Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Atlas had a few different options he could take. He really did. But the most important thing was to find food and clean water. Being a street kid meant he had to grow up fast even when the world kept telling you that you were still a child. That also meant that if something happened to him, he'll have to deal with it by himself. It's not a great life, but it's surviving. And all street people are good at that. Atlas had the unfortunate accident of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and being shoved against a wooden fence, slicing his arm a little open. It didn't look bad but Atlas was no doctor. Clean water would help clean it up and keep him from getting sick...or so he hoped. Sick meant he couldn't find food or run from trouble. Sick meant he would be on death's door.

So, his only real option was the place had had been staring at for almost ten minutes now. His body refusing to accept that it needed to move while his head pulled them there. Atlas knew he couldn't steal with his arm like this and that was not good. He decided that sneaking into this place was going to be the best way to do it. It would have food, probably fresh ingredients if he was lucky and water to wash himself...probably even a first aid kit he could steal. The best part was that there would be no one there. It's nighttime and the place had been shut hours ago, everyone had most likely left to go home by now. No one will be in there to stop him.

Stealing his nerves, Atlas forced his feet to slowly approach the front door. The name of the place 'The Celestial Pizzaria' with a sun and moon character had been painted on the door in bright colors. His fingers pushed lightly against the door to test it...it was open and unlocked. His lucky day! Someone forgot to lock it. Atlas took a deep breath in before opening the door open with his unhurt hand. The cool air smack against his face blissfully as he stepped inside. 

The place was still brightly lit up like there was still someone here. He listened for any signs of someone being there, nothing was heard. Atlas moved further inside looking at all the art on the walls. When he got to the dining area, he saw a bunch of tables filled with party hats and plates. Colorful streamers hanging everywhere. He stopped just to take it all in. Atlas had never been inside a place like this before, not once. Not for a birthday party (his or a friend). Not for food. His good hand slid across the plastic table cloth as he slowly made his way further into the room. More art filled the walls of different animatronic characters. Would he see any of them? No, they were probably shut off for the night.

A sign said that the room near the tables was the kitchen. He headed there. Atlas opened the door with his back as he rounded into the room. Sinks and ovens lined one wall while counters and burners were in the center of the room. He thought it was rather simple for a pizzeria but who was he to judge. He just needed to clean his wound and get some food...or later. he wasn't that hungry despite not eating for a while. He glanced around for a first aid kit but saw nothing. Instead, he turned on the sink to put his wound under the running water. He hissed at the pain, watching the blood flow down the drain.

"Fuck....it stings."

He pulls his hand away as another wave of pain hit in, stumbling backward. Atlas's back knocked off a platter onto the floor with a loud 'Sching!' and 'bwawawawawa' as the metal clattered on the ground a few times before settling down. The noise in the entire building seemed to still, all going quiet at the same time. His head flicks over to the door. Did someone hear the loud clanging noise? Where they coming to arrest him? After a minute, a couple of heads pop into the room. One was a long cone like blue and white hat. Another was a clown face. The last was white chicken head. All three were animatronics, looking around the room before settling on the ten year old boy.

"Oh my it's a little boy!" The chicken screamed. "Are you lost?"

Atlas paused. 

They paused.

"Little boy, are you alright? Your arm looks hurt?" The Blue and White Animatronic crept into the room with his hands out.

He glared at him, hugging his arm to his chest. "Back the fuck off!"

"Okay!" The chicken walks into the room, "No need for the harsh language, chickadee!"

"And I'm not a chickadee! I thought they shut you off when they go home."

The chicken snaps her fingers at him. "Sun and Moon let us move all we want during the night...as long as we don't leave the building."

Atlas tilts his head just a bit. "Who?"

"Speaking of which, should we call them?" The clown girl asks, looking at the two then at the others seemingly behind her. Atlas could hear the mutters from them. "Wouldn't they like to know of a kid sneaking in their kitchen...who is hurt."

Atlas makes a run for it while they were distracted. He runs past the three in the doorway only to run into three more. There was the bear animatronic that looked like he was not all together there. As well as a crocodile animatronic with glasses on his nose. The last one was a wolf like animatronic with mismatched eyes. He looked between them all feeling as if they were crowding him in, pressing against his body to herd him into the center of their circle.

"He's hurt! We should do something."

"No. Let's call Sun and Moon."

"What can they do?!"

"Oh dear, I hope he isn't in too much pain."

"The little one is certainly a sight to see. Eyes like my favorite Roxy."

"Lick."

"Call Sun at least!"

So many voices surrounded him as he spun around to see each one speaking. Arguing. His heart hammered in his chest louder and louder, pulsing in his head as well. He kept moving, squeezing his arm tighter. Air was squeezed in his throat as it was unable to get loose. There was too much, too many. It was loud and noisy and chattering...and...and he was crowded in. Trapped. Caged. Even animatronics made him feel uneasy and uncomfortable. Nothing was safe. He wanted out. Atlas kept trying to breathe, breathe, but only his head worked as it swerved to see everyone at the same time.

"Oh dearie, sweetheart," Suddenly, a voice was closer than the rest. It wasn't the one he recognized, but in the fray of everything, there could have been more. This one was yellow and like the sun. "Are we too loud for you?"

Atlas wouldn't cry in front of anyone else, but he would nod.

"I'm sorry. Everyone!" He screamed. "Shut up! And move back!"

Once everyone did, he turned to Atlas. 

Atlas still couldn't breathe, clutching his hurt arm to his chest more. 

"Is that better?" The yellow sun bot asked, kneeling to be nearly eye level with Atlas. "Oh! You're having a panic attack. What do we do, Frost? No, I don't want to hurt him. Frost!"

Was he talking to himself?

"Nova, dear, you're only making it worst." The chicken girl cocked her hip and placed her hand there.

The yellow sun bot gasped, "Oh dearie me~! Am I? I'm sorry!" Then he runs away.

Atlas still struggled to remain cool and calm, breathing choked as he tried to just....be normal again. He trembled. He was starting to feel more and more like he was dying. Atlas's vision was starting to blur and his head pounded. His hand gripped his hair as he struggled, pulling and ripping at the hair. Then a gentle metal hand careful pried his hand off his hair while another pressed lightly against his chest. There was a soothing voice kneeling in front of him embracing him in a calming hug. After a moment of just existing, of breathing, he started feeling better and could breathe now. His lungs burned heavily with cool air filling up his chest.

Finally able to process what was around him, Atlas looked up at the animatronic helping him. The robot was the same sun from the logo on the door except that this sun did not have any sun rays as it was supposed to in mockery of the real ball of gas. But there was a forever smile on his face that didn't seem as happy as it looked. His chest had two buttons that were supposed to represent having a shirt on without having an actual shirt. And his pants were yellow and red striped. Despite the look, Atlas was amazed at him. No matter who or what came near him, Atlas would panic, flinch, or run away...but he did nothing when this animatronic did it.

"There. Calm now?"

He nodded, not trusting his voice.

"I'm Sun...and you are?"

Another voice came from behind Sun. "He's hurt, Sun! We need to call the ambulance.

"Shut up!" Sun snapped. "Let me...give us a moment! Okay. Please."

Atlas watched as another sun like robot, a moon like robot, another crocodile robot, and an animatronic that was only made of wires pass by him. Sun, though, brought his attention back to him as if he knew that the boy was already going to start panicking. His body settled on the floor in front of Atlas, crossing his legs, and folding in his hands in his lap. Though he appeared calm, Sun had this numb feeling look to him that even Atlas had picked up on. Atlas curled up against himself as he observed the way Sun looked at everything except the ones a ways away from them.

"Who-what?" Atlas took a deep breathe, "Don't call the ambulance."

Sun offered a cheerful smile and soothing tone. "We won't...but we need to check on that arm of yours. We wouldn't want you to get infected now, would we?"

"No...but that's why I came here. To clean the wound....and get some food for later when I'm hungry." Atlas swallows hard on a lump in his throat. 

"I see. May I? I won't touch you unless you give me permission." He offered out his hands, palms up.

Atlas nods, holding his arm out. He was still unsure about him since they just met. Then again, Sun was the only being out there that he didn't react to in a negative way. He needed to weary of this animatronic. What if they try something and his body doesn't stiffen up and react like he has learned to do. Atlas could not take being hurt by someone he trusted doing something bad to him again. Not again. He had to keep his guard up while Sun was around.

Sun was so gently inspecting the would on his arm. It wasn't a deep cut but it did bleed a lot. Still lightly bleeding through his shirt. Sun's fingers graze over the wound softly without actually hurting it. Atlas flicked his eyes up to Sun then back down at his own arm, going back to look at Sun. The animatronic tutted in that artificial voice that didn't come from his face but his chest. Atlas grimaced at the thought that the animatronic didn't like what he saw and would mean he had to stay here longer than he was hoping. 

"It's not...bad...just not good." Sun sighed, letting Atlas's arm go back to be suctioned to his chest.

Atlas glared, "So?"

Sun looked up at the others which made Atlas look too. They were all huddled just below the stage in the center, while the chicken sat on the stage, kicking her feet. No one seemed to be telling him anything so Atlas looked back towards Sun to see what he was thinking about doing. Would he force Atlas into something he doesn't like? Would Sun just let him go? As adults, they would have to call the authorities...but they aren't. They are robots. He was confused, head hurting.

Sun gently spoke, "How about you stay here for the night? Let us patch your arm up, then, in the morning, you'll be able to leave with a full stomach. Okay?"

"I don't know." He looked around. "I don't know if I can trust you."

"That's...understandable." Sun looked around, before stopping on Molten. "You see the animatronic made of wires?"

Atlas nods.

Sun took a deep breath, "He mans the prize corner of this pizzeria. You can stay there with him. No one will mess with you while he's there."

Atlas looks around completely. Taking in everything around him. Then he turns to Sun, looking him in the eyes, and says, "Okay."

Chapter Text

Atlas follows Sun as he is lead down another long hallway of artwork of the animatronics there. His arm is still suctioned to his chest as he is slowly walking behind the yellow animatronic. The robot was calm and peaceful. His stride is slow and relaxed as if he is trying to show that he isn't someone that Atlas had to worry about. That he understands that Atlas is cautious, scared, and, above all else, alone. Sun seemed to pick up on his body language easily despite the wall the ten-year-old boy had built so long ago blocking most of it from the others. Atlas could sort of imagine it as Sun being able to see through that wall and straight to his soul.

"Atlas." He said, "My name is Atlas."

Sun paused, turned to look at him, a soft, almost whispered, "It's nice to meet you, Atlas."

Then it returned to silence. His eyes turned to see where the others were. They were waiting at the end of the hallway as they looked down watching the two of them walk on ahead. When the arcade area came in, he was surprised by the flashing lights and bright colors. His head slowly looked around the area with mild interest that crept more into full blown amazement the more he took in. Of course, there was even more artwork on the walls, but there was neon lights hung on the wall of stars and lightning bolts. Atlas eyed all the arcade cabinets as he passed by them, fingers itching to play some of them. His hurt arm, though, couldn't even play anything correctly though. Oh well.

Sun took him to a counter where there were so many plushies of all sizes and cups of various sizes lining the shelves. They paused together on the outside of the counter looking in. Atlas shifted as he glanced back to the entrance where the others had followed them as they looked at them from the corner. He wanted to growl and hiss at them to back up, heart hammering in his chest. Sun seemed to understand that Atlas was not dealing well with having eavesdroppers. The animatronic rounded to block the boy from their sight. His hands point at them before he was yelling.

"Get out of here, you fucking pests!" His voice sharp and pointed, like this wasn't the only thing he was mad at.

"Sorry," They mumbled, "He's still very mean."

Sun seethed as he watched them go. "Sorry about that, little one. They can be rather annoying." His arms resting at his sides.

Atlas takes a deep breath in; arm pulled to his chest. 

"Now, can I clean up that wound?" Sun bounced on his heels as he waited for the answer.

The boy sighed. He was still hesitant on letting Sun get any closer since he seemed to be different than any other person he has ever met in his entire life. Yeah, his arm hurt and, maybe, having his wound bandaged and taken care of may help. But Sun getting that close to him even just to help him seemed dangerous to do. Atlas did also need to be better if he wanted to survive, and not...die. Though, did it really matter? Did he want to keep living? Life is so hard and always made him feel so small in comparison, like he just wasn't cut out to keep going. Place one heavy, too heavy for a small child, footstep in front of the other. Despite those feelings, he was still...scared...to die. Not that he hasn't tried to, you know, but what was out there that was better than here. What if...he was doomed to repeat this same life over and over and over, and over, again until he does that one small thing that frees him? If he is freed. He was unsure on everything.

Atlas gulps, voice very soft. "...okay..."

"Good. Can you sit up on the counter?" He calmly walked to the other side of the prize corner desk. He searched through some of the cabinets before pulling out a first aid kit. Then he looked at Atlas with a smile as he struggled to get up using only one hand. But despite all that, he never came to help. He just watched him. Knowing more than he let on. "Is it okay that I touch your hurt arm for a moment? I need to wipe it clean then bandage it."

"Yeah. I guess."

He didn't move though. He just stared down at the hurt arm, cursing his luck. Finally, while still waiting patiently for him, he offered up his arm to Sun. The animatronic gently held onto the limb with a surprisingly warm metal palm as the other hand took a medical wipe from the first aid kit and wiped the wound. Atlas cringed, bit his lip from crying out, and closed his eyes tightly. He fought the urge to yank his arm away because that was a sign of weakness. And Atlas was not weak. Not in that way anyways. He nearly choked on his spit when Sun had to rub ointment onto the wound before his nimble fingers started wrapping gauze around his arm. The wrapping wasn't too tight or too loose. In fact, it was perfect, but no less than a machine could do. 

Sun backed away from him, "There. Done! How is it?"

While Atlas inspected his work, Sun started cleaning up the mess and putting everything away. The white bandaging and gauze stood out from the dirty, dust covered pale skin the boy had. Atlas tended to stay in the shade or under cover in the sun since he could never get cool air to cool him down if he overexerted himself. Now that he was looking, he could see the bones in his arms wrapped around his skin. Just how bad did he look to the animatronics in this building? Was that why they were so interested in him? It's been years since he had food that he didn't have to steal and even longer that he had food that filled up his stomach.

"Well? Did I make a mistake?"

Altas shakes his head. "No. It's good."

Sun's voice seemed to soften. "Good. How about rest now? It's almost ten o'clock and I think you need sleep. And in the morning, we'll get you some food and you can be on your way."

"Sleep? Oh, yeah, that's right." He finally stopped looking at the wrap. "Okay. Though, I don't sleep much."

"Well, you can try. Molten? Can you come here?" Sun shouted, leaning over the counter next to him. 

As if on cue, the wired animatronic slowly lumbered over to them. Atlas tensed instantly which made the new animatronic pause in his advancement. His broken white Freddy head shifted until it was whole again, and white plastic fur covered his body in place of all the wires. Atlas shot to his feet, standing on the counter, growling out his hatred at the shape shifting monster in front of him. He was ready to pick up the nearest object to hurl it at the animatronic. The hiss of pain at the tension in his hurt arm didn't go unnoticed but ignored more at than anything else. 

"Sorry...thought...this form would be...better. Is it not?" The deep, gravelly voice asked. "I experienced humans tend...to be calmer...with this form."

Atlas bristled. "Well, I'm not most people. It's a lie, a mask. I hate it."

That seemed to pause the monster. "You hate this look?" His body went back to being wires and hope. "But like this one?"

"Yes." He seethed. "One's a lie and the other your truth. I...I don't..." 

"I see...interesting..." He then took another step forward. "Am I scary to you?"

Atlas glanced at Sun who was watching him also waiting for an answer. "Yes...but everyone is."

"Well, Molten here is as tough as they come. No one will mess with you while he is on watch." Sun stopped leaning on the counter. 

"Can't you stay?" He didn't mean for the words to sound that desperate nor that needy, but they did.

Sun looked ashamed, head lowering, sighing. "Sorry, bud, but I have a daughter at home waiting for me."

"Oh." That crushed Atlas's heart, what was left of it anyways. "Anyways, where am I supposed to sleep? I don't want-"

"Here." Sun gestured to the back corner of the prize corner area. He turned to Atlas who had been sliding down behind the counter. "It's warm and soft; the carpet is not scratchy. I can find some blankets for you."

Atlas shakes his head. "I'm fine without one. This is perfect. Thank you." 

Sun took in a deep breath, "Yes....alright. Molten will be here too, okay?"

Atlas turned to see that Molten had, indeed, come back the counter as well to stand there near them. "Right." He eyed the bear for a good minute before sighing. His legs took him to the corner Sun gestured to and laid down there. His back to the wall and his face outward so he could see who was coming if he needed to. He would sleep sitting up, leaning backwards so he could race off if he had to. If the dangers were real and warranted of course. Most of all, he felt more safe, not actually safe, just more this way. How he wanted to sleep and not anything that could get him in danger. Or so he hoped.

"Comfortable?" Sun asked, clapping his hands and bending down on one knee. "You can sleep on the ground; you'll get a crick in your neck sleeping like this." 

Atlas chuckles, "Probably." But stays where he was.

"Alright. Good night, little one. See you in the morning." Sun stood up, stretched, then turned to Molten. "Take good care of him, Molten, okay?"

"Will do." The gravely, low, reverbed voice answered back. 

Without much other words, Sun walked away and back out of the arcade, leaving him and Molten together. Atlas kept an eye on Molten as the wired bear just stood at the entrance. His tall frame imposing, but oddly...not bad. Not great! Just not uncomfortable like Atlas had thought at first. A part of Atlas believed that he could take the mostly wires animatronic since it was only wires and he could see through Molten. Which did make the boy feel better knowing that. Even if it wasn't true. Molten looked as if he could fight off an actual bear if he wanted to, and we are talking black bear kind. 

"Go away." 

Those words snapped him out of whatever train of thought he was slowly following, looking up at the bear. He wasn't looking at the boy, but Atlas couldn't be sure. His voice low and menacing, deadly serious too. Then he heard a scramble of footsteps and realized that Molten wasn't speaking to him. He didn't have to leave, though a part of him knew he should. His shoulder relaxed just a bit, and he put his arm that was hurt on his lap. One night here, under a roof, with air conditioning wouldn't be that bad right? He knew, though, that he had to always be safe and if he was unsure, he shouldn't be here.

He adjusted himself against the wall, arm throbbing a little.

Molten hummed machinal in his artificial throat, "Hard to sleep?"

"It's always hard to sleep." Atlas brings his legs up closer, jostling his arm as he adjusted himself. "Sleep doesn't come easily."

"Would you like a plushie?"

Atlas shouldn't. He'll want to keep it and that wasn't feasible. Stuff like that get stolen, dirtied, ripped, torn, burned, used, anything else that would mean he'll have to give it up. He might even give it up to a much younger kid living on the streets. He hasn't met anyone younger yet, but that didn't mean they weren't out there. He didn't want to give it up either. If he got it, then had to give it back, he'll be disappointed. It didn't make sense to say yes to that. He really shouldn't. But today, he has done a lot that he wouldn't have done ever before. His hand twitched to reach out and grab one.

Molten nods, "How does... a Nova plushie.... sound?"

"I don't know."

"It may help." He goes over to the shelves, picked up a smaller Nova plushie, which was the sun lookalike, then looks at it. "Here. Take it or leave it, it's up to you." His hand holds out the plushie.

Atlas looks at it, really looks at it, then he struggles to get up and grab it. "I'll take it." He hugged it to his chest with his good hand and settled back against the wall like before.

Chapter Text

Atlas jolted awake, heart hammering in his chest, pounding in his ears. Molten had his hand on his shoulder. He panicked away from him as he scrambled away from the wired mess of a Freddy model. He was trapped though. His back against the wall. Atlas growled, shaking Molten away, and hitting him with both hands. He growled and snapped curses at him. The problem was that he wasn't seeing Molten, even though Molten scared him. He was seeing the shadowy hands of another person who used him like no child should have been used that impacted how Atlas saw everyone else. 

"No one...will...hurt you here." Despite the angry aggressive Altas, Molten's voice remained calm and low...maybe he couldn't change his voice levels or anything. It didn't matter.

He pulled away from Molten, curling up tightly. "Don't touch me."

"Sorry." Molten took a few steps backwards. "You were...whimpering...in your sleep..."

"I know."

"Does that happen...often?" Molten looked off to the arcade area as if there was someone there, probably those other animatronics he saw.

Atlas noticed that the plushie he was given had been tossed away from him. The boy quickly snatches it up and hugs it to his chest. He could feel his heart. His pulse rapid against his neck. Atlas was shivering because of fear and not coldness, panic settling in every fiber of his being. He wanted to run and scream and just be away from here with those eyes staring down at him Instead he pulled himself further into his knees. His arms wrapped tightly until they were squeezing to white. Atlas buried his face into the Nova plushie to shield the tears threatening to come out from Molten. He doesn't cry in front of others anymore. He refuses to.

Atlas takes a shaky breath in.

Molten's voice confirms the unanswered question. "I...understand."

There was a pause as Molten just scans Atlas, he could feel it underneath his skin.

"Your body...temperature...has risen...you are...sick. Quarantine should be put into effect."

Atlas wipes his eyes from the tears, "What are you talking about?"

"You are...sick...your body temperature... has risen to 101.4 degrees... Fahrenheit... indicating that something... is wrong. A virus has... probably gotten into your system... and will be... spread across the... world. We must... separate you... from the others."

He tilted his head, "I don't...what are you...saying?"

"I'll contact...Sun and Moon...":

"NO!" He stood up, dropping the plushie. "Don't tell them."

Molten looked down at him. "Why?"

Atlas didn't know what to say. He had just reacted on instinct. "I...don't want them to know. Not like they can do anything."

"They know a lot of ways to help."

Atlas shakes his head, trying to convey that he didn't like the idea. "Please?"

"Fine." Molten sighed. "But...if you...get worse...I'll contact them...anyways."

"Deal."

Atlas settles back to leaning on the wall, sitting crisscross. His arm throbbed deeply now as he placed it gently on his lap. Fresh blood had seeped through the bandages that Sun had put on earlier. He eyed the plushie trying to figure out if he wanted to pick it back up and get it dirty from his blood or leave it there to keep it clean. Atlas could keep it clean and just slid down the wall until he was laying on his side, stretching out his hurt arm to rest against the cool carpet. He let his other hand pillow under his head and his legs pull up a little to shield him from his own emotions.

The boy tried to sleep the rest of the night. His mind still swirling around from his nightmare and the situation he had found himself in at this pizzeria. Atlas isn't normally this bad at stealing things. He blames it on getting hurt. If he didn't try to act tough when that man had come around and started following him, then he wouldn't be here. He would still be out there trying to steal from whatever store he wanted and be out of there before anyone could find him there. Atlas was good at living on the streets. 

Atlas finally got some sleep in the early morning when the light started coming in. His heavy eyelids fell shut despite the throbbing in his arm and he got some rest. He was awoken to a soothing voice, hand rubbing gently on his shoulder. He sat up to look at the person doing it. Sun. It was Sun who was kneeling down next to Atlas with his hands steadying the boy as he sat up. Sun seemed tense and worried as he adjusted himself and Atlas. Last night, he couldn't really feel it, but now, he could feel the fever in his systems blocking his brain from fully waking up. He noticed that his skin was a little sweaty too.

Sun sighed, "Molten said your wound reopened last night, can I take a look?"

"...sure..." He nodded, already offering up the painful pulsing arm. 

Sun, again, took it gently to examine it. He shook his head before standing up and getting the first aid kit again. The animatronic then sat down to start unwrapping and rewrapping his hurt arm. It barely took two minutes for him to be done this time with only cleaning and ointment slapped on. Atlas didn't feel any better than before his wrapping got changed. His eyes still seeing with a hazy look, felt too hot in his own clothes but so cold too, and his arm still hurt. Actually, it hurt more now than it did before. Sun brushed back some hair out of his eyes, hair was really long, in a sweet caring gesture.

"We are fixing to open up for the day and I got a few options for you." Sun stood back up, looking out of the prize corner. "We have a backstage area, but the others will be in and out all day. There are the office areas...but Moon is almost always back there. He did say he'll stay on the floor to give you the time you need. And lastly, is taking you to our house and let you sleep there."

All options felt like crap. Backstage sounded loud and too crowded with the other animatronics. He couldn't imagine trying to sleep with the characters singing right there on the stage that was only separated them was a thin curtain. Animatronics could also come in and out with full access to him at all points of the day. That wasn't safe at all. Going to Sun's house felt...wrong. That had to be most unsafe out of all of the options. He really didn't know who Sun was or why he was good at handling him or even why he cared so much to help one small child in a storm of helplessness. So that left the office area. He assumed Moon was the one that was the one that was blue and came in with Sun and he did not like him. He seemed like he would always be angry for no reason at all, temper and emotionless. It would be quieter, and he could rest like he so bad wants to do right now. Then again, Moon had access to him all day. 

Atlas took a deep breath, "Is that my only options?"

"Yes...unless you want us to contact CPS."

"No." He growled, "Never."

Sun nodded, "Then yes. Those are the only options at the moment."

Atlas tilts his head, "The offices then. I can sleep anywhere at the moment." 

Sun turned to him with a fake smile plastered on his face. "Good. I'll take you there. Do you feel well enough to walk on your own?"

"Yes. I always will." He snapped, part due to the fact that he was exhausted and in pain, another part due to the fact that Sun offered to touch him. That was a never.

The boy awkwardly stood up from his spot as he tried to get up using one hand. Once he was up, he looked up at Sun for direction on what to do and where to go. Sun ruffled his hair, then led him around the prize counter and back through the many arcades filling up the space. Then they came down the hallway. At the stage, he could see the others waiting there. The clown girl, the chicken girl, the wolf girl, the crocodile guy, the bear guy, Molten, who he assumes it Moon, and a Moon lookalike (the one with the cone hat from last night). All of them plus an orange version of Sun with a totally different vibe who was standing further away from the group were talking to each other. Suddenly, they stopped at his presence. 

Atlas walked closer to Sun as he was lead past the animatronics, hand reaching out then stopping. The orange version of Sun animatronic stopped Sun by standing in front of them preventing them from going into the 'Employees Only' area. He seemed to be trying to convey information silently without words, maybe they talked internally since they are robots. Then he stepped to the side and allowed Sun to take the kid back where he isn't supposed to be. They passed two doors before arriving at the final door that opened upon them getting close. He looked up at where it disappeared to just to see how it worked. 

"Choose any corner you like."

He looked around the area. It was mostly bare save for three desks. Two against one wall and one separated. There was also a couple of bookshelves and posters. That's it. Atlas chose to curl under the furthest from the door desk, pulling the chair as a block so he didn't have to worry about someone coming without his knowledge. Sun watched him get comfortable under the desk. Then he grabbed something out of the bookshelf cabinet and came back to him. His yellow and cream hands offered up a blue blanket to him. He thought about whether or not he needed a blanket. Then a shiver racked up his spine, hand already snatching it from Sun's fingers. Once he was situated, Sun placed the Nova plushie he had next to him. 

He looked up at him, "Wait, how did you know-?"

"It was on the floor near you, Molten would never let that happen." He chuckled. "Anyways, relax here for a while. Rest up and I'll come back to check up on you."

Atlas nods, "Okay." 

He settled with his hurt out on his stomach and his other hand at his side. The blanket wrapped around his body like a second skin just to stop some of the shaking shivers he had, nose buried under the fabric. His head rested near the plushie. Sun sighed, hand coming to brush back some of his hair from his face again, gently and adoringly. He had this soft feel to him. Atlas curled into a ball, allowing him to continue running his fingers against his scalp in a soothing manner. Sun stopped, stood up, and went to the door. Atlas watched him flick off the lights to the room as he left with a soft "Goodnight" and a gentle wave of his hand.

Atlas closed his eyes. The weight of the nightmare had faded when Sun was there but came back the second he was alone again. He reached for the Nova plushie and dragged it to his chest in a crushing hug. It was dark, warm, and silent. The fading laughter and singing of the crowd coming into the pizzeria had this background noise static to it that lulled him to a feverish sleep. He was still shivering, still felt hot to the touch, and still felt dazed. He wanted to do nothing more than crawl away from the place and back to his junkyard. Yet, the thought of having to deal with this all by himself felt...daunting. Too much and too overwhelming.