Work Text:
“ACHOOO!”
Gregory bolted right up, awakened by what sounded like someone’s nostrils exploding off their face.
He stilled, listening to see if he heard any other unusual sound that followed. Nothing did. His tensed shoulders relaxed.
Gregory let out a yawn, stretching his left arm up to the ceiling and using the other one to lean over and pluck the fazwatch from off the nightstand. Clicking it on, the screen illuminated with a digital clock that read the current time: 6:49 am.
Christ it was still early.
He contemplated just going back to sleep; it’s not like anyone would be waking him up anyway. But he couldn’t help how his curiosity was piqued in what the heck the source of that sound was, despite how much his eyelids were still fighting him for just a bit more shuteye.
Nevertheless, he couldn’t ignore that ache from not knowing; so he chose to just start the day. Throwing off the covers, his legs swing over til they hit the floor. He takes the fazwatch still gripped in his hand, quickly slapping it over his wrist and fastening it.
As he approached the door, he turned the knob and took a quick peak outside. The hall light was off, but the beams of light from the dawning sun was enough to prevent it from being completely dark. He scrunched his face, trying to see if there was any other strange sounds coming from it: seemed the coast was clear though.
He opened the door more and stepped out, socked feet tiptoeing down the hall til he reached the front room. Once he did, he immediately spotted the other two occupants of the tiny apartment.
Near the counter was where the mechanical bear head of Freddy Fazbear currently occupied a throw pillow, eyes closed and a gentle whir next to a set of cables attached to his ears- clearly still in sleep mode.
Gregory gave a little smile at the sight; the bear always brought a sense of calm to him he couldn’t explain, but didn’t make it any less effective.
And on the other end of the counter, was Vanessa. Former security guard and ex murderous rabbit furry, or at least that’s how Gregory saw it, even though he was aware that it was a virus that had made her into that heinous creature in the first place.
He locked his eyes on her as she grabbed a jug from a keurig full of hot brown liquids, and carefully poured it into a yellow mug. He couldn’t help the slight half smirk for a millisecond: she was a pretty big coffee addict.
Gregory took a few steps forward, standing a few inches from her backside with his hands folded around his back, rocking back and forth on his feet while he waited to see if she noticed his presence. She did not.
In fact, she didn’t seem to be all that awake yet, at least from how slow she was pouring the coffee. Her hand also seemed to have a slight wobble to it, which was admittedly strange to the kid. He decided to be polite and wait for her to finish pouring.
“Uh.. morning.”
“Ah!” Vanessa yelped, immediately pivoting her head while bulged eyes landed on the kid suddenly standing behind her. She gave a calming sigh, “Jeez kid, you startled me!”
Gregory gave a sheepish grin. Yea it seemed to have been a good call to wait for her to finish pouring, “S-sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
Vanessa gave another sigh, turning her whole body around while still holding onto the edge of the counter. “It’s fine’d.”
Gregory nodded, eyes flicking to the tiles on the floor. Til his brain suddenly clicked, and it registered something that made him do a sudden double take, “Wait what did you just say?”
Vanessa looked over to him, quirking her eyebrow at him in confusion, “I said it’s fine’d.”
Gregory’s brow furrowed even more. Yea that’s what he thought he heard. “You mean fine.”
She paused, curling her lip a bit at the remark, “Uh yea that’s what I said.” She stopped mid sentence, suddenly giving her nose a very hard sniffle, “Don’t you go making fun of my speech now, little boy.”
Gregory barely registered the gentle teasing remark, because he was suddenly hyperfocused on that monstrous noise that came out when she went to sniffle. That.. did not sound like a normal sniffle.
And it wasn’t just that, because now that she was fully turned around, he noticed multiple other strange things- such as her posture. She already had pretty bad posture to begin with, but she normally wasn’t practically hunched over the counter. She also looked heavily sleep deprived, on account of the red veins in her irises and eye bags that were more darkened then usual.
He stepped forward one step, eyebrow crinkled in curiosity and also somewhat concern. She didn’t comment, yet her mouth hung slightly ajar.
“Vanessa, are you feeling alright?”
She looked down in his direction, biting the inside of her cheek before giving a subtle head tilt, “Huh? Oh yea! I’m uh- still kinda waking up.”
The boy's brow crinkled. Maybe that was partially true, but then if that was the case- wouldn’t she have that subtle lisp that she had every morning? Even if it only lasted a few minutes, there’s no way she literally just rolled out of bed unless she had the coffee maker going all night. Something was still amiss.
“Uh, are you sure? You seem kinda, I don’t know, off this morning?”
She gave another hard sniffle, and it was then he noticed how her other hand occupied a crinkled up tissue- like she’d been blowing her nose all morning.
“I told you I’m fi—shit hang on!” She paused, eyes suddenly screwing shut as she quickly went to throw up the wadded up tissue to her face.
Gregory flinched at the unholy sound that came out of her nose, as well as the squeak that followed after. He’d heard her sneeze before a few times, but it was far more mouselike than that monstrosity. There’s NO way something wasn’t up.
“Ugh.. sorry. I- well I suppose my allergies have been acting up this morning.” Vanessa confesses, taking the tissue and dabbing at where a trail of snot started to leak out.
Gregory pursed his lips: he wasn’t convinced that this was just a mere case of allergies. He brought his hands back around, stepping a bit closer til his head had to crane up a bit. “Are you.. sure it’s that? You also look.. paler than usual. Your freckles aren’t as visible.”
Vanessa couldn’t help but let out a huff of amusement, “Well to be fair, kid, I’ve already got a pretty fair complexion. You’re probably just used to seeing my face more flustered or something.”
Gregory’s brow pinched- that explanation made no sense! Sure she could go red easy but he’s seen her when she’s content plenty of times to know that she doesn’t resemble a blank sheet of paper. “Yea but-
“Look, I appreciate the concern. But really.. I’m fine’d.” She tried to soothe, and yet she added that extra d onto fine again that was the tell tale sign of someone who was quite the opposite of “fine.”
Gregory went to open his mouth, but she had already grabbed the cup and started to lean off the counter, quite wobbly at that. As she passed, she gave his head a gentle pat before starting her way into the front room. He watched as she stumbled, nearly faceplanting a few times before making her way to the couch.
Yea no, she was simply not “fine’d.”
—
As he sat there finishing his bowl of cereal, Gregory noticed how quiet it was. Normally Vanessa would have some sorta commentary, so her going radio silent did not do his stomach any favors.
“Uh.. Vanessa?”
He hopped off the stool, grabbing the empty bowl with just a few droplets of milk still in it, and dropping it into the sink before proceeding to the front room.
Once he got to where the couch was, first thing he spotted was the coffee mug, still half full. Which was DEFINITELY not normal for her. She would’ve had that thing downed by the time he was on his second bite of cereal.
And then he spotted Vanessa, slumped over on the couch, still sitting up but her head was leaned against the back with her neck slightly lolled. Her eyes closed and her mouth agape. Admittedly the boy had a spout of panic until he saw that she was still breathing, albeit very quick and shallow breaths.
Before, he was curious. Now, he was starting to grow concerned. He spotted the tissue still in her hand as she slept. As he continued to observe, she gave a subtle twitch. Giving a huff, he marched straight over to the mechanical head, still whirring peacefully.
*tap tap tap*
“Freddy? Freddy are you awake?”
A few seconds and the whirring picks up, indicating Freddy coming back online. Eye shutters gently open and emit a subtle light from the blue orbs.
“Oh, good morning superstar!” Freddy beamed, cheerful optimism as usual, though it switches over almost immediately when he sees the furrowed brows on the kid, “is.. everything ok? You seem a bit.. distressed.”
Gregory looked over his shoulder by the couch, than back at Freddy. “What? I’m fine! But..can I ask you something?”
“Of course you can!”
He paused, wetting his lips a bit, “Have you noticed anything.. weird.. about Vanessa this morning?”
Freddy thought for a moment, eye bulbs flicking down, “I.. do not believe so. Though, I have been in sleep mode all morning.”
Gregory nodded, that was fair. It’s not like the bear could record while in sleep mode. He barely noticed Freddy’s servos picking up in speed.
“Why do you ask? Did you notice something?”
He looked back up, watching Freddy’s eyes flicker with the subtle light. Which gave him an idea.
“Come with me for a minute.”
Before Freddy could even respond, the boy’s hands went and unplugged the cables from his ears. Then gently went and gripped at either side of his cheeks. A few huffs and he was successfully able to lift him off the counter. Hugging the head to his chest, he brought the decapitated glamrock over to the sleeping woman.
“Oh.. it would appear she is asleep.” Freddy commented upon laying eyes on her. Gregory gave a grunt- the head wasn’t exactly light.
“Can you scan her?”
He asked, making Freddy’s eyes flicker up in his direction, “oh you.. wish me to scan her?” He nodded. “I.. I’m not sure. Perhaps we should wait til she is awa-
“Just do it! Please!” He commanded, both from his impatience and the fact his arms were growing tired. Freddy emitted a sigh.
“As you wish.”
Freddy’s eyes emitted a light blue wave of light that gently washed over her. Vanessa didn’t move, but she did scrunch her eyes a bit when the light hit her face. Both when it moved down, and then came back up.
“Scan complete.”
As soon as Freddy was done, Gregory was quick to hobble them both into the back bedroom before she woke up. Once they were in, he shut the door with his foot and set Freddy down on the bed, massaging his aching arms. “Well?”
“Her body temperature is about 99.8 degrees Fahrenheit. Indicating a slight fever but nothing too serious.” He stated, looking over the info in his HUD, “she also seems to have more labored breathing than usual, which could be a sign of struggle due to blocked airways in the sinus cavity.”
Gregory threw a fist down onto the bed before hopping back up, “I knew it! She is sick!”
Freddy’s eyelids drooped downward, “it would appear so, yes.”
Gregory started pacing, wringing his hands while doing so. He hadn’t yet experienced Vanessa being sick since he had agreed to come back with her. Though admittedly, it had still not been very long since that very night.
“Man.. I knew it couldn’t be just allergies.” He whispered to himself, stopping and standing over by the door. He turned the knob and opened it just enough to poke his head through. He spotted her still snoozing away on the couch.
“Do not worry, I am sure that as long as she gets plenty of rest and drinks lots of fluids, she will be fine!” Freddy told him, attempting to stop his anxious pacing.
But he did actually stop. Because honestly, why did it matter? Maybe they got along now, but this was still the woman that chased him all night. And maybe she didn’t have the rabbit virus anymore, or was no longer beaming blinding lights and nearly melting eyeballs out of their sockets. It didn’t take away the impact that it had on him though.
Gregory huffed again, going and sitting back down on the bed with Freddy, “I’m not worried I just.. I don’t know, I guess I just don't like seeing her like that.”
Honestly the kid didn’t know why, but he couldn’t help but have sympathy. It was, after all, the reason he chose to save her in the first place.
Sure, he had no reason to like her- she was a stranger that was completely rude and chased him all night. But he didn’t have to necessarily like someone to know that they were a human that didn’t deserve to suffer.
Maybe it was that same feeling again.
Without saying a word, he goes and lifts Freddy back up off the bed and proceeds out the door, being mindful to not be too loud and wake the sleeping sick woman.
Once they were back in the kitchen, he set the bear back down on the counter and went over to the cabinet over the stove. Freddy’s eyelids slanted in curiosity, “what are you looking for, Gregory?”
“Do you know where Vanessa keeps the soup?” Gregory asked, having lept onto the counter to reach the condiments up in the cupboard. He pulled out a few cans of creamed corn and sweet peas. Not what he was after, so he set them off to the side.
“I- do not know. Perhaps you should wait til she is awake to ask her?” Freddy inquired, flicking his eyes back over to where Vanessa was still asleep, now with a slight snore.
“Hey you’re the one that said she needed to rest!” He shot back, pointing an accusatory finger at the bear, which he just emitted a sigh at.
The brunette immediately hopped down and went over to the pantry. Standing on his tiptoes, his fingers crazed at the cans near the top shelf til he found what he was looking for.
“Aha! Here it is!” Gregory proudly proclaimed, holding up the mini can of chicken noodle soup.
Freddy watched as the boy set the can on the counter near the stove. As he was about to grab a pan, Freddy’s servos clicked.
“Hang on there, Gregory! It is not safe for you to operating a stove top without adult supervision!” He warned the boy, but it just caused an eyeroll.
“Freddy it’s fine! I’ve used a stove before.” He tried to explain, but the bear wasn’t having it. Still, he didn’t like seeing how the kid suddenly looked pouty. His ears went down in sympathy.
“Gregory, I know that you are capable but you are still just a child. Surely when Vanessa wakes up she will be able to take care of the rest of it.” Freddy tried to reason, but it just made him scoff.
“That’s just it! She shouldn’t HAVE to take care of herself! Not when she’s sick!” He suddenly became very defensive. Despite his juxtaposition of her being a figure of authority, it became clear very quickly how much of that was for show. And it didn’t take long for that mask to crack.
Freddy sighed again, knowing that the child could be just as stubborn as the blonde: something they had in common, unfortunately.
“Perhaps you could.. use an alternative instead?” He gave another suggestion, which caused Gregory’s eyes to flicker over to the microwave, then back to Freddy.
“I mean.. sure I guess.”
He wasn’t too keen on the idea of serving her microwaved soup, but if it was the only thing the glamrock would allow him to do, then guess he really didn’t have a choice.
Once he popped the lid off the can and poured it in, he pressed the buttons, watching it rotate for a few seconds before stepping away.
While the soup cooked, he grabbed Freddy’s head again and lifted it up, carrying him into the living room and setting him on the couch right next to the sleeping blonde. His bulbs flitted upwards, “Gregory what are you-
“Just.. keep an eye on her. Make sure she’s still breathing or whatever. I’ll be right back!” The kid was off, disappearing down the hall. Freddy looked up at the woman’s sleeping form- her breaths were still shallow and quick and only coming from her mouth. He could tell she had to be stuffed up real bad.
By the time Gregory re-emerged, the microwave beeped. So he threw down the stuff he had gathered and went to retrieve it.
“Careful Gregory! It will be hot!” The bear yelled out on impulse, making the blonde next to him stir in her sleep.
“Shh! Jeez Freddy! You’re still so loud sometimes!” He only reprimanded for a second before going back to the task at hand. “I got it! Don’t worry.” He said as he began to grab the bowl on the sides and set it down on the counter.
Freddy’s ears flicked down, giving another sigh. The boy was.. well he could be a spitfire. But it didn’t make the adoration he felt for him lessen any. Especially when he did altruistic acts such as these.
Freddy watched with careful conviction as Gregory balanced the bowl of soup, as well as a glass of orange juice and medicine bottle in his hands. Placing them down on the coffee table next to the cup of lukewarm coffee.
As he went to retrieve the items he’d thrown down, he suddenly heard a muffled groan. Turning around, he watched as Vanessa started to twitch more and then slowly open her eyes. Though she kept her head laid back still.
First thing she did was try and sniffle, yet she was still very much clogged up. She blinked a few times more before her eyes fell onto the sudden bear head occupying the seat next to her.
“Oh! F-Freddy hi! What.. what are you doing here?” She asked with a voice more nasally than usual. Freddy’s bulbs flickered over to where the boy stood in front of both of them now. Vanessa followed, giving another sniffle as she kept trying to reopen her sinuses. Her brows furrowed.
“Gregory.. what are you-
“I know you’re sick, Vanessa.” He said bluntly, setting the blanket he’d retrieved from the back room on the arm of the couch. The woman closed her eyes and gave a sigh.
“Oh my god, I already told you I’m fine’d! It’s just allergies!” Vanessa tried to defend, yet she sounded even more stuffed up then before, which made the kid roll his eyes with a new bout of confidence.
“Look I know you say it’s just allergies but.. I didn’t believe it so I had Freddy scan you.” Gregory admitted, pointing to Freddy whose ears perked up at the sound of his name.
“Wait you did what!?” Vanessa bellowed, her eyes falling to the bear in a fit of annoyance, “Freddy what have I said about scanning me without asking!?”
“I apologize, but the boy was insistent! He was convinced that you were sick and wanted me to check.” Freddy defended himself, making her eyes fall back to Gregory in just as much scrutiny, but he just crossed his arms.
“Yea and last I checked, allergies don’t usually cause a fever so.. yea I knew it.” He concurred, expecting for her to spit out another comeback in annoyance at the fact that she’d been caught. But instead, her own brow furrowed.
“I have a fever?”
Gregory paused, uncrossing his arms as his eyes widened a bit, “Could you not tell? Seriously?”
Vanessa paused, adjusting herself a bit to where she was better sitting up, “I mean.. I guess I do feel a bit weaker than usual. But cmon! I’m already weak and constantly cold and have allergies, I just kinda figured it was.. just that.”
Gregory couldn’t help how his brows slanted. This woman was so used to discomfort that she couldn’t even detect when she was sick? That’s not something anyone should simply be desensitized to. And he didn’t like it one bit.
“Well anyway, I uh.. wanted to try and make you feel better so I made you soup.” He pointed to the soup on the table, which she followed, eyes landing on the soup, she couldn’t help the little twinge in her chest.
“You made this?”
“Well.. in a microwave. Freddy wouldn’t let me use the stovetop!” He pointed that finger towards the ursine. Freddy gave an ear wiggle in acknowledgment, which just made the kid huff, “even though I could’ve handled it. I’m more capable than I’m given credit for!”
“Yes yes, I know. Trust me I know probably more than anyone.” Vanessa couldn’t help but chuckle, though was silently thanking the bear for stopping the boy from catching the kitchen or himself on fire.
Vanessa leaned up a bit more, her body still moving quite slow and sluggish. She took a quick peak into the bowl and observed its contents. “Chicken noodle?”
“Uh.. yea? That’s what you usually make for people who are sick, isn’t it?” He questioned, which she couldn’t help but give a slight smirk to.
“Well really, any soup would work. I usually go with broccoli and cheddar myself but.. this works too.” She told him, though in a light hearted manner so he didn’t take offense. Yet he still had quite a strong reaction.
“Ew! Broccoli and cheddar?! You actually like that crap?!” He bolstered, sticking his tongue out in disgust, which she furrowed her brow to.
“Hey now! Don’t knock something til you’ve tried it! And it is NOT crap!” She defended, though it wasn’t near as strong of a defensive with her nostrils still fighting for a clear passageway. Gregory just scoffed, crossing his arms again.
Vanessa just gave an affectionate eye roll at the kid, before reaching out and grabbing at the spoon in the bowl. She grabbed a spoonful, bringing it with a shaky hand up to her mouth.
Gregory watched her, waiting to see what her reaction would be. He couldn’t get a good read on her face, “well, how is it?”
Vanessa swallowed, giving the boy a gentle smile. “I uh.. can’t really taste anything right now.”
Gregory’s face fell, a defeated sigh escaping him, “Ah man! I didn’t know that! I’m sorry I wouldn’t have made it then!”
“Woah hey easy, it’s ok! I’ll still eat it.” She reassured him, putting the spoon down and noticing the bottle of pills next to the bowl “Tylenol?”
“Huh? Oh that. I uh.. heard it brings down fevers.” Gregory explained to her while she held the bottle. “I was thinking about just dropping a couple in the soup since you know.. you don’t usually like taking medicine.. heh.”
Vanessa slowly turned her head toward the kid. His cheeky response making her narrow her eyes in a sudden playful defense.
“You were planning on drugging me?”
Gregory froze, his eyes suddenly wide as he started making slashing motions. “What!? Nono! I.. I wouldn’t actually do something like that to you I was just-
“Hey hey relax, I’m kidding. I know you wouldn’t do something like that.” She quickly reassured, her smirk fading into a gentle half grin. “Still, this was.. really nice of you. You know you didn’t have to do this, right?”
He relaxed a bit, but kept his gaze in her direction, “Yea I know but.. I wanted to. I don’t like seeing you.. like this. And hey, you take care of me so.. it just felt like the right thing to return the favor, you know?”
Vanessa was taken aback, stunned by how thoughtful the words actually were. Admittedly, she wasn’t used to being taken care of, hadn’t been for awhile. And while part of her was screaming how wrong it was (he was a kid and she was the adult after all) she couldn’t help how nice it felt.. to be on the receiving end for once.
For a “little brat”, he was actually quite considerate.
Vanessa gave a subtle nod, before taking another tissue and catching more of the mucus coming from her nose that for sure would be drier than the Sahara desert by nightfall, “well I appreciate it kid. I really do. Still, you’re awfully small to be a doctor.”
Gregory’s face screwed, giving a huff and turning on heel, “ugh whatever just.. eat your soup and drink your juice.. so you can get better.” He pointed to the glass of orange juice that she hadn’t noticed at first. She took a sip, then used the rest to wash down a couple of the Tylenol, which would end up bringing her fever down within the next couple hours.
After she was done, Vanessa leaned back against the couch and rested her eyes. A cold chill shook her, so she reached over for the blanket that the kid had thrown onto the arm: a blue throw blanket covered in stars.
Gregory watched her struggle to wrap it around her whole body, stepping in after a few seconds, “here.”
He took the blanket and carefully draped it over her body, which she gave a content hum to, feeling warmer already. “Oh and one more thing.”
Vanessa opened her eyes back up to see the kid handing her something. She took the object, giving the kid an inquiring look.
“A Freddy plush?”
“Yea well.. I know it helps me feel better when I’m not feeling well. So I thought.. maybe it’d help you too.”
Vanessa gave a slight giggle. It was such a kid thing to do but she couldn’t help how much it warmed her to think he’d do something like that for her. She readjusted, holding the little plush under her arm as she tried to get comfy. It didn’t take long for her to be asleep again.
As she dozed, Gregory went and pulled the cover up over her a bit more, then proceeded to plop down on the armrest, more content than before just kinda staying there and watching her sleep.
As he watched, he noticed Freddy, who was still gently whirring away next to Vanessa on the other side of the couch. His eyelids were rose and the bulbs shined brighter than before as he gazed at the kid.
“Way to go. Superstar.”
Freddy whispered over to the boy, which he couldn’t help but blush at. It may not have been much, but if he was able to make her feel slightly better, that would be enough.
And from the way she was sleeping more peacefully than before, he’d say that was probably accomplished.