Chapter Text
Gregory felt his stomach growl aggressively, causing him to snake his arms around his belly tightly, holding in a groan. The icy night air blew past his skin, his teeth chattering in response. His worn-down shoes slapped against the sidewalk as he made his way aimlessly around the streets.
He heard the muffled sounds of upbeat music a few feet away from him. Out of curiosity, he stopped at the wide window ahead of him. He realized there was a tall, well-built man with almond skin and tawny hair. He wore a black shirt and a light blue denim jacket on top of it, with dark navy jeans and brown combat boots.
A microphone stand was in front of him as he stood on an alleviated stage. He held a microphone in his right hand, swaying side to side energetically. More than several people were scattered in front of the stage, bright smiles on their faces.
The brown-haired boy wasn’t sure what song he was singing (maybe it was an original song?), but it was… calming.
He could feel his anxiety begin to dissipate as the music came to a close. The audience stood, clapping their hands as the man scratched the back of his neck with his free hand, a gentle smile on his lips. He placed the microphone back in its original spot before his sky-blue eyes wandered towards Gregory.
The boy paused, his mouth gaped like a fish out of water. He took a step back and before he knew it; the man sauntered out of the room, waving off the crowd before the door swung open. There he was, gazing at the child.
Gregory swallowed thickly, taking another step back.
“Are you okay? Where are your parents?” asked the tawny-haired man, concern clear in his tone.
… What…?
There was another wave of wind, the boy curled in on himself, trying his best to not look pathetic in front of the stranger before him.
“W-Why do you care?” Gregory bit back bitterly.
“... Why wouldn’t I?” argued the singer, inching his way closer to him.
Alarms went off in Gregory’s head before he booked it away from the entertainer, going back the way he came. He passed by a few people before he tripped over his shoes, landing on the ground. Wounds formed on his palms once they made contact with the sidewalk and he could feel his legs burn.
He let out a hiss, screwing his eyes shut.
Suddenly, a shadow towered over him. He snapped his head up like a frightened owl, realizing it was the man with worry dawning on his features.
“I promise, I mean no ill intent,” uttered the man. “I can help,” he continued.
Maybe his hunger pains were getting the better of him, or maybe he was just that desperate to leave the chilly streets.
“Okay…” replied Gregory uneasily.
Freddy wrapped a warm blanket around Gregory’s tiny figure, the fabric swallowing him up whole. He sat criss-crossed on the man’s couch. His injuries no longer felt like it was killing him from the inside out, thanks to the entertainer tending to his wounds with Neosporin and bandaids.
The almond-skinned man sauntered into the living room with a bunny-shaped mug in his hand before he offered it to the small boy. Gregory eyed it suspiciously.
“I didn’t poison it…” murmured Freddy.
The boy’s deadpan expression made it clear he didn’t trust his claim. A sigh left the back of Freddy’s throat as he exited the room once more, reappearing with another mug, where he poured a bit of the first drink’s contents into the other cup. He sipped it to prove his point.
Hesitantly, Gregory began to slurp the drink, which he realized was hot cocoa. He couldn’t help but hum at the taste as Freddy took a seat across from him on the love-chair. The blue-eyed man cleared his throat, locking his gaze on the boy.
“Is there someone I can call for you? Your parents or a sibling?” asked the man.
Gregory vigorously shook his head, feeling his stomach tie into knots. “No, I’m on my own. I’ll get out of your hair soon,” answered the brown-haired boy as he took another swig of his drink.
“No, you don’t have to leave! Stay here for the night, at the very least,” protested Freddy.
The child blinked, staring at the man as if he was an alien.
“... Why?” spluttered Gregory, shock clear in his tone.
“I don’t want you out in the cold, all alone. I’d be more than happy to provide you with shelter,” said Freddy.
“Just… please don’t call the police…” muttered the brown-eyed child.
Freddy paused before he sighed heavily. “Okay… then, can I ask why you’re by yourself in the first place?” questioned the singer.
Gregory knew this question was inevitable.
He took one last sip of his hot cocoa, the drink now empty. Although he wanted nothing more than to run away from this conversation, he didn’t want to pass up on the opportunity of a free place to stay, away from the dangers of society.
“... My parents aren’t around anymore. I was put into foster care, where a shitty family took an interest in me. I’ve been with them for a few months now, and they’ve proven to be assholes. Long story short, I ran away from them, and I’ve been on the streets since,” explained Gregory monotonously.
He didn’t dare look at Freddy’s expression, instead staring into the depths of the bunny cup in his hands.
A beat of silence passed.
“I’m… I’m sorry to hear that, Gregory…” whispered Freddy.
Gregory shrugged nonchalantly in response. “‘S fine,” replied the boy quickly.
Realization struck Freddy’s mind before he rose to his feet. “You must be hungry. I’ll whip up something for you,” nodded the entertainer before he left the living room. Gregory sighed with relief, glad the awkward conversation was finally over.
Gregory eagerly chowed down on the tacos Freddy cooked for him. He guzzled down the plastic water bottle which stood beside the plate before using the napkin, wiping his face free of the taco meat.
He couldn’t remember the last time he hadn’t eaten a meal, which wasn’t from the trash. Freddy ate at a much slower pace, however. The blue-eyed man avoided eye-contact to avoid making Gregory feel like he was being judged.
“Uh… would you like some dessert? I have ice-cream,” offered Freddy.
The brown-haired child nodded before the singer opened up the freezer, using a spoon to deposit the ice-cream in a bowl. He handed it to Gregory, who chuffed it down in less than five minutes.
Freddy watched as the boy yawned, scratching at his eye absentmindedly.
“Is the couch alright for tonight? I have another bedroom, but it belongs to my daughter. I doubt you’d like to sleep in a stranger’s room,” said Freddy.
Gregory’s curiosity peaked up. “You have a daughter?” he asked.
“Yes, I do. Her name is Vanessa. You’ll meet her tomorrow. I’m sure you both will get along well,” smiled Freddy.
You’re implying I’m gonna stay here for a while, thought Gregory, but kept his mouth shut instead.
“Anything is better than sleeping in a cardboard box,” chuckled Gregory.
Freddy didn’t find it amusing, as he frowned at the boy’s words. The child coughed awkwardly before he followed the father out of the kitchen.
Freddy rummaged around in the closet in the apartment, now holding a spare pillow. He handed it to Gregory with a warm grin.
“Sleep well, Gregory. If you need anything, I’m the first door down the hallway,” informed Freddy.
He waved the small boy goodbye, flicking off the lights in the living room before he left for his chambers. Once the door was shut, Freddy pulled out his phone from his back pocket, dialing Vanessa’s number.
He knew she was at work currently, but he needed to tell her about Gregory.
“Hello?” said Vanessa.
“I’m sorry to disturb you at work, Vanny, but while I was at my performance, I noticed there was a kid outside. I took him in and he informed me he’s homeless. I can’t just leave him on the streets. I… I want to raise him,” murmured Freddy.
There was silence on the other line for several moments.
“... Dad, you need to leave that to the authorities. You already have enough on your plate,” sighed the blonde.
“Ever since your father died, I’ve always wanted you to have another sibling, honey. This is my chance,” retorted Freddy.
“If you’re serious about this, you’re gonna have to do a lot of paperwork. This… this isn’t gonna be easy for you. Also, the kid’s gonna have to agree with this,” huffed Vanessa.
“I know, lovebug, I know. I want to give him a good life. Imagine all the horror he's endured at such a young age,” said Freddy somberly.
He could practically feel Vanessa pinch her nose bridge.
“Alright. I… suppose I’ll support your decision,” uttered Vanessa.
Freddy grinned ear to ear. “Thank you, Vanny. I hope the rest of your night shift goes well.”
“Yeah, yeah. Love you, dad.”
“I love you, too,” said Freddy before he hung up the phone.
He felt his heart warm as he changed into his pajamas before he brushed his teeth. A sleepy smile grew on his lips as he snuggled under his covers, drifting off to sleep.