Lethean (William Afton X Reader)

彡[ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 27: ᴘᴀᴛᴄʜ]彡

Neil was pretty disappointed and shocked in seeing me, and we had that in common right now, only a little bit on my side. I sat up from the wooden rink, patted the dust off my pants, and noticed how he couldn't lift himself up. He acted like he was lying on the ground on purpose, but it's easy to tell that he doesn't know how to stand.

"Use the front of your skates," I said with crossed arms, receiving a disdainful glare from the man but he did as told anyway. My hand extended to him to help him up and he grabbed it, subsequently, I pulled him up so he can stand on his own two feet. Neil dusted the dirt off his pants while mumbling a faint appreciation.

"You here with someone?" he asked.

"Nope, just me. What about you?"

"Same—Wait, why am I talking to you? You kicked me in the kneecap and shit still hurts!" He turned away with his back facing me, "Hey! it's self-defense, you can't blame me for reacting like that," I hissed, my thumbs hanging on the belt loops of my pants.

Come to think of it, Neil and I seem to be close in age, he's likely 20 or 22. His bronze hair reached his jaw, long enough to be tied in a low ponytail and it was rather poofy. He had a denim jacket with assorted video game patches, a simple gray t-shirt, and dark jeans, paired with black All-Star Converse shoes. Right, Converse was a big thing in this time period, no surprise that every single teenager here owned one. I'm thinking about buying a pair when I get back.

"Are you planning something, woman?" Neil furrowed his brows at me and took a few steps back, "I swear if you are—"

"I'm not, why would I?" I cut him off.

"Then why are you following me?"

"I'm not, I'm following the path, duh"

The fall was enough to gather some attention from the busy groups, and even the staff got curious. Neil doesn't know how lucky he is not to get his throat slit that day, practically the third person I've person I spared with William being the second and the hooded teenager as first but he's a different case. If I see that hooded teenager again, I'll never let him roam free on the streets again.

"If you think helping me makes up for that kick, it doesn't", Neil rolled his eyes at me. Psh, why would I say sorry? You didn't listen to me when I told you about my employment. "Who said I wanted to apologize?" I replied, he did not expect that at all and so, I glided my way back to the rink and ignored the faltering guy who left. "I Melt With You" by Modern English began to play and everyone danced to it, pulling their partners out of their seats. The disco ball in the middle spun around with vivid spotlights from every corner.

Time went by and I grew hungry, then also realized why I came here in the first place. I glanced at the red clock on the counter, "12:21... Almost four hours huh" I muttered to myself and glided out of the rink. I'll be lucky if I manage to find an empty seat in any fast food chain.

With my boots back on my feet, I headed out and searched for a place to eat from the 3rd-floor balcony. The difference between how I remembered this place and what I'm seeing right now was captivating, it really proves how technology transformed the modern world. 13 years from now, the 20th Century will end and enter the 21st where some believed the world's end. Jeez, I remember my mom telling me about people going batshit crazy when they said 2012 will be the end of the world.

Just as I was about to get off the current floor I was in, I heard my name being called far behind me. "(Y/N)! Is that you?!" a feminine voice called.

"Oh! Hey Vanessa!"

Vanessa was dressed in a striped shirt under the black varsity jacket with a white outline of a rabbit on her front and back, sky-blue ripped denim jeans, and of course, white Converse shoes.  From her expression, she's definitely ecstatic to see me. "I'd know that silky black hair anywhere!" she happily exclaimed. "Tying a half-open button-up with a black shirt underneath so it looks cropped? Why haven't I thought of that?" wonder filled her emerald eyes.