The Fall of the Aftons

147: William Afton

Michael finally returned home around twelve in the afternoon. He had dark bags under his puffy eyes, and he looked defeated and exhausted. When he walked into the house, he gave a small smile to Elizabeth, greeted Henry, and then ignored William as he headed straight upstairs to his bedroom. But William could see how nervous and afraid he looked to be home.

Once the workday at Fazbear's was over, William went back home, his briefcase full of paperwork and files to complete. He threw his shoes off in front of the door and went upstairs to put his briefcase on his desk in his office, not surprised to find Elizabeth asleep in her bedroom next to his office. But when he went to find where Michael was, he was stunned to find Michael sitting on the floor next to the door of one of the many empty rooms on the third floor. He was crying as he listened to an unnamed tape on a Walkman. A Walkman? When did Michael get a Walkman?

Michael hiccupped, rubbing his eyes, and took the headphones off his ears, letting them dangle around his neck. Instead of hearing music as William had anticipated, voices were coming from the tiny speakers.

Voices he knew.

"A prank? What do you mean, a prank?" Evan's familiar voice asked on the tape.

"Exactly what I said. They're planning to prank you," Michael's voice came from the tape. "But it's not some harmless thing. It could be dangerous if they make me add a second part to it. And that second part, it... It could get you seriously injured. Maybe even killed." There was a pause and some static in the audio. "I told them the dangers, but they won't listen to me. Mark keeps threatening me if I don't go through with it."

"Threats as in..."

"Yeah."

"Do the prank," Evan's voice said with no hesitation. "If you can't convince them not to go through with it, do the prank. I don't care if I die. As long as they stop hurting you, I don't care if they want to pull the prank. Just... Promise me that you'll at least try to convince them not to go through with it."

Michael fumbled to take his headphones off and threw the walkman away from him, curling up into a tight ball as he sobbed. William sighed and stepped into the room, resting his hand on Michael's shoulder. Michael screamed in fear, scrambling back a few feet before realizing who it was.

"C-Can I help you?" Michael stammered uncomfortably, shifting nervously.

William sighed. "I came to check in on you," he explained. "I know it's been a rough week."

Micahel looked away, sniffling slightly. "What does it matter? You're just going to drop me off at the Center, anyway." His voice cracked as he spoke, and as angry as William was, the sadness in Michael's eyes broke his heart.

"It matters because you're my child, Michael. And I'm not giving you back to the Center."

Michael's eyes widened, and William could see tears forming in his eyes. "You're not? You're not sending me back there?"

"No, of course not. That's just cruel."

He grinned, weeping quietly. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I-I-I don't mean to cry. I just... I really thought that you were going to give me back to the Center." He wiped his eyes, sniffling as he exhaled a shaky breath. "I'm sorry. I've been overly sensitive since Evan was in the hospital. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," William said, chuckling to himself as he hugged Michael tightly. "It's been a rough week for all of us. It's not surprising how you've been acting."

~ ~ ~

Three days later, Evan's funeral was about to take place. It was the final day before the wake and the final details were being set in place. But there were so many issues getting everything prepared—Elizabeth wouldn't stop getting underfoot, and Michael and William were getting into small arguments about every little detail. But one of the arguments would change the relationship between the two forever.