Healing: Ascensus (TFF Fic)

The First Fall

Not as proud of this one, sorry for taking so long folks.

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He was not okay.

Bryan had started his Monday hunched over the toilet, vomiting up what he could best describe as nothing, hoping to whatever is out there that he'd be okay. I'm never going to be okay, he thought numbly. Shaking, he flushed the toilet, dragged his eyes away from the dirty bowl, and grabbed tissue paper. Bryan cleaned down the toilet. He winced at the stinging in his throat, likely caused by all the bile. "Bryan? I heard some noises in there, are you alright?"

Bryan jumped, and glanced nervously at his fucked up clothes and appearance. When was the last time he even saw Pat? "Y-Yeah," Bryan replied shakily, "I'm... I'm fine, just ate something weird and puked. I'll be out in a minute."

Silence filled the gap for a few moments before Bryan heard the sound of slippers shuffling along the floor. "Alright, just come to the kitchen when you're done." Pat said. Bryan felt guilt seeping into his body and he couldn't push it away. Why did he have to tell a good lie now? He should've just told Pat. Bryan shook his head. Independence, and if he'd found out, Pat would've been hurt just like the other animatronics were. Just like... Freddy...

Bryan ignored the feeling welling up in his gut and spent the next minute or so mentally preparing himself for Pat. Then, he exited the bathroom, exchanged his dirty clothes for clean ones and headed downstairs. "There you are," Pat muttered, "Thought you'd never come."

Bryan flashed a quick and very pained smile, and sat down next to Pat, who was eating a simple breakfast. Wait, breakfast? Bryan's head spun. Fuck, he thought it was later in the day- was this man serious? "Yes, it's breakfast, how long have you been up?" Pat asked. Bryan's heart skipped a beat. He turned his head away, hoping to hide the blush on his cheeks. "A while." He muttered. Bryan wondered how pathetic he looked right now. He sure felt pathetic. The thought, although joking, pulled at his heart, as if he actually believed it.

Pat frowned, "You need to get more sleep, Bryan."

Bryan shook his head. "It was a one time thing, besides, since when did you care?"

Pat's eyebrows jumped up, before furrowing. He was quick to cover it though, and replaced it with tight lips and a killer bitch face. Bryan blinked and Pat's leftovers were in front of him, with a clean knife and fork. Pat was standing by the sink, cleaning up some of the dirty dishes. Very little of them, Bryan noted with a grimace, were ones he recognized. "Eat up, your stomach is probably about to eat itself alive."

Bryan's heart beat faster, his hands now clammy. Ignoring the feeling, he took a bite of food. It tasted good, for a simple fried egg, which was all that was left. Bryan narrowed his eyes on the egg. Aside from the bite, it was perfectly untouched, as if... "You planned this, didn't you?" Bryan mumbled. Pat hummed, but said nothing, leaving only a smile to show he ever did that for Bryan. Soon after Pat left the kitchen and climbed up the stairs to get ready for his day-shift.

A part of Bryan felt touched that Pat, his "rival", would go out of his way to help Bryan. A single question still lingered in the brunet's mind though. Since when had Pat known about his eating troubles? The thought made him buzz with anxiety and after just barely finishing the food he ran for the room he was staying in. He didn't want to be here, he didn't want to be here he didn't want to- he tumbled on to his bed. He needed to get out, and fast - that much was clear - but how could he do so without losing his pizzeria?

He could brainstorm a few ideas, or try to ask his parents for legal help? The idea made him feel sick and... ugh, knowing him, Bryan would mess something up. With his luck, just breathing would get someone hurt. His eyes narrowed. Would it? If he held his breath, would crime stop? He chuckled to himself, such an absurd idea, only the truly insane would actually believe that. But, it is worth a shot, isn't it?