Dead Man Walking... Michael Afton x Reader

Chapter 3. Mikestar Never Dies

Michael found himself at work yet again, but this was his daily life anymore. Building this new line of animatronics, animatronics he didn't even design, these weren't his blueprints. They were his fathers. The paper was dark blue, with the model designs being white. And at the corner of every individual blueprint, there were numbers. Michael didn't know what they were for, they had nothing to do with building the animatronics. He would've just thrown away the blueprints considering they were his father's, but he couldn't.

Sure, he wanted nothing to do with him, but his dad had great designs. He was brilliant as well as a madman, Michael knew best about his demented side. Michael would like to think he got his dad's intelligence. He may have been a hooligan in his teenage years, but he had straight A's, was in advanced classes, and was an honor roll student every year. He didn't mean to brag, but he wasn't an idiot.

He did know he wasn't demented, but sometimes it's uncanny how similar he looks to William. He wished it was something he could ignore but he couldn't, it was his own face for Christ's sake. They have the exact same face, the only difference is Michael still has a boyish look to him. While William had a lifeless, sickly look. Michael noticed after his father turned insane, he looked different. No more life in those blue eyes, they were dull. They were lifeless. They were the sagging blue eyes he feared. He almost wanted to believe it wasn't really his father, and his real father just disappeared or something.

While he was a serial killer he was just alike his dad, he taught him how to walk but equally stole innocent lives away. It was conflicting, and not many people understood that feeling. He looked at old photographs of their family holidays with a fond smile, because that was the dad he knew and loved, but he looked at the news with a scowl because the demented man looking back at him was not his father.

Michael heard a knock at the glass door, making him snap his head to look over. It seemed like nobody ever wanted him to get these damn animatronics done with the amount of distractions lately "Please for the love of god don't be another reporter..." he mumbles, but upon further inspection, it was none other than Chica Mask. 

His best friend.

Chica mask over the years has looked the exact same and acted the same. He had the same dark chestnut skin and hair so dark brown it looked black. He even had the same haircut as when he was 16, the same short curls. Sometimes Michael found comfort in Chica Mask, because he had never changed. Even when life got chaotic, he would never change.

He smiles and gets up, unlocking the front door to the business, allowing him inside. 

"Yo, Chica Mask, my man, what's good?" the two guys do their secret handshake as they always do when they see each other. They made it when they were in Middle School, and ever since ut was their signature greeting.
"I'm good, I'm good. How's the Mrs?" Chica Mask wiggles his eyebrows, making Michael laugh quietly, "Chica Mask me and Y/N aren't married yet, you bonehead. What are you talking about?"

"Yeah, and whose fault is that?" Chica mask nudges him, and Michael returns the shove semi-jokingly. "Aye, I'm working on it, engagement rings are expensive." Michael looks down sheepishly, he already was saving up for one. He knew Y/N deserved it, she deserved more than him or any ring he could purchase.

"Bro I gotcha, no worries, I'm sure Y/N is being patient with it, no need to take things too quickly. I just like giving you a hard time." He nudges his friend and cracks a grin. "Yeah, I guess you're right." Michael shrugs. "Anyways, what are you doing here?"

"Can't a guy come to visit his best friend of 7 years? We haven't been able to hang out much these past couple of months." Chica Mask crossed his arms. "I'm starting to think you're cheating on me," He dramatically places the back of his hand against his forehead like a fair maiden would.

Despite his light tone, it was true, they hadn't hung out in a few months. It wasn't because Michael was avoiding him, he was just exhausted. For the past few months, he's gotten all this publicity because of his father. Sometimes he wishes he would've never taken the job, but it paid really well.

"I'm sorry about that dude. I really am," he looks down and gnaws on his lip, "It's just difficult with all this shit that's been going on. I'm sure you've heard the stories." It would've been more surprising if he didn't.

"Of course I have, I was just joshing ya'," Chica Mask pats his back, "And I will have you know the first issue of the local newspaper to have your name and face on it framed in my living room." Michael deadpanned, "You have the first newspaper with my face on it hanging up in your house?" "Of course I do! There's even a picture of you on the front page, and I must say, you look goooooood man!"

Michael cracks a small smile at his friend's stupidity, and his sense of humor, "Chica Mask, you dipshit," Once he calmed down from laughing he shakes his head slightly, "Dude, never change, okay?"

"Never planned on it. Why would I when I'm already perfect?" Chica Mask retorted, "But jokes aside here, I know you're busy man, and I know what the press is saying. They're just stories, and they don't know shit about you. These rumors will pass, and things will go back to normal. I promise."

Michael nodded and sighs, "It's just annoying, just because my last name is Afton doesn't mean I act like..." he cleared his throat not wanting to finish his sentence. Chica Mask understood, he didn't want to pressure Michael so he just patted his shoulder.

"I know Mikey, I know, but you can get through this. You're Michael, the Michael I grew up with, the Mikestar, you can do anything..!" Michael did have to admit, Chica mask was making him feel better. So he just smiles, "I guess I am the Mikestar..."

The nickname, "Mikestar" started when Michael had just moved to America when he was 12. He started to become friends with Chica Mask, Bonnie Mask, and Freddy Mask. The nickname was given to him once he set off a firework in the middle of History class to get the entire school out of their finals. The group of guys thought it was so cool, that they dubbed him the nickname, "Mikestar" and they have been best friends since.

"That's right!" Chica Mask spoke again, "Mikestar never gives up, Mikestar never dies!"

"Chica Mask I never planned on dying," Michael laughs quietly, "I'm not gonna die from this, even if it feels like it sometimes."

"Well still," Chica Mask argues, "Mikestar never dies."

Michael rolls his eyes, "Whatever you say, Chica Mask,"