Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Fredrick hums as he walks down the road, trying to figure out a good tune for the next song in his new album. He experiments with a few notes, ultimately using an F# rather than an F natural, and as he hums, it sounds much better.

He only hears the sniffles and whimpering coming from the alley because he had stopped humming for a couple seconds. Freddy freezes, glancing around. It’s getting dark, and it isn’t that busy of a road, so not a lot of people are around.

He hears a hiccup, and he decides to go investigate.

He pokes through several boxes, trying to figure out where the crying is coming from so he ca-

Oh.

Oh.  

In a small Amazon box sits a kid, who can’t be older than five. Freddy swears as he picks him up into his arms, soothing the cries with a few gentle circles rubbed into his back.

The kid is at first panicked, and he shushes him until he slowly relax. Freddy knows he can’t just leave the kid, and he wouldn’t feel good about it even if he just gave the kid some money.

He grabs the kid more securely, throws his jacket over his shaking form and wraps it right before he continues his walk home.

“Hello? What’s up, Fred?”

“Hey, Monty. So, uh, completely hypothetically. If I picked up a kid off the streets and want him to stay with me, like, permanently, what legalities would I need to get done?”

Montgomery sighed on the other side of the phone, and there’s a pause of silence. “You did not”

“I mean, considering he’s laying on me, I am pretty sure I did.” 

“Give me a second.” There’s rustling on the other end of the phone, a pop! and then the background noise stops. “Alright. Explain this to me, Fredrick Calx Glamory.”

Freddy cursed. Full names are never good. “Well, you see, I have a perfectly good explanati-” the kid shifted on Freddy, nuzzling more into his side. He held his breath, not wanting to wake the child, until eventually he relaxed.

“And what is that, Freddy. Because I’d like it if you enlightened me. You never wanted any kids before, with…”

The with her is unspoken, and louder than the words spoken.

“To be perfectly honest? I don’t know. But… something about him is telling me to keep him.”

“Can I tell the rest of our band?” Montgomery’s voice is soft through his phone. Or, well, as soft as Montgomery Gaetor’s voice could get.

“I… Don’t know. Not yet. But, uh, back to the topic. Your brother’s a lawyer, right? Could you ask him what I need to legally do?”

Monty hummed in response, and he informed Freddy he’d call him back when he finished calling his brother.

He sat for a little less than an hour before the kid moved once more, finally fully awake, and he seemed to freeze.

“Hey,” Freddy began softly, not wanting to startle the kid. Despite his best efforts, the kid still ended up flinging himself to the other end of the couch. “It’s okay. My name’s Freddy, and I found you in that alleyway. I understand if you don’t trust me yet, but… I have some food and a warm shower, as well as a spare room for you to sleep in, if you’d like?”

The kid seemed to glance around, looking either for threats and escape routes, or something to say. Freddy didn’t know which one it was, but he hoped it was the latter.

“‘M Gregory.”

“Alright, Gregory. Are you hungry?”

The kid— Gregory— seemed to pause for a moment before nodding. Freddy ensures he had no known food allergies before heading over to the kitchen. He tore open a packet of instant ramen before boiling some water. 

He cracked two eggs into the pot, figuring the kid could use the proteins, and set the lid on as he sat down for a second. He glanced at Gregory, who was still looking around the living room, but was now holding a pen he found as a weapon. 

He smiled softly, and stood up to check the pot. Once it was cooked enough, he added the noodles into the pot and broke them in a way that they would still have their length.

Once they were fully cooked, he poured the ramen into bowls. “You want to put the extras in yourself, kid?”

Gregory’s head snapped his direction, and the kid came over to the kitchen. His head barely reached the counter, and he fought back a laugh as the kid strained himself to see over the edge of the bowl. Freddy pulled a chair from the table instead, and encouraged him to kneel on it. The kid hesitantly took a taste of his pasta, and Freddy saw his eyes screw shut and his nose scrunch as he stuck his tongue out.

“You want to try a bit of mine with the seasoning that comes with it? It tends to be a little salty, so I didn’t add your packet of seasoning in yet.”

Gregory paused, glanced up at him, eyes drifting to the piercings on his ears. Which. Fair. They were pierced through the top and the earlobe.

Freddy grabbed an extra spoon and took a sip of his ramen at Gregory’s narrowed eyes.

“See? Perfectly safe. Go ahead and try it, kid.”

Gregory took a small sip out of his own spoon and then hastily tore the packet open. Freddy shook his head and looked away as he grabbed the ketchup, Worcester sauce, mustard, hot sauce, and several more.

“I got a couple more things, if you want to try them.”

Gregory nods, and Freddy’s eyes soften as he passes them over to the kid. He hums a tune he’d heard Monty and Bonnie working on together, ‘Chica’ (she insisted that she be addressed by her stage name, rather than her birth name, Susan,) working on a different song at the time. Roxanne was in her own area at that time, attempting to get their keytar to cooperate with her.

He shakes his head fondly, and starts adding all of his favorites in.

The kid eventually decides he’s added enough and sits down. Freddy notes his bowl is missing a fork and/or spoon, so he grabs an extra set for him.

Gregory takes it gratefully, and Freddy begins to eat his own soup.

Gregory, once seeing that not a single bit was rigged or something, like he saw in a comic book in the trash, began to swallow the soup at an alarming rate. Freddy, for a brief moment, is worried about the kid choking. Then again, the kid is far too thin for his liking and most not have had enough food.

Freddy finishes and rinses his bowl, telling Gregory to do the same, and the pierced brunette retreats to his room for a couple minutes.

Gregory glances around and noticed a bag nearby. He’d seen all the food Freddy had. He could easily shove that into the bag and dash, and Freddy wouldn’t be able to stop him from his room.

But…

The man gave him free food. Why wouldn’t he again? It was a warm place to sleep, at the very least, Gregory decided. He heads over to the couch and lays down once more, pen still right in his grasp, and shuts his eyes.

Rest while he can, y’know?

He'd read somewhere there was a saying, no rest for the weary or something. Whatever that meant.

He didn’t notice as the world around him faded into black and soft chimes of bells that sounded like her shop.

Chapter Text

Gregory shivers as he remembers his first home, after she had…

He remembers how they had been kind at first, how they had been loving while it was day. As soon as the sun went down, it was game over; the caretaker he’d come to know as Sunny Dropp had retreated into their room. 

They came back… changed, for lack of a better word. The foster parent he’d first gotten used to, with a bright and happy personality was gone. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that his agent was gone, but…

Even Mx. Dropp’s attire changed from a flowing dress in a soft plaid yellow and white to a set of pajamas in deep blue with only a singular moon to break up the darkness. He shivered at their change, and the whispers of naughty boy, naughty children must be punished . 

And they had been, but Mx. … no, that wasn’t Mx. Dropp. He’d find a different name, he thought, as the moon on their shirt went above him.

Oh. Moon. Moon Dropp .

It sinks like a realization in his gut, and eventually, he learns that he shouldn’t have this happening. So, instead, he ends up running away.

It’s how he got in that alley in the first place, almost half a year ago.

He doesn’t want to deal with that ever again. He has heard police sirens pass by his alley, a few times, and had ducked further into the dumpster at the time. 

She had been kind, until her death. Even when he hadn’t, he’d stay in her shop. 

Gregory shivers once more, and the background fades slightly as he feels something breaking the wind and keeping him warm.

He tries to look around and see what it is, as he’s still shivering. He opens his eyes to an unfamiliar room.

For a second, Gregory panics, thinking Mx. Dropp had found him again. But once he looks around, his memories come pouring back into him.

Right. I got picked up by that Freddy dude. He gave me food, and I’m not dead yet, so it must be safe to get food from him.

He strains his ears, and is able to hears mutters from another room.

“... call cops… posters? … ask for help…”

He hears the word cops and freezes.

He sobs as they grab him, trying to get free. “C’mon, kid. You’re lost, and we can bring you back. Your foster parent is looking for you, he’s very worried.”

“They.” Gregory finds himself mumbling, shock finally setting into his bones. Then, it recedes into blind panic once more, and he bites. He can’t go back to Mx. Dropp’s house, no matter what. Moon had tried to keep him in the basement.

The cop released him as they grab him, and Gregory sprints. He needs a new place to stay. They know where he was, he can’t go back.

He eventually stumbles into a park and climbs into a tree. He could sleep there for the night, right?

(Gregory awakes to the feeling of falling, and he feels something snap. Turns out he can’t, he thinks, as he finds the Dunkin Donut dumpster and rummages through it for any leftovers.

There’s a glazed one with a couple coffee grounds on it that he brushes off, but he shoves it in his mouth.

Gregory returns to a nearby park and fills the plastic water bottle he’d found on the roadside with water. He takes a sip from the fountain he used as well, and he smiles.

He hasn’t felt this full for a couple days.

The muttering becomes clearer as Gregory hears footsteps and the door open.

“Thanks, Monts. See ya later, man.”

“No police.” Gregory blurts out. Freddy’s eyes widen for a moment.

“I… was under the impression you were still asleep? How much did you hear?” Freddy came into the living room, his movements and intentions clear as he sat a good distance away from Gregory, but still close enough to not seem like it’s avoidant.

“...not much. But no police, they’ll make me go back with Moon.”

“Moon? Is that your mother?”

“They’re non-binary, so it’d be parent, but no. I never wanna see Moon again. I want to go see her .”

“Who is this her ?”

Gregory freezes and glances at the floor. Freddy bites his lip, recognizing the child is refusing to give him an answer. He doubts he could pry it out of him without shattering the small trust the child has given him.

“Alright. I have to go to work soon. Could I trust you to stay here, or would you want to come with me?”

Gregory lifts his eyebrows at Freddy, and he explains his job, that he couldn’t get in trouble for bringing a child (Gregory protested he wasn’t a child) and that his band mates would love him.

Gregory is hesitant to accept. But with the promise of some hot cocoa and more warm treats, he agrees.

Roxy leans into her girlfriend’s lap, smiling softly. They examine her small ponytail, and she remarks that Chica looks quite like a VSCO girl right now. Well, VSCO and 70’s combined. She’s got oddly patterned leg warmers, scrunchies on her wrist, and mid-length hair in the one on her head.The different layers separate, and it adds a level of depth to the blonde hair that is normally a flat cascade down her shoulders.

Roxy forces herself to stop examining their girlfriend while she’s asleep, and instead checks their phone. 

Freddy sent a message.

Fredster the Breadster 

Roxy did u forget abt practice?

U and Chica are fifteen minutes late

I had to give Monty a solo so he wouldn’t walk out

Keyssss

Shoot lemme wake up Chica we’ll be right there

Fredster the Breadstee

Kk lemme know once I get here cuz I got something u should probably know abt

Keyssss

?

What is it?

Freddy?

Bro

U did not

Ughhhhhhhhh

Roxy wakes up her girlfriend, grabbing both hers and Chica’s instrument cases and hoisting them over their shoulder and onto her back. Chica (Who makes their stage name girl in Spanish? Roxanne is seriously questioning their girlfriend’s creativity,)  is still half-asleep as she basically carries her into the car, buckling her in as Chica makes halfhearted attempts to pull Roxy in for more cuddles.

They roll their eyes and she slides into the driver’s seat. Traffic isn’t bad, Roxy notes, in their small town. Not a lot of people recognize him, and she prefers it that way. Then again, without her costume they use in music videos, how could anyone? 

Chica is finally fully awake by the time they enter the building, groaning as she opens the door to their studio.

Freddy and Monty are sitting over a table, several papers spread over it. Roxy recognizes them as sheet music, and she pulls up their chair and sits in it.

The song, hesitantly titled Crawling, is about a character from a show. Well. Not entirely. Monty had liked the character, and had ended up drafting a rough song and bringing it to them. They had all enjoyed what Monty found so far, so they had agreed to refine it and add it to their album.

Roxy’s about to mention a change she’d been thinking about last night as she lay in bed when something in the corner caught their eye.

A small bundle of blankets, ending at a long mess of brown hair.

“Hey, Freddy? That,” Roxy gestures sharply at the bundle, “wouldn’t happen to be what you wanted to tell me about, huh?”

Freddy chuckles, bringing one of his large hands up to rub at the back of his neck. Roxy glares, and she turns in a way that Fredrick can only see the green streak they’d dyed in their hair a few nights ago.

She ignores Chica’s giggles and instead walks over to the presumed-child, hopefully-plushie.

They sigh when the blanket slips down a bit and reveals the face of the child.

“Freddy. Did you adopt a child?” They whisper. Freddy’s eyes widen minutely. 

“What?! No! I… found him.” Freddy’s voice drops in volume as he glances towards her, eyes urging her to return to her position at the table. She does so, and Freddy whispers in their ear. “He seems to be having adverse reactions at the thought of returning to his foster parent. I mentioned it, and he refused to go anywhere near them.”

Roxy frowns, the corners of their lips tugging at their face. Her slightly-larger-than-average canines were visible (after she’d gotten a wolf cut in seventh grade, she joked that she really was a wolf,) and she made an unpleasant hum.

“That’s… quite the predicament. I wonder what they would have done to warrant Gregory’s disapproval of them.”

“I’m considering putting up posters, but I fear that will bring people of the unsavory type to attempt to collect him.”

“You could ask them what the child’s name is? If you don’t put that on the poster, that is. Or birthdate or age? If they were the parent, they’d surely know this.”

“But the foster parent would most likely be the only one to claim them. I fear that if he’s returned to them, they might do unthinkable things to him.” Freddy’s head slumps onto the table, and Roxy frowns. She wonders briefly if they should bring this meeting back on track before she notes the state Freddy is in. He’d never be able to properly play if he's constantly stressing out over this kid.

“Hey, what is his name?” Chica’s voice joins the conversation. “I’m gonna give him some candy! I bet he wants some.” 

“His name is Gregory, but be gentle. He’s… skittish.”

Chica nods, and soon only Roxy is left with the two other band mates. “Hey, Fred? Where’s Jeremy,” Roxy sees Freddy’s eyebrow lift up in confusion. They sigh, but continue nonetheless, “Bonnie. I would’ve thought you’d know his name, with all the time you two hang out with each other backstage.” Roxanne lifts their eyebrows in a suggestive manner, watching Freddy’s face grow red.

“What!? No, you know Bonnie is aromantic!”

Roxy chuckles. “Yeah, but I’m just teasing. ‘Sides, aro people don’t have to be asexual.”

Freddy groans for a moment. “Roxy, Bonnie and I have no inappropriate relationships. He simply gets stressed out when he hears his voice or is given a solo, so I was working to help his anxiety about that.”

Roxy hums. “‘Course, Fredster. I understand. Sus used to be the same way.”

They remember their girlfriend’s hesitance to join the band, only intending to help them out while Bonnie was unable to play and Monty hadn’t joined yet. However, she soon became a staple and realized she loved the attention, and eventually got over her general nervousness of recording studios and the occasional performance when they were hired for parties. 

“Alright, well. As the band leader, I say we should get back to he music, huh? This got vastly off track.”

Roxanne chuckles as she beckons her girlfriend back to the table, seeing Gregory with a milkshake (where? How?) and a few lollipops. (Roxy knew their girlfriend hid several within her fanny pack and leg warmers.)

Gregory seemed content with his candy, and as they continued in their brainstorming process, the boy seemed to slowly edge closer.

Eventually, Gregory was within earshot of their murmurings, and he seemed to fall asleep. He must’ve been tired, or hitting a sugar crash from the several treats Chica had given him.

Roxy grabs her guitar and practiced a few chores they’ve chosen, texting how it sounds, before offering a suggestion to one of them.

Gregory stays asleep for the rest of the performance, and Freddy ends up waking him so they can get into his car and return to his apartment.

Roxy lets Chica drive this time, and she blasts some song, something to do with narwhals and a commotion.

Roxanne’s eyes close to a shut and she lets herself be content with their girlfriend’s presence