#Michael sees a lot of himself in Gregory

[chloesimaginationthings]

What is the relationship between Michael and Gregory like?

I’d say like dysfunctional brothers

#ask reply #I think Gregory finds Michael cool #but also isnt afraid to make fun of him or fight him #Michael on the other hand is a bit more complicated #Michael sees a lot of himself in Gregory #so he’s more blunt with Gregory than say he is with Abby #but even with that he has a need to protect and teach Gregory to keep himself safe #Michael would never consider himself a ‘dad’ #but he is in ways taking up that role #I think if I do more comics with them the more ‘father-son’ dynamic will shine through more #as of now they are same wavelength brothers 💜

[cloudwhisper23]

BEHOLD!!! AN ART TRADE!!! @pixlokita it is time!

Caution, do not click read more if you do not intend to read. This is 12,192 words. And no, I'm not kidding. This is so much longer than most of the stuff I write. That being said, enjoy!!!

Evan said Michael was sick, which worried Jeremy. Being sick should not mean Michael would try so hard to avoid Jeremy, especially since he knew it would make Jeremy worry about him more.

But the main part Jeremy was worried about was the way Evan’s new wings kept fluffing up. Was Michael mad at him?

Don’t worry about it, Jeremy, he told himself. If Michael’s mad, he’ll tell you eventually.

It just stung. Evan and Gregory were wandering around the house, trying to see if their wings would allow them to do various things. Evan’s were too small to do much, and Gregory still hadn’t gotten used to them yet, but at least they had something to do while Mr. Emily tried to figure out what could possibly cause this.

“Ugh!” Gregory exclaimed, plopping down on the sofa next to Jeremy. He took the soda from Jeremy’s hand and took a giant sip. “These things suck.”

“What do you mean?” Jeremy asked, unsuccessfully trying to retrieve his Coke.

“I mean,” Gregory scowled, taking another sip, “that wings are stupid. They don’t even bend the way I want them to.”

“Well…” Jeremy said thoughtfully. “They are just extra limbs, right? With bones and joints and stuff?”

“I guess so.” Gregory finally gave Jeremy his soda back. “But they don’t move how I want-“

“You couldn’t do much when you were a baby right? Learning to crawl?” Jeremy chugged the rest of his Coke before putting the empty can down. “It’s an accomplishment when babies get their heads off the floor on their own, you know. And rolling and stuff.”

“Oh.” Gregory clearly hadn’t thought about it that way. “But Evan’s got excellent control already.”

“He’s had them longer.” Jeremy shrugged. “Maybe he’s just a quick learner. Or maybe, there’s less wing to work with. Could be a bunch of things.”

“But…” Gregory sighed. He inched closer to Jeremy on the couch, his wings refusing to bend in a natural way.

Jeremy awkwardly looped a comforting arm around Gregory. “You’ll get there eventually.”

“They just hurt. All the time.”

“I can’t help with that,” Jeremy chuckled.

“Sure you can! Mike did this thing once, where he…” Gregory chewed his lip. “Well, I’m not exactly sure what he did.”

“You want me to pet you?” Jeremy said in disbelief. “Nuh uh. Go ask Evan. That’s not… No.”

“Why’d you make it weird?” Gregory shook his head. “It was like…”

“Like a shoulder massage,” Evan interjected helpfully. His wings flexed, expanding fully as he explained. They barely went past his shoulders, but the point got across.

Jeremy admired the confidence with which he showed them. He’d personally be too worried about people calling him a freak. Which, thinking about it, was not likely to happen in this house. Everyone was too nice here.

“Mikey went like this,” Evan said, pulling Jeremy’s arm back to get to Gregory’s wings.

Gently, Evan messaged the inner edge of Gregory’s wings, right where they extended from his back. Gregory’s wings convulsed, the claw on one nearly hitting Jeremy in the face. “I think they get itchy,” Evan mused. “We might have to just do this more often.”

“No kidding,” Gregory said with a sigh, his eyes closing and his shoulders relaxing. “But Mike’s still better at it.”

“Wonder where he got his practice,” Jeremy replied. He didn’t mean to sound bitter, but it still came across that way.

Evan winched, but he didn’t comment on it. Instead, he kept focused on his task. Gregory sighed absently. “Wings are a lot of work.”

“Seems that way,” Jeremy replied.

Gregory folded and unfolded his hands while Evan worked. “I just…”

Jeremy spared him a glance as he went to get another can of Coke. “Something on your mind?”

“His girlfriend,” Evan said absently.

“Cassie’s not my girlfriend!” Gregory said, straightening. His wings fluffed up as he said it.

“Oh.” Jeremy had no idea what to make of that. “What happened to her?”

“I don’t know!” Gregory replied. He ran a hand through his hair to try to make it lay flat. “She was at Evan’s party, and she looked really bad. I think Mike took care of it, but he didn’t really say anything about it afterwards.”

“She’s probably at the hospital, Gregory,” Evan replied, trying to be soothing. “We can visit her once we figure out what to do about this first.”

“Stupid wings,” Gregory grumbled. “Making everything harder.”

Jeremy didn’t know how to reply to that. He cracked the can open and took a sip. “Have you asked Mike?”

“He’s sick,” Evan answered for Gregory. His wings fluffed up again.

“Maybe we should check on him then. He’s been resting all week right?” Jeremy asked, trying to be casual about it. Evan had been very guarded about his older brother this whole time.

Jeremy came over every day, and every day, Evan said the same thing. “Mike’s sick. He can’t see anyone right now.”

It had been happening since the day Gregory’s wings had burst through his skin. Jeremy was more than a little concerned. Sure, he hadn’t reacted well to the wings at first, but none of them had. He’d been more supportive when Evan’s had burst through later that same day.

But Michael’s expression became very guarded for the rest of the day, and the next day, he was “sick” and couldn’t see Jeremy. And Evan was very good at shooing Jeremy away when he tried too hard to see him.

“Shouldn’t he eat something?” Jeremy asked.

Evan frowned. “Mikey told me that there’s not much he can stomach right now.”

“Crackers always work,” Jeremy mumbled to himself. Shaking his head, he tried again. “What about water? Maybe he’ll start feeling better with some fluids.”

“I… guess…” Evan seemed less sure. Conflicted, he looked at Gregory and then glanced at the closed door to his cousin’s room.

“I can get it. You keep helping Gregory,” Jeremy said quickly. He didn’t want Evan to change his mind.

Evan relented, nodding slightly. “Okay. Make sure to get him a big glass. And don’t be loud. And-“

“I know how it works when someone’s sick, thank you.” Jeremy set his Coke down and rushed back to the kitchen to grab a glass.

Evan had not been exaggerating. When Jeremy crept into the room with the glass of water, Michael was curled into a tight ball on the bed.

“Mike?” Jeremy whispered into the quiet room.

Michael groaned in response. He rolled over to face Jeremy, exposing the hair plastered to his face with sweat.

“I um.” Jeremy swallowed. He felt a little foolish now. Michael was just literally sick. He wasn’t mad at Jeremy or anything like that. “I brought you some water.”

Michael opened his eyes, feebly reaching for the glass.

“Are you strong enough to hold it on your own?” Jeremy asked.

Michael had to consider that for a moment. Then he shook his head.

“Here-“ Jeremy sat next to Michael on the bed, helping pull him into an upright position so he could drink the water.

Michael leaned heavily against Jeremy, eagerly drinking the water. Jeremy had to brace himself against the wall to support the extra weight. Then abruptly, Michael pulled away.

“J… Jeremy,” Michael whispered weakly. He gripped at Jeremy’s jacket, burying his face in Jeremy’s shirt. “I…”

“It’s okay, Mike-“

Michael seized in Jeremy’s arms, sobbing heavily. His hold got tighter and tighter as his body shuddered with pain. Jeremy tried to set the glass on the bedside table, but he barely had it on the edge and water soaked into the carpet as he pulled Michael the rest of the way into his lap. “I got you,” Jeremy said into Michael’s hair.

“It hurts,” Michael cried, still shaking.

“You’ll get through this,” Jeremy mumbled.

A tearing noise broke through the sound of Michael’s sobs, even as they intensified. “JEREMY!!!” Michael wailed.

“I have you, Mike. It’s okay. You’ll be okay.”

Dimly, Jeremy registered the large wings erupting from Michael’s back. Oh. Oh. This was happening now. Bloody feathers spread out, wrapping around Jeremy to return his comforting gesture.

Gradually, Michael’s crying ceased, and Jeremy was left holding an exhausted teenager with bloody wings. “I am sorry,” Michael whispered, pulling his hands back, the wings retracting slightly. “I did not mean to, uh…”

“It’s okay, Michael.” Jeremy tried to smile at him. He was determined not to squirm in discomfort from all the blood currently soaking into his jacket.

“I… should go shower,” Michael said awkwardly.

“Yeah…” Jeremy wriggled uncomfortably in his jacket.

“Sorry,” Michael said. “I can wash that if you want.”

“It’s not the biggest deal,” Jeremy said.

“It is if you go home wearing a jacket covered in blood,” Michael replied. “It’s only fair that I clean it, since that’s my blood.”

That wasn’t how Jeremy saw it, but he figured he wasn’t getting out of this. “Okay.”

Michael shifted carefully, putting his feet on the carpet. Almost instantly after taking his weight off the bed, he completely lost his balance. His wings flew out, trying to redistribute the weight, but Jeremy didn’t realize that as he caught Michael by the waist. Both of them tumbled off the bed, Jeremy hitting the carpet with a soft ‘oomph.’

“I am sorry. This was not my intent,” Michael said from above Jeremy.

“They take some getting used to, huh?” Jeremy replied, trying to ignore the heat rising to his face.

It hadn’t been much on the bed with Michael clinging to him like a lifeline. But on the floor with Michael on top of him, pinning him to the ground, Jeremy was suddenly aware of how close Michael was to him.

Michael smiled ruefully. “I don’t think I’m strong enough to walk on my own right now. I don’t know how I’m going to wash all this blood off by myself.”

“Maybe your uncle could help?”

“He’s probably back at the library again,” Michael mused as he crawled off Jeremy.

Evan wouldn’t be able to handle it, Jeremy knew that much. And he couldn’t ask for Gregory’s help without alerting Evan to the amount of blood that coated them both.

“Do you want me to help?” Jeremy asked, feeling the heat more intensely in his face. Please say no. He didn’t think he’d be able to handle it.

“Really?” Michael chewed his lip, considering it. “I would not want to be a bother… But if you are offering…”

Jeremy’s heart quickened at the prospect. “R-right.”

“Help me up?” Michael asked.

Jeremy pulled Michael to his feet, unprepared for the wings to wrap around him again. “Um.”

“Sorry. I don’t have much control over them yet,” Michael replied sheepishly.

“Do they want me to carry you?” Jeremy gauged the idea of carrying Michael to the bathroom. It wasn’t the worst idea he’d ever come up with.

“It’d probably be less awkward than walking there like this,” Michael agreed.

“So I’m just going to…” Jeremy twisted around in the space the wings allowed him. Michael hissed out a pained breath, but soon he was behind Jeremy. “How well can you jump?”

Pretty well, apparently. Jeremy barely needed to adjust for the weight of Michael on his own back, hands linked beneath Michael’s knees. “Okay. Let’s get you taken care of.”

“I am not a child, Jer,” Michael said wearily. Still, he pressed the side of his face into Jeremy’s hair. “I am sorry to be such a burden.”

“You’re not a burden, Mike. You’re my friend. I’m absolutely willing to help you out when you’re in need.”

“Mmmmm,” Michael sounded almost mournful. But he didn’t argue.

“Okay,” Jeremy said. “So, I’m thinking they might need a decent soaking, right? Birds like to be fully submerged when they clean their wings right?”

Michael blinked at him from where he sat on the toilet lid. “What are you even saying?”

“The blood.”

“It is not dried yet. Not completely anyway.”

“So what? You were planning to just wing this whole thing, weren’t you?” Jeremy shrugged off his jacket.

Michael snorted. “I was planning to shower, Jeremy. But I guess I was planning to wing it, considering how I have wings now.” His wings stretched as he spoke, emphasizing his point. “I just don’t have the strength to stand there long enough to wash them off.”

“I-“ Jeremy sputtered. Clearing his throat, he tried to skip over the accidental pun he’d made. “Just going to let the water do the work?”

“That’s the goal.” Michael frowned. “There’s just a few problems.”

“Such as?”

“My shirt isn’t going to come off the same way it went on this morning.”

“Are you particularly attached to that shirt?” Jeremy asked.

“Not really. Could try to just-“ Michael pulled at the collar of his shirt.

“I’ll go grab a pair of scissors,” Jeremy said as Michael pulled experimentally at his shirt again.

He had to be careful walking by the couch, noticing Evan curled up for a nap. Gregory was nowhere in sight.

Returning with the scissors, Jeremy nearly dropped them upon seeing Michael. “What happened? I was gone for two minutes!”

Michael’s shirt was hanging off his body in shreds. When Jeremy looked closer, he could see sharp claws on Michael’s hands. “I…” Michael shrugged sheepishly. “I thought I could tear the fabric and take it off myself.”

Jeremy’s mouth twitched, but he didn’t let himself laugh. “Okay. I don’t think you did a very good job of it though.”

“It seems as though I failed…”

“Here, let me just…” Jeremy carefully reached around Michael’s head, one knee resting between his legs. It felt strange to be cutting through Michael’s shirt, but as the fabric gave way, Michael seemed to relax a little more.

Jeremy recalled Gregory and Evan both sitting on the couch as Michael measured the shape they needed cut from their shirts for the wings. Perhaps Michael needed a few of those done as well. Something to keep in mind for later.

“Hey, why is there blood all over-“ Gregory’s eyes widened as he peered into the bathroom.

Michael straightened quickly. Jeremy pulled back, hiding the scissors. “Hello.” Michael waved awkwardly, his wings stiff and very clearly exposed.

“You… you have them too?” Gregory’s voice seemed so small.

“Yes, it appears as though we will match.”

Gregory swallowed harshly. “I can help. I know how to get blood stains out of fabric.”

“I would really appreciate it. Thank you, Superstar.” Michael beamed at Gregory, who flushed a deep red.

“It’s no big deal…”

“Not to you,” Jeremy said softly. “But it helps more than you realize. Thank you.”

Gregory opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out. He scratched his neck as his wings fluffed up, finally saying, “I’ll be quick. It probably won’t be good if Evan finds out.”

“It would be best if he did not know how messy the process is,” Michael agreed.

Gregory nodded, smoothing his hair down before hurrying out of the room.

Michael wadded the scraps of his shirt into a ball and tossed it to the floor. “Now that that’s sorted…”

Jeremy determinedly kept his eyes from wandering as he helped Michael stand. His friend leaned heavily against him for support as he attempted to undo his pants.

Jeremy belatedly realized that the only way this whole thing would work was if the shower ran over both of them. I’m going to be drenched, he thought sorrowfully as Michael muttered to himself in frustration.

“You could probably just sit while I wash the blood off,” Jeremy said when Michael finally stood there in his boxers. “Since it would be less exhausting for you.”

Michael blinked. “I suppose you are correct. I should have thought this through more.”

“It’s no big deal, man. You’re probably dealing with blood loss or whatever.”

“Still…”

“Hey, it’s fine. You spend all this time taking care of everybody. Maybe it’s time someone took care of you, right?”

Michael chewed his lip. “I suppose.”

“Okay. We’ll get you cleaned up in no time, Mike.” Jeremy said, smiling supportively. Michael tentatively smiled back.

As it turned out, it was a lot harder to clean up Michael than Jeremy initially thought. He kept twitching away, hissing out noises of pain at Jeremy’s touch.

Michael clenched his fists in his lap. “Okay. Clearly this is not the proper solution.”

“I can’t do this when it’s clearly hurting you, Mike. I just…” Jeremy leaned forward to rest his head against the back of Michael’s.

“This is nothing. I have endured much worse before.”

“That’s not as reassuring as you think it is.”

“Jeremy.” Michael said calmly, wringing water out of the washcloth. “I am sure it has become clear to you that things are not how they should be. The wings are only one part of it.”

“Yeah? What I’m hearing is that your father is abusive.” Jeremy wearily took the washcloth back, dabbing it gently against the space between Michael’s wings. At least like that it didn’t seem to hurt him.

“Well, not in the way you would think. Actually, I was thinking more of the comparison between growing limbs and losing organs. I think losing organs is still a more painful experience than this.”

“So you want me to just ignore your pain?” Jeremy asked, trying to decipher Michael’s meaning.

“I am saying I can handle it. I can be a man about this.”

No one is doubting that, Jeremy thought grimly to himself. “Maybe I can’t.” He tentatively rubbed at a clump of blood in the inner edge of Michael’s wing.

Immediately, it swung at him, throwing him against the sink. Pain flared throughout Jeremy’s entire body as he hit the floor. Faintly he registered that his face was bleeding.

“Jeremy?” Michael asked, twisting around. “Are you alright?”

“Nnnnngh,” Jeremy groaned. “I don’t think I broke anything.”

“I am so sorry. It appears that the wings are more sensitive than I thought.”

“No kidding.” Jeremy pressed his fingers to his cheek. He was lucky. The clawed joint of Michael’s wing had hit him just below the eye. Any higher, and he might’ve lost it completely. “Now what?”

“I suppose I should just sit under the water and hope for the best.”

“I think Gregory and Evan mentioned messages working out the soreness. Maybe I could at the very least-“

“I think we should avoid that for now,” Michael replied, his voice sounding stiff. “You have already been hurt once today.”

“Michael.” Jeremy tried to make his voice sound stern. “I knew the risks when I offered to help. So let me help.”

“Fine. Just do not do anything that will put you in danger again.”

“Don’t lie about how much it hurts next time,” Jeremy shot back. “Still gotta get all that blood out of your wings, you know.”

Michael clenched his jaw, but he only stared down into his hands. He couldn’t face Jeremy with the nasty cut on his face any longer.

Jeremy was lighter after that. He knew that even pressing a little too hard would make the wings spaz, and over the course of the next few hours, he succeeded with minimal interruptions.

Gregory popped in near the end to check on the progress. “Henry’s back. Do you want me to tell him about this?” He gestured at the entirety of the bathroom.

“I believe he should be informed. Please ensure that my brother does not come to investigate before we are done here.”

“And maybe grab him a dry set of clothes while you’re at it,” Jeremy said. As an afterthought, he looked at himself. “Maybe grab me something too, if you would.”

Gregory rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. How much does it hurt?”

“I suspect that I should be in more pain than I am,” Michael said, considering the question. “But Jeremy has done an excellent job of making sure the process is less than agonizing.”

“Uh, okay?” Gregory shot Jeremy a look.

“I can’t hardly touch him without the wings reacting,” Jeremy explained. “Nearly lost an eye the first time I did that.”

“So it’s bad.”

“It’s bad,” Jeremy agreed.

Gregory shot Michael a look loaded with concern, but he gave Jeremy a thumbs up. “I’ll ask Henry if he can get you guys some dry clothes. Maybe I’ll just imply that something else is going on in here if Evan asks.” He wiggled his eyebrows in a way that made Jeremy’s face burn.

“Gregory-“

But Gregory had already ducked out of the room, laughing quietly to himself. Jeremy sighed, preparing himself for the inevitable glares he’d get from Evan.

Michael sighed softly once Jeremy finally went to smooth out the wings. “That feels really nice.”

“Glad to hear it,” Jeremy said softly. “I think we got all the blood out.”

“Is it time to turn the water off then?” Michael asked, his eyes closing.

“I’d say so.” Thank goodness, Jeremy thought as he turned the dials back and pressed the tab down. “Now you need to dry off a bit.”

“Mmmmm….” Michael hummed to himself as Jeremy stepped into the tub with a towel and started rubbing Michael’s head with it.

Michael’s eyes fluttered open, and he smiled at Jeremy. “You really do like taking care of me, don’t you?”

Jeremy huffed out a sigh. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t, would I?”

“I thought you just stuck around to steal our Coca Cola.”

“That too. But I do enjoy your company, Mike.”

The smile broke into a full grin as Michael tugged the towel out of Jeremy’s hands. “That is wonderful news, Jeremy.”

Did he really not know? Jeremy wondered.

Before he had a chance to answer, Henry peered into the bathroom, assessing the pool of water on the floor. He raised a tired eyebrow as he observed the two boys in the bathtub. “I wasn’t inclined to believe Gregory before, but seeing it for myself…”

Jeremy’s face ignited with heat. “I was just helping clean blood from his wings. Nothing else happened, I swear.”

“I was referring to the fact that Michael grew wings. What did you think I meant?” Henry’s eyebrows scrunched, and Michael gave Jeremy a funny look.

“I thought Gregory might’ve said something else,” Jeremy replied, shaking his head. “Forget it.”

“Are you alright, Jeremy? You look a bit feverish…” A frown tugged at the corner of Michael’s mouth.

“I’m going to go grab some more towels. And you two will be wanting a dry set of clothes, won’t you?”

“Yeah.” Jeremy nodded quickly.

Henry hummed at them before walking back out of the room.

“I am grateful for both you and Gregory,” Michael said, using the towel to dry the rest of his body. He slowly rose to his feet, finally able to stand on his own.

Jeremy determinedly did not stare. Instead, he wrung water from his hair.

“I would offer you the towel, but I believe it is too wet to be any real help. Seeing as your clothes are also drenched, the best course of action is to wait for Henry to return.”

Jeremy smiled weakly. “Yeah, that’s true.”

Michael stepped out of the tub, hanging the towel back on the rack after he went. Jeremy could admit that the wings looked pretty good on Mike. He’d been weary of it when he’d first seen the wings on Gregory, and he knew that Gregory was defensive about it now. But maybe seeing him help Michael would help.

“Do you need a bandage for your face?” Michael asked, making eye contact with Jeremy through the mirror above the sink.

“Oh, I uh.” Jeremy blinked at him. “It doesn’t… It’s fine.”

“Are you sure?” Michael’s mouth twitched. “I understand that me being like this must be unpleasant for you, but that does not mean you do not need assistance with that cut.”

Being like this? Was Michael phrasing things like that on purpose? Was he talking about the fact that he was in his boxers or the fact that he had wings? Jeremy crossed his arms before remembering that his shirt was soaked. He uncrossed them and simply said, “There is no problem. I just don’t need a Band-Aid.”

Michael walked back over, and Jeremy tried to take a step back before remembering he was standing in a bathtub. Trapped, Jeremy stood stiffly as Michael ran a thumb over his scratch. Don’t flinch, he told himself, but it still stung. The cut was pretty deep.

“You likely do need a bandage, despite your claim otherwise,” Michael replied. “I can help, if you need assistance.”

Michael gently wiped blood from Jeremy’s face and went in search of medical supplies. It stung when he cleaned the wound, but Jeremy found himself too fascinated by Michael’s cautious care to really notice. The tiniest furrow in Michael’s eyebrows appeared when he put the bandage on Jeremy’s face, and his hands lingered on Jeremy’s jaw for just a moment too long.

He almost seemed sad when he stepped back from Jeremy. “All better. See?” Michael smiled so quickly Jeremy wondered if he’d imagined the pain in Michael’s eyes.

“Y… yeah. Um. Thanks.” Jeremy touched the bandage, surprised by how big it was. “I didn’t realize the scratch was that big.”

“I still feel terrible for doing that to you. Is there any way I can make it up to you?” Michael asked.

Unable to come up with anything to say other than a request for Michael to kiss him, Jeremy shook his head and turned his attention to Michael’s wings. “Do they still hurt?”

“Not as much as they did,” Michael flexed them experimentally. Jeremy smiled faintly, recalling that Gregory was having immense difficulty controlling his own wings. Perhaps the size made it easier.

Michael made a face. “It appears that moving them still hurts, however.”

“Evan mentioned something about messaging the muscles earlier. He was doing it for Gregory.”

Michael brightened. “I suppose I shall have to ask for Evan’s help with that endeavor then. Thank you for the reminder.”

I could do it for you, Jeremy thought desperately. He didn’t want to just have to leave after everything. This was the most time he’d spent with Michael before, and the guy was just so chill about everything. But being in the same space as him, watching him interact with his brother and Gregory made him want to stay so much longer. Michael Afton was the most compassionate person Jeremy had ever met, and he wanted to be able to help the man who tried so hard to help everyone else.

It didn’t help that Jeremy was also hopelessly in love with him.

As Jeremy opened his mouth to speak, Henry returned with the changes of clothes. Michael turned his attention away from Jeremy to thank Henry and apologize for the water all over the floor, and Jeremy was left to awkwardly collect the pile of bloody clothes on the floor to offer them to Henry.

Henry stared at the rags for a moment, his face paling significantly. “These were Michael’s clothes?”

“Yes.” Michael was separating the clothes to split between himself and Jeremy, and he was hardly focused on Henry. “I could not find a way to safely remove my shirt without causing more pain, so Jeremy helped me cut it off. I am afraid blood does not come out of denim very easily, so my jeans are also a lost cause.”

Brightening, Michael put a bundle of clothing into Jeremy’s arms. “You can change in Charlie’s old room.”

“Why can’t you both change in here?” Henry asked, sounding confused.

Pressure built in Jeremy’s throat as he tried to answer that question. It wasn’t that he was ashamed of himself. Not by any measure at all. He just knew it was dangerous, what he was. People didn’t exactly approve of people like him, after all. Especially not here.

Michael gave Henry a scathing look as tears built up behind Jeremy’s eyes. “Maybe we don’t want to change in the same room.”

Henry blinked in surprise, but he glanced between the two boys for a moment before making his exit. Michael patted Jeremy’s shoulder. “I can go to Charlie’s room instead, if you would prefer to change in here.”

Jeremy still couldn’t speak, so he just nodded. The gentle way Michael nodded back at him filled his body with a strange warmth. A few moments later, Michael was gone, and Jeremy could finally change out of the sopping wet layers he’d been in this whole time.

Half-way through changing, Jeremy noticed that most of the clothes were baggy and easy to layer over each other. There were almost too many options. A jolt ran through him when he considered that Michael had sorted through the clothes. Either Michael was very particular, or he knew.

Hurriedly, Jeremy finished changing and practically ran to the bedroom where Michael said he’d be changing. He basically flung the door open to a startled Mike, who had jeans on but no shirt. “Is something wrong?” Michael asked.

His wings and hair fluffed up, like he’d been expecting a threat, but his expression was one of concern. Jeremy knew he was shaking, knew he wouldn’t be able to speak for a moment, but he stood there and just stared. Why did Michael have to be adorable in everything he did? The way his mouth curled into a frown made half of his mouth seem to vanish, like he was biting on it constantly distracted Jeremy from what he wanted to say.

He let his eyes wander over Michael’s bare torso as he tried to find the words to speak. The worst of his secrets was surely out already, and if Michael figured out his feelings, it would be less painful than him knowing the other secret.

Fascination over the jagged scar across Michael’s chest sprouted in his heart. Jeremy had seen it before, of course. He’d seen it in the bathroom, but he’d been trying not to stare before.

“Jeremy?” Michael looked worried now. “Are you alright?”

Maybe Michael didn’t know. Maybe he just hadn’t grabbed a shirt at all, since they had to be cut specifically for the wings anyway. Jeremy was probably just overreacting. And even if he wasn’t, it seemed that Michael wasn’t going to bring it up. “Uhmm. I just… wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Michael relaxed. “I’m quite alright, Jeremy. I’m not as weak as I was before. The shower certainly helped.”

“You’re um. You’re very fluffy right now.”

“Am I?” Michael ran a hand through his hair, feeling where it stuck up all over the place. “Oh.”

“Yeah.” Jeremy cleared his throat awkwardly. “Thanks for talking to Henry back there.”

“It was nothing.” Michael blinked at him, wings twitching. “Gregory did a good job cleaning up.” He gestured at the carpet and the bed.

The bed was made very neatly, corners tucked so much better than Jeremy could do on a good day. There were only faint hints that someone had been bleeding there, and they were only visible because Jeremy was looking for them. “Yeah. He certainly did.”

A fond smile crossed Michael’s face at that. “He’s so sweet.”

Jeremy didn’t really believe that, but he nodded anyway. He didn’t want Michael to stop smiling for anything. It was so much better than his frown in every possible way.

“We should… I um. I think we should probably head back to the living room,” Jeremy said awkwardly.

“Right, yes. I suppose it is almost time for you to head home too.” Michael blinked, like he was shaking himself out of a daydream. “Or maybe you could stay for supper?”

Jeremy smiled. “I would love that.”

Evan was awestruck when he saw his brother’s wings. “They’re so big!”

“Soft too,” Jeremy said, trying to encourage Evan’s excitement.

Gregory made a noise in the back of his throat before saying, “You would know, wouldn’t you?”

Jeremy stared at him, mouth opening and closing without words coming out.

“No softer than yours, I’m sure,” Michael said, trying to keep the peace. There wasn’t even a hint of a blush on his face at Gregory’s words. Were the jokes just going over his head? Maybe Jeremy was reading too much into it.

Shaking his head, Jeremy plopped down on the couch beside Gregory. “What happened to your face?” Gregory asked quietly.

“I wasn’t careful enough,” Jeremy answered, glancing at the two brothers as they talked about Michael’s new wings. “And Mike’s wings pack quite the punch.”

“Oh.” Gregory’s eyes widened with understanding. “That could’ve been bad.”

“You’re telling me, kid.” Jeremy shook his head, taking a sip from his can of Coke. “What were you and Evan up to today?”

“Videogames mostly,” Gregory replied. “Although everything here is so old.”

“Old?” Jeremy wrinkled his nose. “Nah, my parents are worse. You’re probably just picky. A bunch of this stuff is newer than anything my family could afford.”

“Your motorcycle is cool though.”

Jeremy smiled. “It is pretty cool.”

“Can you take me on it sometime?”

The smile faltered slightly. “Uh, I don’t know.”

“C’mon, please? All the stuff here is pretty boring, and I know Evan tries to be fun, but you can only play the same game for so long before it’s lame. And I don’t want to have to tell him it’s lame. It’s awful when he cries.”

Jeremy didn’t know what to make of that. “Maybe we could play a board game or something.”

“I wanna go on your bike sometime.” Gregory stuck out his chin stubbornly. “Or I’m going to tell Mike you have the biggest crush on him and-“

“Okay, okay! I get it. But you’ll have to wear a helmet,” Jeremy said, looking away and tugging at his shirt. “And long pants. Just in case.”

“Okay, Dad.” Gregory rolled his eyes.

“Well, you’re the one who said it’s awful when Evan cries,” Jeremy shot back. “And I’ve already seen how Mike cries, and I don’t want to see that again. No thanks.”

Gregory flinched at that. “I…”

“Not to frighten you, but it can be dangerous.” Jeremy sighed. “There’s only so much you can be safe. Not to quote my mom, but ‘I’d rather you be late than dead.’ It’s just that kind of thing.”

Seeing Gregory’s expression, he softened. “I’m a firm believer in the fact that both of us are going to get lectured by Michael when he finds out. So, when he tries, we’re going to tell him that I already told you all the risks and you still wanted to do it. Unless I’ve changed your mind.”

“No, haven’t changed my mind.” Gregory scooted closer to Jeremy. “I bet I’d survive a crash better than you.”

“No way,” Jeremy laughed. “With the way you’re built? No offense, but you’d be a splatter on the cement.”

“Rude.” Gregory scoffed. Not subtly at all, he tried to steal Jeremy’s Coke from his hand.

Amused, Jeremy let him. Gregory immediately started downing what was left in the can. At that moment, Michael glanced over and gasped. “Gregory! Is that Coke? Are you encouraging this, Jeremy?”

“He took the can out of my hand. I didn’t do anything,” Jeremy smiled cheekily. “Not my fault he’s so fast.”

“Mmmmm,” Gregory squinted skeptically at the can. “This is Coke?”

“Yeah?” Jeremy looked confused. “Why? Does it taste weird to you or something?”

“It’s better than I remember.”

Michael sighed, removing the can from Gregory’s hands. “That is because Coca-Cola has different flavoring in it than you remember.”

“Are you talking about the whole cocaine in Coke thing? Because I thought that was a myth.”

Michael shot Jeremy an exasperated look. “That is not what I am talking about. Anyway, Gregory does not need caffeine in his system at this time of day. He won’t get any sleep at this rate.”

“Whoops?” Jeremy held his hands up in surrender. “Look I-“

“It does not matter.” Michael shot Gregory a meaningful look. “So long as he doesn’t keep Evan up with his extra energy, it should be fine.”

Evan peered at them all from behind the sofa. “How did he even take it from you? I thought you kept a tight grip on those at all times.”

“Caught me by surprise?” Jeremy shifted his weight as Michael gave him a skeptical look. “He’s faster than he looks, I swear.”

Evan snorted, climbing over the back of the sofa, much to Michael’s despair as he said, “Well, that gives him a one-up in physical games I guess.”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean? I totally crush at Fazblock!” Gregory crossed his arms. “I had more blocks than you did.”

“Gregory, you’re supposed to get rid of the blocks, not keep them on the screen.” Evan shook his head despairingly. “I would’ve explained the rules if you’d asked-“

“It was different than what I’m used to, okay?” Gregory rolled his eyes. “I could totally beat you at Fazzy Kart.”

“I don’t even know what that is,” Evan replied. “I still think you made it up.”

“Did not.”

“Did too.”

“Did not.”

“Did too!”

“Okay, that is enough.” Michael shook his head, smiling faintly. “Gregory did not make it up. Fazzy Kart just has not come out yet.” He ruffled Evan’s hair before walking away with the empty Coke can. “And I have something for you two to do when I get back!”

“A task?” Gregory asked.

“A task.” Evan snorted. “Ah yes, my brother typically assigns me tasks. No, Gregory. He’s sending us to do chores or something. Usually he’s more mean about it though.”

“No one understands my jokes.” Gregory’s wing twitched irritably.

“Doesn’t matter,” Jeremy replied. “He still laughed, even if he didn’t get it. Be nonsensical! Nobody cares as long as you’re funny.”

“That’s a terrible line of logic. I refuse to believe that people willingly follow your example,” Michael said, returning with a sheet of paper. “Evan, Gregory, I am trusting you two to find everything on this list and bring it back here.”

“We don’t have money,” Gregory said, but he still took the list from Michael’s hands. “And aren’t we supposed to stay inside until we figure out what to do about our wings? And wait, is it safe to-“

“You worry too much, Gregory. We can just ask Uncle Henry for help.” Evan peered at the grocery list. “What are you making, Mikey? This looks like spaghetti sauce, but you don’t use half this stuff normally.”

“Wait and see,” Michael said cryptically. His own wings twitched as he spoke, even seeming a tiny bit ruffled.

“With the overabundance of clothes Henry seems to have, maybe he has jackets you can just throw on over the wings or something,” Jeremy said, slowly rising from the couch as Gregory and Evan stood to examine the list closer.

“We can handle this,” Evan said with full confidence. “And we’ll try to be fast so you can get started sooner.”

“Thank you, Evan.” There was a deeper tone of relief in Michael’s voice at that. “My heroes.”

Jeremy smiled wearily at them all. “I should probably get going.” It felt like intruding to stay this long. Sure, they all tried to include him, but Michael probably had other things he planned to do while Evan and Gregory were gone. Perhaps he needed to talk to his uncle more or something. Regardless, Jeremy had overstayed his welcome.

“I thought you said you could stay for supper.” Michael sounded wounded. “Are you feeling alright? Do you need to lie down?”

He pressed his hand against Jeremy’s forehead. “You don’t seem to have a fever.”

“I’m fine, Michael. I just don’t want to overstay my welcome, you know?” Jeremy ducked away from Michael’s hand and kept his gaze on the carpet. “Especially if you’re all going to be busy.”

“I won’t be busy until they get back,” Michael replied as Gregory tugged on Evan’s shirt to lead him away. “And even then, I won’t be too busy to talk. You can sit with me in the kitchen while I cook.”

“Yeah but…” Jeremy hesitated, combing a hand through his hair. “Look, I just don’t want to be in the way.”

“You won’t be,” Michael insisted. He sat down on the sofa where Gregory had been sitting before. Patting the cushion next to him, he waited for Jeremy to sit back down.

When Jeremy sat down, Michael gestured for him to scoot closer. “What are you doing?” Jeremy asked nervously.

“Your hair is a mess,” Michael replied. “I’m going to fix it for you.”

“What do you mean?” Jeremy frowned, patting his hair self-consciously.

“It’s all tangled. That’s going to be a nightmare to brush out tomorrow if you don’t take care of it tonight.”

“Oh.” Jeremy looked away. “It shouldn’t be your responsibility-“

“My wings shouldn’t have been yours,” Michael countered. “Let me do a nice thing for you. Please.”

“I helped with your wings because I wanted to spend time with you. Not because it was a burden, Mike.”

“This isn’t a burden to me either. Let me help. Maybe I want to spend more time with you too.”

Jeremy didn’t have a counter to that, so he reluctantly sighed. “Just… be gentle on it, okay?”

“Of course.” He blinked, seemingly surprised that Jeremy gave in so easily. “I do need to go grab a brush and a comb.”

“Naturally.” Jeremy shifted uncomfortably on the sofa as Michael got up.

What was he even supposed to say to Michael? He hadn’t expected to get this far, and now faced with the opportunity to have a casual conversation with him, Jeremy panicked.

When Michael got back, the hair brush he carried had long strands of dark brown hair in it, and both the brush and the comb were shining with water. “I hope you don’t mind,” Michael said awkwardly. “But I know that hair gets really, really tangled, so I just wanted to make sure I could get the tangles out without hurting you.”

Oh. That was… surprisingly considerate. “And the water is supposed to fix tangles?”

“Better than a dry brush.”

Jeremy just stared. The most he’d been able to do with his hair was to throw it into the world’s worst ponytail when he needed it out of his face. All this talk of the more effective way to brush through his hair without making it hurt stirred something in his chest. There was nothing Michael would do that could possibly hurt more than the way he was currently doing his hair.

Michael sat back down and got to work. It was strange. Jeremy hadn’t had anyone brush his hair in a long time. His mother had been too busy with work to even notice that he needed help with his hair. Or anything really.

“You have really thick hair,” Michael mused softly.

“Yeah. Makes it a real pain sometimes,” Jeremy replied.

Michael was so gentle with it, apologizing softly when the brush scraped his ear or a snag was too rough. Eventually, though, he set the brush aside and started dividing his hair.

“What are you doing?”

“Helping you with your hair,” Michael replied as he started braiding it. “I assume you don’t have a hair brush for yourself, or maybe you just don’t have much time to do your hair every day. But at the very least, braiding it back at night prevents most tangles from getting worse.”

“How do you know so much about this stuff, dude?” Jeremy wondered. “Like, you know more about this than I do.”

“I…” Michael hesitated. “Evan’s not my only sibling. I had a sister. Elizabeth. Her hair was more of a nightmare than this.”

“Oh.” Jeremy fidgeted. He didn’t know what to do with that information.

“And, there!” Michael twisted a ponytail into the end of Jeremy’s hair. “Less problems for later, see?”

“Yeah.” Jeremy touched a hand to the braid, smiling softly. “Thanks, man.”

“It’s nothing.”

“But I say it is something. Come here, Mike.”

Michael’s wings fluffed up ever so slightly, but he did as Jeremy asked, unprepared for the tackle-hug Jeremy gave him. He gasped in alarm as they ended up on the floor, but when he looked up at Jeremy, it was with what Jeremy could only describe as adoration. Then he was suddenly pressed completely up against Michael as his wings wrapped around them both.

Of course, that was also the moment Evan and Gregory came back from their shopping trip with the supplies Michael had asked for. Letting Jeremy up, Michael immediately accepted the groceries from Evan and went straight to the kitchen. Gregory and Evan were left staring at Jeremy, who was sitting with a ridiculous grin on his face.

“Might need some help preparing this!” Michael called.

Before any of them could move toward the door, however, Henry walked by to go help Michael. Which left Jeremy to get teased by the two younger boys.

“What was that about?” Evan asked, picking a long blue feather out of Jeremy’s hair.

“What were you doing on the floor?” Gregory asked.

“Mike did my hair,” Jeremy replied, gesturing at the hairbrush that now had long strands of gold intertwined with the brown.

Evan looked thoughtful as he fiddled with the feather. “I didn’t know Mikey knew how to do hair.”

“Didn’t you tell me you had a sister?” Gregory asked, picking a smaller, brown feather from Jeremy’s shirt. “He could’ve done her hair once or twice.”

“Maybe…” Evan didn’t sound very sure. “Mikey wasn’t… I don’t know. Maybe he did. I never knew, though.”

“He did mention it when I asked…” Jeremy said, suddenly embarrassed to know more than Evan.

Evan fiddled with the feather more. “He seems to like you a lot.”

“Mike?” Jeremy asked, even more embarrassed now.

“Yeah. He smiles when he talks to you.”

“Except that one day,” Gregory interrupted. “He came inside and cried.”

“That was something else, I think,” Evan responded. “I think the Nightmares finally got to him.”

“So I take it Mike doesn’t usually talk about his issues then?”

“Not usually.” Evan squirmed, his wings puffing up. “Can we talk about something else?”

“Yeah sure,” Jeremy shook his head and finally got off the floor. “Do you want to try playing Kings in the Corner again?”

“Ugh, that’s so boring,” Gregory replied, but Evan was already rushing off to get the cards.

“I need a second. I’ll be right back,” Jeremy said, slipping into the kitchen to grab another can of Coke.

Michael glanced over from where he was cutting an onion and just sighed. “Jeremy-“

“I know, I know. It’s bad for me or whatever. But I need it, okay?” Jeremy took a long swig from the can. “Better than some habits.”

“Still…”

“It’s fine dude. Cut your onion or whatever.”

Henry said something that Jeremy didn’t catch as he rushed back to the living room. “Okay, are we ready to start?”

“This game is stupid,” Gregory grumbled. He was holding his seven cards, and Evan had already laid out the board.

“I dealt, so Gregory goes first,” Evan replied, ignoring Gregory’s comment.

“Lucky,” Jeremy said, eyeing the board.

“I don’t even know how to play,” Gregory complained. “This game is for old people.”

“I guess we’re old then.” Jeremy’s eyes twinkled. “You have to play a card from your hand onto one of those four cards.” He pointed at the two of diamonds, the king of spades, the four of diamonds, and the seven of diamonds respectively. “You want it to be a lower rank, or less points than the card on the stack. And it’s gotta be the opposite color.”

“Oh.” Gregory stared at his hand for a moment.

“You gotta tell him about the kings, Jeremy.” Evan shook his head. “If there’s a king, you can move it into the spaces between the four other cards, and put a new foundation card down.”

“Huh.” Gregory frowned. “This is too confusing.”

“It really isn’t,” Jeremy laughed, taking another sip from his Coke. “If you really want, you can add your cards back to the foundation pile and watch me and Evan play a game.”

“I’m just going to do that.” Gregory stuck his cards back in the bigger stack.

“Suits don’t matter,” Evan said helpfully. “Only color does.”

Jeremy set off to move the king, and the game begun. Evan went out on his first turn.

“Okay, that was a bad example,” Evan said with a grin.

“You didn’t shuffle very well,” Jeremy said accusingly.  “That was- arghhh. We’re playing another game so Gregory can actually see how the game works.”

“Are we doing points?” Evan said innocently.

“We will once Gregory joins in,” Jeremy replied, collecting the cards from the board. “These are warm-up rounds.”

“Riiiiight,” Gregory replied with an amused snort. “You just got destroyed.”

“Thank you for the obvious and accurate commentary, Gregory.” Jeremy rolled his eyes.

When he flipped the four cards over, three of them were kings. Jeremy let out an indignant noise as Gregory burst out laughing and Evan grinned at the board. Just like that, he was down to one card. Jeremy scowled at his own cards as it became his turn.

“All four kings on the board in the first turn,” he grumbled.

“Now who’s bad at shuffling?” Evan replied, watching Jeremy’s hand drop to three cards.

“Oh, shut up.”

Evan snickered as it became his turn. “I almost wonder if you were trying to let me win.” He took the ace of diamonds and placed it on the two of clubs that Jeremy had missed during his turn. “Do you have the hang of it yet, Gregory? We may need a third player or this are going to be some very quick games.”

“Ha ha.” Jeremy said as Evan gathered up the cards again. “I’m just used to people who aren’t paying attention nearly as much as you do.”

“I’m just playing the game,” Evan said with a cheeky grin. “You had a six of spades in your hand? You could’ve played that on the seven-“

“I don’t want to hear it!” Jeremy sighed, exaggerating his grief as he drank from his can. “You have eyes like a hawk.”

Evan just hummed at that, his eyes twinkling as he shuffled the cards again. “What do you say, Gregory? Want to try and give it another shot?”

“Sure. Can’t be any worse than Jeremy, right?”

“Alright, I get it.” Jeremy shook his head. “I guess this game isn’t as awful as you want to claim it is, huh?”

“We’ll see.”

Evan pulled out a baggy filled with little red chips and shook it for a moment. “I didn’t have a chance to grab paper, so we can just play with chips, right?”

“Let’s give Gregory one trial run first,” Jeremy said as Gregory stared blankly at the chip bag. “Let him get a feel for the game.”

Gregory’s first round went okay. He managed to play half his cards in the first go, but he failed to notice that he could’ve moved the king to the corner right away, and Jeremy took advantage of that. Humming to himself, Jeremy quickly went through his turn and waited for Evan.

“That is absurd,” Gregory said, watching Evan put down cards and move piles around rapidly. “There’s no way you’re not cheating.”

“It’s all natural, Gregory,” Evan said cheerfully. “You’re just mad because I’m better at games than you are.”

“Grrrrrr….” Gregory scowled as Evan tapped his own card against the table. He put down his one card and waited for Jeremy to go.

Adding another person really did slow down the game a lot, Jeremy thought to himself. This was the first round someone had actually had to draw a card. Evan hummed, but he also needed to draw a card. Unlike Jeremy, however, Evan couldn’t play his. Finally, the game was even again.

Gregory scowled at his cards. “What do I do if I can’t play?”

“Draw,” Jeremy said. “We’ve both done it.”

Grumbling, Gregory drew a card. He brightened as he realized he could play it, and then it was Jeremy’s turn. Jeremy sighed in relief as he was able to play a card on Gregory’s queen, and then move a ten on top of that. Moment of truth, he thought to himself as Evan studied his hand. Michael’s brother shook his head and drew another card. And promptly played it.

Gregory and Jeremy both groaned at that. “See, but now things get interesting,” Evan said cheerfully. “We’ve all been drawing cards and actually have to pay attention to the board.”

��Don’t you always have to pay attention to the board?” Gregory asked as he drew another card. “Ugh.”

“Depends on how close,” Jeremy said smugly, laying down his one card. “I win this round.”

Evan sighed wearily, but he said nothing as Jeremy collected the cards to shove them at Gregory. “Your turn to shuffle.”

Gregory pushed the cards back at Jeremy. “I don’t know how.”

“I guess I can do it for you. But you’re still dealing, alright? Seven cards to each of us.”

Gregory nodded as Jeremy shuffled, and Evan quickly explained how chips worked. Everyone put one chip in at the beginning. Then, when you drew a card, you’d put another chip in. Each card at the end of the game still in your hand was another chip, except for kings. Kings were ten chips.

They all put one chip in the middle as Gregory passed out cards.

“Ready for your first real round, Gregory?” Jeremy asked, looking over his cards.

Gregory huffed, but he nodded anyway. “This is still dumb.”

“What if we made it a bit more fun?” Evan asked. “I’ll put in this feather.” He held up the blue feather he’d picked out of Jeremy’s hair.

“We’re playing for feathers?” Gregory asked. “But we both have feathers.”

“Not just any feathers. Michael’s feathers. I know him better than you do, trust me. He wouldn’t just give those away.”

Gregory considered it for a moment as Jeremy bit his lip. It seemed plenty easy to get feathers in his opinion. Michael shed two of them while Jeremy hugged him before. “Deal. I’ll put in this one.”

Gregory set the brown feather on top of the three chips. Evan did the same with the blue feather. Both of them glanced at Jeremy expectantly.

“I don’t have any. You both took those from me in the first place.” Jeremy rolled his eyes. The feathers were cool, though.

He kind of wished he had some of his own, maybe to braid through his hair or something. But that required winning this game. And since Evan was really good at Kings in the Corner, and also used all the chips in the box, it was really unlikely that he’d win them at the end.

“How about…” Jeremy put twenty more chips in the pot. “I know it doesn’t balance out at all, but you two seem to really want those feathers.”

Evan grinned, and so, the game began.

Gregory surprised them all by nearly going out in his first turn, but Evan still won the first game. They played in relative silence, too busy concentrating to hold a proper conversation. Evan crushed them in the first few rounds, but Gregory eventually got a win when Evan had 6 cards in his hand, resulting in a somewhat decent counter-balance.

It did nothing for Jeremy though. He looked nervously at his dwindling pile of chips every time the game ended and knew it was very unlikely that he’d win. It wasn’t impossible, sure, but it was incredibly unlikely.

“This is eight, Gregory,” Evan said absently, after Jeremy had already played his first turn. “We can play it, but you should pay better attention.”

Jeremy bit his lip at that. He was losing really bad. He really needed a win, and he needed one where the other two were struggling. Accidentally starting a round on eight cards was not a great way to start that.

“How did you even notice that?” Gregory asked.

“Eight feels thicker than seven.”

“How much do you play cards? Jeez,” Jeremy asked as it became Gregory’s turn.

“Enough,” Evan said with an amused smile. “I usually play alone.”

“This doesn’t feel like a game you can play alone,” Gregory muttered.

“You can. It’s just not as fun. But I don’t play this,” Evan said as Jeremy had to draw yet again. “I play Solitare.”

“Right, silly me.” Gregory shook his head. “Dude, how are you losing the game you suggested?”

“It takes a lot of luck, Gregory.” Jeremy sighed, having emptied his can of Coke long ago. “I’ve already accepted my fate. Now it’s just a matter of wondering who wins overall.”

They all fell quiet again as they settled back into their concentration. A few tense rounds went by as they all drew cards. When Evan finally played a card, Jeremy breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe he’d last another round.

Or… maybe not. It was a close thing, that balance between drawing and playing. “Are we going to go through the whole deck?” Gregory eventually wondered.

“Maybe,” Jeremy replied wearily.

The pot was massive at this point. Evan’s brow was continuously furrowed, and even his wings were stiff with concentration. There’s no strategy that trumps the good cards being at the bottom of the deck, Jeremy thought to himself with grim amusement.

“Ha!” Gregory shouted his delight as he finally laid his last card.

Jeremy sighed sorrowfully as he glanced at his four chips. He would only have two left for another game after this. If only it had been Jeremy who’d drawn the card to end the game.

“I don’t even remember who shuffled that one,” Jeremy said as Gregory gathered the pot.

“It was Gregory. He started us with eight cards,” Evan replied. “You shuffle next.”

“I’m not going to make it through this game,” Jeremy muttered.

“Then we’ll just play it out, and you can be done after,” Evan shrugged. “Who knows, maybe you’ll win?”

“For every draw you have that you can’t play, I’ll put in a chip,” Gregory offered as Jeremy put his last chip in the pot. “It’ll keep things fair.”

“I’m sure,” Jeremy muttered.

“Awww, you are a grumpy old man. Evan look! He’s so grumpy.”

Jeremy rolled his eyes. “Thanks.”

Evan put his last card down, and Jeremy shook his head. “I’m out. Good luck, Gregory.”

He wondered what Michael and Henry were up to in the kitchen. It had been two hours of this, after all. Surely preparing a meal wouldn’t take that long, especially since Evan implied Michael was making spaghetti.

“Okay, I gotta know. What spaghetti takes three hours to make?” Jeremy said, sitting down at the kitchen table with Henry.

“It’s not the spaghetti that takes so long,” Michael replied from the stove. “It’s the sauce.”

“But why?”

“The flavor has to soak in from the leaves.” Michael shrugged, moving to sit down with them. “What were you playing in there?”

“Cards.” Jeremy shrugged. “Gregory said it was for old people.”

“Then he must have never played cards before,” Henry commented.

“Maybe it’s his age,” Michael suggested.

“Nah. Your brother got really into it. He’s been beating both of us.”

“THAT’S SO STUPID!!!” Gregory shouted from the other room.

Evan laughed and said something in response, as they all glanced toward the hallway.

“No way,” Gregory said, his voice still projecting from the other room. “That’s so stupid!”

“I think the sauce is about done,” Michael said, rising from his seat again. “I should probably begin on the actual spaghetti.”

“I appreciate you deciding to cook for us, Michael,” Henry said. “And not that I’m complaining about your food, but this seems more complicated than some of the other stuff you’ve made.”

Michael just blinked at him, filling a pot with water. “It’s just spaghetti.”

Gregory and Evan walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table. “It smells great in here,” Evan said.

Michael glanced at his brother and at Gregory for a moment. “Who won?”

“Evan,” Gregory grumbled crossing his arms. “But he cheats.”

“I do not! Withholding cards on my turn is within the rules of the game. Just because it means you have to draw more doesn’t mean it’s cheating!” Evan argued.

“He’s right, Gregory. If he’s withholding cards, it’s still a risk to him since you can easily draw a card at any moment and win the game yourself. There’s a reason it’s ten chips if you’re holding a king at the end of the game.”

“Hmph,” Gregory scowled.

“Jeremy, do you need a new bandage for your face?” Henry asked as Gregory and Evan glared at each other from across the table.

“What? Oh, I’m sure it’s fine.” Jeremy hadn’t realized that the edge of his bandage was peeling off.

“We’ll get that taken care of later,” Henry said. “Were you planning on staying over tonight?”

“I…” Jeremy glanced around the room. “I don’t know.”

“If you decide to stay, let me know so I can tell your parents,” Henry replied, seemingly satisfied. “And would you like another can of Coca-Cola?”

“Yes please.”

“Don’t encourage his addiction, Henry.” Michael crossed his arms as he leaned against the counter.

Jeremy responded by sticking his tongue out at Michael. Michael shook his head and rolled his eyes, but Jeremy saw a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Can I have one too?” Gregory asked.

“Absolutely not,” Michael replied. His wings twitched slightly. “You’re done with caffeine for the rest of the night. If you’re this loud after half a can, I shudder to think of what would happen if you got a full can of Coke.”

“You’re not my mom,” Gregory grumbled.

Jeremy’s mouth twitched. “He tries to act like it though, doesn’t he?”

Michael made an indignant noise as Gregory burst out laughing. Evan giggled too, adding, “Mama bird Mike.”

All three of them broke into bad laughing fits at that one. Henry and Michael just exchanged an exasperated look as Michael stirred the spaghetti. “I can act like it if you really want me to,” Michael eventually said. “But I don’t think you’d like the response, seeing as you two are baby birds in this analogy.”

“What do you mean?” Gregory asked, bewildered.

“I think what he’s getting at,” Jeremy said, amusement glinting in his eye, “is that mother birds regurgitate food into their chicks mouths.”

“Ewwwww,” Gregory gagged.

Evan snorted. “Mikey wouldn’t do that.”

“Wouldn’t I?” Michael raised an eyebrow. “I’ve certainly done worse.”

Evan froze at that. He seemed to be considering Michael’s point. “He totally would…” Evan sounded horrified.

“And with that terrible mental image, it seems that the spaghetti is done!” Henry said, putting a can of Coke in front of Jeremy before going to fetch everyone plates.

“I just need to strain the noodles, and we’re all set,” Michael said. “Could you grab the strainer please?”

Henry nodded and retrieved the strainer. Evan hummed to himself as he fiddled with the two feathers he’d won in the card game. Gregory said nothing, but Jeremy could tell it he was still bitter from his loss. Surely Michael wouldn’t be unwilling to give up feathers if they asked, Jeremy thought to himself. Maybe he’d be uncomfortable with the idea, but if Gregory said how much he really wanted them, Jeremy was sure Michael would give in eventually.

“It’s going to be hot.” Michael warned, carrying the pot of spaghetti to the table.

Henry quickly placed a potholder beneath it, and Michael went back to retrieve the sauce for the spaghetti. “Do you want to get cups out, Evan?”

Evan nodded and got up from his spot. “Gregory, you can get the plates.”

The whole group cycled around the kitchen like a little family, and Jeremy felt a little self-conscious about his place in everything, so he went and grabbed forks for everyone. It was the least he could do.

Michael dished out the food, putting just enough sauce on their spaghetti that they could avoid it if they wanted to. All of them were a little skeptical of the meal, but they all trusted that Michael knew what he was doing. Gregory and Evan both seemed startled by the taste, but Henry simply raised an eyebrow as he took a bite. Michael didn’t seem particularly concerned about their reaction, though.

He was too busy observing Jeremy when he tried it.

It was… spicier than he expected. Jeremy glanced at Michael, suddenly suspicious of him. Michael blinked at him, casually taking a bite of his own spaghetti. Jeremy glanced at him again before moving his plate to the saucepan full of spaghetti sauce and adding more to his plate.

Michael’s slow smile made Jeremy feel even more confident about his decision. Somehow, Michael had figured him out yet again, almost without effort. Jeremy stuck another forkful in his mouth and smiled back at him.

“Gregory, slow down. You’re going to make yourself sick,” Evan said.

“It’f, fine.” Gregory swallowed hard.

“Careful you don’t choke,” Henry said warningly.

Gregory set his fork down quietly, his eyes watering. He coughed a little bit, causing Michael to turn to him with concern. “Gregory? Are you alright?”

Gregory fanned himself, and Jeremy immediately figured out what was going on. “Too spicy for you? You barely had any!” He shook his head and poured Gregory a glass of milk. “Drink this. It’ll help.”

Gregory eagerly took the glass, draining it in less than a minute. “Mmmmm.”

The rest of the meal went in relative silence, with Evan and Henry occasionally teasing Gregory for eating too fast and being unable to handle spicy food. Michael seemed oblivious to the main conversation, smiling softly to himself.

Jeremy knew he was staring, but he figured it wouldn’t be the biggest deal. Plenty of people stared at their friends, right? At the way they twisted spaghetti noodles onto their forks and brought their forks to their mouths. At the way their eyes glowed with joy at making something new successfully.

Michael caught his eye, and the smile widened. Jeremy felt himself smiling back easily. He’d already finished his food, and Evan and Gregory had finished half the spaghetti by themselves. There wouldn’t be many leftovers anyway.

Henry was the first to move from the table. He collected plates from everyone to take to the sink. When Michael moved to help, Henry waved him off, insisting that since Michael made the meal, he shouldn’t have to clean it up, with a meaningful look toward Evan and Gregory. He stopped Jeremy when he tried to get up too, insisting that guests shouldn’t need to help.

“But I thought we were guests,” Gregory grumbled when Evan tapped his arm to help him get up.

“Jeremy, that bandage really does need to be changed before you go,” Henry said quietly, gathering the leftovers into different containers.

“I can help him with it,” Michael said.

“Michael, you’ve done enough today. Especially with how you were feeling this morning-“

“I can help,” Michael interjected stubbornly.

Jeremy raised a confused eyebrow at the way Michael’s wings and hair ruffled.

“You need rest,” Henry said in a tone that brokered no argument.

Still, Michael persisted, the feathers now completely refusing to lay flat. Jeremy wondered how this could possibly be something he’d need to be so defensive about. “Hey, maybe Henry’s right. You have done a lot today.”

Michael scowled at that, and he grabbed Jeremy’s arm and practically dragged him out of his chair.

“What- Hey!” Jeremy stumbled into Micheal, expecting him to apologize or something.

“There’s the old Mike,” Evan mumbled quietly.

Michael’s face was right in front of Jeremy’s as he spoke. “I know my limits.”

“Do you?” Gregory challenged. He didn’t seem frightened in the slightest, which was very different from the atmosphere surrounding Michael at that moment. “To me it seems like you keep going until you drop. Maybe you should just get rid of that chip on your shoulder and let someone else handle it for once!”

“Like you did?” Michael snapped, and at that, Gregory actually flinched. “Sometimes, you can’t trust that help will come, Gregory. You should know that better than anyone.”

Gregory’s grip on the plate in his hands tightened. “Yeah, well, I didn’t have a family who took care of me like you do! So just suck it up.” Jeremy heard tears behind those words, and Evan mumbled something gently to him and tried to get him to turn his back on Michael.

That seemed to break something in Michael’s resilience. His wings twitched, and he let go of Jeremy’s shirt. “Right. Sorry.” He sounded just as torn as Gregory. “I…”

Jeremy figured nothing would be helped by Michael sticking around in the kitchen, so he tentatively put a hand to Michael’s shoulder. “Hey, you can help with my bandage. Maybe just tell me how to put it on so I do it right tomorrow morning, yeah?”

“So you aren’t staying then?” Henry asked, looking worriedly between the four boys.

Michael’s ashen expression was not particularly reassuring. “No, I mean. If it’s okay for me to stay, I plan to. I just… Maybe it should be my responsibility to fix that?” Jeremy gestured at the scratch on his face. “Seems like all I’m doing here is making more messes anyway. Might as well try to clean one up myself, right?”

Henry frowned but he said nothing.

Jeremy leaned close to Michael’s ear. “Come on then.”

“I didn’t mean to… I hurt his feelings,” Michael mumbled as he mechanically peeled the rest of the bandage away from Jeremy’s face to wipe at the scratch with a wet cloth.

“Energy was running high. Maybe you are a bit more overwhelmed then you thought? Frayed nerves break way for anger sometimes. Or so I’ve heard.”

“I still shouldn’t have done that.” Michael couldn’t even look Jeremy in the eye. He was too distraught.

“Why did you get so defensive, if you don’t mind me asking? And I’m not just talking about Gregory. You were adamant about helping me with my bandage.”

“I just…” Michael hesitated. “I haven’t had a chance to see you in days, and I wanted to get every moment I could?”

“An afternoon together wasn’t enough?” Jeremy teased, even though he knew exactly how Michael was feeling. “Look, that’s okay, Mike. But you gotta take care of yourself too.”

“Yeah, but-“

“What do you want? I know you think you have to help everybody all the time, but you’ve gotta have desires too, right?”

“Maybe I don’t deserve to have my desires realized,” Michael replied. He still wasn’t looking at Jeremy. “Maybe I’m just a rotten person who doesn’t deserve joy or anything that doesn’t directly benefit anybody else.”

“Michael Afton.” Jeremy said, trying to sound stern. “You are a human being just like everyone else. We all make mistakes. And you sound like you’re trying to atone for yours. I don’t know about you, but someone who tries to learn from their mistakes sounds like someone who deserves to have what they want every now and again.”

Michael completely froze at that. When he met Jeremy’s eyes, he looked utterly shattered. “I…” He swallowed. “I can’t do this anymore.”

“That’s okay, Mike. No one is asking you to do everything-“

“No, you don’t understand.” His voice was hardly a whisper. “I’ve… That scolding… You’ve said that to me before.”

“I have?”

Michael nodded mutely. “It was right before…” His wings stretched their full length as Michael squeezed his eyes shut. “I can’t.”

“What can’t you do, Michael?” Jeremy asked softly.

A pained noise rumbled in Michael’s throat, and he dropped the cloth, yanking Jeremy forward by his shirt. Their mouths crashed together, and all Jeremy could think was finally. His own hands went behind Michael’s shoulders, and he gently guided the wings back into a folded position before stroking them gently.

He didn’t want to stop kissing Michael. It was freeing and exhilarating at the same time. Michael tasted like bubble gum and smelled like clean laundry. He was the weirdest man Jeremy had ever met, but maybe that was what made him so alluring. Or maybe it was something else. Something about all this just seemed so… right.

When Michael broke away, Jeremy tried to follow. Michael looked at him fondly and laughed. “I thought you said I needed to take care of myself.”

“I can’t be that addicting,” Jeremy said impulsively.

Michael snorted. “I need air, Jeremy. We were both going to pass out if we kept that up.”

“Can we do it again?” Jeremy didn’t care about air. He just wanted to be close to Michael, wanted to make him smile, wanted to make him laugh.

Michael laughed again, a brilliant sound, before Jeremy pressed their lips back together. It was completely perfect.

#cloud speaks #cloud writes #michael afton #jeremy fitzgerald #gregory fnaf #evan afton #henry emily #fnaf au #ballpit au except they have wings #and ye #only took nine days this time #lol #happy.... um #not birthday #I hope you enjoy! #and y'all #I'm so happy about how this turned out #so humor me aight? #XD #art trade

[puhpandas]

So anyway what are your thoughts on Michael pressing glamrock Freddy. Cause I think it’s one of my new favorite fic tropes. Haven’t found a whole lot of good ones where Gregory isnt Evan in a robot body or something yet, but I’ve found myself even enjoying those.

I've always liked glammike as a concept but in canon? hell no. at least for me. I think mike and Gregory as a concept in general is awesome and I've seen some really well done but you really do have to get them right.

I think the 'really kind adult making up for the lack of good father figures' character really works for Freddy and Gregory but with Mike it would have to be a different story. I dont think it works as well with him. mike himself is just such a deep character and it would NOT be black and white with him and Gregory. there would have to be a lot in between before they become as close as they would, and on top of that i think it would have to be more of a brother thing than a father thing

talking about mike and Gregory both having inner turmoils to do with eachother about trust. mike would see this kid and want to protect him and be going through a conundrum about how Gregory doesnt need to just be a make up/redo for Evan. mike needs to be aware that he could just be doing this because of his guilt. so he would be learning to get over that and also see Gregory as his own person because it wouldnt just be an insecurity, gregory genuinely would probably be to make up for Evan to Mike at first and he would have to get over that

and Gregory would obviously have never had any parental figures worth a crap and this guy that is being nice to him but with those instincts Gregory has undoubtedly developed he senses that there's something going on underneath with how Mike is treating him. and he would be right. so it would be grappling with his learned behavior plus his instincts that hes learned to trust and is trusting at that moment. I think they would be very rocky at first but it's only after some blow up happens where Mike being honest about a mistake he made with Gregory and its something bad he did? that would be suprising to Gregory and make him trust him more. and mike getting that off his chest and having a heart to heart with Gregory and seeing a kid who isnt Evan 2.0 would help a lot too

#thoughts #pandas.txt #pandas talks #pandas asks #gregory and michael #michael #gregory #glammike

[thekatebridgerton]

How did each of the Bridgertons cope with their break ups?

Anthony: full denial

He acted so shocked, like how dare Kate breakup with him first. Anthony was a total primadonna, he denies that Kate broke his heart, because he didn't love her, so he's fine, see how fine he is. *Lives in the office* *stares longingly at Kate whenever she picks up Violet for a girls night* *refuses to see anyone except his mother* *keeps working himself to death* he's fine!! (He's not fine, he's barely eating or sleeping, someone get this man some water)

Benedict: Went full hoe

He broke up with Sophie, because she wanted to be 'in a relationship ' not a ' situationship' then he Threw himself into the art scene, getting high, having meaningless after meaningless flings with whichever person, because guess what Sophie, he wanted freedom, see how free he is, who wants to put labels in a relationship, certainly not him. (He Calls Sophie's old number in the middle of the night to leave sad voice messages) Sophie doesn't get his messages, she blocked his number and the only Bridgerton she takes calls from, is Violet.

Colin: became a wreck and is still a wreck

This man stopped functioning after the breakup. Went on a bender, stopped showering for weeks, grew a beard. Took some job taking pictures in war thorn countries. At least Until his boss demanded he go back home and deal with his issues before he killed himself taking pictures of Colombian drug Lords. Currently Colin is holed up at his mom's home, low key pinning after his ex who of course is living her best life without him.

Daphne:

Did what every social media influencer does after a breakup, and had a makeover, went from redhead to blonde, got extensions, a new wardrobe, all the works. Then partied with her 40 closest celebrity friends and basically became the new life of the party in every club of the city. She is fine, see how not broken hearted she is, who cares that Simon didn't want to start a family with her. Who cares that they were engaged, she's got a billion followers on Instagram. And friends to party with * Cries in Gucci* Violet is worried about her

Eloise: She's coping... Sort of

Eloise is so angry at herself and at Phillip, that she joined a Taekwondo group and is now trying to channel all her rage into punching things via martial arts. So yeah, she alternates her time between listening to sad music in her room, sleeping a lot and hitting things in the gym. At least she's gaining muscle out of it, and she's going to be a black belt soon if she keeps on like that. Violet thinks she's going to hurt herself one of these days

Francesca: Faking it like a pro

Did cry on her mother's shoulder, and Violet does feel bad for her because Francesca pretends to be happy and wishing Michael all the best but she really is taking the breakup hard. As in, she cries a lot, and joined Anthony in his singlehanded pursuit to die from overwork. She blames herself for the breakup but won't admit she that she should have chased after Michael instead of waiting for him to realize he was wrong.

Hyacinth: Became addicted to videogames

After the breakup she got breakup bangs, changed the preppy dresses for pijamas and picked up Gregory's gaming console. Up until this moment Hyacinth never liked videogames, but now she prefers to play beat saber and Hitman 3, rather than face a world where she's not dating Gareth, sooo videogames it is. Violet thinks that Hyacinth is proving Gareth's point about being too spoiled to understand real world problems. But Hyacinth won't hear her, the only thing that matters is that Gareth is not here to tell her she's being silly and immature. And She's fine with that! She will do all the immature things she didn't do when they were dating. Who cares what Gareth thinks

Gregory: Learned how to bake

He's actually filling his entire college application with every extra curricular he can find to get his mind away from Lucy. So far he's been baking, knitting, playing the guitar, learning Mandarin and training the dog he got after his breakup. It's a total coincidence that he plant to go to the same ivy league Uni as she does. So far Gregory has been finding the most meaning in banking, creating a feedback loop with his siblings where he stress bakes, his siblings stress eat and he stress bakes again. Colin at least is always appreciative. Gregory is convinced that if he bakes enough muffins for Lucy's brunches with his mother, then Lucy will feel his longing... Violet wishes he would just talk to her!! Their breakup was a misunderstanding!!

And that's the tea

#bridgerton #polin #Benophie #kanthony #philoise

[percyaugod]

Gluncle Mike: Cassie's dad

So first I have no idea what to call him, suggestions are welcomed. Second, this will be playing heavily into Cassie's dad is the one wearing the Bonnie mask theory.

Cassie's dad and Michael used to be close, Michael jokingly saying at times he wished they were brothers instead of him and Evan. This made Cassie's dad feel so guilty when he distanced himself from Michael after rumors started spreading about William throwing him out after trying to kill his brother.

He felt awful abandoning his best friend but he just couldn't risk his parents finding out he was a part of it. He just had to wait until things calmed down and he could apologize. He knew Michael would forgive him.

Then the news spread of William being responsible for the death of the missing children. Some people believed Michael knew and was even in on it. Cassie's dad didn't want to believe it, but thinking back to what could have happened with Evan… Cassie's dad never talked to Michael again.

Years later Cassie's dad was picking up Cassie from first grade early. It would seem she had gotten into a fight with another child. Walking into the principal's office he was shocked to see a little boy that looked a lot like a young Evan. Even more surprised to see him and Cassie just getting along now. Instantly becoming friends after trying to knock the other's head off. Thinking back to how he and Michael met, Cassie's dad can't help but think history does repeat itself.

Ten minutes later the other parent comes on and that deer in the headlights expression upon seeing him is one Cassie's dad will never forget. Gregory is the spitting image of his dad. Looking at recent events it looks like he's spending way too much time with his uncle though, he's rubbing off on the kid. It's good to know they were able to mend their relationship, maybe there's still hope for him and Michael yet.

They all leave and Cassie's dad asks how Mike is once they reach the parking lot. Cassie's dad gives Evan a confused look when Gregory asks who Mike is. Evan gives the saddest look as he says Michael died a few years before Gregory was born. Cassie's dad feels a weight in his stomach and swallows past a lump as he says he is sorry for Evan'd loss.

Evan says it's fine. Michael was …sick, and in a lot of pain. He deserved to rest.

The two of them become friends by exposure from all the playdates Gregory and Cassie have. Telling stories of what happened over the years, and sharing stories of Michael. Evan eventually tells Cassie's dad what happened to Michael. He believed Evan, but the pictures just made it so much more real.

Cassie's dad finds another job and quits his job as a technician for Fazbear Entertainment. He just couldn't work there anymore knowing what they hid and how many people it hurt. He swore to himself he was never going to work on another animatronic ever again.

Evan calls him only a few months later about needing his help. Gregory had stolen an animatronic and the thing is kind of banged up. He didn't even mention it was a Freddy. Cassie's dad is starting to think Evan is a lot more like Michael than he thought.

Cassie's dad shooing away the others so he can at least work in peace. Except before he starts Freddy gives him a strange look and calls him Bonnie. Cassie's dad freezing because he hadn't worn that thing in decades, how would Freddy- Oh no.

#five nights at freddy's #fnaf gregory #evan afton #cassie's dad #Gluncle Mike AU #glammike

[hearts4juzi]

Weird Thoughts and Bad Things

Michael makes a! Choice! And drags Evan down with him. OR Silly au scene ive had in my head. Evan's about 17, Mike is 20-22

Evan was on his laptop when he heard a knock on the doorway to his room. He turned to see Michael, who was leaning on the doorframe with a rather aloof expression. Almost aloof, actually. He was fidgeting and looking side to side occasionally, like he was nervous.

That was never a good sign.

“What do you need?” Evan said hesitantly, “Did something happen?”

“I need your help,” Michael said.

“My… Help? Why?”

“I just do, come with me,” He pressed.

“Get Elizabeth to do it, Mike, I’m busy,” Evan said. He didn’t like this, and especially not how Michael kept pausing to look around, like someone was after him.

He took a deep breath, “Ev, come on, just help me out, okay?”

Evan gave him an unamused look at the nickname, and Michael rolled his eyes.

“Just help me! Get off your ass and come with me!” Michael grabbed Evan’s arm and pulled him halfway out of his chair before he could catch himself.

“Dude!” Evan hissed.

“Now! It’s important and I… I can’t tell Liz.” He said the last bit in a hushed voice, before looking around again. Now Evan was really uncomfortable. Now he was concerned.

“What happened?”

“Just come on!” Michael snapped.

They walked down the hall in silence. Michael was wringing his hands, something Evan recognized as a nervous stim of sorts. Michael used to do that a lot more when they were kids. He was also being slow, slower than he normally was. If Michael wasn’t rushing everyone in the house, he was either tired…

Or he was scared.

Michael led him to their father’s office—a place they weren’t allowed in, Evan noted suspiciously—and paused at the door.

“You can’t freak out,” He said.

“Why? What’s in there?”

“Promise me you won’t freak out.”

“You know I can’t do that.”

Michael grabbed Evan’s shoulders, “Promise,” He said harshly.

Evan stared at him. He knew Michael, despite how much his brother would like to pretend he didn’t. He knew that something was wrong. Very wrong. Actually, the past month has been weird for Michael. He wasn’t even really being a dick, he just seemed… Tired. It was a weird kind of tired, more that he’d avoided everyone and been a lot quieter. Unless it was to their father, who almost always had something to argue with him about.

Evan felt a bit guilty for not trying to reach out to Michael, but he could imagine what Gregory would say.

“It’s not your job to fix whatever he’s got going on, especially not before you’ve fixed whatever you’ve got going on,”

The thought made him feel a bit better, actually. Maybe Gregory was a stronger influence than he’d thought.

“...I promise,” He finally said.

Michael slowly opened the door and the first thing Evan noticed was that everything on their father’s desk was strewn about. Oh and also there was blood everywhere. And their father on the floor, covered in it…

Oh.

Oh.

Oh, he felt like he was gonna be sick. When he turned to Michael he’d lost the calm collected look and now had a mixture of discomfort and a bit of remorse plastered on his face.

“What the hell happened?” Evan hissed, “Why- We need to call somebody Michael what the he-”

Michael grabbed him again, “NO,” He snarled, “We are NOT calling somebody, are you insane!?”

Evan’s brain took a moment to catch up, so he stared dumbly at Michael trying to understand.

“I killed him, dipshit!” Michael said in a hushed voice.

Oh. Joy.

“And you need to help me clean this up!”

Even better!

“What!? Why?” Evan gasped, “No! No way! No way in hell no nope never nuh uh no way no how never!”

Michael didn’t let go of him, instead tightening his grip, “Listen, Dad was an asshole, I’m helping all of us,” He said, “you wanna snitch to the cops? Fine. But I hope you know it’s not worth it for our dad, Evan. And if you don’t, you’re already an accomplice because you KNOW I did it and you’re not telling them, so you might as well help me clean it up. Nobody has to know, nobody will miss him, listen to me Ev!”

Evan stared at him, then at the body on the floor, then back at him. “But you can’t… you can’t just kill people, Mike, please, please listen to me, Mike we need to tell someone we can’t just-”

Michael grabbed his wrist, “I’m not above killing you too if it shuts you up!”

Evan’s mouth snapped closed with a click and he stared at Michael in disbelief. His brother just handed him a bottle of disinfectant, “Let’s clean this up now.”

And so he did. They cleaned in silence, and then took the body and buried it in the woods behind their house.

While Michael dug the hole, Evan stood off to the side anxiously. He hadn’t said anything since Michael threatened him, but now that he thought about it, he didn’t think he’d actually go through with it. At least, he was pretty sure. 90% sure. 50% sure… He was pretty sure! He knew Michael sucked but he seemed at least a bit shaken up about this and… And Evan hadn’t done anything wrong, right? Nothing worth killing him over… Right?

“Put it in,” Michael said, and Evan did. It felt wrong, very wrong, for whatever reason. Evan didn’t like his father. He hated his father, in fact! But even so… Something wasn’t right. But at this point he wasn’t sure if that was about his father… or if it was about Michael…

And then they went home, and Evan sat back down in his chair and continued using his laptop. But his chest was tight and he felt sick and everything felt wrong all of a sudden.

But Michael was so weirdly calm about it, if not a bit freaked out at the idea of getting caught, and he was shaken sure, but not as much as he should be. As if this was nothing! As if he didn’t just kill someone, and threaten to kill Evan and…

He needed to call Gregory, he didn’t wanna be here tonight. He certainly didn’t feel like sleeping here.

#my writing #fnaf #michael afton #evan afton #fnaf au #kill ur dad au #The title for this google doc was just “I killed dad Ev” and it made me giggle

[yeetskreetreet]

You and Michael being Gregory’s parents part 5...

Previous part:

-~-~-~-~-~-~ -~-~-~-~-~-~ -~-~-~-~-~-~ -~-~-~-~-~

Life had gone back to normal easier then you thought it would. Both you and Gregory took off some time to recover after the night at the pizza plex. But soon enough, he was back in school and you were back at work.

You weren’t sure how Michael wanted to proceed. You knew you wanted him to stay away from Freddie’s as far as he could, but you also knew that was too much to ask for. It didn’t take you long to show him the box filled with stuff from over the years. Articles, photos, papers. He was quiet impressed, and spent a while looking through it all.

Michael felt a bit scared about entering your and you’re sons life. He wasn’t used to living a casual life, and he didn’t want to impose on yours. But you assured him that fitting into the home you and Gregory had wouldn’t be hard.

Since Michael knew he had to stay in shadows a bit, he started picking up hobbies inside the house. Since he himself couldn’t really eat, he hadn’t cooked in years. And before that he hadn’t really been a master chef. But turned out, he was able to get quiet skilled with the help of some cock books and time. Of course, there where still some ill tasting meals. Meals which you and Gregory sadly had to be the taste testers for....

But he couldn’t spend all day cooking of course. He could of course spend his time watching the immortal and the restless, but he also knew it wasn’t the most healthy to spend all day in front of the tv.

Instead he found himself, reading, gardening, drawing, and even knitting. Gregory did start calling him grandma as a joke, but he also wore the socks his father had made him proudly.

It was a normal day, when you had stayed home working. Gregory was in school, and you still had work so you didn’t see Michael a lot. But it was still strange, it wasn’t unusual for him to bring you coffee or tea when you were working from home.

When lunch arrived you decided to go and find him. You found him at the dining table looking through some photos.

“Hey mikey” he looked up, he seemed to have a sorrow full expression but he smiled slightly at seeing you.

“Hello hun” he sighed. You sat down beside him and looked at the photographs laying in front of you. They were all quiet old. They were mostly different pictures of the three same children. A bigger brown haired boy, a middle ginger headed girl, and a small youngest also brunette boy.

You were no stranger to these people. Even if you had never meet them, you knew how much Michael’s long gone siblings meant to him. And how important they were to his story.

He was holding a photo of the smallest boy, his little brother Evan. He seemed to have a lot on his mind.

“It’s his birthday today” he said after some time.

As you were sitting in a shared but understanding silence you heard the front door open.

“I’m home!” Gregory shouted while putting away his school bag. He walked into the kitchen, his smile falling a bit after noticing the sharp atmosphere.

you were a bit surprised at his arrival, you’d been so busy thinking that you didn’t notice the clock ticking. You smiled at him.

“Hi honey” you were on your way to invite Gregory to sit with you, but realised that maybe Michael wanted to be alone. You looked to you’re side only to se Michael looking between the picture he was holding and Gregory. You decided you’re self to take a look, and immediately understood why Michael was comparing them.

“They look alike” you said, so softly it was almost a whisper. Michael went back to looking at the picture before sighing.

“Yeah they do”

“I look alike who?” Gregory asked, now confused and feeling a bit left out. It went a bit quiet. It was nothing new that a young boy would look alike one of his relatives at a similar age. But this was also a relative whom you’d never fully introduced to Gregory. He was aware that Michael used to have a family but that they weren’t in his life anymore. He’d read a bit about the Aftons in the papers you’d spared, but his mind still didn’t have all the information to connect dots and know the whole story.

“Well... your uncle” you said after some silence. You heard Michaels breath hitch.

None of you had ever called him that. An uncle. But that was what he was after all, Gregory was Michaels son and Evan being Michaels brother would indeed make him Gregory’s uncle. But that was hard to think, that that little boy on the picture paper was an uncle. He simply looked too young, like he always would.

Gregory was a bit confused but also understood the mood more. He knew more about you’re family than Michaels and understood it had to be on his more mysterious fathers side this uncle was on. He slowly walked and sat down on the other side of Michael.

Michael hesitated at first, but then gave the photo over to Gregory. Gregory held the photo carefully and inspected it as such too. He then looked up at his father, then down at the photo, then up again.

“I actually think he looks more like you”

The boy said a little puzzled.

“Really?” Michael was caught of guard a little bit. He looked at the photo again when Gregory handed it to him. He had never thought about his likeness to his brother, but it wasn’t something that crossed his mind back then...

“Wait a second, give me the photo” you said and held your hand forward. Michael who was still a little confused gave it to you. You held it up and looked at your boys, and funnily enough, they at the time looked more like each other than the picture. They both had this puzzled look in their eyes, slightly raised eyebrows, and not quiet a frown but not quiet a smile.

You smiled and looked down at the picture again, it wasn’t a great picture per say. Evan didn’t look very delighted to have his picture taken, but he also didn’t look like he dared to object. You remembered another photo you’d seen before and started looking for it.

Michael and Gregory watched curiously as you found the picture you’d remembered. You smiled as you held the photo while comparing it to your boys and then handing it too them.

“I think if we use this picture, we can agree that you ALL THREE look alike” you said smiling.

Michael and Gregory looked at the picture tenderly. Michael was at first a little confused but then he remembered the memories this photo brought and could not help but smile.

It had been an early morning in the late 70’s Evan was barely four, Elizabeth was barely five and a half and he himself was soon to be thirteen. He had not gotten as bad yet, but his siblings still had a reason to be cautious around him. They’re father, William, had left that morning earlier than usual. With nothing but a note saying he had “business”. Michael, who had not set an alarm as it was Saturday, was woken up by his sister slightly hitting him.

“HEY WAKE UP” she then promptly screamed at him.

“I AM UP, WHY ARE WAKING ME UP” he roared back, until he remembered how mad his father would get every time he screamed and covered his mouth quickly.

“No need to worry, he’s gone” Elizabeth said with a blank bored look.

“Wait what?” Said Michael his eyes getting bigger. His sister had a hard time expressing emotions that wasn’t extremely happy or extremely sad and therefore he had a hard time grasping the situation.

“Yeah, he left a note” the ginger said pointing in the direction of the kitchen. Michael puzzled got up and promptly went to the kitchen, passing by little Evan on the way whom had waited outside the room in case he got mad when woken up by Their sister.

It was on the refrigerator Michael found said note, only stating...

“Important business, hopefully back tonight”

....that was all. No “foods in the fridge” no “remember to eat!” No “I’ll give you a dollar for helping with your siblings” nothing more.

Michael was used to his father being... well the way he was. But he wasn’t used to him just leaving them with almost nothing, and he wasn’t used to being put into responsibility without his father having to nag on him.

“Michael, I think you should make breakfast, since we aren’t allowed to touch the stove” Elizabeth broke him out of his state of building up hate, with a very true fact.

“.... well I guess your right” it was too early for Michael to think of a way to blow up his siblings, especially with the knowledge that they’re were only small kids, whom had also been abandoned, just like himself.

He started brining out some bread and beans, even tough they now lived in America, they couldn’t take this British delicacy away from him!

“I don’t particularly like beans” Elizabeth said matter of factly after she realised what her older brother was making. Michael sighed but still got out a carton of eggs, to make an egg sandwich for her instead.

“Hey Elizabeth, could you bring the juice and milk carton out?”

“HEY, I told you to call me Lizze!” The little girl said while jumping slightly.

“OKAY, okay! Lizze, could you please bring the juice and milk here.

“Okay!” Lizzie said, skipping away happily. While all of this was happening Evan was standing a bit away watching. He was quiet confused at the situation. He didn’t really get why father wasn’t there, and he didn’t really get why Michael was being helpful. But he couldn’t help but feel he needed to help. It took him some courage, seeing as he hadn’t talented to Michael in a few days, after he had gotten mad at him over something. Evan looked up to his brother, but he was feeling that as his brother was getting older, he was getting more agitated towards him.

After thinking deeply, he eventually brought a steeping stool beside Michael and stood up beside him on it. Michael looked over at him a little shocked.

“I wanna help” the little boy said quietly while looking down on the counter. Michael was a little confused, but couldn’t help but smile a little.

“Umm alright, some things are a little dangerous. But you could butter the bread?” The older brother saw this as okay as the butter knife wasn’t sharp.

“..okay!” Evan smiled, and looked quiet excited. He concentrated hard, trying to not get to much butter on the knife, and then trying to smooth it on good. While they were working away there, Lizzie had put out the juice and milk on the table. Michael saw this and grabbed a few spoons and a little box.

“Hey liz, you think you could put some cocoa in two mugs? I’ll warm the milk” he said smiling.

“Okay!” She said joyfully, she was particularly happy that her brother remembered she preferred juice over hot chocolate (except when it was freezing cold). Evan wasn’t really listening, as he was still very concentrated on the butter.

Michael managed to also set the table, and soon enough the simple breakfast was lined up for the three siblings. Beans on toast, egg toast with some hot chocolate and juice. Evan smiled big when he was handed his cup of hot chocolate, as he hadn’t realised that was what they where making while he put butter on the toast.

The siblings were happily eating in silence when The oldest broke it.

“Um, thanks liz for helping” he smiled awkwardly over at his sister. She beamed back.

“No problem!!”

“And uh, thanks to you Evan you’re quiet good with butter” he smiled at his brother. Evan looked at first puzzled, he couldn’t fully remember the last time Michael said thanks without being forced to by his father. Michael couldn’t stand Evan looking at him like that, so he reached over and ruffled his hair, promptly making the boy smile and giggle.

“...thanks for letting me help” Evan smiled, his hair much more wild than usual now.

“Oh my goddess Evan, you almost look like Michael now!” Lizzie said.

“We have to get a photo of this!” She continued, hopping down from her chair and getting the Polaroid camera. Both Michael and Evan was a little shocked but not for long before their sister was back.

“Here! You take it your better than me.” She said, handing the camera to Michael. Michael hesitated a bit then looked over at his brother.

“... is it okay?” He asked. Evan looked a little insecure, but taking in his brothers careful expression and his sisters happy one, he couldn’t help but politely smile and nod his head.

“Yeah it’s okay”

“Alright, smile!” Lizzie said

-Click-

Its was later in the day, they had all had made it trough and had eaten all three daily meals, and Evan an afternoon snack (and also some movie snacks, but their father didn’t need to know that). Michael had helped his siblings get to bed, and was himself now reading a magazine on his bed. The clock was a little over eleven in the evening, when he heard his fathers car park outside, and his father himself enter their house. It took him a while before he came to Michael, going to check on his sleeping siblings first. He heard his father standing outside, and how he stopped before his door for a second. He proceeded to then open the door without knocking, as usual.

Michael didn’t look up from his magazine.

His father cleared his throat, making Michael look up slightly.

“I assumed you helped your siblings trough the day... so thank you, you were helpful”

Michael looked at his father with same pretty blank slightly irritated expression.

“... for once”

Ah, there it was.

After that Mr Afton proceeded to walk away without closing the soon to be teens door, a habit he had gotten, presumably to make his son spite him more.

Michael huffed up from his bed and slammed the door shut.

———-

Back to current day at the dining table.

Nobody had said anything, both you and Gregory seeing how Michael was clearly living trough some memories. He’d ended up with a painful expression, making you reach out to put your hand on top of his. This made him snap back to reality a little. He came back even more, when a slightly smaller hand, belonging to his son was put on top his arm. This led him to smiling, the warmth reminding him of where he was, and how he would focus on the good memories.

“Yeah, we do actually look alike, all of us” Michael smiled. You all smiled, both you and Gregory feeling the sharp atmosphere fade away.

“Well then we have the important question... does my son look anything like me!!” You jokingly said getting up and crouching beside Gregory. Now it was true Gregory resembled his fellow brunette father a lot, but as Michael looked between you too. He couldn’t help but see how you have the exact same cheeky smile, and excited eyes.

“Oh yes... you both look like little devils whom are plotting against me via speaking trough your minds” Gregory was first taken aback, but then he smiled.

“If we could speak via our minds, I wouldn’t have to call you grandma to your face!!”

———

It was later in the day, and Michael was watching the sun set. It was now fall and colder, but the sun still shined down the horizon. The rest of the day had been sweet and happy, you all cooking dinner together.

You had offered to wash the dishes, and Gregory had went to do some home work leaving Michael alone with his thoughts. He was soon interrupted though when he heard someone quietly come out and sit beside him.

It was Gregory, who had brought along the photograph of the little boy from earlier. He looked at the photograph and then at his father carefully. Michael realised he had something on his mind.

“It’s okay, you can ask something if you have questions” he smiled at his son. Gregory smiled a little back, and then dropped to a more serious expression.

“Is he... your brother..” he asked carefully.

“Yeah... he was” Michael said a little sad, but still smiling slightly. It took a Gregory a second to realised how his father had said “was”, and when he did he was washed over with some guilt for asking. Michael saw this and put his arm around him and smiled at him, to show him it truly was okay. Gregory was unsure of how to proceed. He wanted to ask more but didn’t want to make his dad sad. Without really thinking he asked...

“Did you love him?” After he realised what he said he stopped a little and looked a bit guilty. But Michael only patted his shoulder, to once again show him it was okay.

“Yeah... just not enough” Michael sighed.

Gregory thought it was a bit of a strange answer, but also felt it was enough for tonight. He leaned into his fathers side. Michael gladly hugged him closer and kissed his head.

...and I’ll never make that mistake again, Michael thought to himself.

You watched them from the glass door opening to your yard. Everything was truly perfect. In a way you could never believe before it could. In a way you couldn’t imagine, when you feel in love with a man who clearly had baggage. In a way you couldn’t imagine when that man disappears soon after you’d together had a son. In a way you couldn’t images when you were sitting there alone, raising a child whom you didn’t know what to tell about the mysterious disappearance of his other parent.

But it truly was perfect. So prefect you couldn’t help but silently join them. Putting your arms around them, and kissing both their heads.

Together watching the sun go down. Leaving your garden quiet and dark, the only light coming from your warm home, and the sparkling stars in the sky.

-~-~-~-~-~-~ -~-~-~-~-~-~ -~-~-~-~-~-~ -~-~-~-~-~

And HERES PART 5 AFTER LIKE HALF A YEAR LMAO. I started writing this months ago and just had the start sitting in my drafts, even tough I had an idea I didn’t actually come up with the part with the second photo and flashback until now! I don’t know how but I randomly remembered that ask I got a few moths ago of someone saying how much they liked this story just motivated me, so thanks to that person ❤️❤️ I don’t know if any of my readers are still here waiting for part five, and I don’t know what my future of this blog will be. But I really enjoyed writing this, and hope you did too❤️

#michael fnaf #fnaf micheal #fnaf x you #fnaf gregory #fnaf security breach #fnaf x reader #fnaf #five nights at freddy's #five nights at freddy’s security breach #five nights at freddy’s x reader #michael afton x you #michael dadton #Michael is Gregory’s dad #Michael afton #michael afton x reader

[swampgh0stt]

Did Michael felt scared when he found out he was pregnant with Gregory, fearing that he might be another still birth?

cw: mentions of still birth, accidental pregnancy, trans male pregnancy talk, trauma

oh yeah -- it's a scare for him.

Like the previous pregnancy, Gregory was unplanned. Michael finds out when he starts recognizing morning sickness, but he doesn't immediately tell Jeremy about it. He decides to keep the revelation to himself, because he's scared. He blames himself for what happened to their last baby, still clinging to the plushies Jeremy got him.

Some days are hard, but they get a lot harder with this new pregnancy.

Eventually, he finds the courage to tell Jeremy. But it isn't a sit-down talk, he wants to try making this a happy event. Michael puts together a gift basket for Jeremy, with a positive pregnancy test in a little ziploc baggy at the bottom.

And Jeremy's so happy when he sees it. There's crying, hugging, excitement. The exchange goes a little like this--

Michael: I wanted to be sure… before I told you. Do you— want to try again? We can do it right this time. He can have a chance. Jeremy: yes! if you want to yes! Michael: I want to. I want that so badly. Jeremy: me too, Mikey.

Their baby supplies from the previous pregnancy are still in storage. They bring it all back out, setting up the nursery together. The Foxy/Bonnie plushies are Michael's though, he won't reuse them for another baby.

Michael is very attached to Gregory when he's born. He & Jeremy both are great parents, but.. Michael's a little more anxious & attached. This is reciprocated when Gregory gets older, being such a mama's boy. It's obvious that Michael is his favorites, but that's okay.

Jeremy has the twins, when they're born later.

#michael afton #jeremy fitzgerald #jeremike #fnaf gregory #five nights at freddy's

[gamequeenanya]

I may have figured out FNAF.

(Aka: "Phone Guy and the inherent tragedy of every developed FNAF character.")

Now, this isn't some deep theory post. It's just my observation watching the characters of the series and what happens to them.

FNAF is and always has been, a tragedy. (Everyone already knows this in relation to the ghost kids, but let's look deeper.)

And all this time I've been wanting more character development for my faves, I failed to realize that they already had it. But in the opposite direction as I may have liked.

You see, FNAF characters - every single one of them that even has a character to speak of - goes through a fall arc. Every single one of them (even the few who get rescued in the end, like Vanessa.)

Michael Afton has a fall arc (Bite of 83, and his gradual deterioration in the Sister Location Custom Night)

William Afton has a fall arc (his envy of Henry leads to his downfall, and then leads to himself getting Springlocked and deteriorating physically as well as mentally)

Other characters can have either a physical or mental state of getting worse as the story goes on, but many have both.

The Glamrocks get dirtier - and most of them are broken by the end. Glamrock Freddy survives but by the end, only his head is left.

There are exceptions to this rule - we don't yet know what Steel Wool is going to do with Gregory and Cassie - but for the most part this story is about everyone suffering because of FNAF, even if they start out in a relatively good place at the beginning.

Now to the part I've been waiting to tell.

All of Phone Guy's calls through the three games are about a fall arc. (Yes, even FNAF 3. It's subtle but it's there.)

He starts out as an older teen/young adult who seems really happy and excited to be a part of the Fazbear Experience. Listening to the tapes, you can hear the smile in his voice as he's reading the script.

But then, gradually, he starts smiling less and less. If you listen to the first tape and then the last tape back to back, you'll notice the fall from grace... What started out as a sweet, happy young man turns into a sad man with guilt and trauma. And even though he is telling us to "Remember to Smile!," he no longer puts any effort into even faking a smile by the end.

And it gets worse when you realize that this is someone who is bearing the burden of something he didn't do. People who are too nice often find themselves bearing the burden of other people's actions. And it feels like this is the case here. Phone Guy did not want anyone to get hurt on the job. Whether they actually listened to his tapes or muted him is not clear, but the fact is it would upset him greatly to hear someone got hurt on the job, and bear the guilt of the incidents. Phone Guy is good at hiding his emotions and pretending everything is fine, but as I'm listening close during a deep dive, it's clear his heart is affected by this.

That's not even getting into what William Afton did... Phone Guy has to pretend to be happy and smiley, but he can't help get passive aggressive when he finds out William broke the rules.

And then, listening to the less subtle ways the restaurant broke his heart... He went from a cheerful youngster wanting to work for a company that seemed like a lot of fun, to someone just trying to keep it together for the next person. By FNAF 2, he "succeeded." He's "lucky" because he gets to be paid more as a manager. But FNAF 2 contains probably the worst trauma ever for him... failing to save five children, and then dealing with the guilt. Then, (for whatever reason), he steps down from his previous position to take the night shift. Well, I have an inkling why, but it's dark. Does tumblr still allow us to say it without censoring it? I think the reason is that he's punishing himself for not being able to do more.

And then the FNAF 1 fall arc. This has all led up to the most unconvincing attempt of hiding his emotions we've seen so far. Phone Guy here is nervous. He's frazzled. He knows he's going to die. (But goshdarnit if he isn't going to talk to the nightguard he's training and try to help as much as he can.)

(And I know a lot of what Phone Guy says is just Scott trolling the player, but I can't help love it and want to analyze it nonetheless.)

And how could this be complete if I also don't analyze the trailer line:

"Hello hello? If you're hearing this, you've probably made a very poor career choice!" - If every other instance of Phone Guy lines can be dismissed as not being dark humor, I think this definitely is. But take a moment and consider: who is he really talking about here? The player is not going to have a long career at Freddy's. Nightguards at Freddy's tend to be a short time gig (for whatever reason). Whose job can safely be called a "career" then? It's Phone Guy. He's talking about himself. He regrets working here and he wants to warn you away from the job... And why would the trailer line be cut from the game? It isn't out of character. It's just something Fazbear Ent would not let him get away with saying.

Basically, this is the first instance of the FNAF fall arc, but it's a darned effective one. It's a tragic tale of a man who just wanted to have fun at a place that seemed nostalgic and happy.

#fnaf #phone guy #theory #analysis #anya's theories #anya looks too deep into things #fnaf character analysis #the fall arc #the tragedy of fnaf #phone guy as a sympathetic character

[crazycoke-addict]

Solving the death of Glamrock Bonnie Part 2

Continuing with my previous post, one thing I found interesting is that Glamrock Bonnie's eyes are white, and the only time we ever see this in Security Breach is with Glamrock Freddy. For Glamrock Freddy, it's possible that his eyes are glowing because he’s still on recharge since he wasn't fully charged after malfunctioning during performance.

However, this isn't the first time we have seen white eyes. We saw this with the classic animatronics, the puppet, scrap baby, and golden freddy. The glowing white eyes appear to be a debate with the fnaf community. However, the classic animatronics, golden freddy, puppet, and baby were at one point possessed by a child. Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, Foxy, and Golden Freddy were possessed by the five missing children incident, The Puppet is possessed by Charlie Emily and baby was possessed by Elizabeth Afton.

The tangled is an augmentation of robotic body parts that it has been collecting throughout the pizzaplex. It also has the mask of the puppet, who doesn't have glowing eyes, and the streaming tears are gone. It is worth noting that chica, Bonnie, and Circus Baby are actually animatronics used in the AR delivery.

Meanwhile, the Puppet was never seen in promotional posters of Ar Delivery, and we know that the puppet was present when Henry Emily burned the down the pizzeria because one of his goals was to let the soul of his daughter to be put to rest.

But what does this have to do with Glamrock Bonnie. Well, one of the main theories involving Glamrock Freddy is that he is possessed by Michael Afton himself. This back by his protectiveness towards Gregory, how he isn't controlled by the mimic or vanny who is mimicking his Michael's father, William Afton ans how when Vanny made him dig up the path, he said that he saw himself for the first time.

Is it possible that Glamrock Bonnie was possessed, but the question is, who? A lot of people die in this game, mostly children. So it is going to be hard to dissect on who would it be. Whoever they are, why does it have anything to do with the decommission of Glamrock Bonnie?

In Security Breach, we get a message where it appears to be a security report involving Glamrock Bonnie whereabouts. It says, "SECURITY REPORT - 12:24AM - Bonnie is seen leaving his green room in Rockstar Row heading East towards the atrium. 2:40AM - Bonnie enters the East Arcade. 4:12AM - Bonnie enters Monty Golf."

When looking at this report, the most obvious thing is that this happened after the pizzaplex was closed. Another thing to notice is that it says Bonnie entered Monty Golf, and that was the last sentence of the security report, yet when we do see Glamrock Bonnie. He's in the back of the bowling area. If they were tracking Bonnie's movements, then wouldn't the security report also continue with him heading over to Bonnie Bowl. Well, one will discuss if the other animatronics have a tracking device.

In Security Breach, Gregory had to get a hall pass in order to release Glamrock Freddy from his green room. It's possible that the other glamrock animatronics were also locked in their rooms, and it was Vanessa who released Chica, Roxy, and Monty to help her hunt down Gregory. So, it's interesting that within 24 minutes, Bonnie managed to get out. Well, the only thing that makes sense is if he crawls through the vents that Gregory did in order to get out.

Another thing to point out is that Bonnie spends a lot of his time in the arcade until he heads over to gator golf. So, was he spending that time playing every arcade. Well, yes and no. I don't think he played every arcade. But he did at least play certain games. While roaming around the arcade, you'll notice that some of them have a purple screen.

Through the dufflebags, there are messages talking about specific arcades and how they appeared to be glitching. Glamrock Bonnie may have overheard an employee discussing it but wasn't too sure which arcade game he was referring to. Why is the glitch important? Because glitchtrap, aka the mimic itself, is controlling the arcade by using those wires that you see around the area.Whoever is possessing Bonnie is connected to glitchtrap himself. Yes, I believe that Glamrock Bonnie was possessed by no other than Jeremy himself.

For those who don't know, there's specifically three Jeremy's in this franchise. But we are talking about the "Remember Jeremy" back in help wanted. In Help Wanted, by the time we are hired as beta tested for the fazbear virtual experience. Jeremy doesn't work with the game company anymore. He's mentioned by tape girl that Jeremy seems to enjoy his job as a beta tester, but as the day went, one went. Jeremy starts to become numb, and everything that even jumpscares didn't affect him. Tape Girl mentions how it sounded like Jeremy was talking to someone through the headset. Glitchrap was trying to control Jeremy.

One day, the tape girl comes to work, and she sees Jeremy, but she also sees some sort of Halloween mask and spilled ink. We both know that was a Halloween mask, nor was that black ink. Jeremy cut his own faces off. However, I don't believe it was under glitchtrap's control.

Here's why I think that. We don't know if there were other beta testers before Jeremy. So, Jeremy would have to be the first beta tester. It's interesting how tape girl and later on, Vanessa just accepted Glitchtrap and let him take over. Tape girl manipulated Vanessa to do so, but it shows that the tape girl herself was already accepting the control of glitchtrap. Also, at no point in the game, do we have to harm ourselves. Jeremy was trying to break from glitchtrap, so he did the only thing that he had to do. He cut his own face off because glitchtrap was scanning him.

You could say that because Jeremy was his first person , and he tried to control and brainwashed. He learned the trials and tribulations because it was still on murder mode. However, I don't think this is the case. Jeremy cutting his face off is similar to how Vanessa ordered those thumb screws. Vanessa is aware that there's something dark inside her that she needs to control, so she harms herself by using the thumb screws.

Jeremy passed away due to his injuries, but his spirit was hanging around. The thing about ghosts is that the reason why they may roam around earth is because of unfinished business, and they never felt like they got justice. That's why the five kids, Charlie Emily and even Elizabeth Afton, hang around because they all die tragically. I believe that's what is happening to Jeremy. Jeremy was the first victim of the mimic, aka glitchtrap, when it comes to brainwashing.

When it comes to choosing the animatronic to possess, I think that Glamrock bonnie was pretty much hand-picked, but Bonnie Bowl itself appears to be the only place where it doesn't involve Vanny camping out there nor an arcappearing there. Vanny camp out in fazerblast and possibly the room behind the daycare attendant's room. They mentioned how there are three arcades in Gator Golf, the bakery, and the daycare attendant's room.

Not to mention that Roxy Raceway was built on top of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza Place, and we know that Roxy was the last security node to shut down M.X.E.S by completing phase one of releasing the mimic. So Chica, Roxy, Monty, and to an extent Moon were controlled by the mimic through the arcades or in Roxy's case, they are near the mimic itself. This is why she was chosen to be the last security node.

Speaking of security nodes, it's interesting how the only one to deactivate the wet floor bots is through the V.A.N.N.I mask to put Glamrock Bonnie. The V.A.N.N.I isn't something that Vanessa made for herself, but rather, it appears that there were many made for the technician employees. The technician employees are responsible for the animatronics, meaning that they upgraded Glamrock Chica, Roxanne Wolf, and Montgomery Gator.

Remember when I said that Cassie's Dad was a technician? He never told her why bonnie was decommissioned and how the statue of Glamrock Bonnie is him cowering way something. I think that Glamrock Bonnie got decommissioned through the virtual reality of the V.A.N.N.I mask. This is why he managed to connect to the wet floor bots, and that's why you have to have the V.A.N.N.I mask to deactivate them.

However, we still have answered who or what decommissioned. Yes, the technicians who were probably controlled by the mimic through the V.A.N.N.I mask made sure that Glamrock Bonnie was decommissioned, but the statue in Help Wanted 2 and the area that he was found. It's telling us that nobody could cause that damage unless they were an animatronic themselves.

When looking at the crime scene itself, the biggest clue is the whole on Bonnie's chest, where it appears to have claw marks. So, we know that the animatronics has to have claws. There are three animatronics that were given claws based on the animal counterpart. They are Montgomery Gator, Roxanne Wolf, and Glamrock Freddy.

I'll start with Montgomery Gator. The main theory involving Glamrock Bonnie is that Monty killed Bonnie. This is because the last time we heard about Bonnie was that he was in Gator Golf. Monty ends up replacing Bonnie and how unlike Foxes and Wolves are in the same dog family. alligators are apex predators, while Rabbit was prey themselves. However, there are certain details that contradict the theory.

First of all, Glamrock Bonnie is found behind the bowling area even though the report stops at him going to gator golf. Another incriminated evidence that Monty did it is his claws himself. While yes, Monty probably did have claws . They didn't get upgraded until Monty got replaced Bonnie in the band. It is mentioned that when Monty's claws got upgraded. According to Freddy, bassist claws require the animatronic to slice through things, and that's interesting because how would Glamrock Freddy know that?

Next up is Roxanne Wolf, there are no evidence that Roxanne Wolf ever wanted Bonnie wanted to be decommissioned. She likes her position as the key guitarist of the band. The only thing we have is that she's an animatronic with claws, and her claws probably help with her playing the key guitar. You could say that because Roxanne may have jealous of Bonnie's popularity, which is why she's always says she's the best and how she confidentially believes that she's Gregory's favourite animatronic, But I don't believe this to be the case. So, Roxanne Wolf isn't the culprit. Which leads to Glamrock Freddy.

Throughout the security breach, Glamrock Freddy is shown helping Gregory, and the only time where he attacks him is when his battery is low or during the afton ending. However, this isn't to say that Glamrock Freddy was free from the mimic's control. I mentioned how Vanny was camping out over at the fazerblast. But why was she? It's also interesting that the three places where she camped out are Fazerblast, Daycare Attendant's room, and underneath the pizza place in the basement. The daycare attendant's room as the BB world game, and it seems to be the most glitched game of them all. You play this game last. You are now fully under the mimic and Vanny's control. The basement is where the boss battle itself happens. What is if the afton's ending ever happened, but doesn't mean Vanny's hideout in the basement is non-canon. So, we have two places that Vanny was hiding out involving a connection to The Mimic , so why campout in Fazerblast. That's because Princess Quest III is located, the game that Vanessa is trapped in.

The princess quest games appeared to be located in places where they are protected because it will be the last place that somebody would ever find. However, the princess quest appeared to be hidden well since, according to a message, somebody only played two of the games but didn't complete the third. It's also worth noting the only to get access to Princess Quest III if you win fazerblast and get the faz laser. What does this have anything to do with Glamrock Freddy.

Because Glamrock Freddy was probably under the control of mimic and Vanny at some point in time. When Glamrock Freddy was ever under the control is when the task involving the mimic becoming William Afton and bringing William afton. Meaning that Glamrock Freddy was the animatronic who decommissioned Glamrock Bonnie.

The technician programmed Glamrock Freddy by connecting him to the V.A.N.N.I network, and the reason why Glamrock Freddy didn't have any memory until he was upgraded is where he remembers what he has done. However, Freddy does appear to have some guilt about what happened. Glamrock Bonnie had to decommission through the V.A.N.N.I network since we know know he activates the wet floor bots, but the wet floor bots can't deactivate unless you're in the V.A.N.N.I network.

Another animatronic that helped with the decommission of Glamrock Bonnie is the moon animatronic. The last location that Bonnie was seen is Gator Golf, but he was found in Bonnie Bowl. Because this was the night that Glamrock Bonnie was decommissioned. Similar to what happened to Freddy in Security Breach when he got knocked out and dragged by the moon to parts and services. So, Glamrock Bonnie was knocked out, and the moon animatronic took him over to Bonnie Bowl. Glamrock Freddy decommissioned Glamrock Bonnie so bad that there was no way for the technician to repair him.

Glamrock Bonnie was still activated through the remnant of Jeremy, so he connected to the wet floor bots through the V.A.N.N.I network, just waiting for someone to deactivate them and find his body.

#fnaf #glamrock freddy #glamrock bonnie #roxanne wolf #montgomery gator #theory

[starkraivennemad]

The Cold Detail

Being security detail for Mycroft Holmes was both an honor and a horror show.

All of Holmes’ security detail must run the minimum two-year gauntlet of the horror show of being on the detail for Sherlock Holmes before being rewarded to protect Mycroft and Anthea as space opened.

But Sherlock is not the problem for Agents Marcus Derrico, Anand Sajjadul and the others on their rotation. They were the part of the secrete security of someone else important to Mr. Holmes.

Detective Inspector  Gregory Michael Lestrade.

Their orders simple: do not interfere or help with his job, and above all do not let Lestrade see you.

So complete is their noninterference, there were a few times where Lestrade had lost a suspect who outran him. Twice with Sherlock on the chase as well - that is not their job. Lestrade may never learn how they kept a criminal’s accomplice from nearly getting the drop on and assassinate him – that is their job.

It was fine until someone slipped up. Derrico and Sajjadul heard about the dressing down the discovered detail received before they were shipped somewhere to chill for their failure to remain invisible. It did not stop Mr. Holmes from keeping Lestrade protected. After a year, it was with a resigned détente that Lestrade accepted they were a secret part of his life to the point the guards now on rotation were certain Lestrade had forgotten they exist which was perfect.

Until tonight.

Accustomed to waiting on Lestrade as he chased leads, the two agents followed him to a warehouse. The old brick and concrete structure was abandoned, the ceiling had caved in places and had no power. One of the rooms had been the scene of a grisly crime. Forensic had documented everything and the scene released nearly a week ago. Neither agent knew why Lestrade would want to enter the building on a freezing cold day, this close to sunset, but there they were. They could not drive into the lot and maintain their illusion of invisibility. Thus, Sajjadul drew the short straw and followed Lestrade to the front entrance only while Derrico waited in their nice warm car a block away.

Sajjadul had heard Lestrade muttering to himself as a door closed loudly. Yes, Lestrade had his phone and his torch, but Sajjadul really wished he had not gone into an abandoned building at nightfall alone. It had been cold earlier and little warmth provided by the sun vanished with its setting and it was now bitter cold. Sajjadul knew Lestrade’s natural body temp ran hot and was envied how the D.I. was walking around bare headed when he himself would kill for another layer of warmth on his head.  

“God! It’s gold as a witch’s tit out here! What the bloody hell is he doing?” Sajjadul pushed his earpiece in more, pulling his hat down further over his ears. The temperature had dropped to the point that awning that had dripped in the sun when he first stood at the entrance had refrozen into stalactites.

“Fuck all if I know. He’s no Holmes, but he is damned smart copper. Probably following some obscure hunch.” Derrico responded.  “Let’s hope he does it quickly get somewhere warm!”

“I haven’t heard anything, not even walking around. Somethings not right.” Sajjadul said after a while of much too quiet. “I should go in…”

“We’re not supposed to interfere …”

“We’re not, we’re confirming he’s okay.”

“Sajjadul, wait! Remember Naer and Corley?”

Sajjadul gave a moment’s pause at the reminder of the two agents banished to a location that would make their current local feel balmy.

“YOU want to tell Holmes something happened to the man while  we were debating Schrodinger’s Lestrade?”

“Christ no!”

“Establishing a visual wellness check...” Sajjadul pulled a torch from his coat pocket and went in.

It was as he feared– oh so cold, very dark, and much too quiet except for an odd thud as he walked.

“Wait… I think I hear somethi …” Sajjadul started to speak, then stopped. “Derrico…? Anand..?”  He heard nothing but silence and realized the concrete and brick obstructed even their communications. A quick check verified that his cellphone was also useless.

The thuds he heard before, now silent.

He began to worry as he carefully made his way to the crime scene.  

“He’s not here?” He flashed his torch around the room. “Shite!”

The thud he heard earlier began anew. It was louder, and faster, yet weaker. He knew it was Lestrade.

He followed it to a room with a stuck door. The thudding stopped when Sajjadul slammed his body into it. It took a couple of tries before it finally opened.

The room’s ceiling was too high for Lestrade to reach. With no windows and no mobile reception even with the hole in the partially caved in roof, Lestrade had been trapped in the freezing room with no cell phone reception and no heat source. There was little chance he would have survived the night.

“This is going to hurt.” Lestrade moaned painfully as he unfolded his chilled bones to stand.

Even so, Sajjadul did not enter the room. He slipped back into the shadows and pretended he did not hear the barely audible “Thanks…” whispered as Lestrade painfully made his way out of the room.

He silently followed Lestrade out of the warehouse, where Derrico had also broken protocol. Their sedan awaited them at the entrance.

A very grateful Lestrade climbed into its empty warmth and was taken home by Derrico while Sajjadul drove Lestrade’s car to be found in its parking spot when he awakened in the morning.

“I can’t tell…” Sajjadul sighed before their shift’s end. “Should we tell him?”

“I’m not…”

Neither Sajjadul nor Derrico reported the incident.

They realized Lestrade himself must have informed Mr. Holmes when each had received an unexpected increase in their pay and a month’s holiday in the nice warm Caribbean.   ------ Read on AO3

#flash fiction friday #sherlock challenge #mystradedialogueprompt #bbc sherlock #mystrade #greg lestrade

[v-era-18]

Ignorance (Sneak Peek)

(Five Nights At Freddy’s x Reader)

Death can be taken in many ways. A life to celebrate or one to find solace in that the person was laid to rest from the ruling terror of the world. 

Some might even see death as a chance of rebirth, a new age of starting over anew. A second chance at life through actions and goals your soul didn't get a chance to accomplish. 

However a state of purgatory is one not to mess with, so many lives lost to a man with selfish desire and greed to feel whole caused them to haunt the establishments known for laughter and joy. 

Blood dripped from the withered springlock suit, veins and wires barely distinguishable compared to the charred red flesh seeping through brittle fur. He moved slowly from the charging station, a clank and a thump of patience with movement. He was taking his time, they were right where he wanted them and he was ready to return to strength once more. 

A thump could be heard behind (Y/n) as she held onto Gregory, she could feel the rapid pulse on his neck as he stared at the screen. The murder and mastermind simply stared back twitching, pained breaths, being sealed away each second. The air was thin within the underground pizza plex causing labored breaths to form under the intense aftermath of the night. 

Her father and Michael were wrong. 

Ignorance isn’t bliss. 

The field of entertainment is not for the weak. Whether it was shows, broadcasts, books, and movies they each had the same level of expectations to some degree. Everyone watching the product of production, each line voiced had to be perfect, each facial expression and movement to draw out emotion from the audience. It was even harder when you had children watching your every move. How could anyone ignore that pressure? You were once like them after all, having a moment of wistful thinking that you could be like that; you could be a hero, a singer, a mastermind behind the scenes and have everyone's eyes on you.  

The buildup was even heavier once you have children. 

Mr. (Ln) still remembers the day he brought his daughter home for the first time. He was an engineer with a high passion for robotics ,and by the age of twenty three every franchise with animatronics wanted him in their field. He worked a few gigs here and there with repairs and projects that paid a lot of money to last him for months surprisingly. He had a large home, five bedrooms with the hope of finding someone to live with him. Unfortunately, he struck out too many times to count. 

It wasn't anyone's fault, not even his, it was odd to say that he really couldn’t see himself being with anyone other than his work, that was until he received a deafening call from a hospital that wet afternoon. He’d been carless, and wallowed in his grief that he wasn’t there for the girl he had gotten pregnant. She was pretty and smart, and worked long hours as a security guard. To his dismay, she didn't have any family, ‘I'm an orphan’ the sweet voice admitted in the back of his mind. 

The tears he shed matched the ones of the baby girl that rested in his arms. He didn't know how to feel, it was unexpected, but in his heart he felt like it was a blessing. The mother of his child was someone he actually didn't mind settling down with, she simply didn't like the idea of not working anymore for his piece of mind. So when they split he always said the door was open to her and she had his number if she changed her mind, she seemed a bit lost as she left. He knew she could take care of herself, but sometimes the world isn't too kind to women during these times.  

So there he sat on the sofa, warm bottle in hand with little (Y/n) suckin’ on the nipple as she watched him. Her eyes matched her mothers, and it took a few years of the girl growing up beside him before he saw the resemblance between the two of them other than the blood test. They were both happy, (Y/n) would run up and down the stairs in glee to get away from her fathers 'wrath’ after playing pranks, whether it was dipping his hand in warm water while he slept or cracking an egg on his face. 

The old man smiled at the memory at his desk within the office, he mindlessly scrolled through each event for the month within the mega pizza plex as he thought about the good times before he walked into their lives. He couldn't help but wonder what if he never took the job to help the two men with their animatronics in the first place. He would never have this job now and probably be working somewhere else without a horrid history behind this franchise. He worked so hard with Henry to erase the madman's touch here only for the secrets to pile up one by one till it was two heavy for the both of them to carry. 

Michael did well finishing the job, but he hated how the boy felt like he had to fix his own fathers mistakes. It wasn’t easy watching someone who your daughter held dear as a child grow up only to die like the rest of his siblings; all thanks to the same man that gave them life. Mr. (Ln) hated keeping secrets, especially from his daughter, and he knew there was no way to prevent what was going to befall next. 

A creak in the corner caused the man to smile as he wheeled his chair around. There stood the mystery he would call ‘the bunny’ as he had grown to hate  the concept of the animal all together over the years; to think there was a mock killer that idolized Afton, made his stomach lurch. He knew they were coming, hence why everything was already in place before he died tonight. His princess was a smart girl, she would piece everything together and fix everything within hours like he knows she will. 

“I'm assuming he sent you here to finish the job? After all I'm the only one left to stop him,” Mr. (Ln) spoke bitterly, looking at the knife they held within the pore pale bunny costume the girl was wearing. He knew who it was, she was the only one placed on guard duty tonight. It was a shame he never noticed earlier. “Tell him, I'll tell his family hello, if they're finally free as I hoped they would be.” 

They paused for a moment looking back at the old man as they listened to the mastermind in their head, a crooked grin made way on her face behind the mask, “He said don't worry. As long as (Y/n) remains ignorant to what's happening she won't be touched, and she won't meet the same fate as Micheal.”.

 It was a false sense of security she knew, but based on her thoughts of her master's tone he seemed a bit hesitant on his decision on the matter. 

The man leaned back, “I see, well, let me not leave the others waiting,” His eyes were closed as the girl approached, she was deeply resentful with the man's peaceful expression, “Just like how you keep the devil on his toes.” 

#fnaf #fnaf security breach #security breach x reader #fnaf x reader #five nights at freddy's

[and-stir-the-stars]

For the Grab&Go AU, would Michael try to forcibly adopt Gregory? (Yes, this is in response to your post from earlier) Does Gregory run away from home in this AU? Does he meet Mike first, or Evan? (Answer whichever you want. This is more to nudge your brainstorming than actually looking for an answer)

I'd imagine he wouldn't go after Cassie, though, simply because her father also works for Freddy's, and Mike would probably already know him.

okay to answer this, first I'll say there's 2 Mikes in the au

Mike Smith -> this Mike killed Evan when ev was seven. This Mike grew up to work at Freddy's and accidentally got sent back in time, stopped the Bite from happening (grabbed Evan away when Ev was hiding from kid Mike on ev's birthday in 1983), and ended up kidnapping Ev when they were both put into the future (2001, maybe?)

Mike Afton -> this Mike was created after Mike Smith kidnapped Evan. To this Mike, his little brother Evan went missing when he was seven and was never found.

Mike Afton goes on to adopt Cassie and Gregory, after he gets a lot of therapy and grows as a person after thinking it's his fault that Evan went missing (this Mike believes Ev never would have ran away and got lost/kidnapped if he hadn't been so mean and tried dragging Evan to see Fredbear on his seventh birthday).

I'm still thinkin everything through ofc, but for now, current thoughts is that Michael Afton ends up adopting Cassie before Gregory. Cassie is either the result of a one-night stand Mike had, or Cassie is the daughter of one of Mike's masked bully friends who died/went to jail, and Mike ended up getting custody of her.

Gregory either had a bad home life or his parent(s) died and he was put in the foster care system. Either way, he ended up running away, where he met Cassie when no one showed up to her birthday party. Sometime after, Mike Afton adopted Gregory. So, Gregory meets Mike (Afton) before he meets Evan.

Evan runs away from Mike Smith when he's 15 or 16. Evan is living on the streets for a month or two, hiding from Mike Smith and trying to figure out what to do. One day, Evan gets caught shoplifting at a store that Gregory happens to be in. When Greg sees what's happening, Gregory causes a distraction and helps Evan get away. Once they're both safe, Greg laughs at Evan-- "that was such a rookie mistake you made! You really haven't been on the streets long, huh? Here, let me show you how it's really done!"

Greg introduces Evan to Cassie, and although the two of them encourage Ev to come with them bc their dad will be able to help Evan, Ev refuses. Greg and Cassie spend maybe a week or two bringing Evan food and clothes and hanging out with him, becoming friends. Finally, they bring Mike Afton to meet their new friend. Evan is terrified of this man that shares his abuser's face and name, but Evan quickly realizes this is NOT the same Mike who kidnapped him. He's still scared of Mike Afton nonetheless, but Evan stays around because Greg and Cassie are his friends. Ev doesn't want to abandon them-- especially not with a version of Mike that might be hurting them the same way Mike Smith hurt Evan.

So Evan stays, still trying to hide his identity from Mike Afton, and trying to make sure Greg and Cassie are safe with Mike Afton while also trying to use Mike to figure out his own complicated past, which Evan still doesn't remember very well.

As for whether Mike Smith would forcibly adopt Gregory,,

Im sorta debating whether Mike Smith would keep tabs on Mike Afton after realizing a whole other version of himself exists now that he fucked up the timeline. I think Smith would, but it might take Smith a while to realize Mike Afton even exists. Smith wouldn't trust this other version of himself at all, but he keeps his distance bc he doesn't want anything to do with Afton.

I can see a version of events where Smith doesn't trust Afton around kids when he learns that Afton adopted cassie and Greg and decides it'll be best to get Afton away from them, howeverrrr. That pretty heavily conflicts w the version of the au that I've been daydreaming about so far. Plus, Mike Smith knows that he himself is behaving really toxically and in ways that hurt Evan; he just has to keep raising Evan anyway, though, because no one else will be able to keep Evan's traumatic memories from surfacing like Smith thinks he can/has to, and Mike Smith has a lot of paranoia and trauma from other people hurting him that makes him afraid to let Evan out into the world. For Greg and Cassie, neither of these things are an issue; they're already out in the world and Smith might come to the conclusion that keeping them safe "isn't his problem" when he's already struggling to keep Evan cared for.

After Evan runs away, he ends up becoming a part of Mike Afton’s family. When Smith realizes where Evan is, I think Smith does try kidnapping Evan back-- only Mike Smith quickly realizes that he just... can't do this again. Evan isn't the only one with repressed memories; Smith himself also repressed just how bad things were when he first kidnapped a seven year old Evan who begged to be allowed to go back to his family and had to be locked in his room with his screams and beging and sobbing left ignored in the name of making sure Ev couldn't run away. Now, Smith sees the effects of being violently ripped away from that little slice of family and happiness that he found for himself crushing Evan, and Mike Smith just... can't. He doesn't have a plan, anyway. It was a miracle that seven year old Ev repressed away the kidnapping and his past, but Smith can already tell that this teenage Evan isn't going to do that. Smith knows he can't keep Evan locked up in his room and hope for another miracle solution like Evan repressing the kidnapping. So, he ends up letting Evan go at the realization that this is Evan’s only chance at happiness and safety.

Whether Mike Smith would have tried kidnapping not just Evan away from Mike Afton, but also kidnapping Cassie and Greg is an interesting question,, a version of events where Smith tries "saving" the three of them from Mike Afton while also letting Evan keep the siblings he found for himself could be really interesting.

It probably does bother Smith that he's leaving kids with Mike Afton when Mike Smith doesn't trust any version of himself with kids, but again, Mike knows he doesn't have the money or ability to try taking care of Evan, let alone two additional kids who also don't want to be with Smith and will try running away at any chance they get. Smith also doesn't have the guilt of, yk, killing Cassie or Greg in the original timeline like he does Ev, so Smith might justify it as "they're not my problem, not when I have Ev to take care of." Or at least, they're not his problem until he first figures out how to keep Evan safe (which he ultimately decides is letting Evan go).

#I didn't mention it in the post bc it would make things more complicated but evan does use a #Fake name when he introduces himself to greg and cassie (and when he introduces himself to mike afton) #Exactly how mike afton realizes this runaway teen is his long lost brother I'm not sure yet #I don't even know if it happens before or after smith tries kidnapping evan back #tw kidnapping #tw child abuse #grab&go au #evan afton support center

[puhpandas]

Evan and Greg are basically your oc's!, what is your interpretation of Micheal in the modern au. Also how does mike not see Evan as a person?

Also flashlight duo is super cute

Has Evan ever been bullied at school?

the ocification beam hit them too hard...

I view Michael in my flashlight duo universe as being like. not how a lot of people portray him. as in he doesnt lash out for a reason. he isnt acting that way towards Evan because William told him to.

it's for sure affected by William's own actions, but as in Michael subconsciously learned those things. he isn't even on William's side really. he sucks as a father to both of them. it's just that michael doesnt respect Evan enough to see him as someone who is supposed to be on his side

Michael subconsciously learned growing up that everything Evan is is bad. and the cool people his age see people like Evan as weak, so he does too.

he lacks any emotional maturity, so a lot of his actions towards Evan are out of his own boredom and resent. he genuinely thinks his reactions are funny. if he ever did realize what he did was wrong, he would have to actually realize. he knows fully that what he does hurts Evan. he just doesn't care. he hasn't developed the intuition he needs to care. you know?

and Michael is around 16 if evan is 12. it's not that hes too young to understand, it's the lack of good parenting, or literally parenting in general. if Evans life is hell because everyone around him hates him, then that means its true. it means the people in hurricane dont like people like Evan (a boy who at his age should be getting manlier, but isnt. sensitive and emotional and physically small and lanky. evan literally has anxiety and paranoia and is neurodivergent and people dont really acknowledge that but they notice. and they don't like it)

the people in their town suck and are mean and so is Michael's father. so of course hes going to stick to what hes been taught and to everybody else who also believes it and is on his side. he was never taught that what hes doing is wrong. hes a bad person but it's a product of horrible parenting and the worst town in the world

in contrast to Michael, in the neglect and bullying Evan has faced its made him kinder. he is the one facing it so he wants to be kind to others instead of being like the people he hates.

I dont want to say he would be more in tune with his emotions than Michael because he wouldn't be. before Gregory, he was so unstable and miserable he was just a big ball of anxiety and emotions. he didnt understand his emotions and have that country mile on Michael's own emotional maturity because he didnt have it in him to learn

and by that I mean he didnt even like himself enough to want to help himself. hed been taught that theres fundamentally something wrong with him that makes him bad and weird and not like anyone else who's impossible to 'fix'. and hed been hearing that since he was a young kid, so of course hed believe it.

but then Gregory comes alone and slowly tries to strip away what Evan had been taught just by being kind to him and repeating kind things. the opposite of what everyone else did.

and that is what makes Evan begin to change for the better. the first thing he learns is that Gregory doesn't think something is super wrong with him that makes him bad and stupid so he starts to believe it a little, too. he begins to see how maybe how hes being treated is unfair and its him seeing himself as worthy of kindness that makes him upset on his own behalf. and what that means is he has better self esteem when before he was so insecure he could never even defend himself a little bit

and its after he gains some respect for himself that he learns how to help himself. he actually thinks he deserves it now, so with his support system in Gregory and his family he learns how he works. he learns what his phobias are and what sets him off and how to calm himself down. and of course he hoped all the way through that changing could be what 'fixes' him and the people around him wouldnt hate him so much. but like I said before its that self respect that confirms it's for himself and not for others

of course that stuff doesnt go away, but he improves. the people around him do notice. they dont care enough to say anything, they're more just suprised or happy hes shutting up in that mean way of theirs. but I think after a while of Evan being comfortable with Gregory and improving himself he would one day just snap.

before, he had layers and layers of nervousness and fear and anxiety and insecurity stopping his very high emotions from boiling over. and with the newfound respect for himself comes the anger on his own behalf of how hes treated.

so i feel like one day he would just blow up with all the emotion without the insane amount of fear stopping him. and it doesnt help, not really.

before, evan wanted to please michael and his father. but now that he wants them to know how much he hates them and how much they hurt him, they are pleased.

he gained more respect but in the worst way. not the way he wanted.

but back to their relationship, I think post-all of this, evan wouldnt want anything to do with him. let's say Michael does have a wake up call when they're both older. hes already ruined his relationship so much its unsalvageable. he caused evan to develop fundamental issues rooted deep (anxiety and paranoia, general things he learned about the world and certain people/groups and traits that he'll have to remind himself arent true) inside of him.

his family had their chance and they blew it hard. evan is definitely in the right to want nothing to do with him or William and to continue growing up and living and laughing with his actual family in his heart. they never get to make it official, but that doesn't matter.

anyway I went on like. a lot lol. for anyone who havent read my oneshot series this is based completely off of that au of mine and in my mind is canon to every oneshot if you do read them. thanks for enabling me to talk about flashlight duo lol you can tell I put so much thought into them every day its crazy

edit: to answer your actual questions lol: it's not that Michael literally doesn't see Evan as a human person, it's that he doesnt respect him enough to treat him with human respect. you know? everything evan is he has been taught is bad and worthless so that's what he thinks. so by extension evan is too

and yeah evan does get bullied at school. I always imagined it was less bullies pushing him into lockers and stealing his lunch money (Williams ass does not give him lunch money let's be real) and more that they just treat him awful. hes either invisible or in the way and then they dont care to be super rude to him. they dont just spout their exact thought process out but they all think of him badly and view him as a big joke. its less blatant meanness and more just treating him awful in general and that's what makes Evan think its normal and that hes asking for it when its not.

#things i think evan has at least in my au: #anxiety paranoia add #he could also have gender issues later on because of how he probably doesnt have a good relationship with masculinity #im thinking nb #fredbear colors #like probably when hes a lot older #adult age like 20s #i hc #or i guess its canon because. this is my au lol #that Gregory and evan move in together when they eventually both leave home #as soon as evan turned 18 he ran to live with the fazbears until gregory moved out #and then they both either go to college together or just get an apartment together #they are friends and brothers for their whole lives later btw #until theyre old and wrinkly #i think Michael eventually would understand that he was so wrong to act that way #probably when he and evan are both grown #but its just too late. you know #some relationships just cant be salvaged #vanessa is the older sibling evan always wanted anyways #pandas.txt #pandas talks #pandas asks #thoughts #flashlight duo #flashlight duo modern au #evan and michael #afton family #evan #Michael #flashlight duo au thoughts

[thekatebridgerton]

Have you ever thought which Bridgerton sibling might outlive their spouse? It’s depressing to think about but I can’t shake the feeling that Anthony, Eloise, Daphne, Colin, and Benedict all outlived their spouses. Since it’s been confirmed that Anthony lived until to his 90s, anything could happen to Kate. I am being nice to Fran cause home girl doesn’t need to see two husbands dying.

hmm well here's my HC about it.

Anthony does outlive Kate, but only for a few years, two or three at most, to get his affairs in order and eventually pass away from natural causes at his home surrounded by friends and family

Sophie outlives Benedict for twenty five years, for some reason I feel like she would be the Bridgerton that will live the longest, because older grandma Sophie is the only one in that whole family who is resilient enough to survive the death of most of her loved ones, especially after the love of her life passes away. I HC that Benedict dies in his sixties and Sophie twenty years after that. She'd be the last 1st gen Bridgerton left alive after the others pass actually.

Colin, yes he sadly is the type to die of grief in less than a year after the passing of Penelope sometime during their eighties.

Simon, also outlives Daphne. I HC her as having died at childbirth because I can see Daphne trying for one last child in her menopause years and having a child in her fifties. Sorry Saphne shippers, it's not that I don't like her, it's just that I HC Daphne as the first death that really impacted the whole family. As the Basset matriarch, she's always been.

Eloise yeah, she outlives Phillip, I think the scars from Marina's death would make Phillip super overprotective over Eloise health, and their case would be a death where they both got sick at the same time of something like the flu, but Phillip got so focused on making sure Eloise made it trough, that he neglected his own health. Eloise would mourn him for years and just like Anthony, she'd pass away within two or three years of Phillip's death.

Michael, like you said, outlives Francesca, by around twenty years. She dies of natural causes and Michael spends the rest of his life in their daughter Janet's household. Because she's the only person who reminds him of Francesca. I feel like after Francesca's death, Michael's grief could develop into a form of senile dementia, the type where he believes Fran is still alive and confuses their daughter with her. John takes over the Earldom and provides round the clock nursing care for Michael, but Janet insists on keeping their father in her household, because Kilmartin castle has too many memories.

Hyacinth also outlives Gareth, and goes mad with grief about it, languishing in bed and worrying everyone, one day she decides to come out of mourning and go on a trip to the coast and news comes back that she passed away on the way home. It's unclear if that was her plan or along or if she really was trying to move on and accidentally caught the sickness that killed her.

Gregory outlives Lucy by around eight years. I HC that she dies around the same time period Benedict dies. So while Gregory does have lots of children, he goes off to spend his mourning years with his sister in law Sophie who is basically left as the family matriarch. And probably die because of an accident or a wound that wasn't cleaned properly. Because we all know Lucy was Gregory's common sense and with her gone, he simply doesn't care about himself.

but these are just my HC, what do you think about them dear reader?

#kanthony #polin #benophie #philoise #franchel #anthony bridgerton #kate sharma #sophie beckett #benedict bridgerton #eloise bridgerton #phillip crane

[percyaugod]

Gluncle Mike: Help Wanted 2

Finally got caught up on the game and some theories and now have some new ideas. Most of them are me considering a different end with Cassie's dad in the AU.

For the most part, the stuff I had with Cassie's dad would stay the same. He and Mike were close when they were younger but he was scared of what people would think of him and Mike being friends, reconnecting with Evan when Cassie and Gregory become friends, Evan telling him what happened to Michael, etc.

In this path, that's why he started working as a technician. This way he can work on the animatronics and constantly check if there's any unexplained behavior or …surprises inside. If William is as persistent as they say he is, and Michael isn't here to try to stop him, it's up to them to fend him off. There's no running away this time.

Cassie's dad going through the trouble of getting the figures and putting them together because Helpy says it'll help bring Mike back. Helpy who Michael put somewhere safe from the fire. Helpy knew that Michael would come back if his father did. Helpy knew chances were it would end badly for Cassie's dad and so many other people, but Helpy just missed Michael so much.

It does end badly for Cassie's dad and he ends up in the mask bot. The absolute pain of being forced to give his daughter that mask in Ruin.

When Gregory, Freddy, and the others are gathering the other animatronics on the way back after defeating the mimic and probably some kind of rabbit for the hundredth time Freddy sees the mask bot. He doesn't know who it is, but he can see that someone is in there, so they're coming with him.

There are a couple of ways this can go after.

A. Glamrock Bonnie was beyond repair, AI unsalvageable. The Endo and parts that they could use being used to make a new Bonnie that note holds Cassie's dad. A lot easier to move and talk but Bonnie might not be his favorite anymore.

B. They just use some spare Bonnie parts to make a new Bonnie. Now there are two of them. Evan hates it, but Freddy is now a bear that has two Bonnies and he will never let anything happen to either of them.

Either way, Cassie's dad was surprised at how well Evan took finding out it was him. What do you mean Michael is possessing Freddy? Are we looking at the same bear? He's letting Gregory ride on his shoulders, Evan!

They also bring back Helpy and Cassie's dad hates the little rat, but if what Evan said is true it has kept its promise. Loathe as Cassie's dad is to admit it, he did it to himself. It's not like Helpy forced him to do anything. If it tries anything again though, Cassie's dad is dropping a bowling ball on it.

#help wanted 2 #fnaf au #fnaf #fnaf security breach #evan afton #mask bot #cassie's dad #glammike #Gluncle Mike AU #fnaf ruin