"Foolish Dreamers" Michael Afton x Reader

𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓦𝓪𝓷𝓷𝓪 𝓚𝓷𝓸𝔀 𝓜𝓮? (Ch.30)

Saturday
December 1, 1984 11:03 A.M.

TW: Physical Abuse

Y/N had already been working for four hours. The pizzeria was bustling with families, birthday parties, and kids running around, adding to the constant noise of chatter and arcade sounds. The air smelled of pizza, grease, and sugary treats, a familiar scent she was starting to get used to.

Annie was in charge of pizza today for the most part, yelling orders over the chaotic kitchen sounds. CJ and Jason handled the animatronics and entertained the guests, ensuring everything ran smoothly at the front. Jeremy, assigned to cleaning, switched with Y/N every few minutes to escape the tiring smell of chloride of wiping tables. For now, Y/N was at the prize counter, focused on fixing up a plush toy that had come apart at the seams.

From her spot behind the counter, she had a good view of Michael standing at the cashier station, handling customers with practiced ease. He wore the same black pants, red shirt, and gold name tag as the rest of them, but he somehow made the boring uniform look better—maybe it was the way he carried himself, or the sly grin he'd flash at the kids when giving them their change. Or maybe his messy hair. . .

What had caught her attention lately, though, wasn't just Michael's grin or the way he worked. She had noticed something... strange.

Elizabeth and Evan had started showing up at the pizzeria more often, sticking close to the arcade area from what the staff had mentioned. Y/N found it sweet how they seemed to run to  her whenever she was free, asking her trivia questions or just chatting with her. She enjoyed their company; it was easy to tell that the Afton siblings didn't have many places where they felt welcome.

But what really gnawed at her mind was something she overheard earlier. Jeremy and CJ had been talking in hushed tones near the soda machine, but Y/N had caught enough to piece things together.

Apparently, Michael's dad—William Afton—had been assigning fewer and fewer staff members on the days Michael covered for him, leaving just six teenagers to manage an entire pizzeria. It was exhausting, especially on weekends like today, with birthday parties scheduled every hour.

Y/N couldn't shake the nagging thought that this wasn't a coincidence. It almost seemed like William intentionally left things in disarray, forcing Michael to juggle responsibilities far beyond what was fair.

And from what she had seen and heard, it wasn't just the pizzeria. None of the Afton kids seemed to have a great relationship with their father, but with Michael? It seemed the worst for him.

Y/N glanced toward Michael again, watching him smile politely at a customer. But even with the smile, she could see the exhaustion behind his soft blue eyes. He was carrying the weight of far more than just the shift today.

Her heart ached a little, realizing how much he had to deal with—not just the pizzeria, but the strain of holding everything together, for himself and his siblings.

Y/N snapped out of her thoughts when Jeremy walked over, rubbing his neck with an exaggerated groan. "Switch," he mumbled, dragging his feet.

Y/N chuckled, taking the rag and spray from his hand. "I got it. I'll take over for the rest of the day—go chill at the prize counter."

Jeremy blinked at her, eyebrows raised in pleasant surprise. "For real?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll survive," Y/N teased, waving him off as he flashed her a tired grin and shuffled toward the counter.

With the spray bottle in one hand and the rag in the other, Y/N got to work. She started wiping down the tables, clearing off half-empty soda cups, crumpled napkins, and leftover pizza crusts.