My Heart has no Strings attached (Marionette X reader) DISCONTINUED

12. Acceptance

"I-I missed you s-so much... Salem."

Puppet stiffened in your tight embrace, completely caught off guard by you using this name. His real name. The puppet man had not heard anyone much less the other animatronics including Golden Freddy who knew him quite well call him that..

From the point of of his own death forward he had taken the name of the animatronic he was tied to and made it his own, not that it really mattered if his name was Salem anyway.. To his family, and pretty much anybody that went to the pizzeria that fateful day he was gone. No more.

However.. to see the girl he once cherished as both a best friend and a childhood crush use that Name..even after last night, when she and him exchanged angry words,brushing him off as a fraud, after years apart.. look him into his his eyes with genuine recognition, acknowledgement and joy, calling him by his real name...?

A rush of excitement filled the puppet's ethereal ghost body, a feeling he hasn't had in forever, a feeling that melted the ice around his proverbial heart sent him into space causing him to cry out happily as he picked you off the ground and spun you around three times in the air, with you laughing happily in response, then embraced you.

"(Y/n)! you finally believe me?!"

"I do now... I am sorry.. I am sorry I didn't believe you." you replied returning the gesture

Puppet petted your head pulling away and felt that he was giving you a sympathetic look "No (Y/n) I am sorry for overreacting.. Loosing my temper, scaring you and then hurting you...you were right. I had become a monster..."

Puppet's head bowed in a dejected manner after saying the last part and his grip on you loosened before falling off your shoulders and returning to his sides, he then took a step back from you. Puppet's Focus was then on his claw-like fingers "I don't k-Know what t-to say (Y-Y/n)..I can't believe you still wanted to be here talking to me after last night"

You frowned and took that step closer back to the Puppet and took his hands into yours and the puppet looked at you with slight confusion

Then you gave Puppet's thin body another hug " Y-You know.. if it wasn't for Mangle I probably would have quit by now.. what happened last night really upset me too.." Puppet tilted his head "Mangle..?" you nodded at him

"M-Mangle helped convince me to stay and make up with you..she told me some things about you too.. and I felt really bad for not believing you Puppet... but.." Puppet gave you a slight nod prompting you to go on

"But, I-I didn't want to believe that my best friend in the whole world then.. was still stuck in the afterlife..like..like..well..this" you gazed up and down at the Puppet then wiped a small tear away you suddenly hear Scott's voice and a sound of footsteps against the tile

"(Y/n)? is that you in there?"

Muttering an 'oh shit' you turned in the direction the Puppet was standing only to see the animatronic was now lifeless and leaning against your body with it's arms wrapped around your shoulders and it's masked face leaning against your chest, a bewildered looking Scott walked slowly into the prize Corner and saw you with the Puppet animatronic hooked around your neck.

He scratched his head looking between you and the Puppet "W-What are you doing (Y/n)? shouldn't you have gone home by now? and why is the Puppet out of it's box?" unable to resist you let out a nervous chuckle and propped up the puppet a little "I-I just though something was wrong with the Puppet's voice box..it sounded a bit glitchy so I figured I'd look at it.." you lied however feeling tense hoping that Scott would buy it.

Scott was the only guy working the establishment to your knowledge, to have some sort of suspicion that there was more to the Puppet that what other people see, but you didn't want to know how'd Scott react to you telling him outright that the Puppet was moving and talking to you on it's own accord..

Scott knitted his brows together as if he wanted to chide you for something you as a day-shift security guard should know about not messing with the animatronics and that was the technicians job, but seeing a prang of guilt in your shiny (E/c) orbs his slightly more gentle personally got the better of him only allowing for him to sigh in response

"(Y/n).. just put the puppet back and go home.. I know you kinda have a personal fondness for the puppet but It's not your job to troubleshoot the animatronics you know.." Scott had put an hand on your shoulder as he said this and you had let out a sigh of relief that Scott had taken your small lie "y-yhea I know Scott..sorry I'll just be on my way.." you said almost quietly turning back to the Puppet's box and taking the animatronic with you.

you slipped the Puppet back gently into his box and began walking out of the prize corner, but not without stealing one last glance in Puppet Salem's direction before turning away and heading to the small employee's lounge to grab you stuff and clock out for the night.

Today you were able to leave with a smile for once in a while, however being moved back to the day shift meant there was a very small chance you could interact with Puppet at all, After finding out at this puppet did contain the spirit of a long-dead friend and actually accepting that fact you had nothing but a million questions for the disembodied essence of Salem.

The night shift was the only time anyone could get up close and personal with animatronics although normally you wouldn't really want to as it would result in death.. but Things were different this time...

Then a light bulb whent off in your head as your mind wandered to Fritz who was the night guard for a few past nights..

"Maybe I can convince Fritz to let me sneak into the establishment with him to work"

This was your first though, although considering how worried Fritz was while you were in shoes for awhile He'd would definitely not allow it, not on his watch.

I'll just have to find time to speak with the Puppet and or the other animatronics if necessary..

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Sorry for the short chapter and the update delay.. it's now kinda hard to write for this particular story at this point but I will try to move along as quickly as possible with these two stories of mine, A big thanks to those who are being patient with me in updating my stories!