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You have quite the love-hate relationship with your job. On one hand, it’s amazing! You get to view the Pizzaplex every night, exploring the vast building and interacting with all the incredibly designed animatronics. (Seriously, they seem like they should be human.) On the other hand, however…
Your walkie-talkie cuts in, static buzzing with a muffled voice. Quickly, you stop walking and fish it off of your belt, holding down the button and telling Vanessa to please repeat that, over.
Vanessa’s voice comes through laced with agitation as she says, this time more clearly, “Boss needs you to stay the full night tonight. Something about some teens tryin’ to sneak in, I don’t know. You just can’t go home yet, over.”
…on the other hand, you absolutely hate it.
You have to push down the mounting anxiety that creeps up, more work just being piled right on top of your already sleep-deprived shoulders. Tonight is absolutely not the night, it’s already downright terrible, but you have no other choice to reply, “Got it, thanks for the heads up. Over and out.” (You don’t like the slightly cringy “walkie-talkie talk”, as you like to call it, but it’s a necessity working as a night guard.)
Sighing into your hands, you clip your walkie-talkie back onto your belt and continue walking. Not only do you already have to finish your rounds, but you also have to stay until 6 am, like some of the other night guards. It’s not fair. You were supposed to be done in an hour, but now you have to stay an extra three. God, there goes all hope at getting a decent night’s sleep, you suppose.
As you continue to make your rounds, you come upon the daycare, which would usually be your last area to check for the night. Of course, now you’re going to have to make all your rounds again, and that fact is getting to you. You step past the cutesy welcome sign and into the daycare, thankful that the lights usually stay on around here. In fact, the lights typically stay on everywhere in the Pizzaplex. Which is good, because you kind of hate the dark. (No offense to Moon, of course, you just…can’t handle it.)
And just because you’re on a streak today, why shouldn’t something else go wrong? The universe is taunting you, you just know it, as your walkie-talkie starts up again.
No, no, no nononononono, repeats like a mantra in your head as you stop dead in your tracks, right outside the door to the daycare. Not even the jovial music soothes you as Vanessa’s voice blares through the speaker, barking orders at you, telling you to finish your rounds, hurry up, she’s waiting, where the heck are you, she needs you there right now–
This– This is not good, not good, not good. You desperately claw at your belt, fumbling around for your walkie-talkie. You twist around as if you would be able to see your belt and your anxiety just continues climbing as your hand grasps the walkie-talkie.
“I-I’m here,” you tell her in a rushed breath, hating your voice for stuttering but it’s all you can do not to start breaking down, Vanessa’s commanding voice gnawing on your nerves. “I’m still– I haven’t checked the daycare yet, so–”
“Then hurry up! We don’t have all night,” Vanessa says bitterly, letting out an annoyed huff through the speaker. “Or do you want to be fired for this?”
Fired? No, you– You’re just doing your job, just completing your rounds, then you’ll go help. You can’t get fired, no, you can’t, then you– Then you won’t be able to see Freddy, or Chica, or Monty, or Roxy, or Sun and Moon–
The walkie-talkie clatters to the ground with you right behind it, sliding down onto the floor as tears well up in the corners of your eyes. You’re aware of how pathetic it is, getting so overwhelmed by the stress. But you bury your face in your knees, curling in on yourself in a fruitless attempt to stop the shaking.
Your breaths are coming out more in labored pants and, distantly, you recognize you’re having a panic attack.
Salty rivulets cascade down your cheeks as you harshly grip your pant legs, willing it all to go away, for Vanessa to call it off, something. You don’t know how long you sit there like that, seconds, minutes, whatever, but it won’t calm down and it won’t go away. (Vanessa is still talking, yelling, through the walkie-talkie, but you’re too far gone to register it. Eventually, she gives up.)
You hear a door creaking, but it isn’t enough to pull you from your mind, hardly even grasps your attention. It isn’t until you hear a bell jingle that you force your head up and your eyes open. And it’s… Sun. He’s standing in front of you, watching as you quiver and stare up at him, tears staining trails down your face.
His reaction is relatively quick though, as if he’s made for this. (He is.) He sits down next to you, criss-cross, not touching you but still close. His voice is energetic, bouncy, just like always, but softer, quieter, as he says, “Oh dear, oh gosh, Sunshine, Sunshine, are you alright?”
It’s not meant to be as frantic or as worried as it sounds, but you’re not in the right headspace to be aware of that. Instead, it just sounds like you’re pathetic. Of course, you’re unable to tell him that. Instead, you just let out a small, pitiful whimper.
“Sunshine, it’ll be fine, Sunny’s here, see? Don’t worry, nonono, everything's okay,” the Sun rambles, his voice pitching up in a worried manner. But then his tone shifts, is gentler, and his faceplate twists side to side as he leans closer to you. “You’re not speaking, can you speak? It’s alright, Sunshine, you’re okay.”
Silently, you shake your head, no. You can’t speak, can’t get your tongue to lift off of the bottom of your mouth. It’s so heavy. Everything is so heavy.
Sun folds his hands in front of him, his knee bouncing. “It’s okay, everything is a-okay, Sunshine,” he repeats, reaching out towards you slowly, yet still not touching. “There’s no reason to be scared, I’m here! Yes, Sun’s here to help. Oh oh oh you’re crying! Shhh, everything will be alright, Sunshine.”
He’s…trying to reassure you, you realize. He’s trying to help .
Sun’s hand is close, so close, you can feel the warmth radiating off of him onto your skin. “Let me help, Sunshine. You don’t have to be scared, no no, can’t have that. Here, is it– is it okay if I touch you?” His hand is just an inch away as you register his words. He’s asking. Of course, he is, he’s programmed for this kind of thing, after all, he must know that it’s important you’re comfortable with it. Which you are.
So you nod, jerkily, still shaking and clutching yourself as the panic slowly starts to subside. A long metal arm wraps securely around your shoulders, pulling you closer against him. He’s warm to the touch, but not in a searing kind of way. It’s nice against the chills wracking your body.
Sun’s hand rubs circles against your back in a steady rhythm, giving you something to ground yourself with. You focus on the motion as he hums along to the music still playing from the daycare speakers, a soft, calming sound despite the upbeat melody.
“See? Now that I’m here, there’s nothing to be scared of. I’ll be your knight in shining armor, Sunshine, don’t you worry!” he says, reassures, though it’s lighthearted, as if he’s trying to remedy the situation, make you laugh. And you do, even if it’s just a small chuckle. Either way, Sun seems infinitely pleased. “Yes yes, I’m here, I’m here.”
You lean further against him as you feel your body start to calm, finally relieved by Sun’s presence and your mind slowly drifts from all of your responsibilities. It isn’t as menacing in the arms of an animatronic so warm.
By the time you’ve stopped shaking and your tears have dried, you find your body so heavy, completely exhausted. You try not to think about how you have to stay overtime despite it, letting your eyes slip shut just for a moment, only because of how much weight they suddenly have.
You can hear Sun humming again, a noise that sounds mostly like intrigue as he undoubtedly watches you starting to fall asleep against him. He doesn’t seem too content with continuing to sit in the middle of the hallway, though, and metal arms snake around you, one gripping around your shoulders and the other winding underneath your knees.
Your eyes flutter open as you’re lifted off of the ground and into the air. You don’t think to let out any noise other than a small, startled gasp, but you have half the mind to hold onto Sun as he stands, laughing at your surprise, and begins carrying you towards the daycare. (Not that he would ever drop you, you’re sure of it.) He’s slow, steady, despite his usual attitude, and his arms are securely wrapped around you. It feels…safe. Nice. It makes warmth blossom in your chest.
You’re brought inside of the daycare, Sun pushing the door shut behind him with his foot, that little bell of his jingling as he does. The bouncy, usual daycare music continues on as always. Despite the lingering nerves (edged away by Sun, of course), it’s nearly comforting in the daycare, like this.
Sun sets you down in a corner full of pillows and blankets, letting you splay out onto them in a comfortable position. You slowly, weakly, your body still protesting every movement, arrange the pillows beneath you and lay down against them, your eyelids falling shut automatically.
You hear Sun laugh joyously above you, as if he’s elated you’re starting to feel better. “All better now, Sunshine?” he asks you.
You nod your head. “I am,” you say, voice weak and gentle but finally working again, your throat ceasing to close in on itself in fear. “Thank you, Sun. I…really appreciate your help.”
The Sun would smile broader if he could, you’re sure of it. His unmoving faceplate twists around full-circle, a pleased noise coming from his voice box. “That makes me so happy, sososo happy! If you ever need me, ever , I’m here, I’ll be right here for you.”
Your mouth twists up into a small smile, watching the animatronic above you as he leans back on his arms, sitting next to you yet not touching anymore, like he doesn’t want to overdo it, now that you’re calm.
“Thank you,” you tell him again, a bold hand reaching up to cup his faceplate, your palm resting against his cheek. “I appreciate it, really. I…I’m really glad you were there to help. If you weren’t…” You trail off, your gaze falling away as your hand retracts.
“Nono, Sunshine, look at me, look at me,” Sun says, gently gripping your wrist as your hand starts to flee, stopping it before it can. He intertwines your fingers with his, setting your heart ablaze. You look back at him. “Don’t think about it, no, don’t worry. You don’t have to worry, Sunshine. Know why? ‘Cause I’m here! I was there. No reason to think about it, no, don’t have to dwell on ‘what ifs’. Okay, Sunshine? I’m here .”
You hesitate for a long moment, soaking in his words, your worry melting away as you slowly nod. Sun stares at you expectantly, patiently, waiting for you to answer him verbally. You try to give him the best smile you can muster. “Okay,” you say. “But— I can help you, too. If you ever need help, I can be here too, Sunny. Just because you’re not human doesn’t mean your feelings don’t matter. Everyone needs to talk about it sometimes, you know? You can always come to me, too.”
For a long moment, the Sun is silent, staring at you with an absolutely blank look. Did you break him? You didn’t do much, and he deals with kids, how can he really break so easily? Oh god, is this going to come out of your paycheck? You can’t–
Then he’s laughing, suddenly, a staticky and boisterous sound that lifts upwards in delight. His very large hand cups your cheek, leaning down with a wide, shining grin.
“So sweet, you’re so sweet , Sunshine,” he says, glowing white eyes peering at you. You feel your stomach do a backflip with such a look. “You don’t have to, never have to do a thing, but you still want to. You’re so perfect , how can you be so perfect? So nice, sososo nice, just for me. Don’t deserve you, Sunshine, don’t deserve such kind words.”
It takes you a moment to comprehend what he’s saying, but when you do, you’re sitting up so you can be face to face with him, your hand not holding his falling over the one on your cheek. “You deserve more than what I can give you, Sunny,” you tell him. “You’re so– You do so much, for the kids, for the daycare, for me. I don’t know what I would have done out there. But you helped make it better.”
“Better?” the animatronic echoes, his hand squeezing the one in yours. Your hands are so much smaller than his. “Better, better, I made it better… Sunshine is so nice, too nice to me, ” he reiterates, as if he can’t believe it. (He probably can’t. You’ve seen how many customer complaints the Pizzaplex gets because of his… strange nature.) “But you think I deserve it, so I can’t say that, no no, I deserve it. Sunshine says .”
You squeeze his hands tighter. “I’m sorry other people don’t appreciate you more. You’re doing a great job, Sunny,” you say.
“Me? I do great?” the Sun says excitedly, as if the praise is such a surprise to him. “Oh, yes, so sosoosoooo sweet!” He presses his forehead against yours, warm metal meeting your skin. You bite back a surprised noise, instead melting into the contact and shutting your heavy eyes.
Sun pulls back too soon, quickly, as if he’s forgotten your predicament. “But– But, but, but, Sunshine needs sleep! I saw, saw you tired, you need to rest, yes yes. Sleep is super import, very very import, all humans need it!”
Immediately, you start to protest, letting go of Sun’s hand and putting yours out in front of you defensively. “No, I’m fine, I don’t need to go to bed. I still have work to do, and– woah! ”
Sun doesn’t like your response. He pushes you down (albeit lightly, as to not hurt you), making your back hit the pillows again. While you’re still caught up in your surprise, he pulls a blanket up over you, tucking you in.
“Shhh, Sunshine, shhhh,” he hushes you, placing a long finger against his mouth. “Don’t worry, nonono, I’ll take care of everything. Yes, you just sleep, just rest. I know the lights are on, but I can shut off the music, I can.”
“But I–” You try to sit up, knowing Vanessa will have your head if you just disappear. Sun grasps you by the shoulders and lowers you back down, pulling your blanket back up over you. He’s not taking no for an answer, you recognize.
“Nooo, go to sleep,” he says more sternly, shaking his head side to side. “Sleep, I’ll take care of it! Ohhh, or do you need a lullaby? I can sing, yes, sing a nice sleepy song.”
“I’m not five,” you say, turning over onto your side. You’ve made peace with the fact that he isn’t letting you go. (And you are pretty tired…)
“You can never be too old for a lullaby,” he says, leaning over you to look you in the eye. It should be unnerving, with his faceplate so close, it really should, but it just…isn’t. Can’t be. You’re that just comfortable with him. “Come on, Sunshine, it’ll help, help you sleep!”
With a small huff, you relent. Your heavy eyelids slip shut again as you say, “Yeah, alright. I guess it’s fine.”
Sun’s joy is evident as he bounces to be right beside you, bells softly jingling as he sits facing you. His voicebox starts to hum a soothing melody, slow and peaceful. Your body sags into the pillows, letting out a deep breath and relaxing against your makeshift bed. Sun watches, continuing his soft lullaby, as your breathing begins to even out, your tense posture melting away in his presence.
Your mind clouds over quickly, before Sun’s song is even finished, sleep overcoming you. You let yourself slip from consciousness as you distantly hear the humming cease and Sun’s voice whisper above you.
“Sleep tight, Sunshine.”