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Special.
That was the one thing Freddy wanted the day to be for Gregory.
His eleventh birthday, where everything revolved around him, and nothing could sour Gregory's special day. His programming only expected perfection…
Only having his age to go off of, it took a long time for Freddy and the others to figure out when to celebrate the boy's birthday. Gregory never disclosed this with the bear, avoiding the date as if it held an uncomfortable bind, so Freddy had to improvise.
After weeks of prepping, the lead bear went forth in the birthday party celebration, designated on a day where not a lot of big parties were booked.
Three months after the events of that unforgettable night, Freddy had secretly taken Gregory in as his own, the other Glamrocks in on the secret. The colorful band collaborated together to create a safespace for Gregory whenever he needed a place to sleep or to stay hidden, set up in the maintenance closet behind Freddy's room.
It wasn't a lot: just a cot from one of the abandoned security offices with Moon themed blankets and pillows, one of Freddy's personal stuffed plush he gifted Gregory, and an inconspicuous white curtain to shield the makeshift bedside. To Freddy, it was imperfect and rushed, nothing suitable for a growing child, but for Gregory it was home. It was far better than sleeping on flattened mattresses, cardboard boxes, or in an abandoned vehicle that reeked of urine…
No longer did he need to worry about the elements or the cruelty of those who passed by him. While the mall held some horrific baggage, Gregory preferred the company of robots than people.
The day had been light hearted, the first interaction being a birthday cupcake from Freddy as soon as Gregory woke up, pink frosting with a lit blue striped candle protruding at the top. Something the boy didn't expect to see.
Most of his past birthdays were spent in the quiet corners of the orphanage, nose deep in whatever books he managed to get his grubby hands on. The other orphans would give him little trinkets, which were long gone now, but the sentiment behind them wasn't meaningless. The adults would completely forget about his birthday, which was consistent almost every year; one of them thought he was still six when he was actually nine.
From humble celebrations to a fully decorated cupcake from someone he admired, Gregory found himself choked up by the gesture. In turn, his reaction caused Freddy to freak out– thinking he already ruined the birthday plans–
"Freddy… I-It's fine," Gregory stifled, "I'm okay, see?" The boy broke a wobbly grin, but the animatronics' ears had fallen from dismay.
"I did not think you would be upset by my gesture, I am s–"
Gregory huffed, trying to compose himself, stopping Freddy from spouting an over the top apology. "You don't need to worry about me… I just… didn't expect this, that's all." He dries his tears with his pajama sleeve, "Thank you, Freddy."
Freddy held a worn expression, before it softened, lending the cupcake forward for Gregory; with a heaping breath, the boy puffed out the dancing flame…
The bass of their sound rumbled the tile, the wail of Chica's guitar expelling over the crowd's cheers, the bird grinning upon hearing their excitement. Roxanne flicking her bangs, digits dancing over the keys of her instrument, knowing how amazing she looked while doing so. Monty saddled beside the lead, his cockiness showing, his bass thumping alongside the melody. Freddy was so focused on performing well, he did not want the last act of the song to be sloppy…
The others were loose, happy to be entertaining, Freddy– although intense– matched the spirit of his bandmates. His usual peacocking around the stage and overall charisma shown through, getting a rouse of the audience.
Once there was a small break in the song, Freddy propelled his fist in the air, "This song goes to a very special Superstar who's turning eleven! Happy birthday, Gregory!" The audience awed and cheered from this announcement, the other bandmates hooting along the guests as Freddy beams excitedly.
Through the dim crowd, Freddy catches Gregory amongst a group of children his age, gathering around him after the shoutout, cheering and celebrating him; the brown haired boy smiles sheepishly, managing to make contact with the performer on stage. For a second, there was a look of embarrassment, before it changed to mild tenderness, waving to the bear. The boy, even after all this time of knowing Freddy, still found himself taken aback by the doting, paternal actions inflicted onto him.
Running through the signature birthday song, Freddy and his friends put their own spin into it, encouraging everyone to sing and celebrate, and that they did. Through piercing volume, the crowd joined, children screeching along with enthusiasm.
For the first time in a while, Freddy had a sense of elation in his circuitry: witnessing the jovial faces of children dancing and singing, their parents clapping and cheering for them, genuine juvenile joy through the crowd…
This is what the Pizzaplex was intended to be.
The performance ended, the band members were sent down beneath the stage, the echoes of the crowd dissipated the further they descended.
Freddy adjusted himself, only to feel a claw clamp on his shoulder with rough familiarity, "Did'ja hear them hollering!? They loved it! I don't think I've ever seen those guys so excited for a birthday song before." Monty shook Freddy with excitement, the bear wavering a chuckle.
The default birthday song was tame, with the familiar lyrics everyone knew and chanted with ease, but today, it had an invigorating tone to it that could shake anyone's bones. Freddy had added to it himself for the past few weeks, despite it going against some of Fazbear's traditions.
"I know it was for a special occasion, but we should do it for every birthday!" Chica chimes, releasing the guitar from her shoulders, "the kids will love it!"
Freddy settled his eyes to the floor, "We could. It felt great… "
Roxy stretches, releasing her shoulders, "You only did this so you could see the look on that goober's face."
"Yes… that's because I wanted to make today extra special for him." Freddy's wires warmed, hoping to catch up with Gregory before he was swept up in party requests.
Chica cooes at Freddy's softened disposition, ambling over to poke his cheek, the bear fuming as he sprightly swatted her hand away from him, Monty snickering alongside the chicken. Roxy smiled to herself, rolling her eyes at the playful banter.
The platform lowers to the ramp, the animatronics trailing through the parts and service, on site technicians running quick checkups and adjustments on any servos and equipment. They were patted down and sent on their ways.
Before parting and returning to their rooms, Freddy takes Chica aside.
"I need you to do something for me."
"Ayup?" The chicken clucked with curiosity, harkening close.
"I need you to keep an eye on Gregory–" Freddy started, "Don't hover– but… I wouldn't mind knowing if he's having a good time. I assume he would be in the Fazcade or perhaps in–"
A scoff interrupts, a coy grin growing on Chica, "Fred, are you serious? Why wouldn't he be having a good time? It's Gregory." Chica recalled the kid's late night shenanigans. He was a kid who could keep himself entertained, even if it meant he got into trouble sometimes.
"I just want things to go well for him today." The bear's ears drooped, lowering his voice. They enter the utility hallway leading to his greenroom, Chica sauntering beside Freddy, "And they will. You've been planning this for almost a month now, and so far it looks like Gregory's enjoying himself. You just need to let yourself unwind… it's not good for your programming to be this stressed."
The elevators whisked them up to his room, Freddy silent most of the way as he harbored his systems, hoping that Chica's reassurance would stick.
Upon entering Freddy’s room, Chica gives Freddy a quick pat on his back, "Once I clear out my queue for pictures, I will go look for him, I'll even update you… okay, Fred?"
"Yes… Thank you, Chica."
Chica salutes as she leaves his room, passing by the oncoming trail of guests. Freddy tries to wipe his systems from the worry plaguing them, and snaps on performance mode, straightening himself and putting on a smile as he goes to greet the first of the guests…
Most of Gregory's time was spent hopping from arcade to arcade with a small group of kids he befriended, and some stragglers who wanted to hang around the birthday kid that got a personalized song from Freddy.
Even though he had played most of the arcade cabinets the mall had to offer, he showed off his skills at some of his favorite games, beating some of his own scores, marking " GGY" on the boards.
The kids that hung around were interested in Gregory's methods, curious as to how he had such high scores, which the brunette played off casually with some white lies:
"I have a dad that works here…"
"I come here a lot, I practically live here!"
"Oh… y'know, just a lot of practice."
Most of those were partly true, anyways.
There was one kid, however, who stuck out to him in a way that he couldn't put his finger on. The kid, who the others called Wyatt, seemed to be a year younger than Gregory, with unkempt dusty blonde hair and dirt brown eyes like his in a cartoonish graphic t-shirt, hovered longer than most of the other kids did. For a while, Gregory didn't think much of him.
That was until Wyatt spoke, sounding as though he was congested, asking, "How come you got a special birthday song from Freddy?"
Gregory, who was preoccupied with a racing game, briefly peered at the kid, who was blaring his eyes– expecting an instantaneous response. To himself, Gregory thought the kid was just being odd, not that it worried him too much; in some ways, Gregory was a weird kid too. However, Wyatt didn't seem to understand personal space, as he was nearly saddled in the boy's peripheral.
"I-I don't know… my uh–" Gregory tapped his foot on the gas pedal, trying to focus, "My dad must've requested it."
"You said your dad works here, what does he even do?" The kid breathed on his shoulder, Gregory gripping the wheel of the cabinet trying to remain in the lead of the game. A lock of hair shrouded his face, the boy blowing it out with annoyance, "He's a technician."
He had some designated responses for questions like these, just in case. Wyatt wasn't letting up, though.
"He works with the robots? That's so cool– I wish I had a dad that worked with robots– he works at some boring bank."
"Yep." Gregory grits, his focus completely thrown off by Wyatt's heavy presence. "I never got a special birthday song from Freddy," the kid pouted, "all I got was one crappy photo with that gator guy. The cake wasn't even that good."
The race was thrown, having ended up in fifth just because this kid was a space invader. Gregory slicked off the seat and attempted to ease out of the conversation, only for Wyatt to follow after him, continuing, "My mom didn't even get the right character to show up, I told her I wanted to see Freddy… he's my favorite."
"Yeah, he's… my favorite as well." Gregory was half listening, his attention on wanting to get out of this interaction, though the nine year old was on his heels.
Some of the kids Gregory met during the performance met back up with him, holding a few trinkets they got from the prize counter: a Chica plush, candy, and character themed silly bands.
Nostalgia struck the boy's chest, almost having a minor sense of deja vu, sent back to those days in the orphanage…
While it wasn't the same, his mind sent him back, holding those items brought melancholy. He wondered if his old friends were still there.
"You guys really didn't need to waste your tickets on me." Gregory looked up to the trio of kids in front of him, finding his throat tightened. One of them, a girl his age piped up, "Well, it's your birthday after all! We thought it would be nice to get you something."
Gregory blinked, wistfulness coating his eyes, trying really hard not to break down again like this morning. He knew if he started crying, they would start questioning him… he wouldn't be able to explain himself then.
With odd timing, the adenoidal voice wavers, "Why did you guys waste your tickets? You could've gotten something cooler than this!"
"Ughh– Wyatt, shut up. You never stop whining." The older boy of the trio scoffed. Gregory, although annoyed, was glad to have the attention drawn from him long enough to wipe away a few stray tears. Wyatt huffed and crossed his arms, "I'm not whining!"
"Then, why do some of the kids call you Whiny Wyatt?"
Wyatt's cheeks burn with agitation, "I am not a whiner!"
"Sure as hell sounds like it…"
The trio collectively snickered at the older boy's response.
"You just said a bad word–" Wyatt gaped, "you can't say that!"
The older kids mimicked and taunted the nine year old for a good minute before Gregory diffused the conflict with some jaunts of his own, guiding the topic off the younger kid, who looked butthurt by the end of it.
"I appreciate this… really." Gregory held his gifts, his brown eyes softening with genuineness.
"I hope you get a lot of awesome gifts at your party!" The girl winked, "you seem lucky enough to have your birthday here."
Lucky.
Sure, that was one way to put it. This made Gregory chuckle.
After the pleasantries, they went their separate ways, although Wyatt still lingered, hunched shoulders and puffed cheeks. Gregory looked at him with judgment, unsure why he was so upset…
"Gregory!"
A hyper feminine voice suddenly calls out to Gregory, causing his blood to freeze for a moment out of instinct, before catching a glimpse of Chica trotting towards him; not as threatening as he remembered her, but his heart still raced from the anxiety of his name being called.
"Oh! There you are!" She clucks softly, meandering by some guests who were surprised by her presence. Wyatt dropped his grumpy act and became slacked jawed by the chicken's casual approach. She lowered herself to not be as intimidating.
"How's everything going? Are you having fun today?"
"Yeah, I got some cool stuff from the other kids today." Gregory nodded over to where the older kids had walked off, showing Chica the plushie he acquired; the animatronic giggling as she took a look at his gifts.
"How sweet of them!"
As if her programming kicked in, Chica took notice of Wyatt eyeing her intently, the guitarist tilting her head with her sweet smile, "Aw, who's this little guy?"
Wyatt's face flushed, frozen from shock. The little boy stammered, his fingers digging into the fabric of his pants, "W-Wyatt…"
"Hi Wyatt! I see you're keeping Gregory company, it's nice to see him make some new friends!"
Gregory shook his head, which the bird noticed, but she kept up her uplifting disposition. Rising from the ground, Chica leveled herself, clamping her hands together, "I was just checking on you–" her eyes burst open, " Oh ! I nearly forgot– you have a little surprise in the daycare– you'll need to make it over there at five o'clock!"
Surprise in the daycare ?
Gregory nodded, briefly checking the time on his watch, another half hour left until five.
"I'll meet you at the daycare, then?"
"Yep! I'll see you there, Chickadee!"
A few guests started to swarm Chica, in which she took a few brief pictures before swiftly leaving before it became too hectic. Wyatt gawked at Gregory with astonishment, "She has a nickname for you?"
"Yeah?" Gregroy realizes he's been really nonchalant about his relationships with the other bots so far; it might make him look suspicious.
"How does Chica know you so well?"
Gregory held back a smirk, "Like I said: My dad works here."
Quite a few birthdays took place during the mid afternoon, which Freddy didn't mind attending as it was his responsibility, but as the clock grew close to five, his wires tightened with anticipation. The families that requested him really took their time savoring his presence, along with the children who either wanted quick piggyback rides or to be picked up by him. A mild case with a mom flirting with him for some reason. And of course, getting pictures taken.
As long as he was able to satisfy his guests, that's all that mattered to him. Yet, he quietly wished that they would usher him away sooner so that he could wrap up any last minute preparations for Gregory's celebration.
Freddy had contacted Monty and Moon about setting up the party room nights prior, hoping that their efforts were worth something, making sure that the room was labeled with a sign outside stating it was occupied to lessen its chances of being rented out.
Finally having a moment to himself, Freddy dismisses from his last party, stopping by Chica's Bakery to install a platter of cupcakes into his hatch before trailing to the daycare; being stopped a few times by guests to chat and take pictures.
The resonating sounds of children shrieking and hollering within the structure of the daycare scraped his ears as he hurried to one of the rooms, making sure he didn't draw too much attention; which is difficult when you're the face of a prized corporate entity.
The dimly lit room was strewn with orange and blue ribbon, an array of balloons of the main animatronics occupying the space with pizza themed table cloth sprawn over the tables. Confetti and stars sprinkled the floor, and a mini mountain of plush toys stacked on one of the side tables.
To Freddy, it seemed basic, most parties having a clear theme and personality based on the child's interest… he worried that it didn't capture Gregory's likeness enough.
The time was a quarter until five, and as much as the bear wanted to improve the look of the room, he had to set aside his strive for perfection.
Chica sent a message through his systems, announcing that Gregory is coming his way and will be there soon.
Exiting the party room, Freddy took a quick gander of the daycare, families dropping off or picking up their toddlers, and kids running through Kid's Cove. No sign of Gregory yet.
From behind, he could hear passersby noticing Freddy's presence, children excitedly pointing; internally, Freddy hoped they would just pass by and not bother him, even if the idea of ignoring them hurt his hard drive.
Unfortunately, a small family of three proceeded to interact with him, which he fell into naturally, putting up his cheery exterior for the two kids and their dad.
It didn't take long for more patrons to gain towards the star attraction and flooded him with affection and requests; Freddy simply smiled through the growing chaos brewing before him.
Passing through Kid's Cove, Gregory evaded a flock of children chasing each other through the play area, entering the first floor of the daycare hall. He really thought that Wyatt would just dip and go do something else, but the kid stuck with him, dragging his feet. It was becoming apparent that Wyatt didn't have many friends, having been around Gregory for this long. He began to feel a bit bad for letting the other kids taunt him earlier.
From a distance, a woman with shoulder length dirty blonde hair was parked on a bench alongside the daycare, ogling her phone, before glancing up to Gregory and Wyatt as they meandered through the small droves of people and children.
"Wyatt!"
The two boys avert their gaze, finding the lady hurrying over adjusting her bag, "There you are, I was just about to pick up your brother and come find you–"
She ambles towards her boy, pausing as she witnesses his doleful expression wringing his eyebrows. Gregory watched the woman brush some of the younger boy's hair from his face as she ushered him with questions.
"Why are you crying? What's wrong?"
Wyatt wound up a huff, his sniffles irked Gregory, something about his stance rubbing off as disingenuous. "He's been mean to me this whole time and isn't inviting me to his party…"
Gregory shifts his gaze towards the snot nosed brat, "I don't even know you?"
"We played together."
"That doesn't mean anything!"
His mother sheepishly smiles, "Why don't you invite him? He just wants to be friends."
"Lady, I don't know him– plus he's annoying–"
Crap , Gregory flicks himself, I didn't mean to say that!
"I m-mean…"
There was no taking back what he said, Gregory spoke candidly. Something Roxanne taught him was to always speak your mind even if it was rude, although he didn't think it would apply to this situation. Wyatt's bug eyed glare fell on Gregory, his mother's case of crow feet wrinkling as she squinted at the brunette.
"You don't have a lot of manners for someone your age," She grunts, "How old are you anyways? Eight?"
Gregory sucked in his lip, tension churning in his gut, gripping the fabric of his sleeves. Last time someone asked his age, he nearly got snatched up… this wasn't something he thought would have to deal with again.
"I'm talking to you." She snaps.
"I'm eleven…"
"That's even worse," She gapes, "and you think poking at my son is funny, hm?"
"N-No–"
"He kept bragging about how he knows the robots and they sing special songs for him." The nine year old appeared happy to tattle on Gregory, despite it being untrue. He couldn't rack his brain over this exchange, unsure how to combat this confrontation. Wyatt's eyes danced between his mother and the older boy, curious as to what was going to be said.
Something catches in his throat as Gregory stammers, "It's because it was my birthday…" Was this really happening?
"Mom, look at him, how is that fair? I didn't get a special birthday song from Freddy!"
The middle aged woman hovered over Gregory, lips twisted with disapproval, her eyes peeling up and down the boy's frame and attire. He was wearing an old, stylized letterman of the Mega Pizzaplex characters branded onto the fabric, a bit dingy from how often he wore it, sporting his old polo and beige cargo pants.
"God, you look like you haven't bathed in months–"
Actually, it's only been a week , Gregory wanted to say, but held his tongue. He admits, he didn't look fresh at the moment but it was a lot better than when he lived outside.
"Where are your parents?"
"My dad's working…"
"Your mom?" The woman raises with intrigue.
Gregroy furrowed his brows, something tugging at his chest. It didn't feel too good. "Why are you asking?" His defensiveness returned, as he stepped back. Glancing around, Gregory hoped that some passerby would notice him being hung up by this strange lady.
"I'm only wondering because you don't seem like the type of kid who could afford to come here. You didn't sneak in are you?"
"Uhh, I don't think so?" Gregory shrugs begrudgingly, finding his lips curling into a nervous grin, this couldn't actually be happening, right?
"Don't get smart with me, why are you here?"
Wyatt juts in, "Mom, his dad works here!"
The lady cranes her neck towards her son, seeming surprised by his input, "That doesn't matter, he could be lying…"
"If I was, why do you wanna know? You're a stranger."
"I am an adult, and it's in my right to make sure brats like you don't create havoc in an establishment like this!" Wyatt's mom prods her white tipped nail in Gregory's face, causing the boy to flinch and swat her hand; the woman let out a dramatic gasp.
"Did you just hit me?" She shrieks, "That boy just violated me– my god!"
The commotion results in bystanders looking over to the lady holding her hand loosely as if it were broken, snarling at the brunette with venom.
"I did not come here to get abused by some ten year old! Someone do something – Wyatt get away from him!"
Murmurs rose from the onlookers, some questioning the context to this conflict. The attention was drawn on Gregory now, feeling pressure in his chest as the eyes of parents and adults were laid on him…
While there were a few who were concerned, many of them seemed disgusted and put off by Gregory's appearance. This is what he didn't want to happen, having been careful with keeping himself camouflaged in crowds.
Wyatt glances between Gregory and his mother, who was desperately beckoning him. "Mom–"
"Get over here. Now. "
Wyatt scampers over to his mother, she places him behind her, Gregory glaring at the grown woman with disdain.
Despite putting enough space between himself and the crazed lady, she still made an advance towards him, the boy unable to quickly process what was happening before she lunged for his arm. Gregory scrambled and growled, attempting to pull away.
"You're fucking crazy– let go–!" Her nails dig through his jacket sleeve as he jostled with the woman, "You're hurting me!"
"Where on earth are your parents?"
Tears welled in his eyes as Gregory grimaced in pain, looking to the onlookers who seemed to be lost in a trance of morbid curiosity, frozen as they wondered what was going to happen to the brown haired boy and this outlandish lady. The way her grip wrapped around, swallowing his slim forearm, it sent him back to that horrible night with Vanny and the others…
For once, he felt small again, defenseless. This wasn't some animatronic he could beat senseless, this was a person– a mother– wanted to keep her kid safe; but Gregroy knew he wasn't a threat to anyone. So much flew through his mind, he hadn't realized his cheeks were damp as he still struggled against the abuser.
Then, there was that declamatory voice that resonated over the noise, the clambering of steps bouncing on the tile as some of the gathers parted in awe. In a matter of seconds, Gregory was on the cold tile, his knees bruised with a sore forearm rest beneath him…
"What is going on here?" Freddy made a foreboding appearance, his eyes honed in on the lady standing to Gregory's offense.
The older woman, unreleasing of her stern disposition, gazed at the mascot, "This boy has been assaulting me and my son."
Gregory's stomach dropped, whipping his head up to the lady in disbelief.
"That's not–"
"Gregory." The boy turned to Freddy, expecting the worst, but instead the bear gave him a solemn expression, murmuring, "Do not worry, I will handle this."
Glamrock Freddy glared heavily at the lady, who surprisingly didn't seem shaken by his stature as he stood over her; Wyatt watched with a wide eyed expression behind his mother.
"What happened?"
"He slapped me–" She raised her 'injured' hand, "and he's been bullying my son since he's gotten here. Bragging and boasting!" She nudges Wyatt to respond, and the blonde haired boy meekly nodded, slinking behind her hip. His joints click with annoyance, realizing what kind of situation he's in now; he looks back down at Gregory, who is rising from the floor, with tear stained cheeks.
"Why would he have hit you, perhaps you must have startled him?" Freddy coats his tone with potential reason, only for her to spew firmly, "He's out of control– he's clearly a threat to your guests! You don't want people to get hurt, do you?"
His ear twitches, "Of course not. I wish to ensure everyone's safety here…"
Lines in his programming skimmed over appropriate phrases, yet he came up with nothing that didn't fall in corporate shill territory. Discreetly, Freddy scans over Gregory's vitals, seeing no dire injuries other than fresh bruises on his knees and forearm.
The way Gregory's heart rate had increased, spiking to the same levels on the night his friends pursued him. He knew Gregory, the kid was courageous in ways he didn't think possible, but the fear the boy had for the woman in front of him was upsetting. The mall was supposed to be safe, no one was allowed to hurt him anymore.
Freddy's irises flickered, processing what to say, his systems became obsolete, a heat overcame his servos. All he wanted for Gregory was to live, and didn't have to worry about the cruel world inflicting more pain. His casing brewed as his bright glare switched back to the woman before him.
"He has bruises…"
"Wha–"
" Shut it ." Freddy snarls, "I do not believe you for a second. What makes you think I would take your word? You do realize there are cameras all around the establishment–" the mascot brandishes towards a partially hidden camera behind some bushes. The lady's shoulders sank. "We can easily check and see what really happened here."
"I know what I saw, and I know what happened," Wyatt's mother spat, "I have witnesses. These people saw it."
Most of the bystanders turned their attention elsewhere or began to subtly disperse to void involvement– some remained to see the end of this.
"And so what? What's the big deal? Those bruises could've come from anywhere. Besides, I was only protecting this community from delinquents like him ruining this establishment which we all paid for."
"You were harassing him." Freddy gathers alongside Gregory, involuntarily slipping a paw on his head, "you intentionally put your hands on a child !" How badly did the star want to say his child, but his script stopped it from slipping.
"Why do you care? It's not even your kid?"
Freddy, clenching his jaw, roughly retorts, "Even if he isn't, it is my job to protect and serve children, and to keep pieces of shit like you away from them since you seem very keen on hurting an innocent child."
People, with a mix of confusion and excitement, chattered quietly as they witnessed the face of Fazbear Entertainment berate the woman. The mother flinches in disgust, clutching her invisible pearls as she gathers her son and backs away from the star mascot. "This is so unprofessional– you're not allowed to speak to guest this way–"
"I'm Freddy fucking Fazbear. I run the show here. I think it's best if you take your patronage somewhere else."
The guest oo'ed, some shouting at the woman to get lost, amping up the noise to get her to leave faster.
From inside the daycare structure, Sun and the children looked on with disbelief, having just witnessed this conflict and Freddy's distinct vulgarity; the poor attendant couldn't distract the youngsters long enough and it was soon followed by a few repeating what Freddy said. It spread like wildfire.
While it was a sight to behold, Gregory witnessed the heartbroken gaze of Wyatt as his mother whisks him away from the limelight, a twinge of guilt befalling his face.
"You've made a huge mistake, you're losing a very valuable customer!" The lady manages to shout as she hurries out, "You're going to regret this."
Freddy happily responds, in his signature voice, "Have a fazerific day!"
Shrill grumbles start to disappear as she exits the area, a flock of guests shepherding the unruly parent out of the daycare. Through the mass of people, Chica emerges with bewilderment, trying to piece together what happened, before connecting with Freddy and Gregory.
"My gosh, did I miss a coup?"
Freddy kneels down, fixing his paws towards Gregory carefully, the boy seeming to be stuck, blinking as if he were in his own head. Chicas casing rinses with furthered concern, idling by the two of them…
"F-Freddy, I'm so sorry–" Gregory manages to croak, "I don't know what I did wrong."
"You did nothing wrong."
"B-But… I…" His throat closes up. The bear takes him into his chest gently, Gregory quietly burying himself, shaking a cry. Coaxing through his locks, Freddy's paw combed soothingly, trailing his other arm beneath the boy and lifting him from the ground.
There were some patrons who started to step up to the trio and ask about the boy, in which Chica innately deflects their attention elsewhere, tempting the surrounding children with candy and attractions, in which they proceed to flock to the chicken. Through the chorus of happy children and parents chattering, Chica subtly waves them off, Freddy mouthing a " Thank you " as he ambles away with Gregory.
Hours had gone by ever since Freddy had dropped Gregory off in his "room", the ambience that managed to slip in through the maintenance doors was the only way he caught a glimpse of the world outside.
He messed with the Chica plush the older kids gave him as he laid in his cot, pensive.
The melodrama with Wyatt's mom had soured his mood, having felt violated by another human who deemed him unworthy of existing. It wouldn't have been the first time he got confronted by malicious adults, way before the rabbit lady's time.
Still, Gregory thought if he looked as though he was a regular guest, he would go unnoticed, yet, that didn't seem possible. All he wanted to do was just have fun and be a kid…
Some heavy shuffling occurred outside, a coarse, southern inflection breaching through the maintenance door. "Hey kid, you in here?" Monty rose, Gregory shooting upwards to stalk towards the metal door, it opened to reveal the gator pacing through Freddy's room.
"Monty?" The boy croaks, rubbing his eye as he grips the toy plush, "Why are you in here? Isn't the mall still open?"
"Nah, it's gettin' close to closin' time. I came here to check on ya."
His green stature crossed the threshold of the closet before the door slams behind him, Gregory trudging back to his bed, and plopping down. Monty trailed over and leaned against the wall in front.
"I heard what happened today– those damn karens–" the reptile bears his teeth, "I'm sorry you didn't get to celebrate your party. We worked hard on it… mainly Freddy anyways."
"Why did he even bother, it's not like I'm his kid or anything?"
Lowering his frames, Monty's ruby eyes flicker as a rejective look paints his casing, almost offended to hear the boy say that.
"Cuz… he wanted to do somethin' special for you."
"But what's special about me? I'm just another kid you guys have to worry about," Gregory stifled, lowering his gaze.
Monty fully removes his shades, shutters lowered in stoicism, taking a second to think…
"You are just some kid…" He started slowly, fidgeting with the frames, "but you matter a lot to us, you've practically become a part of the family. I don't know what Freddy'll do without you around." Monty's chuckle was contagious as Gregory weakley grinned.
Then, he drops it, seeming to be hit with realization.
"Where's Freddy?" Gregory pipes up, "he should be here by now."
"Ah–" Monty grunts, "see uh… the incident earlier got him sent down to parts and service."
"W-What– Why?!"
"Hold your horses–" he places a palm out to settle the boy, "– it's nothin' serious… just some minor fixin' with his programmin'."
"Can we go see him… please?" Gregory's voice wavered, nowhere near tears but anxious about Freddy's status. Monty smiles, tossing his shades back on his snout, nodding for Gregory to follow him. Soon, they're in the service elevator descending down to the floor below.
Parts and service were empty, although signs of life were present, someone's work bag was left behind. Gregory scanned the area before furthering into the space, Monty lumbering shortly after, wrapping to the protective cylinder where Freddy laid, eyes shut.
Neither of them uttered a word, yet the bear's eyes shot open as if he sensed their presence. He shuddered to consciousness as he lifted himself upward, surprised to see Gregory outside the cylinder.
"Oh, hello Gregory!" Freddy grinned tiredly, the sunny inflection in his voice. Gregory goes over to the monitor to open up the sealed door, entering cautiously.
"Freddy, what happened? Why are you locked up?"
"Ah…" The star grew sheepish, "Well, I am in what you call 'hot water' with the higher ups. I am now prohibited from using foul language against rude guests."
A restrained snort releases from Monty, the gator turning away quickly to guffaw aloud, as Gregory's face builds with disarray. Despite Monty having his back turned, Freddy still glared at the back of his head as if he hoped to burn his casing with his blue stare… he gravitated back to Gregory with a softer expression.
"I am sorry that your birthday didn't go as planned…" Freddy says, Gregory gaining close to his side to be swallowed by gentle arms once again.
"It's okay. It's not that big of a deal…"
"It is a big deal." His eyes frown, "You are someone who deserves the most out of life. I wanted today to be a day where you could just… be a kid."
Gregory leans against the animatronic, the bear resting his muzzle on his crown. Monty composes himself long enough to return back to the conversation, only to simply idle. "I am not the only one who cares, Monty and the others care just as much about giving you a day you deserve."
"Damn right."
Lifting from the boy, Freddy pulls back to look Gregory in the eye; Gregory's lip quivers, straining a plaintive smile.
"Thank you…"
When the time came to celebrate, they were all there, the bandmates and the daycare attendant, coaxing Gregory towards his lit up cake; decorated to represent each animatronic with eleven candles.
The room was a soft orange as the flames danced in his dark eyes.
There were times in Gregory's meager life where he believed he wouldn't live past ten, having drawn the worst hand in life. He believed he was insignificant, those echoing phrases of no one missing him because he was just that small haunted his mind. Those same kids in the orphanage who decided to leave like he did probably weren't as lucky as he was, something that gave him horrible chills the longer he thought about it.
He knew he wasn't special, just lucky…
"Superstar? Are you going to make your wish?" He blinked out of his thoughts, Freddy’s eyes brightening towards him like headlights, the others waiting patiently. Gregory pursed his lips, taking a second to soak it in…
Yeah, he really was lucky.
For once, his lips curled into a genuine smile, Freddy, Chica, Roxy, Monty, and Sun across from him reflecting his joyful expression. Taking in a long inhale, Gregory let everything in lungs release and the world fell to comfortable darkness.