Across The Fence (William Afton x F! Reader)

As a teenager, you were William Afton's biggest nuisance. Always there. In his house, in his space, babysitting his kids like you belonged. You had a knack for getting under his skin-sarcastic, relentless, always pushing, always prying. And he hated it. Hated how you never seemed to leave him alone.

But when things got hard-when you were bullied, when your world came crashing down-he was there. Begrudgingly. With a sigh, with a grumble, with that ever-present irritation in his eyes. But he never turned you away. Never let you break completely. A reluctant protector. A reluctant caretaker.

And you? You had a crush. A stupid, reckless, all-consuming crush.

You knew it was wrong, knew he was older, knew he'd never see you the way you wanted. But that didn't stop you from looking too long, from lingering in his presence, from holding onto something that was never yours to begin with.

He noticed.

And then he shattered it.

You were just a kid. You needed to grow up, move on, find someone your own age. He wasn't interested. He never would be.

So you left.

Now, six years later, you're back. Older. Wiser. Ready to leave it all in the past.

But William has changed too. His marriage is crumbling, his world is a mess, and for the first time, he looks... tired. Like life has drained something vital from him.

And somehow, you end up tangled in his orbit again.

But this time, it's a game. A lie. A carefully crafted act meant to fool his wife, to make her think he's fine without her. Fake dating. Pretending. Playing a role.

It should be easy. You should be able to keep it separate, keep your heart locked away, because you know exactly how this ends.

But the more you act, the more real it starts to feel. The more you catch yourself wanting. Hoping.

And you swore you'd never let him hurt you again.