Chapter Text
He was still small. Blinking up at his parents, the people who he thought of as heroes
Smiling so brightly, met with this disgruntled smile from his dad. He didn't know where his mom was, but he remembered one sentence that was repeated more by her.
"You're A Useless Child!"
He didn't understand that sentence. He was still young, he hadn't even started school yet. Holding on tightly to his dad's hand as they walked at the dead of night.
It was cold and wet. Gregory had a thin jacket, and his normal clothing. His legs were cold due to the air. Seeing his breath, with every step.
The warmth of his father's hand, that let go of him.
"Papa?" Gregory asked.
"Gregory..Hey..I need you to do me a favor" His father said.
"What is it?" Gregory tilted his head.
"Can you stay right here and wait for me? I promise to come back" His father's eyes, full of sadness.
"I promise! I'll stay right here" Gregory smiled.
His father patted his shoulder, and walked away. Gregory leaned against the cold wall, sitting. Titling his head out of boredom.
Those child-like smiles slowly turned sad. He was hugging his knees while he counted the minutes that went by, only taught what his father had. Counting to Twenty, he continued to latch onto any hope.
His father always keeps his promises. He's gonna come back. Minutes turned into hours, and it rained harder, he had taken shelter under the bus stop.
Watching the raindrops hit puddles. Where was his Papa? He said he'll come back.
The rain being the only thing that provided sound. He was clenching his jacket sleeves, he was getting colder and shivering.
His father wouldn't leave. He was sure about that.
His father was a kind man, he did everything to provide happiness for him. He was amazing in Gregory's eyes.
He was kicking his legs back and forth, he was bored and his mind was wandering. What can he do?
He can hear voices, People are around now. The whispers from them.
"Poor Kid"
"I wonder Where his parents are?"
So many words from people he never met.
The bus has pulled up so many times, but one only bothered to talk to him.
"Hey Kid..Are you gonna ride the bus?"
"No.." He answered.
"Where are your parents?"
"My Dad left, I don't know where my mom is"
"Do you know their number? I can call them"
"No..I don't"
"Kid I think they abandoned you" Another voice chimed in.
"You don't tell a kid that?!"
"What does abandon mean?" Gregory asked.
"They left you, they're not coming back" The man said.
"You're wrong! My Dad said he'll come back! He always keeps his promises" Gregory yelled.
"That's what they all say" The man boarded the bus, putting money in.
The bus doors closed, and it drove off. Gregory knew that man was lying. His father was a good man, he believed that.
His Father always helped people, that was his nature. He's always been taught to be kind.
Gregory was getting hungry, this was bad. Where was his father? It was morning.
He decided to wander around, clenching his stomach. He needed help, he tugged on a woman's coat, who turned.
"Excuse me? I need a little bit of help" Gregory said.
"Ugh! I'm not responsible for other people's kids!"
"That's right! My mom doesn't need to help someone so useless" The other kid stuck out their tongue.
The woman and her child walked away, leaving Gregory alone.
"What does useless mean?" Gregory asked himself.
He continued to wander around the city, people sending looks of concern but not bothering to even approach him. Those he did approach, pushed him away.
The laughs as they did, Gregory was getting filthy due to being pushed into puddles of dirty water.
He was dragging his body to try to find help. Those hours of wandering, turned into days eventually. He was getting more hungry. And soon enough, his body couldn't function.
Only could lay against the wall of an alley. Where he held his knees. Debating on what to do.
"Look, A small kid"
Gregory looked up, a group of boys in their teens possibly. Much taller and bigger than he was.
"P-Please..Help" Gregory pleaded.
"Aw Guys look! The baby is pleading"
The group laughed.
What did he do? He just wanted help..why couldn't he get that.
Gregory screamed. A foot stepped on his small hand, it was painful. His throat was dry, and his hunger didn't help his case.
"Who raised someone so helpless and useless?"
That word again.What did it mean?
"What does useless mean?" Gregory asked, his voice so tiny.
"It means you're nothing, nobody likes you, you don't have a use in this big world. Know your place"
The teen stuck the heel of the shoe deeper.
N.. Nobody likes him?
That's not true.. Right?
His parents loved him..Right?
The teens walked away from him, leaving the boy to his own thoughts. He really couldn't think, he was hungry. What had he done to deserve this?
Was he not enough?
He closed his eyes, maybe sleep would help. Still sleeping against the cold alley wall was not his ideal type of bed.
Sleep took over. His Dream..Was it a dream?
It was the same place where he was told to stay put. The sound of rain, something was different though.
A woman was sitting next to him. A woman all so familiar. He was looking up at her, features all similar to his own.
"Why couldn't I just get away from you?"
"What do you mean?" Gregory asked.
"I'm so sick and tired of you. Why can't I just have peace?"
"Mom…?" He called out.
"Why are you such a useless child?!" She screamed at him.
A..Useless Child? Why did his own mom call him that?
"Mom.. You're scaring me," He said.
"I told your father to just leave you, we argued so much. I told him to just abandon you. And that he did"
Dad..He abandoned him..?
"Honestly, I don't why he liked you as a son. You're so annoying and needy"
"I'm sorry.." Gregory replied.
"You should be. I deserve better than you"
They sat in silence, the rain pouring. The droplets hitting the metal covering.
"Well I need to get going, enjoy your dumb life"
"Wait!" Gregory grabbed her coat.
The woman had anger across her face, who yanked his hand off her coat.
"I don't fucking want you! You're not my son!" She stormed off.
Gregory held his hand out. He wanted to chase her, but his legs wouldn't move.
"I just don't wanna be alone.." He broke down crying.
His own family left him. He wasn't gonna survive.. there's no way he'd make it on his own.
His body and mindset wasn't up for that.
Yet..He had to.
So that's what ended up happening. He did what anyone on the street would do. He robbed, and picked pocket people.
He didn't wanna do this. But, He wanted to live..he wanted to do something for himself eventually.
No one batted an eye at him while walking through the busy streets. But it also came with people beating and bullying him.
The bruises that would take weeks to heal. Some becoming scars permit on his body. Like the one on his cheek, he had got cut by some teen, who thought hurting him was okay.
He had robbed first-aid stuff, so he could help himself. Still it sucked..it hurt. The same words that people kept saying and stating to him.
"You're so worthless!"
"You're a useless child!"
He wants it to stop. It still wouldn't stop no matter how much he pleaded and begged.
That was until those teens and kids who mocked him, stopped coming. He grew curious, they had disappeared inside of the huge PizzaPlex Mall.
He's heard of it. He's always wanted to go, he had robbed clothes. He was getting flithy, so he changed.
At the same time he felt bad. This was a mystery that he wanted to solve. What was happening inside the PizzaPlex.
It was a big mistake for him to ever go to the PizzaPlex. Of course deep down he wanted to help, he really did.
But, Those animatronics..he hated what they were doing. The mockery they were doing, how they chased him throughout the night he was there.
He didn't feel safe. It was like they were stalking him, like they knew exactly where he was.
His thoughts were running wild. Of What he should do.
Freddy wasn't always there. Oh how he adored the bear. How we wanted to break down every time he was called Superstar. How he was told he was doing a good job.
When he found out that the animatronics were being controlled, he forgave them for what happened, but would never forget.
Even if things were calm now..his mind wasn't so calm.
He had always been thinking. What can he do to just make any of this pain go away? What would work?
He didn't wanna talk about what he endured here or out there. He was scared.. because he was always invalidated. Why would it be any different here?
Things did change around the PizzaPlex. Yet, Today marked something.. something he didn't want.
Roxy had asked him to help carry a few ingredients to the kitchen, so She and Chica could make Pizza. He didn't mind helping, but he had accidentally dropped a few ingredients. Including the dough.
"God Gregory! Quit being Useless!" She exploded at him.
That word..It just clicked in his head. Like a Trigger..He could feel his eyes water..and inhale sharp breaths. Trying his best to contain sobs that would be coming from him.
"W-Wait Gregory I didn't mean-" She started.
Gregory didn't wanna hear anymore words. He had just ran, he didn't know which location he would go to. He just wanted to get away.
He shouldn't have ran. But, That word just made emotions take over. Emotions that he knew oh too well.
He had ended up sitting by Freddy's Dressing Room. He didn't know why he went here. Just.. Freddy was his favorite. Being near him helped a little.
Still, He wasn't expecting Freddy to be inside.
"Superstar?" Freddy had peaked his head out the door.
"Freddy!" Gregory said, surprised.
"What are you doing out here? I thought you were with Roxy and Chica" Freddy replied.
Gregory avoided eye contact. His sobs came out, with a concerned Freddy engulfing him in a big hug.
"Shh..Hey Superstar.. What's the matter?" Freddy asked.
Gregory just cried harder. Choking on his sobs, and hiccuping from time to time. Freddy had brought him inside the Dressing Room.
Where Gregory was sitting on a bean bag chair, with Freddy sitting down in front of him.
"Superstar, I'm going to need you to explain to me what happened," Freddy said.
He didn't want to. He knew Roxy didn't mean to hurt him..It was just an accident.
"I was helping Roxy carry ingredients to the kitchen..when I accidentally dropped some," Gregory said.
"And?" Freddy questioned.
"She called me Useless," Gregory looked away.
He was so ashamed. He hated being ashamed but he was. He was soon in another hug. Freddy patted his back.
"You know you're not useless, Right?" Freddy told him.
Gregory was still hesitant. People's words haunt him, especially his mother's..his mom's was the worst. It's the one sound he wants to forget but can't.
"Gregory..?" Freddy said.
"I'm so tired Freddy! I just want what everyone else has.. Support..My mom hates me..She made my dad abandon me Freddy. Am I not good enough?!" Gregory yelled.
"Gregory, Of course you're good enough. You're enough. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise" Freddy said.
"It's scary Freddy..The Nightmares from outside and here. I see everything..I see everyone who hurt me" Gregory replied.
The dull eyes of his mom, the adults and kids who hurt him. They followed him in his nightmares. He hasn't slept well.
"I need you to tell me more so I can help Gregory," Freddy said.
"I've wanted to do anything to end my hurting..I didn't know what to do. I don't wanna die..I wanna live! I just don't know what to do. I..I need help" Gregory admitted.
Freddy tightened the hug a bit. Where Gregory returned the hug, his tears hitting the metal of Freddy.
"I am so proud of you. It takes a lot to admit when you need help, and I'll be here to provide anything I can" Freddy said.
"Thank you Freddy," Gregory said.
"Dad.." Freddy replied.
"Huh?" Gregory said.
"Call me Dad, Son" Freddy stated.
Gregory started crying harder. Oh how he loved this, How he loved these hugs. Freddy was proud of him. And He has a dad.. Something he's failed to have.
Freddy patted his head and smiled. So much support from that smile of his.
"Do you need anything else son?" Freddy asked.
"I'm tired, Dad," Gregory said.
"Go to sleep Superstar. I'll explain to Roxy and Chica what happened" Freddy said.
"Goodnight Dad.." Gregory closed his eyes.
"Goodnight Son. I love you" Freddy replied.
He was warm for once, no coldness of the street or the rain that has gone on for a while. And He wasn't gonna get hurt by strangers anymore.
He has a dad. Someone who will shield him from the hurt of the world. His SuperHero.