Chapter Text
Here you are once again, looking for a new job. Not that you got fired, no, you decided to leave yet another place after deciding that a few months in that subpar job was enough.
All you want is to go to work, do your boring everyday, day job, go home, and get paid. No he said this, she did that, no people that talk shit about you or anyone else behind their back but start hugging you and telling you that you're "the best" as soon as they see you. Is that too much to ask?
Your last five jobs seem to suggest so.
Nonetheless, you scored a new job quite quickly. It seemed quite easy due to it being just a small little coffee shop next to a daycare for quick coppas and nibbles. Quick and easy. You are confident with your barista skills so you have no worries on your mind.
But the thing that made you interested in that job in the first place and made you actually hope to score the position was the fact that you'd be a part of a team that was mostly robots. Perfect, right?
I mean, yes, some of the guys are considered superstars, but come on, they are still robots. Yes, they are very well made, but the best feature about them is that they are unable to process emotions, which means no drama. Perfect.
You also must admit that the idea of giant robots that are in a company with a bad reputation due to robot misconduct did make your little edgy heart keep a secret some much-needed excitement. The drama you are welcoming, though, is more life-threatening. At this point, you'd take pretty much anything other than having another creepy old man measure you off like the steak on fire waiting to eat you up.
You try to shake off the shivers of the last memory that unwillingly flooded your mind on your early drive to work.
You find yourself parking your car a bit earlier than expected next to the building you just recently started referring to as your workplace. You lift your chilled hands and your tired eyes to brush off any sleepiness fogging your sight. With that, you let the ticking in your throat take control and erupt into a yawn and an added much-needed stretch, unfortunately not as satisfying as you hoped for.
With the last stretches releasing the tensions in your muscles, your bed failed to, you let yourself out of the comfort of your car into the scary, scary world.
You let yourself sluggishly crawl towards the Plex with your horrible back posture, but as soon as you were next to the doors, you let your demeanour morph into more desirable one, with your chin up high and a happy-go-lucky smile on your face. Honestly, you should get a pay rise for just your ability to act.
You tried to get in, but the doors were locked, which is no wonder considering it's a little earlier than 5 in the morning, and only employees can get inside. Now you are waiting next to the door, hoping that someone will come and save you from the chilly morning bites, and you were lucky enough for someone approaching the doors not even five minutes after your arrival. Lucky first day.
The smiling lady approached you, "Good morning, are you y/n by chance?" You return a gentle smile, "Yes, nice to meet you. It's my first day, so please do take care of me." She gets closer to you before stopping and fixing the bag to hang more comfortably on her shoulder, making it seem like the bag was very heavy, it looked the part as well. After her small shoulder wiggle and a sign, she extended her right arm towards you, clearly motioning for a handshake. "Hi y/n, nice to meet you. I am July, one of the team leaders in the restaurant, so kind of your team leader but not really. Nonetheless, I will be training you today, so don't worry, you will be well taken care of." You tuck her hand and did as needed. You're not much of a shaker, well, overall toucher, but 'politeness' demands it.
"Good morning once again to you, July, it's a pleasure to meet you, and I can't describe how excited I am to see what all this is about," you effortlessly lie with a slight chuckle that earned back a little grin from the other half. "Wouldn't anyone? This is a huge opportunity that not just anyone can say they crossed off their checklist," you watch her turning the key in the door to open it for both of you. You follow her steps closely and show a small shiver that you staged to change the subject. "It's so cold in the mornings," you said with a small whine. "Oh dear, I hope you didn't wait for long," she said, looking at you with empathy. "Oh no, no, don't worry." You both stay silent for a few brief seconds, just to let her turn and go in the direction both of you were supposed to go to.
"So, can you tell me a bit more about the robots? I've never been in any of the Freddy Fazbears before. Only heard stuff," she looked at you, giving you another smile and gently grabbing your arm around biceps and giving a little reassurance squeeze. "Yes, this community had their ups and downs for a very long time, but that's something we should blame on the animatronic being too advanced for the past, I believe, and that's why there were problems."
July’s words hung in the air as you both walked down the hallway, your footsteps echoing slightly in the quiet of the early morning. You wanted to press her for more details about what she meant by "problems," but you also didn’t want to seem overeager. Instead, you let her lead the conversation.
“They’re much safer now, though,” July added after a beat. “Advancements in programming, stricter protocols… you’ll see. The animatronics here are incredible once you get used to them.” She gave you a reassuring smile, but there was something in her tone that hinted at a complicated history.
You filed that information away, not entirely reassured but still intrigued.
As you walked, the hallway began to widen, and you could see the entrance to the coffee shop ahead. It was a small space—barely big enough for one person, really—just a tiny nook beside the daycare. The walls were painted in muted tones of beige and brown, and the dim lights flickered on as you approached. The shop was small, cozy in a way, but you could tell that there wasn’t much room to move around. There was a counter with an espresso machine, a tiny display case for pastries, and little else. It wasn’t the sort of place you could get lost in, but you didn’t mind.
There were no smells of freshly brewed coffee or pastries yet—it was too early. The place was still in that quiet, dormant state, waiting for the day to begin. The smell of the cleaning products they used earlier that morning was the only thing that lingered in the air.
Before you could think too much about it, you heard a soft clanking noise, the unmistakable sound of metal on metal. Your gaze flicked down the hallway, and July’s grip on your arm tightened ever so slightly.
“He’s early today,” July muttered under her breath, sounding slightly less cheerful.
You followed her gaze, but you didn’t see anything at first. Then, rounding the corner just ahead of you, a tall, dark figure appeared in the dim light. Moon.
His dark, sleek body seemed to absorb the light, his glowing eyes giving off an eerie, unsettling glow. As he approached, the flickering lights around the shop dimmed further, like they were responding to his presence. His grin—wide and unsettling—never wavered as he walked slowly toward the two of you, his heavy footsteps making the floor vibrate beneath your feet.
You froze in place, heart thudding in your chest while Moon continued down the hall, his footsteps echoing in the quiet as he vanished from sight.
You let out a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding.
"What was that?" You asked “Sorry about that,” July said with a soft chuckle, giving your arm a reassuring squeeze. “Moon’s just doing his job. He’s… not the friendliest, but he’s harmless.” "are you kidding me?" You squeezed with excitement poring out. "I thought animatronics were supposed to be some kind of animals. Like a bunny or a bear. Whoever made that didn't even try to make him appealing. Might as well be Peny Wise's long lost brother".
The two of you finally reached the coffee shop door, and July unlocked it, ushering you inside.
The interior was just as small as you’d expected, with barely enough space for a single person behind the counter. There was a small espresso machine, a display case that hadn’t been stocked yet, and shelves full of unused pastries waiting to be prepared. The lights were dim, and the place felt like it was still in hibernation, waiting for the world to wake up.
“Welcome to your new workspace,” July said with a grin. “You’ll get used to it quickly. It’s small, but it’s cozy, and there’s a rhythm to it once you get the hang of things.”
You nodded again, but something in the back of your mind told you that this would be no ordinary job. Between the strange animatronics, the guarded security, and the way everything seemed to be running on a need-to-know basis, there was a lot more to this place than you were being told.
But for now, you put those thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand: your first day. You were here to make a good impression. Everything else could wait.