Chapter Text
Gregory knew he wanted to meet with the animatronics and apologize to them all for hurting them that night.
He decided to make amends with Monty first, even though he was the scariest, Gregory wanted to get over his fear of the gator.
It was after hours and the pizzaplex was closed. He walked to Monty Golf in search for the gator himself. He didn't hear any destruction going on in Monty's greenroom when he looked there so he figured he must be here instead.
"M- Monty?" He called into the golf course, hesitantly.
Maybe he isn't here. He thought. He turned around to walk out but was stopped by the loud sound of walking.
"Oh, hey there, little guy" he heard a voice say. It was Monty.
Gregory turned around to face him, trying not to shake with the fear building up in his chest. "H- hi, Monty."
"Woah, you ok there, kid? You look a little pale." He asked. Was that... worry in his voice?
"I- I'm fine" he stuttered, shaking slightly.
Dang it. If Monty found out he was scared, what would happen? Would he be mad? Would he try to hurt him? What if he told Freddy to come get him, and he wouldn't want to talk to him? What if-
He felt a hand on his shoulder, gentle yet grounding. He looked up to see Monty. When had he walked up to him? How did he not notice?
"You alright, Gregory?" He asked in a soft voice. Well.. as soft as it could get.
There. He had said his name for the first time. Usually he was always called "little guy" or "kid" by Monty, but he had said his name this time.
"I- I... I'm sorry, Monty!" He rambles, his words pouring out of him like a waterfall he can't stop. "I'm sorry for what I did to you and the others! I never really meant what I did, but I was just so scared, I didn't know what else to do!" He feels tears forming in his eyes and his breath start to quicken. "I- I'm so so so sorry, Monty!" He fell to his knees and buried his face into his hands, sobbing.
"Hey, hey, woah there, ki- Gregory, it's ok." He kneeled down, and hesitated for a moment. He wasn't quite sure what to do here, he wasn't really programmed for comforting a crying child, but he would try his best. He sat down next to Gregory and put a hand on the child's back, rubbing awkward circles with his big hands.
He sighed. "Look Gregory, you need to understand that what happened was not your fault. You were just protecting and defending yourself. We know that. If anyone should be apologizing, it's us... we were the cause to your fear that drove you to do what you did. So I'm the one who's sorry, little guy. I never meant to scare you, even though I wasn't made to look very friendly like Freddy or Chica, that doesn't mean I'm not."
Gregory sniffed and tried to wipe his tears away, but new ones made his vision blurry again. "Wh- what? What do you mean?" He asked, his voice cracking with newfound tears.
"Well..." he sighed, "I make a lot of children cry, Gregory." he looked away from Gregory and looked at the floor, "I don't ever mean too, but my design says otherwise. I look like a big scary alligator that will hurt people. Parents usually keep their younger kids away from me and only send their teenagers to meet me. Even then they're nervous around me. I try to look friendly and bond with the teens but when I do... it usually ends in tears."
Was that... sadness in his voice?
"I.. I never thought of it like that." Gregory sniffed, "I'm so sorry you have to go through that, Monty. I never realized kids were afraid of you like that." He said with a pang of guilt.
I was afraid of him too. But he seems almost... upset that kids don't like him. He thought.
Monty looked up from the floor at him. "Thanks.. that means a lot."
And with that, Gregory flew into the gator's arms, with newfound sobs erupting from him.
Montgomery froze at the sudden embrace. He wasn't used to people hugging him, let alone wanting to. Once he came to his senses he carefully wrapped his arms around the small child and smiled softly.
They stayed like that until Gregory's sobbing turned slowly into sniffling.
Once he was calmed down a little more, Monty moved to get out of the embrace but was quickly stopped by the small desperate hands that reached out for him to come back.
"No?" Monty asked, moving back to him, slightly shocked he didn't want to get away from him.
Gregory shook his head violently and tightened his grip around the gator's neck.
"You don't want to go back to Freddy?" Monty asked, making sure Gregory was certain he didn't want to leave.
Gregory was certain. He sniffed, "I want to stay with you."
Monty nearly had to reboot after he processed his words. A kid that wanted to stay with him? I mean, sure he's had a few children play golf with him, but when they left, they were normally happy to leave the gator. But a kid who actually wanted to stay with him? That was a different story.
He felt Gregory relax in his arms and looked down to see him sleeping with tear stains on his face.
He quickly sent Freddy a message saying: 'Gregory's staying with me tonight. Hope that's ok.'
A few moments passed and he got a message back as he was watching the child sleep in his arms, still in a little shock.
He looked at the message Freddy sent him.
'That's fine, Monty. I'm glad he's warming up to you.'
Monty smiled slightly at his message before picking up the sleeping Gregory and walking quietly out of of Monty Golf and towards his greenroom.
As they entered the room, Gregory stirred, shifting in Monty's grasp, and looked up at him with sleepy eyes.
Monty tensed at his gaze, worried he would've forgotten he was still with the reptile and would start yelling because he was scared, but no. He just smiled up at him and closed his eyes again. Monty relaxed as he made his way over to his couch and attempted to settle Gregory on it.
Gregory's eyes shot open as he felt himself being put down, and scrambled to hold on to the animatronic.
Monty seemed to understand and sat down on the couch adjusting the child in his arms and grabbing a blanket to throw over them before laying down on the couch facing upwards, and settling Gregory down on his chest.
He tossed the blanket around them, while Gregory nuzzled into his neck. Once the blanket was settled on them, Monty gently rested his hands on Gregory's back, and rubbed up and down it, cautious of his claws.
Monty was so confused.
Why is this kid still with me? Why did he want to stay with me instead of going back to Freddy? He had so many questions in his mind that he couldn't answer.
No matter.
If Gregory wanted to stay with him while no one else would, he would enjoy every second of it.
He glanced at the child sleeping peacefully on his chest before entering rest mode, with a smile on his face.
Monty heard quiet whimpering and came out of rest mode, looking down at Gregory, still on his chest with tears running down his face.
He knew he was having a nightmare and guessed it was going to get a lot worse when he woke up from it. He sat up on the couch slowly, shifting Gregory onto his lap, holding him tightly ready for what was to come.
Gregory jolted and woke up screaming and crying. He felt arms wrapped around his waist, holding him firmly, but not so much that he couldn't escape if he wanted to.
He could barely hear somone speaking to him over his cries.
"Shh, shhh." He was pulled into a sturdy metal chest. "It's alright, kid. It's ok, you're safe with me."
He was able to make out Monty's low-toned voice through the blood rushing in his ears.
He stopped screaming and just sobbed, turning his face into the animatronic's chest. It was warm and somewhat comforting, considering the slightly rough scales that covered it.
"It's ok. You're safe... you're safe." Monty murmured, rocking him back and forth.
"M- Monty." Gregory tries to talk but is stopped by sobs.
"Shhh. I know. Don't try and talk right now, you'll only cry more if you do." He rubbed his head, and thought for a moment before continuing. "Do you want me to call Freddy?"
Gregory shook his head and clung on tighter to the gator's neck.
Ok, now Monty was really confused.
'What is happening?' He thought, although he didn't question it.
He didn't mind Gregory wanting to stay with him, in fact, he was happy about it... but he couldn't understand why the kid wanted to stay with him. Wasn't he scared of him?
They stayed on his couch, embracing each other as Gregory calmed down.
"Gregory... I don't quite understand." Monty said slowly.
"Hm?" He hummed, relaxing in the animatronic's arms.
"Why... why do you want to stay with me?" Monty looked down at him through his sunglasses.
He huffed a small laugh and pulled away to look at him with a smile. "Because you're cool. I like being with you." His smile faded and he looked down and played with his shirt. "I'm really sorry for being so scared of you... I wish I hadn't so I could spend more time with you."
Monty took a moment to process what the child said and put his hand on his shoulder, making the kid look up. "Like I said before, there's no need for you to apologize. It wasn't your fault, rockstar."
He smiled and hugged him around his neck. "Thanks Monty."
Monty wrapped his arms around him and smiled. He could get used to this. He pulled Gregory away and smiled at him, he took his sunglasses off and put them on the child's face.
It was a big surprise for Gregory because no one got to touch his sunglasses other than him and maybe a couple of maintenance workers.
He giggled and put them up above his eyes on his head.
Monty couldn't stop smiling. He felt something warm deep in his endoskeleton. He didn't know what it was, but he knew he liked it.
"Now. How about we go play a game of golf, little guy?" He nudged his arm playfully.
He giggled as he scooted off Monty's lap. "Yeah!"
He stood up and held his hand out to his small friend.
He took it and together they walked to Monty Golf and played several games of it, all the while having a great time.