Death Of Me (William Afton X Reader)

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(so- here you go. Unedited. Raw. Ill fix it tomorrow but rn its 1am im tired but excited to post this and my phone's acting like a bitch anyways. So enjoyyyy!!)

You trailed behind William as the faint hum of a forgotten radio faded into the workshop’s background. Your fingers fidgeted with the zipper of your jacket, an instinctive habit when your nerves got the better of you. Coffee. That’s where you were headed. The simplicity of it felt jarring, almost ridiculous, given the emotional wreckage left in your wake. The encounter with your brother had left both you and William incapable of focusing, the air thick with unspoken tension as you walked in step beside him.

Your mind kept replaying it, an endless loop of humiliation. He had just... outed you. Like it was nothing. Like your carefully guarded truths—your deepest vulnerabilities—were merely his to share. And as if that wasn’t enough, he went for the jugular, letting slip the one thing you had sworn to bury forever. Your suicide attempt. He flung it out there so casually, like airing your most private wound in front of William wasn’t going to gut you. The memory clawed at your insides, leaving you raw and exposed.

A sick cocktail of emotions churned in your stomach. Anger burned hot and fierce, but it wasn’t enough to drown out the shame, a shame so visceral it made your skin crawl. What must William think of you now? Your thoughts spiraled uncontrollably, each one worse than the last. He probably thinks I’m weak. Pathetic. A liability. He’s rethinking everything—if I’m stable enough, if I can handle this job, if I’m worth mentoring at all.

The bitterness of self-loathing settled heavily in your chest. And yet, another thought whispered in the back of your mind, a cruel, nagging voice. What if he doesn’t think anything? Maybe this was just another insignificant moment to him, a minor inconvenience already forgotten. After all, why would he care? You were just his apprentice—a fumbling, awkward presence in his life. Easily overlooked. Easily dismissed.

You stared down at the floor, focusing on the rhythmic click of his boots against the tiles, willing the storm in your head to subside. The sudden burst of light and warmth from the dining area pulled your attention, breaking the trance. The space buzzed with quiet activity—staff members moving between tables, arranging the final touches before opening. Henry, ever the picture of genial chaos, stood by a table with two employees, directing them with his usual cheerful energy.

“Hey, guys!” Henry’s voice rang out as he noticed the two of you. “Leaving so soon?” His smile was bright and genuine, the kind of smile that usually made you feel welcome. Not today. Today, it felt like too much.

You managed a faint smile in return, but your throat tightened, the weight of everything unsaid pressing down like a vise. Words felt impossible. Thankfully, William stepped in, his voice steady and controlled as ever.

“Only for a moment,” he replied smoothly, his tone carrying an edge of sarcasm. “We’re in desperate need of coffee after... this morning’s pleasantries.” He paired the comment with a faint grin, the kind that hinted at his usual sharp humor, but his words still hung heavy with meaning.

Henry tilted his head, curiosity flickering across his face. “Oh? What happened?”

Your heart jumped, a cold wave of dread washing over you. You froze, unable to look at William, your gaze darting anywhere but toward him. The last thing you wanted was for this conversation to go further. For him to recount it. To say it aloud.

William, thankfully—or maybe not so thankfully—didn’t skip a beat. He shrugged, slipping into that infuriating mask of calm that you envied so much. “Y/N’s brother,” he began, his voice dripping with mock enthusiasm, “is a charming individual whom I had the distinct pleasure of meeting. Truly, I hope to never experience that again.”