Chapter Text
Michael would always be able to hold some sort of position at Freddy's, that being because of his father who Co-owned the restaurant. So of course when it's his Senior year of high-school he's been working at the pizzeria for a bit over 6 months. He'd been attempting to save money because Michael sure as hell was not staying in that god forsaken house when he turned 18. It's not like he had many attachments in this damn town, well besides his siblings...but maybe he could take them with him?
The only friend he really had was a family friend, Charlie. She was pretty much the same age as Michael if not older and had been in Michael's life from a very young age.
She would support Michael in his endeavors to get Michael and his siblings out of that house but Michael didn't find himself speaking to her often.
Working at Freddy's was such a bore, Michael found himself multiple times drifting to sleep but kept awake. Well until he didn't and fell right asleep.
And honestly he needed that sleep.
Forgetting to set an alarm before dozing, Michael was rudely (not so much) awaken by a gentle tap on his shoulder.
Oh shit.
When Michael looked up the most attractive guy he'd ever laid his eyes on looked back at him.
"Oh shit, what time is it-" Michael panicked looking around.
"Hey hey! No need to panic! I wont tell Mr. Afton I swear!"
"You better fucking not." Michael spat, gathering his things.
He had a good 30 minutes to get home and nap before he had to take his siblings and himself to school.
And of course traffic was horrible, for what reason at 6 fucking am? no clue.
If only he'd set a fucking alarm, maybe, just maybe, he'd be home and able to nap before getting his siblings in the car.
When Michael got out of the car it was already 5 minutes past the time his siblings and him were supposed to be on the road.
Of fucking course.
Michael ran inside, unlocking the door and praying William wouldn't be home this morning to critique him.
Luckily Evan and Elizabeth were sitting in the living room with their bags all ready to go.
"C'mon, we've gotta go!" He spoke in a rush, leaving the door open for his siblings to shut on their way out. Michael hopped in the drivers seat and Elizabeth quickly took shotgun, leaving Evan to sit in the back which he didn't complain much to.
Michael looked around to make sure their seatbelts were on before pulling out and trying to beat traffic to get his siblings quickly to school without them being late to their own classes. As soon as he dropped them off and made sure they were inside he pulled out again and sped down the road to the highschool.
When he parked his car he was exhausted, in no shape for a class.
Maybe a little tiny nap wouldn't hurt.
Then Michael sat up, the bright sun shining in his eyes.
It was too bright for it to be morning, what was the fucking time???
Michael checked the clock on his dashboard and it read 12PM.
He needed to get his shit together.
Michael opened his car door and quickly ran inside, it would be lunch period right about now so maybe he wouldn't seem out of place.
But of course he just HAD to run into someone.
He needed to sleep better.
"Ah shit, sorry-"
"It's fine, don't I know you from somewhere british boy?" the man joked.
Its the guy from the dayshift. Just great.
"I've been meaning to find you actually, you left in such a hurry earlier and you forgot this notebook-"
Michael snatched it from the blonde's hands.
"If you went through this you're dead." He hissed, flipping through the notebook quickly.
"It's fine! Wow you are like REALLY hot headed huh? A short temper to match a pretty face I guess."
Oh Michael was so going to-
wait shit, his face felt warm.
"Whatever.." Michael grumbled as he turned, the boy waving as he walked away.
Atleast he would never have to see him again?
Michael would flip through the pages of his notebook, finding a page with something he didn't remember drawing.
a stick figure with a smiley face, the words "hey, cool stuff! hope we can talk :D"
oh Michael was going to kill this guy.
"Well who's got you in such a mess. I could see that face from miles away!"
Oh thank god, it was just Charlie.
"Its nothin." Michael scoffed, closing the notebook.
"Yeah yeah nothing my ass. Saw you talking to Fitzgerald."
"So the blonde has a name huh? He's super fucking annoying." Michael would roll his eyes.
"Yeah, just be nice to him okay? You need it."
"Yeah whatever."
Charlie rolled her eyes, sitting up and turning away to leave Michael to himself.
Michael just opened his sketchbook back up, turning to the empty page after the wasted page of praise. He began to get to work, doodling Foxy. The red fox had always been his favorite of his father's creations that his father let him design himself. Perhaps maybe like a reward of sorts. Michael enjoyed the idea of pirates, free men allowed to go wherever their heart wanted them to. He wished he had that kind of freedom, away from his father's harsh words and commands. Then the bell rung.
Oh great, math.
Michael shrugged, making his way from the tree to his class. He took his seat and when class started Michael began to wish he'd just skipped that day altogether. He began doodling on the desk, this time a character his father would never ever consider making into an animatronic for Freddy's. It was just a redesign of Fredbear...well more so Freddy, the newer version of Fredbear. The bear was decorated with little lighting bolt designs and more kid friendly and approachable designs. Michael was so absorbed he didn't realize class was ending, he wished he didnt have to leave the doodle behind but he'd copy it into his notebook the next day if no jerk ruined it.
Michael made it through the rest of the day fine, he wanted to be able to sleep a bit longer so he skipped his last class to leave early and get in the line to pick his siblings up.
It seemed to work as when the children burst through the door, Michael was one of the first to pick up any children.
Michael went through his usually routine with his siblings before pulling out of the pick up and onto the main road. He turned the radio up for Elizabeth and Evan so they didn't have to suffer through silence as they drove home.
Eventually he pulled into their small driveway and parked, letting his siblings out before himself. When Michael got inside he'd crash on his bed for the next 3 hours before waking up at around 6PM to make dinner for his siblings.
William was home.
It was awkward as he slinked his way into the kitchen as William sat right at the kitchen table.
"How was your beauty rest? Have you finally decided to take care of your siblings?"
His father's tone made Michael want to punch a hole in the wall but he calmed himself, "Fine, thanks. I'm just making food for Liz and Ev like I always do."
Michael saw a flash of annoyance cross his father's face and he knew he succeeded in his comment. He turned back to the stove, continuing to cook the meal. Soon it was finished and he walked out of the kitchen to call for the children.
"Liz, Ev! Dinner's ready!"
The two quickly rushed downstairs, Elizabeth being the first.
She wouldn't stop bothering their father and Michael could feel his patience wearing thin.
Michael didn't end up eating, he just sat at this table with his family until they were each finished. When Elizabeth and Evan left the table Michael dismissed himself, freezing when his father coldly spoke his name.
"Michael, do better. I can't believe what I've seen today. You need to take better care of your siblings. I really expected you to be a better brother."
Well that just set Michael off, William only came out of the basement to test Michael.
"We'll don't you have room to speak huh? I feed and watch these kids because I'm their brother and no one else will bloody do it! You're always off at the pizzeria or in the basement doing whatever it is. When Liz was speaking to you I could see how much she just annoyed you! I don't want to hear anything from you."
Michael made a mistake.
"How fucking brave of you? How dare you speak to me that way you brat!"
It was a flash but William had hit Michael. A slap and punch in the cheek.
And it fuckin hurt.
William went back into the basement and Michael had the next 4 hours to fix himself up and rest before work.
He was still too pissed, when 11:30 PM came around he left.
He could not stand being in that damn house. Once he had the money he was leaving, and he was taking Evan and Liz with him.
He pulled into the pizzeria, slinking his way in and to the office.
He could probably be productive tonight.
And so Michael went around the pizzeria, cleaning and watching the animatronics, yknow...actually doing his job.
With the help of music, god Michael would not be able to do anything without his music.
and then 5:30 AM came around quicker than the speed of light.
Michael couldn't hear a car pull in or the key twisting in the door.
But what he could hear was the loud blonde, Fitzgerald if he recalled correctly.
"Looks like someone is having fun in here!" He joked.
"You're early." Michael spoke, turning off his music and taking out his ear buds.
"Yes I know, can you blame me? I just wanted to see you before you leave!"
"Okay Fitzgerald, I don't know what you think you're doing but it's borderline stalking. You mean to tell me you accidentally found me at school? I've never seen your face there before and now you've come to *my* shift 30 minutes early."
"No need to get defensive Mikey! Also just call me Jeremy. No need to be fancy with the last name basis."
"Don't call me Mikey." He rolled his eyes, going to put away the broom as Jeremy followed him.
"Aww, why not? I think its a cute nickname! Would you prefer Mike? Or maybe even Mr. Af-"
"Michael. Just call me Michael. " He spat, after that dispute with his father being called Mr. Afton is the last thing he ever wanted.
"Okay okay. I get it, it's strange how I'm just some stranger you see one day during when our shifts cross and now you're just seeing me everywhere. I just want to get to know you, you seem cool. It's fine if you don't want that I guess."
"No Jeremy its just-" Michael felt his face heating up.
A smile plastered on the blonde's face.
"Just what?"
"Oh you fuck-"
"Go on, I'm all ears."
"Jeremy, just don't be creepy and I think we'll be fine."
"Got it."
a wide grin found its way on Jeremy's face. An expression of pure joy.
"Alright hot stuff! What do ya wanna do-"
Michael visibly flustered and stuttered out a reply.
"Don't call me that-"
"What? Hot stuff? Alright then pretty boy!"
Michael so wanted to kill this guy.
Jeremy just flat out annoyed Michael until 6AM where Michael could finally leave and get around a good 30 or 40 minutes of rest.
The rest of the morning played out as usual, but instead of skipping half of the day he actually went to his classes. Around the end of 3rd period he looked out the window and saw Jeremy entering school grounds.
So he was one of those half day seniors.
As soon as the class broke out Michael found himself under his tree, doodling away as always.
And then of course he was found.
"Hey Mike!"
He looked up.
"I knew I'd find you somewhere."
"You looked for me?" Michael softly asked.
"Of course! I wanna start talking to you, didn't I say that this morning?"
"I guess you did." Michael shrugged it off, continuing his doodling.
"What are you drawing?" Jeremy peered at the notebook.
"I thought you'd be able to guess considering how you went through my notebook."
"I didn't go through it all! Just a few pages of really fucking cool doodles!"
"Uh huh...Anyways I'm just drawing animatronics."
"It's really neat! You can draw really well man!"
"Thanks." Michael blushed, no one had ever complimented his art before.
"How many of the animatronics have you designed?"
"Only one, I had full creative liberty with Foxy here and my father actually built him. No clue why considering he's never really been used."
"I see! He looks really cool! The toy foxy animatronic which I can only assume is based off Foxy is actually one of my favorites." Jeremy smiled.
"I see." He nodded.
They went back and forth, Jeremy beginning to become more annoying before the bell rung and Michael ran off to his next class. He suddenly remembered his doodle and checked his desk only to find another poorly drawn doodle next to it. In his notebook he copied down his Freddy redesign and even though the doodle next to his was poorly drawn he could still see the idea so he began doodling.
The basis was obviously Bonnie so Mike began with that, giving the doodle a few creative liberties and then he got started on more of the design. The doodle depicted a star on the right eye which then lead into more stars and splashes of color which Mike quite liked.
Whoever's this was was bad at drawing but hella good at designs!
He finished off the drawing with a colorful blazer like the one the spring animatronics sported that had a pattern like that of an arcade carpet.
Mike loved whoever designed this Bonnie next to his Freddy.
Class finished and Michael made his way to his last class, art. Apparently with Michael's shit attendance he missed a project so while people were presenting he just sat in the corner and doodled. That class was easy.
When the class ended he rushed out, finding the annoying blonde standing outside waiting for someone. He shrugged it off, fucker probably had many friends in which he left with everyday but when Michael reached the gate Jeremy joined him.
"Hey! How were your last classes?"
"Fine I guess."
"Hm, alright! Wanna hang out?"
"Can't." Michael simply spoke as Jeremy followed him to his car.
"Aw alright, see ya later then!" Jeremy grinned, running off to the side walk.
Seeing Jeremy shrink when he believed he was out of view pained Mike but he shrugged it off.
He had to pick up his siblings.
The night played out as per usual, William being his deadbeat self in the basement while Michael took care of his siblings and when the clock hit 11:45 he was out.
He slept the night shift away (with an alarm this time) and when 5:23 rolled around a familiar man walked in and woke Mike up.
"Mikee! How's it hanging?"
"Fine, you're earlier than yesterday which I didn't think was possible." He spoke, rubbing his eyes tiredly.
"Well I'm here so I'm hanging out with you!"
This fucker.
"So, How's your night?" Jeremy smiled, inching closer to Mike which made him freeze for a second.
"It's been fine. Better than yesterday."
"That's good, oo that reminds me of something! Dayshift is fuckin wild man!"
Jeremy continued on, telling some story about dayshift and Michael just....listened.
Eventually 6am did come around and Mike tiredly made his way out, not energized enough to make a snarky comment to Jeremy being flirty with him as he left.
Man he was tired.