Between the Moments {Freedom AU} (FNAF)

New Buddy - Teaser Concept

A.N. I'd just like to point out that this is more of a character introduction/concept scene for Book 12 in Freedom AU. This scene won't come up in the book, but will maybe be referenced. We'll see. Enjoy!

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There were little puddles in the cracks and crevices of the pavement, thanks to the rain from that night. While rain would usually be bad news for him, it hadn't fallen too hard. He was easily able to keep dry beneath a few pizza boxes while he slept. And while the boxes themselves—clearly having been used during the previous day's business hours—smelled of pizza, the little bear's hunger couldn't be satisfied. He hadn't found any scraps that evening.

That was alright. Some days were like that. He'd be alright. As always.

Jumping up the stack of cardboard boxes to get up into the main room's window, the little bear watched the going's-on inside the restaurant. It seemed to be another full day of customers. Kids were seen eating pizza with their family, or running to and from the arcade room. The ones that weren't, were standing by the show stage to watch the brightly coloured animatronics performing pre-programmed songs.

He had sometimes wondered if he could make the humans running this place think he was an animatronic. Then he'd be allowed inside, making kids smile, while also having a roof over his head and food to eat. But he never did muster up the courage to just waltz in. As, what if he got treated like a rodent? That's what had happened the one other time he tried doing that.

With a sigh, the little bear rested his chin on his arms—simply watching. A kid running pass the window paused in her tracks. She turned and saw him in the window. He smiled and waved. The little girl returned the gesture, before excitedly running off to tell her friends what she'd seen.

His small ears perked up. Maybe someone would believe the kids this time? This wasn't the first time the kids spotted him in the window, it was just that the adults never believed them whenever they tried saying anything. He guessed they chalked it up to the kids' active imaginations.

This would be another case of the same, he quickly deduced. The little bear simple settled in, ready to spend another day watching the business run—and maybe making a silent wish for maybe some scraps to eat as dinner.

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Sophie couldn't hold back a yawn, as she got ready to leave work that morning. These on and off night shifts were starting to do a number on her, as much as she didn't like to admit it. Going back and forth between night and day shifts were messing with her sleep.

For a while, she'd been considering a morning shift. Maybe opening. Her boss didn't do opening shifts, so that would still leave ample opportunities for her. These opportunities having been the whole reason she even still did night shifts.

That would be something for her to figure out later. Now, she just wanted to leave and take a power nap. She had been invited for dinner with Bonnie and Toy later that day, and she wouldn't want to show up looking half-dead with exhaustion.

Walking over to the front counter of the restaurant, Sophie was nearly tripped up by some kids running about. "The teddy's back!" She heard one girl exclaim, turning over in time to see two other kids following after her. "Hurry before he's gone!" Sophie hummed. "You know about the infamous 'teddy', Sophie?"

"The wha'?" Julie, her co-worker, chuckled. Closing the cash register and giving a customer back their change, she elaborated. "Some of the kids keep mentioning seeing a little teddy bear peeking in from one of the windows." She explained. "Real cute, but no one knows what they're talking about." Sophie shook her head. "Right... I guess we all had wild imaginations as kids."