in, Philip jumps out of bed and kneels on the floor, poking his head under his bed.
No sight of Kitty.
Taking his search to the closet, Philip starts calling out for his friend as if he were a lost puppy.
"Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty..."
Then suddenly, out of nowhere, the memory of where he had left Kitty quickly struck him - at church!
Despite Caleb's opposition to the idea, Philip took Kitty to see his first church service and mistakenly left him in the pew that he and Caleb were seated at.
A look of sadness and guilt started to spread on the brunette's face.
How could he forsake his friend in such a way?
Kitty, he felt, was probably freezing and feeling all alone right now.
Philip had to get him back, but he couldn't go to the church on his own, especially at this hour of night.
He needed someone to come along with him.
He needed Caleb.
Approaching the elder's bedside, Philip uses a hand to give his brother's shoulder a slight shake.
"Caleb? Caleb, wake up. Caleb? Caleb. Caleb?"
Caleb's heavy eyelids are slowly opened by the constant shaking and calling of his name. "Huh?"
He lets out a yawn as he glances to his left and sees his sibling standing there. "Pip?"
Clearly tired, Caleb asks in a groggy tone, "What is it?" before sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
"Kitty," Philip quietly answers before continuing. "I left him at church by accident. We have to go get him back, Caleb."
Turning his head to the wooden wall clock, Caleb starts to squint at it, releasing a groan when he spots the time.
"Pip, it's currently very late. We'll just have to pick up Kitty in the morning."
"But Caleb, I can't sleep without him, and he can't sleep without me," Philip would try his best to persuade.
"I'm sure you'll both be fine for one night," Caleb would calmly state.
"But Caleb-!"
"Goodnight, Philip," Caleb states with sterness, laying back down. "Get some rest, okay?"
Philip proceeds to shake him again.
"But what about Kitty?" he asked.
Caleb turns away. "Go to bed," he orders.
"But Caleb!"
The blonde said not a word back.
"Caleb?"
Still nothing.
"CALEB!"
Loud snores soon erupt from Caleb as Philip forms a frown.
He wasn't one bit convinced.
Even he knew that no one could suddenly fall asleep that fast.
"Stop pretending!" Philip pouts, stomping his foot. "Caleb! Caleb! Come on! Come ooon!"
The false snoring only continues, causing Philip to throw the biggest temper tantrum of all time.
"Come ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo..."
Jolting up, Caleb immediately sends his brother a glare. "Philip, stop it!" he demanded.
Philip stops. "Never!" he shouts in rebellion before continuing.
Caleb sighed. "Really now, you can't keep that up forever."
"Yes I can! Oooooooo..."
"Well, you certainly aren't going to change my mind."
Caleb used his pillow to mute the noise, assuming that Philip would eventually exhaust himself.
...
Later on, the elder emits a sigh, this one much more exhausted than his previous ones.
It's been over an hour, and Philip was still going strong with his noisemaking, showing no sighs of stopping until he got what he wanted.
Seems he really could keep that up forever.
Burying his face in his pillow, Caleb groans in defeat.
"Okay, fine! We'll go, we'll go."
"Yay!" Philip cheered before continuing.
"Philip... you can stop now."
"I wish I could, but I'm stuck, Caleb. Ooooooooooon. Oh wait, no I'm not! Last one to the front door is a rotten egg! Ready, GO!" Philip bolts out of the bedroom.
Getting up, Caleb groans a second time, stretching his arms.
Heading over to the mirror, he pulls out a hair tie and proceeds to tie his hair up.
'The faster I get this done, the faster I can go back to bed,' he told himself.
