Thanatophobia| MICHAEL AFTON x READER

25| Phycodysleptic

3rd person omniscient

short chapter

mentions of drugs

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Michael sat on the floor of his mother's flat, his clothes soaked in molded, soggy paper. his skin was prickled in wooden splinters from the posts in the walls, and his body was aching. His already collapsed lungs were burning from inhaling all of it.

it was 4 am on a Monday morning. He had to get up and go to work, even if that eat confronting something...he knew he overreacted. it was a toxic, mean thing to do to someone he cared for. He let his toxic masculinity, and his stupid head get in the way of something that wasn't their fault.

He slowly picked himself up, dragging his feet on the floor as he made his way to the bedroom, which was untouched and unharmed. His destructive breakdown only made it to the start of the hallway before he knocked the sense back into himself. It was pathetic, in all honesty.

The drawers were filled with old, musty clothes that had been in there for god knows how long...unfortunately, he had to deal with this. as he was digging through the drawer, he found an open box of cigarettes, which had about 5 still left in it...he took the box and pocketed it. He would have taken a shower, however, the shower in the washroom was old, rusted, and...The water wasn't turned on anyways. If it was, it would have come out brown either way.

He lazily put his shoes on, then left the flat, slowly closing the door behind him so he didn't cause any more harm to the house. He was in regret.

He arrived at the pizzeria at 5 am. He had to fix the wall that had a table let through it, then fix that table, since its leg was missing...as well as fix the vent grate on the ceiling vent because he's an unstable craptard.

The table leg was sticking diagonally out of the wall. He threw it hard enough to where it made a clean hole, so it will be easy to just...throw a poster over it. There was new advertising for wart paste anyways. This also gave him the opportunity to purchase new items for the large room, as well as upgrade the floor plan. Now there was shiny black and white tile, as well as new games and small attractions. The stage also got new lights.

All he had to do to the table was screw the leg back on, then he put a ladder on the table and closed back up the vent grate. He was afraid to go inside because he knew what lurked in there. It was nauseating.

at 8 am, the door chimed open, and one of the unfamiliar employees came in. The rest of the hour was followed by this same pattern. Y/N didn't show up. Not yet, at least.

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1st person Michael POV.

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I sat in the corner of the large room, my right leg bouncing as I quickly clicked on a laptop. I picked it up at the shop so I didn't have to go back into my office. Not yet at least.

Y/N hasn't shown up yet, which is weird. They're never late, and, I would at least hope, that they would at least call and yell at me a bit to let me know if they quit. I'd take their yelling right now. That's embarrassing to say, I know, but I really screwed up.

I reach into my right pocket and take out a cigarette. Of course, I put it back once I pat down my other pocket and don't find a lighter, which is probably for the best. I don't have the best background with fire anyways.

"Tch..." I scoff, closing my laptop and standing up from my chair, which swiveled backward as my legs hit it. It's 10 am, so I take my phone from my vest pocket and speed dial Y/N, which picks up immediately.

"What?" They say instantly.

"Where are you?" I respond.

"Home." Their tone is cool, and they don't exactly sound bothered.

"Are you not coming in today?" I said, my tone hitched. I always feel embarrassed when my voice cracks.

"Nope." They responded shortly.

"Why didn't you call me to tell me that?"

"Thought you would scream at me again. something has been stuck up your arse lately, and I'm not in the mood for it." They scoffed.

I took a moment to breathe. I knew they were right.

"Can I come over after work?" I said.

"Are you seriously asking me that?" Their tone raised slightly.

"Im sorry, I just want to talk."

"Im not having sex with you." They scoffed.

"I didn't mean that!" I almost yelled. I had to leave the main room and go back into the employee break room. "Sorry- just-" I sighed deeply. "I just want to talk. Like seriously."

"Seriously?" their tone shifted.

"Yes!"

"Okay, don't yell at me, or I'm hanging up."

"Im sorry..."

"Okay...I'll see you tonight then?" They sighed. I hummed in response before they hung up.

--

I left work early to go to Tesco.

I've gone back into a bad habit- which I got from my father.

When I was younger, my father would smoke a lot. Being a rebellious child, I always ended up stealing his cigarettes and sharing them with a group of friends I had at the time. As I got older, I grew out of that addiction and switched the chewing gum, which helped a lot.

However, Now that Im dead, and now that I honestly don't care, I've been getting back into that addiction. It's a relapsed kind of thing...It's not as bad as some things I've done, however.

The Tesco run was for a lighter. I haven't owned one since I set my father on fire at Freddy's fright attraction. The one I got was a simple BIC lighter. I lit the smoke I previously took out of my pocket once I left the store.

I finished it before I reached Y/N's building.

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