Chapter Text
Evan Afton died about four decades ago.
Trapped in rows of teeth and the locked metal jaw of an animatronic, his own blood soaking his clothes. He was eight years old, and unfortunately he would never get the chance to be older than that. He does not remember much of that time. Just that he was always crying, always scared. Always begging his brother to leave him alone. All he really had was Fredbear, and even in the end, that was the most bittersweet truth that came up, to his chagrin.
He didn't die immediately. First he was rushed to the hospital, the quiet noise of sobbing-- his brother, lost to guilt, whispering 'im sorry, I'm sorry' over and over and over-- piercing through the ringing of his own ears. Being forced to listen to his father act like he ever cared. What a cruel way to die. The nightmares never helped either, a sick recreation of his father's machines, and eventually childrens' coffin, lurking in the hallways of his haunted home and in the dark of his closet.
Cassidy was so angry. An angry, grieving soul. She was right to be.
No wonder, right? Anyone would be in her situation. Maybe it was more sick of him that his anger came only in quick, uncontrollable bursts before he was useless again. You could say Evan was grieving, but really he was just dead, the only proof he still existed the whispered 'it's me's to his brother and the curse of nightmares he passed onto him when he refused to acknowledge them. It'd never been exactly satisfying, just vague relief, crushing Mikey's mind in his palms and letting it crumble out of his hands with each encounter.
… He still doesn't know how many people he and Cassidy ended up killing. They didn't realize it, they didn't have the capacity to realize who was who, which purple uniform was his fathers. It didn't matter. They would do anything to end this. They would do anything to watch William Afton and his wretched legacy die. At least that was what Evan thought had to do, with nothing else. He'd tried other things before, like just simply becoming Cassidy's friend. But it didn't work out like that.
Cassidy wasn't just angry because she was killed, but because she'd been killed and still no one knew who she was, and she hadn't got the chance to grow up and become someone people could love and understand. Cassidy hardly knew who she was. Her favorite color was red — Like Mike, like blood, like a popsicle on a hot summer day, the red of Elizabeth's bows and bracelets— Even though she wore yellow. She had dimples, two big front teeth, and long black pigtails that she haphazardly braided at times when she was trying to look nice, but she never wore it out like that because she got frustrated with the hair that poked out and became frizzy, and her name was Cassidy. Not Cass, or Cassie, Just Cassidy.
She had no siblings, and no parents. Once, Evan tried to say, "I wish I never had any parents or siblings like you," And Cassidy had snapped, "No you don't! Don't say that! At least your family remembers you! At least you have someone that wants you to come back! Even if those people suck."
Evan Afton wakes up about four decades after his death.
The first thing he notices is that Cassidy is gone, and all he can hear is the sound of his own thoughts. "Cass- Cassidy?" He croaks, his voice grating to his own ears. His throat feels like someone just used a cheese grater on it. His limbs felt oddly light, and when he lifted his hand up to inspect it he saw a small, flesh-covered hand. Scrambling, he backs up against a wall, and outstretching his hands, he traces his veins with his eyes, absolutely baffled.
Either this is a dream, or Evan is suddenly present enough in his own mind to go insane. He swipes his hands over his arms, feeling the rise of goosebumps and the softness of unblemished skin. This feels so- so, real. How does it feel real?
He looks up, and sees he was backed up against a garage-like door, a colorful drawing printed across it that Evan can't quite make out. There's strange noises buzzing all around him, like electricity is racing through the walls. Which is a close guess once Evan actually takes in his surroundings.
It's like he's in a movie!
It's huge, huge! It might be some sort of mall, but Evan isn't sure, having never gone to one himself before (Brother and Elizabeth used to go to the mall, though usually with a group of friends, which Evan doesn't have). Bright colored lights line every corner of the wall and railings, posters and stores everywhere he looks. It's only when Evan catches sight of a statue does he pause in his marveling.
It's Freddy Fazbear. (It's shrouded in a gold color, which is ironic.)
Or, a version of him, at least. Evan doesn't remember Freddy or Fredbear having shoulder pads. Plus, the stature is very proud and straight, with a cleaner, distinct build. But it still makes Evan's heart drop to his feet.
That means that this must be another Fazbear location.
He vaguely registers that this definitely can't just be a single restaurant, but all he's thinking about is that he's back. But there was no way he was actually human again, this must be some sick trick, a ruse, something! it has to be a dream. Maybe he's just a straight up ghost, and not possessing Fredbear anymore? But that didn't make any sense! The others would still be attached to their animatronics, even after they've been damaged. He knew that. They all did. Besides, the rest of them should be free. Evan technically was still attached to Cassidy, floating in an endless white void with a misty lake while she took revenge on Father for a gruesome end and the following decades of torment.
Evan runs his hands over his body again, looking for any wires or nails, or spring locks, or, or something that explained what was going on. All he found was the softness of clothes, unmarred flesh, joints that weren't metal, and the warmth of blood beneath his skin. He could even feel his heartbeat when he pressed his trembling hand to his chest. It was such an unfamiliar sensation, he couldn't help but close his eyes and hug his old body, trying to familiarize himself with the rise and fall of his lungs.
They are never going to get a break, will they?
As long as the hurt was prolonged, as long as the tragedies lasted, they wouldn't be able to go home. Or move onto heaven, or reincarnate, or whatever getting untethered to reality meant to a ghost haunting the circumstances of their own death. Tragedy is drawn to the bitter.
Evan didn't stop the desperate, dry, sob as it was ripped from his throat without permission. He ignored the cold seeping into his bones. Always the crybaby, said the brother in his mind drily. Evan doesn't think he could cry right now even if he wanted to. Evan ignored that, too, as he thread his fingers through his hair frantically. Okay. Okay. This is fine. This is perfectly fine. Normal, even, for this stupid family. Evan hits himself in the forehead, then his temple, and then again. He almost wants to pierce the skin somehow, just to prove if he really does have the blood that he can feel rushing in his ears and pumping his heart.
He leans on his back, and he feels something squeak below him. It sounds awfully, terribly familiar, so Evan slowly turns his head towards the sound.
His hand squishes into the soft yellow plush below him, and as he stares at Fredbear he refuses to make a sound. Dark eye surround white pupils that stare forward blankly, and Evan carefully reaches toward him and tugs him out from behind him, lifting his old friend until he is eye level with him. Staring into the soulless eyes, he presses his nose against Fredbear's and closes his eyes.
"Welcome back," Evan whispers, and his friend doesn't honor that with a reply. His words are just as much to himself as they were to the bear, and he tightens his grip into the artificial fur.
Tugging Fredbear close to his chest, he nuzzles his nose against the slope of his forehead, and takes a deep breath. He stands up on weak legs, and he looks off into what he knows is the product of decades of tragedy and torture. How had father's business lasted for so long? And if it'd been sold to another company, how could it possibly be still having the same problems as before? Based off of the enormity of this place, they had more than enough money to keep going, but how? Could you scrape off the reputation of a serial murderer stuffing children's bodies in the animatronics after losing his son and going mad for the hunt for immortality?
Evan could actually... Think for once. Rationally enough to string together the questions he wants answered. It's a weird feeling, really, standing awkwardly in an empty mall and regaining his humanity one thought at a time, but it's not like there's much else he can do until he figures out what's going on. 'One worry at a time,' Elizabeth would probably say, while simultaneously worrying just as much as him about pretty much everything. He supposed the difference was that Elizabeth could compose herself and keep her thoughts (generally) inside, while Evan couldn't help himself from blurting out nonsensical scenarios that proved his anxiety was justified or bursting into tears after being overwhelmed.
Then an irritated Mike would say, 'why are you acting crazy again? It's eight in the morning.' and Evan would hide in a corner with his head against the wall imagining Mike's head exploding. Evan figured he had better ways to spend this new lease on life.
Well, there's really only one thing left for him to do in a place like this anyway.
This was really.. annoying.
Evan has no idea what these new bots are. They seem really advanced, and really, really irritating. He has a hunch with the fake hats and flashlights they're meant to look for anyone staying after closing hours, he remembers meeting a couple of security guards at Fredbear's before he died. But these are bots, which makes it infinitely worse. And they're everywhere. It's like they're there for the sole purpose of keeping him from actually getting anywhere. How would anyone want to go to this place for fun?
Evan huffs as a flashlight mechanically passes over his hiding spot. He'd never thought he would miss being a ghost, but here he was, accidentally slamming into walls trying to phase through them. And god are his legs cold. It seemed his body was what, spawned in? wearing the same clothes he wore the day he died. Which made sense, but the day he died was much warmer, and Fredbear's Diner didn't have as good of air conditioning as this place does.
He wonders briefly if anyone else he knew was revived too, but that chain of thought is quickly lost when he looks across from himself and finds himself locked in a staring match with a boy.
Evan blinks. Wait.
Equally surprised eyes stare back at him. He's about four yards away from him, also trying to hide from the wheeled bots behind a red stroller. He must be just a few years older than Evan, with dark eyes and similarly colored hair, with a bandaid on his cheek and a bandage wrapped around his right arm. He has a flashlight clutched tightly in two hands, and he's looking at Evan like he's never seen another person before. Or ghost. Evan still isn't too sure he's a real person yet.
Evan glances around, and after waiting for a moment of watching a bot roll past him, tugs Fredbear under his arm. Then he gathers up all the courage he has left in his body, and sprints across the space between them. He sees the boy's jaw drop, and Evan swerves around a security bot as it starts turning around, stumbling slightly as he comes closer to the boy's stunned expression.
"Wa- what the hell are you-" The boy screeches in a whisper, shoulders tensed up to his ears, and Evan, fueled by his burst of adrenaline, does not stop running and instead tackles the boy to the ground. The boy yelps, head bumping the floor and elbows bracing himself on the ground. Evan sits on his stomach, hands slamming onto the ground on each side of his head to lean close to his face. He can see the light freckles on his cheeks and the frustrated curve of his brow. The boy's eyes snap open quite quickly, dark brown meeting Evan's own blue-green ones.
Evan grins nervously. Evan could feel the solid realness of the boy beneath his legs, genuine warmth pressed against his body. Okay. Alive boy. That makes it easier. "Hi." Evan whispers. The boy glowers at him, and Evan rolls off of him.
The boy stares at him for a couple of seconds once he sits up, before he looks across the room, looks back at him and then yanks his hand into his own. Evan doesn't have the time to even mutter a word, because the boy stands up and starts booking it across towards a vacant hallway. With his hand caught in his, Evan smothers a yelp as he hurries to keep up with the boy's fast pace and tightening grip.
He swirls around as they reach an empty hallway lit up by a dim overhead lamp. Evan blinks, and stares closely at the soft darkness of his eyes. "Who the hell are you?" The boy demands, but he sounds less angry and more puzzled that another person was in the mall at night. Evan twitches, looking down at the hand wrapped around his wrist.
The boy notices and lets go briskly, taking a weary step back. Evan cocks his head, and takes a shaky step forward. "I'm Evan. I've never seen you before. Are you supposed to be dead?" He asks, rather bluntly. It's not ideal, but he needs to know if this boy was like him, if there were more like him, if everyone that died was here. Then he could find out what was going on. Find out what it all meant.
But the boy just looks at him like he's crazy. "Uh, I mean, if you count all the animatronics trying to kill me, I guess I'm supposed to be?" He shrugs, short tufts of dark hair spilling over his shoulders. "Listen, if you're stuck in here too, we can help each other out."
He sticks out a hand, the other curled on his hip. "My name is Gregory."
Evan twitches, and giggles softly. He takes Gregory's hand, and can't help but tilt his chin and stare more intently at his dark eyes. "Gregory." He says quietly, "What is this place?"
Gregory pulls his hand back, glancing behind him every moment or so. "You don't know where you are? This is the Mega Pizzaplex, how'd you even get in when the doors are all closed?" He asks eagerly, and Evan bites his cheek, narrowing his eyes in thought. Mega Pizzaplex. Huh.
"I'm not quite sure, I woke up here." He replies, and Gregory scoffs. "Right, well, I might as well show you what we're dealing with." He grabs his wrist again and pulls him towards the mouth of the hallway, crouching down low to the wall. Evan copies him deftly, bumping into his arm. Gregory points to the cartoon faces plastered on the far wall, "See those?"
Evan nods. "Those are the main animatronics. There's Freddy, Chica, Roxy, and Monty." Gregory explains, "Freddy is the only one that's not mean, 'kay? The rest of 'em will try to get you."
Evan hums, furrowing his brows. "..Roxy and Monty- tha's new." He's honestly relieved Foxy isn't here anymore. His face haunts him, even in death. It's a bit pathetic, but it wasn't like it was for no reason.
Gregory nods, and waves his hand dismissively.
"Well, now there's two of us, it will be both easier and harder to get around them." Gregory mumbles to himself thoughtfully, and then looks at Evan warily. "Is that going to be a problem?" He points at Fredbear loosely hanging from his arm, and Evan lifts the plushie to bury his nose into the fur. He looks at Gregory with wide eyes.
"No," He says, and Gregory purses his lips. Instead of commenting, he lifts his wrist and presents his watch to Evan. "This is how we communicate with Freddy, he can send me messages through it and stuff."
Wow, these animatronics must be really smart. Evan stares in awe at the face of the technology, squeezing Fredbear a little closer to his chest. "We can access most of the cameras, too," Gregory adds, and Evan watches in astonishment as he flicks through the static feed of their surroundings.
"Gnarly..." Evan murmurs, and Gregory gives him an odd look.
"Yeah." Gregory agrees quickly, a soft sigh shifting his shoulders. "One more thing–" he says, and Evan forces himself not to twitch again as he stands up abruptly.
"There's this lady running around in a rabbit suit, but Freddy doesn't believe me."
Evan stares up at him. Dark eyes stare back down blankly. Evan twitches.
After a moment of silence, Gregory raises a brow and offers a hand to help him up. Evan takes it, giggles softly as he's pulled to his feet on trembling legs, falling close to Gregory's face. "You are a really weird kid." Gregory grumbles, gently pushing him away by his shoulders.
Evan looks down. "What happened to your arm?" He points, tilting his head.
Gregory glances at his bandages, shrugging. "Roxy got me. No biggie. Let's go."
This boy sure is brave– if Evan had gotten that sort of injury, he probably would've found himself a hiding spot and cried there until morning. He was lucky he couldn't see his bite through the amount of blood he got in his eyes. Evan buries his nose in Fredbears fur and admires the blood staining Gregory's bandages. He still wasn't entirely sure he had his own blood to spill. He could easily still be a spirit, tricking Gregory into being able to see him.
Father had been able to see his spirit, before he died. He had seen all of them. Evan remembers how hard he sobbed, bitterly watching as his dear old daddy was cornered against the wall. He remembers how wildly Cassidy had laughed as the spring locks were released, one by one, listening to the agonized screams echo off the walls. Evan didn't laugh. He knew what those spring locks could do. After all, it was his own tears that set them off.
"You sure are strong." Evan mutters, and Gregory's ears turn slightly red. He looks away, and his face is stern as his features are washed with artificial light. "Uh, yeah. Anyway, let's go."
"Wait-" Evan yelps as his wrist is snagged again, and he's pulled out of the hallway abruptly. He huffs, bending his knees and staying close to the ground as they creep forward. Gregory clicks on his flashlight, – which Evan did not remember him grabbing, he sure did get distracted– although it wasn't entirely needed, the glowing lights of the Pizzaplex helped quite a bit.
He and Gregory seemed to find an easier way to travel through the Pizzaplex, instead of one being pulled by the other constantly. Evan followed behind him, synchronizing their movements and course of actions like they've known each other for longer than a few minutes. It was peculiar, but Evan didn't even have to speak to him to know where they were supposed to be going next. Evan was pretty good at pretending he knew what he was doing. It didn't seem like they were going to go anywhere too far yet, and Gregory didn't seem too pressed on time. He stopped a few times to gingerly wind open a colorful present, while Evan watched curiously over his shoulder. It'd been a short moment, but Gregory must've seen him shivering at one point, as he received a soft sweatshirt covered in blue stars. "I'm used to the cold." Gregory said simply as Evan stared at it from his loose grip. Evan giggled intensely to get rid of the warmth of appreciation bubbling in his stomach, and for the next three minutes convinced Gregory to hold his hand the entire ride up a spacious elevator.
Evan was glad he wasn't being a nuisance while trailing the boy, he knew if this were any other situation he would be crying in frustration with not knowing what the hell he was supposed to be doing. But this was all somewhat familiar– Hiding, scouting, trying not to die. Gregory didn't seem a stranger to the concept either.
He was rather lucky he had experience with running from scary animatronics. Even though he hasn't encountered any of the main ones yet, which he suspects Gregory is to thank for that. This place was much bigger than his room, which has both advantages and disadvantages that Evan's muddled mind is being much too lazy to put names to.
But Gregory kept looking at him with those dark eyes, so much softer and warmer compared to his own.
"Where are we going?" Evan tries again, slipping through the door as Gregory holds it open. "Parts and service. S'where I left Freddy, I've been looking for ways to decommission Chica." Gregory huffs, swiping hair out of his eyes. Decommission…?
Evan clutches at his arm and looks at him with wide eyes. "You're going to try to kill her?" He says meekly. Animatronics are so much stronger than humans.. with no limits to strength besides their own physicality, easily able to crush the skulls of boys just like him. It's not that Evan doesn't think that this Gregory isn't tough enough, it's just that Evan doesnt think he can bear to watch a child die the same way he did.. Except, a chicken instead of a bear. Whatever.
"Well, I mean," Gregory starts rather defensively, "We're going to escape of course, but I figured decommissioning them would make it easier in the meantime." He says, walking beside the walls of numerous stands. There are a lot less security bots in here than by the entrance, only a few patrolling along the far sides of each wall. Free to roam in the middle, Evan shuffles alongside him. "Plus, if they're trying to kill us, think about all the other kids they must've killed, and the ones they might have after us!"
Evan pales. His throat feels tight as he clings closer to Gregory's arm. He brings Fredbear closer to his face. "What.. are you talking about?" He asks slowly, and Gregory glances at him through narrowed eyes. They dart back towards what Evan assumes is their destination, a humongous stage in the dead center of the room.
"You know, all those kid disappearances? I swear the animatronics must have something to do with it."
Evan is shaking by the time they're entering the parts and service room. It's partly the cold and the overwhelming fear as they reach their destination. It isn't so much that he's afraid of meeting the animatronic, or even the species he's modeled after – He himself had been trapped in one for decades, he was used to the sight of them by now.
.. It was the possibility of finding another soul of a child that scared him. If he looked at the bot, would he see the soul of a child trapped in its chest, just as he could see Gregory's or his own, pulsing bright with life? Or would there be nothing, just a shell of coding and machinery?
Evan didn't know which one was scarier. If he found a soul, what would that mean? That his father was killing more children? That his father was given another chance at life just as he was? That nothing had changed in the past three decades? Evan wasn't sure. He didn't know what it could mean, what he could do if the ghosts of children were still haunting his father's legacy. If there were more trails of tragedy ceasing to end. And Evan didn't quite know the whole story. He was the first to die, after all.
And what if there was no soul at all?
Evan had no idea. (That meant that whoever made these robots were smarter than their father. Which he used to believe was impossible when he was a little younger.)
Gregory wrestles his arm out of Evan's grip and taps at his watch with a distinct noise that makes him flinch. "I could have called him while we were out there, but it's safer here." Gregory comments, glancing at the freckled boy briefly. Evan hums, shuffling behind him as heavy, stiff footsteps rattle the floor.
Oh, Jesus christ.
Evan hides everything but his eyes behind Gregory and stares up at the animatronic as he comes closer. "...Tall." He whispers to himself. Gregory snorts.
"Gregory! Who is that behind you?" Freddy asks, ears wiggling as he bends forward to catch sight of him. Evan slowly lowers to his knees and holds Gregory's hand tightly, glaring around his side to try and get a glimpse of a soul inside the orange casing. Animatronics don't.. usually talk, right? Gregory pries his hand away and steps to the side, "Another kid I found near the entrance. His name is Evan." Gregory answers, placing a hand on Evan's head and sighing. It's a pleasant touch that he didn't expect, so he twitches.
"Evan, this is Freddy." Gregory says nonchalantly. Evan isn't so sure. He slowly stands up, eyeing the animatronic suspiciously. Freddy gets down to perch on one knee, holding a hand out in greeting. "Hello, Evan. It is nice to meet you, though I wish it was under different circumstances. Do you know where your parents are?" Evan doesn't reply.
He walks up and grabs Freddy's thumb, and he still can't see a soul. "They're supposed to be dead." Evan says, because he's not sure if they are back too. Gregory flinches behind him, and Freddy just blinks mechanically. Was that not something alive people say? Whoops.
"Do you know your last name?" Freddy asks.
Evan narrows his eyes slowly, considering the question a bit more than he should. "...It's best if I don't tell you." He decides, because the name of the founder to this animatronics own franchise was bound to be buried somewhere in there, and his whole situation was so complicated he didn't really want to try and sum it up when he didn't even have all the information himself. Freddy's ears downturn, and he looked like he was going to say something, but Evan promptly cut him off.
"There is…" Evan tries to find the right words to say, releasing his hold on Freddy's thumb. "...Something wrong, yes- with this place, isn't there?" Evan tilts his head to the side inquiringly. If anyone knows anything about this Pizza Plex it's the robots that were built here. Freddy tilts his head in a similar manner, scanning him. "I am unsure on how to reply."
Well, that's fair. Evan pouts anyway, and steps back with his hands wrung together. Gregory huffs behind him, stepping forward to cross his arms and look up at the animatronic fearlessly. "Maybe he's talkin' about your friends trying to kill us. Or Vanessa." He offered, and Freddy seemed to frown, though his ears swiveled forward attentively. Evan is profoundly confused, and is about to ask who the heck this Vanessa person is, but Freddy speaks before he can.
"I doubt they are doing it of their own will, superstar. It is true, Evan, that something is wrong with them. Though, I am unsure what exactly that is." Freddy shook his head, gazing at the floor with bright ivory eyes. Evan twitches at being addressed, but strictly refrains from saying I know exactly what's wrong with them, because he doesn't really feel like explaining why he does.
Gregory shrugs slightly, face falling flat. "Well, whatever it is, it's not my job to fix it." He pauses, and narrows his eyes at Freddy. "But you know, those upgrades would be pretty helpful."
Freddy's gaze falls on the boy again, and he crosses his arms similarly to him. "Gregory, we have discussed this already."
Evan suddenly feels very out of the loop, and presses Fredbear to his chin at the tension between the two. Gregory slips his arms back to his sides, clenching his fists lightly. "You yourself said they weren't like themselves. And they're supposed to love children- If it can help us not get mauled by them I'm sure they'd be happy to provide."
Freddy's ear (the one with an earring, kind of like his brother's) flicked. "Gregory, I will not hurt my friends, even if they are under the control of something."
Gregory fell silent, and scuffed the ground with his shoes. Evan only noticed then that his shoes were Freddy-themed, with red lightning bolts and a neon blue base. Hm. Oddly new. Evan glanced up between the two and lowered Fredbear from his face.
"It can be my job."
Both the boy and the animatronic look at him at the same time, and he shrinks back a bit. "Huh?" Gregory vocalizes, scowling in confusion. Freddy just blinks at him. "To fix it." Evan clarifies, and slowly drags Fredbear back up to his face.
Gregory cocks his head, "What about, y'know, escaping?" He drawls.
Evan twitches, and pinches his chin with his thumb and forefinger in thought. Evan didn't know what he was supposed to do here. He knows what he wants to do, which is find his father and… kill him. (Evan's terrified of how badly he does not want to do that. And he's terrified of what Cassidy would think if he ever told her that.) It was rather confusing, because from what he last knew, Father was supposed to be in hell, and everyone was supposed to be at peace, but now- he's back, and there's bound to be others that are back too, and that unfortunately included his murderous father.
He knows that Gregory needs to escape (Evan would prefer no more kids to end up as ghosts) and Evan… Doesn't know what is going to happen to him. At this point, he can barely bring himself to care. He can't really comprehend the vastness of his own soul being back in his body again.
"Oh we.. we'll do that too."
Gregory snorts, but he isn't unkind when he says, "You really are a strange kid."
Oh, he has no idea.
Freddy's voice box mimics a polite cough, and Evan slides his gaze over to the robot out of pure surprise it could do that. "If you really are determined to do so," he says slowly, in a guiltily relieved ridden way, "I will attempt to aid you in any way I can, as I've been doing with Gregory."
Evan immediately thinks, this is a bad idea, but he never learned really well how to ignore impulsive urges (pretty sure he got that one from big brother), so he smiles and nods.
He internally cheered that he'd done something normal when no one looked at him weirdly. Gregory sighed and put his hands on his hips. "Well, let's get to it then."