Threads of Vengeance (Fnaf + Ghost! Reader Insert)

A Birthday to Die For

With a sigh, Y/n pulled her h/c hair back to keep it out of her face and started working at a slow, deliberate pace. She pulled the cake out of the bag and placed it in the center of the table. Its top was decorated with a chibi version of Bonnie the Bunny, the words "Happy 7th Birthday Kai" arched above Bonnie in neat purple lettering on the vanilla frosting.

Her lips twitched into a reluctant smile before she forced them back into a frown. Not that it took much effort—the mixed stench of grease, sweat, and a strange metallic tang hanging in the air didn't exactly make this a cheerful space.

Y/n tore the plastic casing off a stack of disposable plates and placed them next to the cake, the plastic silverware following in neat order. Her fingers lingered on the edge of the cake for a moment, her expression softening.

Despite being Kai's birthday, the vanilla frosting on lemon cake was her favorite. Kai knew that.

The speakers overhead crackled to life, playing an old jingle that sounded like it had been pulled from a dusty circus record. Each note was slightly off-pitch, making the whole thing feel more eerie than festive.

I should've brought my earbuds. Y/n groaned inwardly as she realized she was stuck listening to the disjointed music and the high-pitched screams of sugar-fueled children. Hopes and prayers to all the parents out there.

Grabbing a handful of streamers, Y/n began laying them across the table, her eyes wandering over the restaurant as she worked.

She spotted Kai easily. He was standing near the stage, his head tilted back to stare at the animatronics looming above him. Freddy, Bonnie, and Chica stood inanimate under the stage lights, their frozen grins somehow unsettling in their stillness.

Shouldn't the curtains be closed if there's no show playing?

A dopey grin was stretched across Kai's face as he gazed up at the robotic animals like they were celebrities worth fawning over.

Y/n shook her head at his antics, turning her attention back to her task. She ripped open the bag of balloons and started blowing them up one by one. Normally, she wouldn't even bother, but as she worked, she recalled the text she'd received from John during the drive over.

He'd said he'd stop by during his break to drop off the presents he and her mom had gotten for Kai—and to wish him a happy birthday.

Her lip curled slightly as she huffed into another balloon. Great. Just what I need.

* * *

It was ten past two, and half of Kai's friends had already arrived. While waiting for the other five, Kai and his friends darted between the party tables, chasing each other with boundless energy. Their parents dropped off presents on the designated table before wandering off to mingle with one another.

"Hello, you must be Kai's older sister."

Y/n glanced up, spotting a man and a woman standing awkwardly nearby.

"Yes," she replied curtly, her eyes briefly meeting theirs before returning to her watchful gaze on Kai.

The couple exchanged a quick, uncomfortable glance at her lack of enthusiasm. With a measured breath, the man forced a polite smile and extended his hand. "My name's Tony. Tony Graiter, and this is my wife, Jane. Our little boy is good friends with Kai."

"Yes, Kai has had a few sleepovers with little Jack," Jane added warmly, stepping in after her husband. "He's spoken very highly of you. Your name's... Y/n, right?"

Y/n shook Tony's hand reluctantly, then Jane's, offering a flat, "Yes." She kept her expression disinterested, but a faint pang of guilt rippled through her at the thought of Kai singing her praises to his friends' parents.