ɢʟᴀᴍᴏʀᴏᴜꜱ ᴇʏᴇꜱ

37 : Your Tears Only Fuel His Madness

Gregory's eyes were pools of searing gold. Whatever exaltation he experienced before seemed to fade away into the backdrop of his messy recollections. There was a certain raw terror that bled into his dark pupils as she slowly pulled out of his cold embrace. He seemed frozen in place, like all the twisted words that he voiced had finally been heard by his own ears. His mouth opened, but no words could be stammered out except for the low, rapid drumming deep in his chest.

"...were all those scary things you said true? Are you going to hurt..." she swallowed thickly at the increasingly shadowy look in his eyes. His thoughts seemed bare as he only stared at her, zoned out, thinking of the right words to say. "...are you going to hurt us?"

Suddenly, sharp fingers cupped her face as she was pulled back to him. A desperate smile pulled at his lips. "No! It wasn't true! No, no, no, I didn't mean it! I didn't mean any of it! I'm just... I..."

He stared into her scared and doubtful eyes. He let out a shaky gasp as he pressed his forehead against hers. His cold breath washed over her face as she stared, terrified into silence, as he seemed to calm down a fraction. He closed his golden eyes slowly, his long eyelashes seemed to tickle hers.

"...please don't leave me. You're all I have. You're all I have."

(Y/n) mouth was a thin line as she simply averted her eyes from his gaze, as bright as the highest star, as dark as the blackest midnight. But his finger only held her chin in place. "...Gregory, I don't think you're feeling well."

It's not really what she wanted to say, but the words she meant to say couldn't be let out. You're scary. You're not yourself. Maybe this was always you. Gregory let out a breathy laugh without humor. He only leaned in more as the trembling down his spine seemed to gradually subside.

"...I know, I know. I'm a... almost like you. I'm just not what you think..." Gregory whispered. "...I'm sorry for being scary, earlier. I'm just trying to keep you safe. All I want is to keep you safe... I thought I lost you earlier, I was so... so terrified."

"..." She stayed in stiff silence as she was pulled even closer. There was a look in her eyes. The eyes of someone full of doubt, fear, and hesitation. His dark colors finally have been seen, and it would take a lot to cover them up again. All of his desperation, his hatred, his obsession, his love. It bled off of him in streams.

He held her silently and tightly for a long time after that. It was as if she would fade away if he let go. She might as well have been. Except, she was getting lost in his embrace. Disappearing into his eternal madness.

____________

Slowly, the voice box got placed into Freddy's throat. The boy's golden eyes were meticulous and calculative as he slowly connected the color-coded wires to the correct hedges. The tension in the air was palpable. She was scared of him, and he knew it, too.

Despite his obvious expertise at fixing Freddy, he felt his fingers shaking beneath his skin each time the little girl would fearfully glance at him like any moment he would pounce on her and tear her throat out. Which was what he threatened to do to Vanessa. Damn it all, he always seemed to screw things up, destroying any ties he desperately tried to make.

Whatever curse that was placed on him to make everything he ever felt love for to leave him was misplaced. Because he was determined... no, desperate to keep at least one. Even if it meant tying her up and trapping her away forever, he'd do it. He's selfish. But he'd do it.

What a vile monster he was. But he didn't care. He never got the chance to be selfish in his entire life. All of it was spent by shreds of his happiness being taken away from him while he crawled blindly in the dirt to pick up the pieces left behind. It was his turn to make them crawl in the mud and laugh and sneer at them.