Not Guilty // William Afton

thirty seven

tw: suicide mention, blood

i just realized how much these damn characters sigh like stop sighing damn

Henry was driving William home and told me he would meet me at the restaurant. It was time to reopen after all.

We figured it would be best if William just took the day off, relaxed at home and I would check on him later and let Henry know how he's doing.

Circus Baby's opens in two days. I know I said Henry and I would take over the opening, but it wouldn't feel the same without William. He worked so hard on it all, it was his main focus for weeks. He was so excited a few days ago too. I didn't think I'd ever seen him so excited for something before, it felt like he was a kid again and he was the one going to see Circus Baby and the Funtimes.

But now, he was just going to sit in front of the cameras, with his injured arm, most likely eating his yogurt or off brand Oreos, and hide himself from something he was so excited for because his father is out there now.

I know I shouldn't hope his father does anything bad, but I can't help it. I want him to go back to jail so William wouldn't be like this anymore.

I sighed as I pushed the two front doors open and walked inside the restaurant.

The place didn't feel the same when it always opens. The sun wasn't beaming through the blinds, the sun was gone and it was foggy and cloudy. I know that's my type of weather, but it doesn't feel right under the circumstances. It was cold in this building, the animatronics looked like they had been standing there for 10 years, untouched and unbothered. At peace. They must feel pretty good about themselves right now, seeing William like that.

"You must be pretty fucking happy right now." I mumbled under my breath as I sighed and walked down the hall.

I was making my way down to William's office. I needed my keys back, and I needed to clean it all up.

I could just leave it up to the janitor, or another employee, or Henry, but I can't. It's something that I feel I should be responsible for, not bring someone who has no clue what happened to clean William's blood. It's almost as if I feel, I should be the only one associated with William's blood.

I know that sounds fucking creepy, or weird, or psychopathic. It might even sound like William could be starting to have an influence on me. It's not any of those. It just.. feels mine. You know?

I sound absolutely insane.

I stopped at the doorway and looked at what seems like a crime scene. His blood had been still in the process of drying. It was a darker brown now, it looked sticky. Like maple syrup.

The smell of the metallic crimson had filled the air, mixing in with the smell of papers, hardwood, and his green apple scented candle.

I looked at my keys that had been sitting in the sticky puddle.

"I'll clean it." A voice from behind me said.

I quickly turned around, only to be met by Henry who had been looking down at the brown.

I sighed and looked back at the floor, kneeling down and picking up the keys. My keys coming up from the floor sounded like a candy apple being unwrapped from plastic. The keys had been stuck to William's blood, and now they had been covered in it as I held it in my hands.

"It's fine Henry. I feel responsible." I told him.

"Don't. It's not your fault. We both know whose it is. It isn't William's fault either." Henry placed a hand on my shoulder.