Partner In Crime, I Suppose || William Afton

8

William and I returned to his house. We opened the door to the house, only to be greeted with an eerie silence. No little girl yelling about tea parties and dolls, no little girl bickering with her older brother, no little girl running around with a joyous smile on her face.

Michael poked his head out from the top of the stairs, seeing that we'd come home. "Father, (Y/N)! How was the first day?"

"It was great..!" I forced a smile.

Michael grew a surprised and worried face. I think he could tell that I wasn't genuinely happy. "(Y/N)! What's wrong?"

I couldn't look Michael in the eyes, nevertheless tell him his sister's dead!

My lip quivered and tears welled in my eyes as I ran upstairs to William's room. The door was left cracked open, a sliver of light seeped its way into the dark room, illuminating a family portrait of William and the three kids as if to taunt me.

"She's had a really long day." I heard William say.

"Oh, I hope she feels better, then." Michael replied.

I curled up into a ball on William's bed and smiled to myself, hearing Michael's words.

Heh, Michael, the sulky teenager expressed sympathy towards me. Hm, warms my heart.

I heard a knock at the door. "Come in" I could barely croak.

William opened the door and walked over to me. He sat on his bed and we sat and laid on his bed in silence, occasionally hearing me sniffle or whimper.

William didn't say anything. I mean, in all fairness, what do you say in this situation? I didn't say anything either. It seemed that what the both of us needed was silence to process. 

It was as if William had read my mind; he didn't say anything He just sat there, silently. Only moving to lay himself down next to me on the bed. He enveloped me in a hug, burying my face in his chest to cry into.

But I couldn't help but wonder, why wasn't he crying? He just lost his daughter to his own creation... maybe death doesn't phase him the way it does for me. Or maybe he's just better at holding it in. 

"Shhh." He hushed as he stroked my hair, calming. "Breathe. Inhale, exhale."

I took slow, deep breaths. Calming myself down, closing my eyes and quickly falling asleep in William's arms, forgetting about today.

I felt safe and... loved.

Tomorrow is another day.