Chapter Text
Gregory startled awake, flinging the covers off his body and rising into a sitting position. His body shook like a leaf caught in the wind as he crawled off the bed, goosebumps trailing along his skin.
His throat felt parched as his bare feet padded against the carpet, exiting the bedroom. He headed towards the kitchen, his heart plummeting to his stomach, once he realized Vanessa sat on one of the kitchen chairs. She held a mug in her hand, patterns of cartoon rabbits scattered around the ceramic.
Her emerald green eyes darted towards the young boy, who wore a bunny onesie. The outfit was quite adorable. It surprised her that Gregory was even wearing it in the first place. Freddy bought it for the boy a few weeks after he officially adopted the brown-haired boy.
She blinked several times before she arched her brow. She checked the time on the clock that hung on the wall. It was past midnight.
“Why’re you up so late?” inquired Vanessa bluntly.
Gregory swallowed thickly. “It… it doesn’t matter,” he muttered.
The blonde hummed in response as she rose to her feet, making her way to the cabinets, where she pulled out a mug. She turned on her heel, facing the small boy.
“Since you don’t wanna talk about whatever’s bothering you, want some hot cocoa?” offered Vanessa.
The brunette nodded in response, awkwardly sliding into a seat across from where the woman once sat. He waited patiently as the woman made him his drink. Once she finished, she handed him the cup.
“Thank you…” said Gregory, sipping his drink.
Vanessa settled herself down on the chair, tracing the rim of her cup. “If you’re having problems with sleeping, you can go to dad. He’d be more than happy to help,” commented the blonde.
Gregory pouted, wiping away excess liquid from his bottom lip. “He already does enough,” retorted the child.
“He took that responsibility as your legal guardian, Gregory,” sighed Vanessa sternly.
The boy growled under his breath, taking another swig of his drink instead of replying with a snide remark. The blonde slurped her decaf coffee silently.
Silence settled over the two for several minutes.
The blonde grabbed her drink and Gregory’s before placing the dirty cups into the sink to wash later. The boy stretched his limbs before rubbing his eye.
“I’m assuming you don’t wanna go back to bed, so do you wanna play Minecraft?” suggested Vanessa.
“Sure,” shrugged Gregory, as he stood up.
The two strolled towards the living room with the latter booting up the Xbox, pulling out two controllers. She gave one to the boy, who grunted in acknowledgement. Their gaming session only lasted around ten minutes before Vanessa felt a weight hit her arm.
She batted her eyes, turning her head, where she realized Gregory had fallen asleep, resting his head on her upper arm. She couldn’t help but smile, scooping him up into her arms carefully before she tiptoed to his bedroom, tucking him in.
Freddy yawned, staring at himself in the mirror. His index finger traced the marks of his after-effects of his top surgery. He grabbed his hairbrush that laid on the dresser, combing his thick locks of tawny hair that reached just below his ears.
He shuffled into the kitchen. He found Vanessa eating a bowl of cereal with two other bowls on the table, presumably for himself and Gregory. He sent a smile her way.
“Good morning, Vanny,” greeted Freddy.
The blonde nodded before she resumed her meal. He made himself a cup of tea before sitting beside his adopted daughter. He checked the time on his watch.
Gregory should’ve been up by now…
Concern swirled inside of his chest. He moved his head to the side. “... I'm gonna check on Gregory,” said Freddy firmly. As he was about to stand up, Vanessa reached her hand out to him, stopping him in his tracks.
“Let him sleep. He was awake while I was in the kitchen last night. We talked for a bit and played a game, but he fell asleep, so I brought him to bed,” explained the blonde.
“O-Oh…” replied Freddy.
He sighed with relief, sitting back down.
“You worry too much, dad,” uttered Vanessa as she ate a spoonful of cereal.
“I… I know… but how can I not? Life hasn't been very kind to him…” muttered Freddy.
Vanessa nodded in agreement. “You gave him another chance, though. You should be glad you saw him watching one of your performances out of the window. If you didn’t see him that chilly night, who knows what could’ve happened to him,” said Vanessa.
Freddy pouted, chewing his cereal.
Footsteps approached the two before Gregory hopped into a chair. His brown hair resembled that of a bird’s nest. Vanessa held in a snort as the boy eagerly dug into the cereal in front of him.
“Slow down, superstar. I don't want you to choke…” noted Freddy, worry written in his voice.
Gregory paused, slowing his movements. He finished in record time, depositing his bowl and the other bowls and spoons in the sink. He took it upon himself to begin cleaning the dirty dishes, standing on his tippy-toes to do so.
“Oh, Gregory, you don't have to wash the dishes. Leave that to me,” said Freddy before he stood up, striding towards the sink.
The brown-haired child shook his head. “No, I got it,” replied Gregory sternly. Freddy huffed in response.
Vanessa watched the scene in front of her unfold, quietly sipping her coffee, glancing back and forth between her father and the small boy.
“At least let me help you,” begged Freddy.
Gregory rolled his chocolate eyes. “Fine,” he replied bitterly, moving to the side, an invitation for his guardian to join him. Freddy was more than happy to comply.
The child despised his classmates, especially the ones who picked on him. They constantly belittled him, and would poke fun at him because he didn’t have any parents, well– that were alive, at least.
It also didn’t help that he was homeless for a bit after he ran away from his foster family (which was before Freddy realized he was watching his singing gig and gave him shelter), causing him to be behind in school.
With a heavy sigh, Gregory pushed open the door of the apartment after he inserted the lock into the keyhole. He considered hiding in an alleyway before heading back to his Freddy’s home, but decided against it. Either way, his guardian would fret over him.
“Hello, Gregory! How was school, superstar?” inquired the blue-eyed man as he took several steps forward at the entrance of the house.
Freddy let out an audible gasp as he took in Gregory’s condition. Bruises spotted around his legs and there were several gashes on his arm.
“W-Who did this to you?!” exclaimed Freddy as he rushed to the small boy’s side, investigating his injuries. There wasn’t much blood spouting from the wounds, so a few bandaids would be good enough.
Gregory slid off his backpack, hearing it thump onto the wooden floor. “‘S just some stupid bullies. I’m used to it,” sighed the boy, waving off his concern.
Freddy wasted no time to pick up the small boy in his arms, trotting towards the kitchen, where he sat him down on the kitchen counter. Gregory protested in response, scowling daggers at his guardian.
He watched as Freddy rummaged through the medicine cabinet, ripping out several bandaids before placing them on his wounds.
“I'll inform your teacher,” nodded Freddy.
He began to panic, shaking his head in disagreement. “N-No, don’t! I’ll be picked on even more!” argued Gregory.
Freddy paused, gazing at the boy. He extended his hand, ruffling his chocolate hair. “Then… what can I do?” he whispered.
The child pursed his lips. “Can we just… get ice-cream or something?” said Gregory.
The blue-eyed man held in a sigh. “If that’s what you want, Gregory,” replied Freddy.
Little did the pair know a certain blonde woman was eavesdropping on their conversation behind a wall.
Vanessa didn’t know where to start. All she knew was she was going to give those kids a piece of her mind.
She decided to begin at the park, where she (and Freddy) would occasionally accompany Gregory to hang out. She knew other kids in his class also visited said park, so maybe, just maybe, she’d run into the bullies. The chances were low, but she might as well give it a shot.
She considered calling the school, but that would ruin the trust she built with Gregory.
The blonde pulled her jacket closer to her chest as the wind hit her face. Her shoes crunched under the leaves below her. She scanned her surroundings, realizing there were two kids playing soccer a few feet away from where she stood.
“Haha, didja see the look on Gregory’s face when we beat him up? It was priceless!” cackled the child.
“It was even more hilarious when he tried to fight back! That pussy stood no chance!” said the other kid.
Clearly, those two children were much bigger than Gregory. He was relatively small and thin, considering he was pushed around in foster care all his life and homeless at one point. Thankfully, ever since Freddy adopted him, he’d been doing his best to get more meat on the child’s bones.
Vanessa felt anger boil in her veins as she stormed towards the two children. They stared at her in confusion, pausing in their game. She crossed her arms.
“If the two of you ever lay a hand on Gregory again, I’ll hunt you down and show you no mercy,” threatened Vanessa darkly.
One child began to sweat, freezing like a deer in headlights. The other scoffed nervously, arching their brow.
“Oh, yeah? What’re you gonna do about it?” they taunted.
“I’ll be sure to get you both punished if you continue to torment Gregory. You wouldn’t want your parents to find out, would you?” barked Vanessa, a smirk playing on her lips.
“Tch, whatever…” they replied weakly before tugging their friend away from her.
Satisfaction glinted in Vanessa’s green eyes as she turned on her heel, making her way back home.
The blonde sat comfortably on the couch with a blanket on her lap and a book in her hand. She heard the door creak and groan open, her eyes wandering towards the entrance of the apartment.
Gregory and Freddy approached the woman, with the child handing her a cup of chocolate chip cookie dough ice-cream.
“Thank you,” hummed Vanessa as she scooped up a portion of the sweet treat with the plastic spoon she was provided with.
Freddy took a seat on the open love chair as Gregory stood awkwardly. Although he’d been living with the two for a few months now, he still didn’t feel comfortable yet.
Vanessa patted the cushion beside her. She watched as he trotted towards her before taking a seat on the couch next to her.
A comfortable stillness settled over the three as they silently ate their ice-cream.
“... What’re you reading?” asked Gregory curiously.
“A book I read when I was younger. I figured I’d reread the series for nostalgia,” answered Vanessa.
Gregory hummed in response. He shot up to his feet, making his way to his backpack before pulling out several folders to start his homework in the kitchen.
“You have your shift at the Pizzaplex tonight, right?” inquired Freddy.
“Mhm,” replied Vanessa, turning the page.
“... You really can't find another job that is more… safe? So many kids go missing there, Vanessa…” whispered Freddy.
“I know, dad. But surprisingly, the pay is well,” said Vanessa.
“I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself. I always bring mace with me, too,” continued the emerald-eyed woman.
Although Freddy wanted to argue with his child, he heaved a long sigh instead. He trusted Vanessa, so he wouldn’t force her to quit.
Freddy grabbed the three empty cups that were once filled with ice-cream, throwing them out in the kitchen’s trash-can. Gregory was slumped over the table, tapping his pencil on the wood of the furniture. The father took a seat across from him.
“What seems to be the matter, Gregory?”
“I can’t figure out this math problem…” grumbled the child.
He sent the small boy a sympathetic smile before Gregory handed him the paper. It didn’t take long for Freddy to explain the problem smoothly to the boy. Using his pencil, he scribbled down the answer to the problem.
Freddy softly patted the boy’s head. “Good work, superstar,” he said warmly.
“Thanks, dad,” replied Gregory without skipping a beat.
The blue-eyed man froze like an icicle. He gazed at the boy as if he had formed two heads. Fear began to overcome Gregory as he spouted out several apologies. A gentle smile grew on Freddy’s lips as he retreated his hand away from the boy’s head.
“You can call me dad all you want, Gregory,” uttered Freddy.
“... R-Really?” murmured the boy in disbelief.
Freddy nodded in response. Gregory couldn’t help but smile, too.
The brown-haired boy held a small photo frame in his hands.
It was a picture of Freddy looking much younger, maybe in his late twenties? There was a chestnut-skinned man beside him with dyed green and curly hair, embracing him into a bear hug. Freddy held a baby in his arms, a blanket wrapped around the infant. Gregory could just barely make out strands of blonde hair on top of the baby’s head, with dazzling green eyes.
Vanessa appeared behind him, peering over his shoulder.
“I’m sure you’re wondering who the unknown guy is next to dad,” mused the woman.
“I… I know it isn’t my business to ask…” muttered Gregory.
The blonde smiled tenderly at the other. “His name was Monty. He would’ve been your other dad. Sadly, he died when I was ten,” explained Vanessa somberly.
Gregory shifted on either side of his feet nervously. “O-Oh… I’m sorry to hear that…” responded the boy.
“It’s alright. You didn’t know,” said Vanessa.
The brown-eyed boy gently placed the frame back in its original place on the end-table.
“... Is uh… Freddy okay?” questioned Gregory.
The blonde rested her hand on his shoulder, squeezing it. “He’ll be alright. It’s cute to see you worry, kid,” replied the green-eyed woman.
“Periods aren’t fun, but he’ll make it through. It sucks his menstruation cycle is particularly bad,” nodded Vanessa.
“Is there… anything I can do to help?”
“I’m sure he’d like it if you spent time with him. Can you watch over him for me while I go to the grocery store?”
Gregory nodded his head.
“Good. I’ll see you once I’m done shopping,” said Vanessa before she took her exit.
The boy grabbed the computer from its charging spot before heading off to Freddy’s bedroom. He poked his head inside of the room, where he found his caretaker laying in bed with a heating pad on his stomach.
“Oh… hello, Gregory. I'm sorry, but I'm in no condition to play with you…” sighed Freddy sadly.
“That’s okay. I just wanted to hang out with you,” responded Gregory matter-of-factly.
He crawled on top of the bed with the computer, making himself comfortable beside Freddy. He typed away on the laptop, pulling up a streaming service. The father watched as the film began to play.
To his surprise, Gregory cuddled into his side. He rarely initiated physical contact before, unless he was exhausted out of his mind. Freddy held in a big smile because if he didn’t, he was sure Gregory would flee from embarrassment.
Freddy gently stroked the boy’s hair before he leaned into the touch, a small smile curling on Gregory's lips.
He’s never seen him so… carefree before.
It was a pleasant change of pace.
Time passed and before Freddy knew it, Vanessa sauntered into the bedroom, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. She threw him a chocolate bar, considering he asked her for one before she went out shopping. The child was passed out in his arms, his mouth wide open as a line of drool hung below his lips.
“I’m gonna start dinner. Is pasta okay?” asked the blonde.
“That sounds perfect,” replied Freddy.
Gregory vigorously gorged the pasta in front of him, barely taking the chance to chew as he inhaled the food. Tomato sauce was splattered on and around his lips. Freddy wasted no time to wipe away said sauce with a napkin.
The boy’s face fell. “I’m not a baby…” groaned Gregory.
“I know, superstar, but there's no need to eat everything at once. I promise you our food is not going anywhere,” assured Freddy.
Gregory growled under his breath, continuing to eat his dinner at a much slower pace.
The brunette quickly rubbed at his eyes, desperate to remove the tears that rolled down his cheeks. A sniffle escaped his lips as he slid through the slightly ajar door of Freddy’s room. The father always kept his door open, just in case his kids needed him.
Gregory’s feet padded against the carpet as he stood beside the bed. Freddy’s back was turned to him, the comforter on top of him rising and falling as he breathed in and out.
Against his better judgment, he climbed on the bed, gently shaking his guardian awake.
“D-Dad…” mumbled Gregory weakly. It felt weird to call him that, but it also felt right at the same time.
“Mmgh… Gregory…?” replied Freddy, confusion and exhaustion thick in his tone. He turned around, taking in the boy’s current state.
He wasted no time to embrace the child into his arms, gently stroking his back. Gregory melted into the touch, grabbing the man’s shirt like a lifeline. Snot ran down his nose as sobs left the back of his throat.
He never wanted to show vulnerability to anyone. His parents always told him it was a weakness. But, with Freddy, he knew he wouldn’t be judged for it. In the house he’s in now, he could be his true self and that would be encouraged.
Freddy cleared his throat before he began to sing a lullaby his parents would sing to him when he was younger. Gregory visibly relaxed at his soothing voice, his eyelids closing before abruptly opening once again. He fought against sleep.
The blue-eyed man paused, gazing at the boy.
“No… I’ll have another nightmare…” murmured Gregory, fear evident in his voice.
“But you’re a growing boy. You need sleep,” protested Freddy firmly.
“I promise, if you have another bad dream, I’ll be here to comfort you. You’re not alone anymore, superstar,” said Freddy.
More sobs emitted from Gregory as he tightened his grip on the other’s shirt. “Why… why’re you so nice to me…? All my life, I’ve learned grown-ups are terrible, but you… you’re different. What did I do to deserve you and Vanessa?!” exclaimed the child.
“I’m… I’m sorry for all the awful events you were subjected to, Gregory. I knew the moment I saw you at my performance, I had to give you a chance. You’re worthy of a life where you can… just be a kid,” uttered Freddy.
Gregory didn’t know how to respond as the father continued to massage his back. Freddy wasn’t expecting him to answer, so he hummed a small tune under his breath. The brown-haired boy fluttered his eyes shut, drifting off into unconsciousness.