Unfortunate Fortunes |✧˖| [Michael Afton × GN Reader]

[24] Coulrophobia

| Date : February · 24 · 81 | 12:40 PM | Michael's Pov:

Today was the day.

The day Elizabeth would turn eight years old.

After weeks of planning in secret, and meticulously polishing off all the new animatronics.. The golden child, the prized daughter people saw Elizabeth as would finally have her birthday, coordinated with the grand opening of Circus Baby's Pizza World.

It's insane how much Father put so much work in her birthday alone. Me and Evan never got this type of treatment. He'd just throw a cake at us, blow balloons around the house, and hand-me-down presents or cheap gifts to shut us up and get us off his back. Not Elizabeth, though. Even if she was being the brat that Father would shame her for most of the time recently, she was spoiled rotten.

She'd say it wasn't a big deal, stay silent and thank Father for the shower of affection and gifts he never gives all three of us on a casual day. Elizabeth would think the sudden and suspicious actions would be too much of a fuss, and Father would take that as a sign to keep spoiling her for whatever reason.

Elizabeth acts like she hates being treated like a princess during her birthday, or for Christmas. However, I know that she atleast likes it. Maybe not love it like she pretends, but it feels nice for her. I wouldn't be so pissed off about it if her birthday or holidays glorified the idea of Elizabeth getting millions of presents every time they pass the calendar.

And yet this was one of those days.

As I walked into Elizabeth's room, I peeked in, looking around. She was in her bed, lacy peach covers and pink pillows. A new edition figure colored in a new foxy variation I've never seen or understood, torn apart like a toy given to a rabid animal. Of course, there was the flower painting Mother had made years ago, and the lone wooden dresser shoved in the corner.

Sure there was a pink lamp on there that made Elizabeth's room somewhat simple, despite the carpeted flooring and grey walls that she deemed 'hideous.' Our old house had more space for us to shove interests in. Now there was no more room for decorations and white painted wood furniture she had in her room. At least her wardrobe full of outfits and bows stayed, with the newly acquired Plush-Babies exclusively for her staring at the wall lifelessly on top of the wardrobe.

"Happy Birthday, Lizzie." I speak after a while, feeling awkward for just gazing aimlessly in her room. Elizabeth looked at me, her ginger hair perfectly brushed and taken care of. She smiled at me, waving at me through the door. 

"Thanks, Mike. Can you help with something, pretty please?" She asked me, looking at me through the crack of the door. I sigh, walking inside of the room. Elizabeth sometimes had a habit of not asking for help from me or Evan for an unknown reason, maybe because she was too shy to ask.

I go towards her, standing right at the edge of the bed. "What is it? You could've just asked me earlier." I look down at her, flicking her forehead. She looked offended at first, but I knew there wasn't any real hostility behind it as she laughed. "I need help with my bow!"