Resurrection seeker | William x Henry |

Chapter 1!

William Afton always tinkered with this or that, but it never amounted to much. He supposed he inherited some ability from his father, an industrial worker, who put in more overtime than humanly possible just because he could. William never knew his mother, or the sister that would have arrived that same day, had they both not died in the process of her birth. That left William plenty of time between schoolwork and his lack of friends to mess around with any scrap in the back shed. Again though, he never seemed to make anything that could work just right. He supposed, as he grew older, that he didn't work quite right either.
While other men spent their time dating, the subject never interested him. William boiled this down to not being interested in anyone at all. Even before he came of age to move out, spending time with people didn't appeal to him. They always found the little flaws, every little mistake, and pointed it out above all else. He would much rather make his own friends in the tiny robots made from scrap because at least he could put them back together if something broke and they would never judge him if he were to break, too.
Eventually, due to pressure from his father's deathbed, he did find a woman to wed. He hadn't known her long, but she was a local theatre major alongside him and looking for a husband to settle down with. While most women looked to the future in the workforce, she couldn't. Not with a child on the way.
He would have gone into factory work too, but several things kept him from such a career. The local warehouse closed as the industrial age came to a close. He also didn't want to lose any fingers or go blind like his father had towards the end. William wasn't as built—in fact, before marrying, some would compare his stomach to that of a mall Santa. He wasted away quickly from stress of jumping jobs, his first child Michael, and a marriage that didn't work just right.
When he did finally find a job that stuck, it was at a local fast food place behind a counter, ordering around those younger than him and imparting his wisdom of upper management to teenagers who didn't care to listen. They had brighter futures and college ahead of them. Dreams William never dared to bother with.
Then, after a few more years and two more children, that place closed down.

                         Summer, 1978

William's boss put the place up for sale to pay off medical bills. William didn't know anything else and so he stood outside the restaurant for hours contemplating if he had the will to buy it. He didn't. He also didn't have the money. Even with a job, he could barely support a wife and three kids. Although they had a substantial savings, he couldn't toss it all on a franchise he had no idea how to run... financially. He could sell you a week old burger off the bathroom floor, but he couldn't count for shit.
“Excuse me. Are you the owner?”
William continued to stare up at the building, towering like a tall black monolith against the sunset. He heard a cough behind him and felt a tap on his shoulder.
“Leave me alone, please. I'm not the owner.”
“You were wearing the uniform, so I assumed...” A pause, but William didn't divert his gaze. He was thinking about how the uniform made him feel powerful. Comfortable. Stable. When he returned home that would all be stripped away. What was he going to do? Then, the man he had yet to look at tapped him again. “I must ask you to move. I want to inspect the property.”
“Inspect? What for?” William asked. He furrowed his brow when he turned to look, but his facade fell on the gentleman in front of him. He looked a bit older than he was, but that was due to his very formal attire: an off-yellow plaid suit, loafers, square glasses, and light brown hair cut perfectly across. The man's mustache twitched as he thought of an answer to William's question.
“I'm thinking of buying the place. The owner told me he officially put it up for sale today and I'd like to see it. That is, if this man in a purple uniform would kindly step out of my way.”
William didn't see any reason not to move and took exactly one step to his left. “Happy?”
“You're a strange one, aren't you?” the man asked as he walked towards the building's doors. He paused and pulled out a file folder bursting with papers. He flipped through them, but for some reason the man's mind couldn't stop wondering about this thin man with the bad posture. His high cheek bones and wide, grey eyes. He couldn't even keep his work shirt tucked in completely... And his first impression on words alone had been... more than he was used to handling.
William didn't answer. He craned his neck over the man's wide shoulders to get a gander at what the folder contained: photographs of the building, an MLS listing that contained taxes, history of incidents, and other miscellaneous facts about the property.
Is he a Realtor in his spare time, too?
“If only I could get him to come down on the price...” the man in yellow mumbled as he walked around the front of the building. “He has no clue what this place is actually worth, as I suspected.”
“You're not gonna get that bloody bastard to budge,” William blurted.
The inspector turned and raised an eyebrow at the stranger's curses. “I see. Then I'll have to pass after all. A shame.”
“What's the big deal? Not like you're out of a job,” William grumbled.
“I could have hired you on. I'd like to start a restaurant myself, but...”
“This place was probably on it's last legs thanks to Cheeker's Fried Chicken down the street, anyway,” William said. He walked over next to the man in yellow and gave the front door a good kick. “I don't think you would have any more luck.”
“You're a very negative person, Mr...?”
“William Afton.”
“Henry Emily.” The man in yellow gave a long sigh. He tucked the folder under his arm. William could see several sticky notes jotting out in all directions. This man... Henry, was very serious. Henry stared into the abyss, almost as if paying respects to his fleeting dream. “Animatronics. Kids love them. My daughter loves them. My wife... before she left... Well, anyway. I want to open a family diner sort of establishment.”
“Animatronics? Robots, you mean?” William asked. He visibly leaned in a little. Henry took a step back to restore his personal space.
“Yes?”
“You've intrigued me. What's this about robots?”
“They entertain the children. A little fantasy to lighten their lives. A little fun while they eat. All these modern places just focus on toys and the get-in-get-out lifestyle. I want to sell atmosphere; an experience.” Henry paused as he noticed this man lingering on his every word. “W-Well, what has you so interested in animatronics, anyway?”
“I love robots. I build them all the time, every since I was little. I've got kids myself, too, and I'd love to take them to this diner of yours.”
“Alas, but a dream. I couldn't pay the asking price even with my stocks and savings. I need to keep that for Charlotte anyway. I can't live on what little work I do get in advertising...”
“You talk a lot,” William grimaced. “Find a way to raise the money. You look like you got a head on your shoulders. Take a gamble. It's your dream to, right?”
“My God, you sure put the pressure on people.”
“I didn't get to being a manager by being a kiss-arse,” William replied. “Tell you what. I don't wanna go home without a job. My wife would skin me alive. If I can come up with the rest of the dough you need, we'll open the place together. Partners and all. I'm not good with numbers, but you look brainy enough.”
“Indeed,” Henry replied. He cleaned his glasses and put them back on. “I'll believe it when I see it. If you have the cash, that is.”
William twisted his lips. “Of course I have it.”
Why are you trying so hard to impress the most dapper gentleman you've ever seen? You know you're just weaseling your way into this opportunity so you won't go home and get an earful. You technically have the cash, William, even if it's all your family's savings for the next six months...
“Well then! We should meet again soon to work out the details,” Henry said. He started heading back towards his car, a large dark green Buick parked perfectly in one of many open squares in the lot.
“Right.”
“Take my card. Yes, I know, it's for my advertising business, but that's still my phone. Give me a ring, Mr. Afton.”
“Right...”
William was speechless. He watched Henry get back in his vehicle and drive off. This was going to be the beginning of the rest of his life; he could feel it in his bones.

~~~~~~

Another story lol

Bye!

1567 words