Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

He was not born into a real family. He was born into a community. A group of criminals, liars, and backstabbers. Many of their underlings were not bad people, but they had no choice. Once you were in, there was no getting out alive. Unfortunately, Freddy never even had the choice of 'getting in'. He was born into it. His mother just so happened to marry the Godfather, or Don. The Lord of Crime himself. 

Freddy was a single child in the large estate. He was not old enough to participate in crime directly, only being six years old by this time, but that never stopped his father from involving him, and exposing him to feats far too disturbing for the boy to comprehend. There had been many times his father had brought him along, or made him go on missions, but more to use as a shield to avoid persecution. After all, to put it bluntly, most officers and criminals would not shoot a man with his kid on him. Even then, most of those officers were paid off anyway... or their families' safety was threatened, so they would typically avoid getting involved in crimes involving the Mafia. His father could get away with anything.
 
Freddy feared his father. The amount of pressure that was forced on him to be his successor was suffocating, and he was often faced with extreme corporal punishment for not meeting his father's standards and expectations. He was always too sensitive, too gentle, too timid. Not man enough. Freddy was not even sure what being 'man enough' meant at this age.
 
But tonight, he really did it. His father was extremely intoxicated, and as usual, his parents were fighting. Freddy's mother had figured out his father was having numerous affairs. His father had grown violent quickly, like he usually did, and Freddy stepped in to protect his mother, as he usually would. And that sent his father over the edge.
 
The cub now ran into his room, shutting and locking the door quickly. He knew father was right on his tail, and he did not want to be on the receiving end of his powerful wrath.
 
"FREDDY-!" The man yelled as his booming footsteps came closer to the cedar door.
 
The boy panicked, and his eyes frantically searched his room for some kind of solution, landing on his small bedside table. Without much second-thought, he pushed his nightstand over the door, hoping it would work as some kind of barricade. Once it was covered, he crawled under his bed and did his best to be silent. He could hear his father bang on the door and twist the knob aggressively.
 
"FREDDY, IF YOU DON'T GET OUT RIGHT NOW-!" He threatened. 
 
Freddy crawled deeper under the bed and willed himself to cry silently, hoping to not be heard. Unfortunately, nothing ever stopped his tank of a father. He heard the banging increase in volume, and within a minute, the top of the door was ripped off it's hinges. His dad had used his strength to break the lock entirely and force the door open the opposite way. When he was in, he shoved the nightstand away and flipped it over, breaking the lamp that was on it and crushing the clothes within it as his wild eyes searched the room. His face was a deep red, and his eyes seemed unfocused, but dangerously predatory. 

After searching in the closet and toy chest, aggressively tossing more clothes and toys out onto the floor in his search, his dad stormed over to the bed and searched the sheets. And just as Freddy thought he might be safe, half of the bed was suddenly lifted from the ground as if it weighed nothing, and he came face to face with his father's blood-shot eyes. The boy cried out as his father grabbed his wrist in a bone-crushing grip and dragged him out of hiding,  dropping the bed again.
 
"YOU FUCKING BRAT!" His voice boomed, and it hurt Freddy's ears. Before he could plead with his dad or stutter out some kind of apology, he was cut off as a hard, steel fist collided with his cheek and nose. Freddy whimpered and fell on his back, holding his now bloodied snout and swollen cheek. Not even giving him a chance to move again, his dad stepped over his chest and torso, pinning him on his back with his shoe and applying weight to his sternum which made the cub sob in pain and flail his arms and legs desperately. 
 
"Y-YOU JUST WANNA' RUN FROM ME?? YOU'RE NOT GONNA' BE A MAN?!" He taunted, applying more weight to the boy's chest. Freddy's air was getting cut off, and it felt like his ribcage was going to break. He held his dad's ankle and kicked his legs, trying to relieve some pressure. He could hardly see through his teary eyes, but the look in his father's eyes in this moment would be engraved in his memory for as long as he lived. He would say it was his first exposure to the horrors of man he had ever experienced. In that very moment, the way this man was looking at him was not the look of a father to his son, it was a look of murderous hate. The eyes of a man who had no love, no purpose, no goals... who only knew crime. His eyes were dull, uncanny, and dead, yet they were bloodshot and practically narrowed on Freddy with the intent to finish him off. 

He truly thought his father was going to kill him in this very moment. 
 
That was confirmed as more weight was placed on his chest and he screamed in agony, tensing up as he felt the weight and the sharp heel of his father's shoe pressing against his organs and ribs.
 
No one was going to help him. They never did. Staff were too afraid of his dad, or too vile to even care about the abuse...  while his mother was always too scared, and never really protected him. He heard said woman finally come in and attempt to talk to his father, trying to reason with him to get off of Freddy. 
 
As even more weight was applied, and as he heard his dad turn around to scream at his mother now, he realized he was not going to get out of this until he was down. Until his father thought he won. This was not just some cruel 'discipline'. This deranged man needed to 'win' the fight against his son. To prove that he was stronger. 
 
Freddy forced himself to close his eyes and relax his face completely. He made his mouth hang open and he went limp, pretending like he had blacked out. When his parents seemed to notice, his father finally stepped off of him and kicked his side to get his attention.
 
"GET UP, FREDDY!" He ordered. 
 
Freddy kept the act up until his dad finally seemed to accept it. He heard his mother yell more frantically at the man as he finally stormed out of the room past the broken door without another word. He waited until his father's footsteps went quiet before finally opening his eyes and whimpering in pain and fear. His mother saw and instantly knelt down to check on him. When she saw he was awake, she took a breath of relief as she picked him up again from under his arms.
 
She sat him down on the bed to wipe off his nose with a frustrated look on her face.
 
"You don't antagonize your dad when he's like this! You know how he is, you should have left him alone!" She reprimanded, her voice trembling.
 
Freddy wanted to stutter out that he did it to protect her, but he could hardly breathe as his body adjusted to the weight being gone. His father had physically hurt him before, but he has never had such a deadly encounter with him. From that day on, Freddy realized his father truly did not care about him. He needed to stop underestimating the man, and what he was capable of.
 
He knew that his dad would have killed him that day, had he not acted dead first.

Chapter Text

"Keep moving. I don't want to be slowed down anymore." His father scolded him.
 
Freddy quickened his pace as they walked through Downtown. His father had needed to meet with someone, but he rarely left without Freddy with him. For his own safety, of course. 
 
The cub followed him nervously, very much disliking Downtown. It was quite unsafe, with the amount of crime and pedestrian traffic. His mother would never let him come here alone, and even when they were together, he had to stay close to her side. The air quality was also exceptionally poor. It was constantly cloudy from the smog emitted from the factories and plants, and it made breathing nearly painful. Many of the apartments and buildings did not even have windows in them. They were made of all brick and stone, and some housed up to eight families at a time. It resembled more of prison than apartment homes. Freddy was trailing far behind his father because the man never slowed down for him, and he could not keep up, but he was used to this. He was pulled from his thoughts as he suddenly heard his name being called.
 
"Hey, Freddy!" 
 
Freddy turned to the other side of the cobbled road and sidewalk. There, sitting on a concrete bench on the side of one of the store buildings, he saw his best friend, Bonnie. The kit was waving to him from across the road, and he was next to an older kid. They were wearing rather torn and filthy apparel. 
 
Freddy glanced back at his father, seeing that he was watching Freddy expectantly from a few feet ahead.
 
Before Freddy could follow him again, his father only sighed in defeat and brushed him off.
 
"It's right here. Just stay with your friends while I do my thing." He left without another word.
 
Freddy's tail wagged gratefully, and he glanced both ways down the street before running over to greet them. 
 
Bonnie was dressed in a button up and overall shorts, while the other boy was dressed similar and donned a red bandana around his neck. They were sharing and chewing on what looked to be small candies in a brown paper bag.
 
"Hey guys! What're you eating?" He asked.
 
Bonnie took another peice from the bag and chewed it, passing the bag to Freddy to offer him some.
 
"Tobacco! Want some?" 
 
Freddy shook his head. "I-I shouldn't, my dad doesn't like me getting food from other people."
 
Bonnie frowned but took the bag back. Freddy glanced between them in confusion.
 
"Why are you guys so dirty-?" He asked instead.
 
Bonnie finished chewing a bite and swallowed so he could speak. "We just got off work. We got off early today because there was some cave-in, and we couldn't do nothin'." He stated, gesturing to the older boy.
 
"This is Foxy. He works there too, but he's one of the real miners. I'm still not big enough, so I'm just a breaker, but sometimes I get to push the cart in and out!" He overshared.
 
Freddy waved awkwardly at the fox, who only nodded in greeting with a disinterested look, saying nothing. Bonnie brushed it off.
 
"He's shy, don't worry about him." He smiled at Freddy.
 
"It sucks you don't come around here so often. You never have time to play anymore!" Bonnie pouted as he continued chewing. 
 
Freddy glanced down sadly. "Yeah... I wish I had time too, but my father's always keeping me busy." He shrugged.
 
"What did you say your dad did for work again, anyway-? Why's he always look grumpy?" Bonnie's nose scrunched up as he giggled at his own joke. 
 
Freddy dropped his gaze as he tried coming up with some explanation. He knew he was not supposed to tell anyone about their secret. 
 
"He, uh... he works in... crime...?" He spoke vaguely, sitting beside Bonnie.
 
"So he be an officer-?" The fox finally asked. 
 
Freddy nodded quickly. "Y-yeah! Exactly." 
 
Bonnie stuck his tounge out. "I don't like officers. They're mean." 
 
Freddy chuckled, but dropped his gaze solemnly. "... yeah. They are really mean..." 
 
Bonnie furrowed his brows in concern to Freddy as he noticed the boy's souring mood and set down the bag. "Oh no! Did he hit you again??" The child asked innocently.
 
Freddy shrugged. "Sort of, but... this time it was really bad... it hurt a lot..." He chose not to go into details and scare Bonnie and his friend.
 
Foxy's gaze softened somewhat, and he dropped his head solemnly, while Bonnie frowned and lifted himself to stand on his knees, crawling over to give the cub a reassuring side-hug.
 
"I'm sorry about that, Freddy... one of these days, we're gonna' go and beat your dad up!" Bonnie assured.
 
Freddy turned to him in confusion. "We...? I-I don't know, I... I don't think I could beat up my father..."
 
Bonnie huffed, but kept his tight hold on Freddy as he turned to Foxy again.
 
"Foxy and I will do it, huh?" Bonnie.      looked to him for input. Foxy merely shrugged with a nod.
 
Freddy smiled gratefully at them. "Thank you guys... but it's okay. I'll be okay..." He reassured, tensing up as Bonnie's hug grew tighter. 
 
"B-Bonnie, you're hugging me really tight-" He smiled politely. Bonnie still did not let go.
 
"You don't get enough hugs at home, so I'm giving you all the hugs you missed at the same time." He insisted.
 
Freddy felt a small wave of warmth blanket over his body as his smile grew, and he finally hugged Bonnie back. A small cloud of blush rise to his cheeks, but he tried to ignore it.
 
Bonnie thought love and marriage were gross, and, although he agreed in front of his friend, Freddy has always secretly liked it. His parents were not good examples, but the boy had seen so many lovers together in the park and in the streets. He loved watching romantic plays at the theater, and he loved listening to love songs. He was so excited to be married and in love one day, and he was going to love his one partner the rest of his life. He never wanted to hurt them like his dad did, he wanted to be the best husband ever, like he read in the stories. He thought about being married a lot, and who he wanted to marry. The only one who ever came to his mind was Bonnie. 
 
One day, he was going to marry his friend. He just hoped Bonnie was not so grossed out by love in the future.
 
He thought he was being discrete with his blushing, until he glanced at Foxy and could see the boy snickering in amusement seeing how obviously flustered he was. He made a kissing face at Freddy to tease him, only worsening the cub's embarrassment. 
 
"O-okay, thanks, Bon! I'm all hugged-out!" He insisted nervously.
 
Bonnie finally let go of him and glanced around, making sure no one was looking, and gesturing for Freddy to come closer.
 
"I have a gift for you that'll cheer you up!" He whispered.
 
Freddy gasped in surprise. "Really?? You didn't have to-" he cut himself off as Bonnie placed a rock in his palm.
 
He stared at it in confusion. "... is this the gift-?" He asked.
 
Bonnie nodded quickly, taking the rock to show it in direct sunlight. It sparkled and had a clear, white stone in it.
 
"I found it in the mine! I have no idea what it is, but it's really pretty, right??" He asked. 
 
Freddy smiled gratefully as the boy gave it back to him. "T-thanks, Bon. I really like it." 
 
"Freddy!" 
 
All three of the boys turned to the sound of Freddy's father calling him again. He glared at Freddy expectantly from across the street with a look of disgust.
 
"You're getting yourself all dirty, get away from them!" He ordered, gesturing for Freddy to cross the street and come back.
 
Freddy sighed solemnly, glancing back at Bonnie and Foxy apologetically. Bonnie stuck his tongue out defiantly at the man before turning back to Freddy.
 
"S-sorry... thanks for talking to me, guys. I'll ask my mom if we can meet again soon..."
 
Bonnie frowned but nodded sadly, giving Freddy one last 'goodbye' hug.

Chapter Text

"But I wanted to be the knight! You should be the dragon!" Freddy whined. 

"But I chose the knight first! So you're the dragon!" Bonnie argued. 

It was evening time, and the two children were playing in Freddy's room. They were currently trying to play a dress up game, but could not decide who wanted to be what. 

Freddy groaned in a disappointment as he slipped his fake dragon wings onto his back while Bonnie picked up the toy sword. 

"Alright, now go act dragon-y!" Bonnie pointed his sword at him. 

The boy sighed and begrudgingly lifted his paws into an attack stance, baring his teeth and making a lame growling impression. He yelped in surprise as Bonnie lunged at him without warning, letting out his best battle cry. 

The boys were on the floor in seconds rough-housing, forgetting the sword all together. Freddy's slight annoyance disappeared as he could not help but give in to his friend as they both broke into a fit of laughs and giggles. Bonnie was so happy and energetic all of the time, it was hard to feel bored or upset around him.

"I beat the dragon!" Bonnie exclaimed as he finally managed to pin the boy down. 

Freddy ceased his laughter and pouted in faux disappointment. "I let you win! That's no fair!" 

It was true, Freddy did somewhat let Bonnie win. His mother had taught him from a young age that because he was bigger and stronger than other kids, he had to be extra careful while playing. This is especially true when playing with Bonnie, since the boy happened to be rather short and thin. 

The kit cheered in pride and crawled off of Freddy, searching through the other toys in the chest. He was throwing toys behind him as he searched and practically sticking half of his little body in the crate.

Freddy stood up and silently shook his head in amusement at his friend, before jogging over to help him out. They both turned in surprise as his bedroom door opened, seeing it was his mother. 

"Hi mama!" Freddy smiled politely at her, making the woman chuckle in a mix of surprise and amusement. 

"What is this mess...? I left for only five minutes..." she asked, glancing around the scattered toys on the ground.

"It was his fault! He trashed the room while you were gone!" Bonnie poked Freddy's cheek. 

Freddy gasped in offense and turned back to him, pointing a defensive finger back to him. "No, I just saw you do it!" 

Bonnie's tail wagged joyfully as he poked Freddy's cheek again, making the cub playfully push him away. His mother rolled her eyes goodheartedly and left to a dresser in the corner of the room, readying the record player.

"Do you kids want music on?" She asked. 

Freddy nodded enthusiastically as his mother picked a record disc out of it's box and set it up, letting the music play. She left the room and closed the door before it started. 

Freddy brightened up as his favorite song, 'Daisy Bell' started playing. 

"What song is this...?" Bonnie turned to him curiously. 

"It's called Daisy Bell! Listen to the lyrics." Freddy pointed to the record player. 

"... I'm half crazy, all for the love of you... " 

"... It won't be a stylish marriage... I can't afford a carriage... " 

"... But you'll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two... "

Bonnie stuck his tongue out is disgust. "Ew! A love song??" He turned back to Freddy. 

Freddy rolled his eyes at his friends reaction. "Come on...! It's pretty~!" 

Freddy suddenly remembered a scene from a play he had watched a long time ago and grew flustered quickly. He wondered if he could try it with Bonnie. The cub gulped and pushed down his nervousness, turning to his friend hesitantly.

"Do you... want to dance with me-?" Freddy held his paw out, mimicking what he had watched men do before with their dates. 

Bonnie glanced at him in surprise at first, but assumed they were playing another game and giggled in excitement, going along with it. He reached out and set his paw on Freddy's. 

Freddy did not expect it would get this far, and felt that nervousness return. Still, he intertwined their paws and wrapped an arm over Bonnie's back. Bonnie was at a loss of what to do, having never danced like this before, but placed a paw on Freddy's shoulder. 

"Alright, lead the way lover-boy!" He teased. 

Freddy's face had to be beet red at this point as he whined in embarrassment. 

He took a deep breath and nervously guided the two of them to dance. It was going well enough, but within a minute of their swaying, Bonnie grew bored and sped up the dancing. 

They were partner dancing much quicker now, and Freddy was having a hard time keeping up. The song was over, but was replaying on its own now. 

Seeing the joy and laughter on Bonnie's face made him more confident, until he was smiling as well and grew more relaxed. They were hardly on the beat anymore, and were more so spinning around together for fun. They were dancing so fast with little to no control, and Freddy finally felt himself trip over his own feet, sending both of them falling on the ground. 

Freddy rolled himself to the side quickly to not land on Bonnie and hurt him. Both kids landed on their backs right next to each other. After a moment, the shock of the fall wore off, and they broke into a fit of giggling. Freddy sat up and glanced down at Bonnie in a mix of concern and amusement. 

"Are you okay?!" He laughed. 

Bonnie nodded quickly and sat up as well. Freddy felt himself begin blushing again and turned away bashfully, much to Bonnie's amusement. 

"You don't have to be embarrassed, Fred! Everyone falls!" He reassured. 

Freddy did not know how to explain to him the real reason he was blushing, so he brushed it off. 

The children went back to their playing until they had to bring Bonnie back home.
When Bonnie left, Freddy returned home and finished cleaning his room again, like he promised his parents. The boy turned to the entrance of his room as someone entered, and tensed when he saw it was his dad.

"... what are you doing-? Why is your room a mess?" He asked expectantly. 

Freddy stood up and turned to face him fearfully. "B-Bonnie and I were playing for a while, so now I'm cleaning up..." He stated.

Thankfully, his dad did not seem to care. He only sighed deeply in disappointment and continued with what he wanted to say.

"You need to get some sleep. We need to be up extra early tomorrow." He ordered.

Freddy's ears fell. "For what...?"

The man scowled and rolled his eyes. "A mission! Why else would we need to leave so early?? Use your brain!" He snapped. 

Freddy flinched and glanced down shamefully. It hurt, but he was used to his father's insults by now. Instead of talking back anymore, he only nodded timidly.

"... y-yes, papa..." 

The man finally closed the door without another word. Freddy had to move with haste and clean his toys faster so his mother could bathe him and he could hopefully sleep sooner.

Chapter Text

They left the house at around 6 A.M. It was Freddy, his father, and three other men. They needed to break one of their own men out of jail and take out the police. The place they were infiltrating was only a small holding center for men awaiting their trial and sentencing. 

They parked the car outside the station in a generic looking, five seater black car to not draw attention to themselves. Freddy's father lifted him onto his shoulders as they entered the station to appear less intimidating as the other men grabbed their bags and supplies. They were small strapped bags similar to satchels, which many criminals preferred because they could easily be strapped around your torso and hidden under your suit top. 

When they entered, they were immediately greeted at the front desk, where a senior and rather young officer was working. The two men glanced at the group cautiously as they approached. It took them a moment, but once they recognized who Freddy's father was, the older cop left his chair and backed away cautiously, while the younger one stared up at them wide-eyed. 

"Where is he?" His dad asked them plainly. 

"W-who...? When was he arrested-?" The older officer asked as he hesitantly reached for his clipboard. 

"Richard Ryder. Arrested yesterday." 

The officer looked through the records until they found his name. 

"A-are you here for visitation...?" He asked. 

Freddy's father growled in warning. "You know exactly what I'm here for. Stop wasting our time and bring him in here." 

The officer hesitated, before turning to the younger one and gesturing for him to let the man out. Once he left, the older officer kept a cautious eye on the men. 

"How many of you are in today?" His dad asked as he leaned over the desk to tower over the officer. 

"T-the other officers are on the lower levels..." The cop avoided answering his father's question directly, which he did not seem to like. 

Freddy froze as he noticed the officer was reaching under the surface of the desk. His dad seemed to notice this as well as he clicked his tounge in disappointment, but did not make it known he was onto the officer. 

"Well, your help is no longer needed then." 

Freddy jumped suddenly, nearly falling off his dad's shoulders as one of the men behind them blasted the shot gun they were armed with directly at the officer. The bullet peirced his snout directly, no doubt piercing his brain stem and killing him instantly as he fell onto the desk lifelessly. Unfortunately, even at his young age, Freddy has witnessed a few gruesome deaths besides this one, so he merely dropped his gaze and tried to disassociate as his father ordered the men to go into the jail to take care of the other officers. 

Freddy's father went in as well to find the young officer that was supposed to be getting their employee. Freddy clung onto his father tightly and hid his face at the back of his father's head in his fluffy mane. It was the closest to comfort or reassurance he would ever get from the man. He was hoping this mission would just end faster. 

He was blocking out the traumatizing sounds of gunshots and yelling around him. The sounds of officers falling, inmates yelling and crying out in their cells. He did not mentally check in again until he heard people yelling out about a fire. When he lifted his head and looked around the jail, he could see some bodies of officers laying around, and some of the inmates still in their cells, but he could also see and smell the scent of ember and flames. The smell of smoke was beginning to burn his sensitive nostrils as he hugged his father's temples tighter in fear. 

Their group was setting the whole holding center on fire. 

Freddy coughed as the concentration of smoke was now growing thicker and irritated his smaller lungs. His father did not seem to care anyway, as he finally found the guy they were looking for. 

The younger officer had released him, but was nowhere to be found. His father grabbed the man by the arm to get his attention. 

"The others are by the exit, get out of here." 

The man thanked him and ran away quickly. Freddy watched him leave but hacked out a few strangled coughs and choked again, covering his mouth with his shirt to block out the smoke. 

"Papa, can we l-leave now?! It h-hurts to b-breathe!" Freddy begged, beginning to cry from a mix of terror and pain. 

His father scowled in annoyance, and was likely about to snap at him, when they both paused as the sound of a gun clicking from behind them. 

When his father turned them around, he was met face to face with the young officer pointing a handgun at them with shaky paws. 

"I-I don't want to hurt you in front of your kid, man! Just stand down, or put the boy down safely!" He yelled. 

His dad lifted his paw to rest over Freddy's arm and held on tighter. It almost looked like he was being protective of the boy, and for a second, Freddy started feeling a little lighter. He almost felt like his dad really did care about him, at least a little bit. 

That hope would disappear in an instant as his father had, instead, pulled him off his shoulder by his arm rather harshly. When Freddy was brought to the ground, his father lifted him into a chokehold and pointed his own gun directly at his head. The chokehold was not tight enough to cut off his air, but it was definitely uncomfortable. 

"Then stay away or I'll blast him full of holes!" His dad warned as he held the boy tighter, pressing the tip of the gun to Freddy's temple. 

Based on what happened just a few nights ago, Freddy had feared his dad was not actually bluffing. He wanted to be a man and look tough, like his father expected of him, but he could not hide his growing terror. The boy immediately broke into a fit of whimpers and cries as he struggled in his dad's grip. 

The officer may have thought it was a bluff for moment, but once he saw Freddy's genuine fear, he hesitated and began lowering his weapon for the boy's sake. 

Just as he fully lowered the gun, another gun shot rang out. 

The officer was shot in the head from behind and fell forward lifelessly, revealing the culprit as one of the men working with Freddy's father. 

Freddy's father finally let go of him and thanked the man, grabbing Freddy's wrist without a word and yanking him forward towards the exit. 

The boy was practically blind from the smog and the overwhelming tears in his puffy eyes. All of the inmates were being left behind in their cells, and every officer in the building was dead. It was a massacre that engraved itself into Freddy's core memories. 

Freddy felt some relief as they finally made it outside and were hit with a wave of cold, early morning air. His dad only let go of him when he and everyone else shoved themselves into the cramped car again, and it started driving. Freddy was still sobbing on his dad's lap as the man scowled and hit the side of his head. 

"Shut up! Your wailing is gonna' get us caught!" He snarled. 

Freddy forced a paw over his mouth to stay quiet as they continued driving. His father had, yet again, nearly killed him. And no one seemed to care. 

The only one who cared for his well-being was that officer, who was now gone as well... 

He hated his father. He hated him so much. He was going to hate his father until the day he died.

Chapter Text

Late spring and early summer was a beautiful time for Freddy. 

His personal favorite season was fall, but this was Bonnie's favorite time of year. Just after the cold, rainy height of spring had passed and the heat of summer was not too intense yet. But because this was Bonnie's favorite season, it was when he was at his happiest and most active, and when he constantly wanted Freddy to accompany him everywhere.

They were thirteen now, and were beginning to mature. At least, the closest to 'mature' they could get. Bonnie was still a kid at heart. 

Freddy on the other hand, could not be the innocent kid he used to be. He doubted he ever was, actually. Now that he had more experience, and his brain was developing, he could no longer just brush off and easily recover from the trauma he's experienced. He was beginning to fully process and understand the extent of what his father was doing, and what he would eventually be doing, too. His mental health was growing worse by the day, and showed no signs of improving 

And being older meant he would have to start actually contributing to missions. He would need to actually fight like the others, which was scary to think about. Bonnie must have noticed him gradually growing more depressed and reclused, though he still could not tell his friend the truth, which he now understood was for the bunny's safety.

What had also grown was Freddy's feelings for Bonnie. When he was younger, he was not sure what a real 'crush' or love felt like, he just knew he cared deeply about Bonnie, and wanted to marry him eventually.

But he was starting to yearn for Bonnie. Now that he was older, he could actually imagine them being together. He could visualize going on dates with him, marrying him. He was starting to feel the physical symptoms of a crush. Whenever he was around Bonnie, he grew flush and nervous. He stumbled over his words and had a hard time formulating coherent sentences. He could feel his stomach fluttering and nausea at the back of his throat, his paws shook, and he felt like fainting when he thought of the bunny. He was already love-sick for his friend, and it was driving him crazy. Not only that, but he was learning more about himself and his body from his homeschooling, and was beginning to sneakily indulge in graphic adult romantic stories despite his parents forbidding it. Not only was he learning more about serious relationships, but he was beginning to experiment and fantasize about more 'mature' romance, and what it entails. It was both a confusing, terrifying, yet wonderful time for Freddy.

But what made it worse was that Bonnie seemed open to liking him, too. He was more confident and better at handling it than Freddy, but it was certain that he, too, liked Freddy that way. Though neither of them have voiced this to each other, so he could not know for sure. It was basically a torturous game of chicken for the both of them to see who would shoot the first shot.

Freddy sat on a bench at a park by the shore of the harbor reading a book. Bonnie wanted to meet him here, but was running slightly late. It was a little past noon by now.

The bear was dressed casually in a burnt orange, long-sleeve cable knit sweater with a pale blue button up underneath. He wore simple, black dress pants to complete the look. He was nervous about meeting his friend, and felt somewhat guilty. He almost felt like an immoral person for imagining and dreaming about his friend in those ways without the bunny's knowledge. There was some one-sided embarrassment, too, since he was sure if Bonnie could somehow look into his mind and see how Freddy was imagining them, his friend would run for the hills.

"Freddy!" He heard his friend call from his right. 

Freddy set down his book and smiled as Bonnie jogged over on the cobbled sidewalk. He was wearing a white button up shirt with short, puffy sleeves, and a maroon vest with matching shorts that reached slightly above his knees and was secured with a dark reddish-brown belt. He had a deep blue ascot tie around his neck, and he was carrying a guitar he had found a while ago on his back.

Freddy was surprised to see him jogging over with the big instrument. "You brought the guitar...?" He asked.

Bonnie nodded and finally stopped in front of him to catch his breath.

"Yeah. I needed to practice, and it's too loud to do it at home." 

Freddy chuckled and took the heavy instrument from him to take the weight off his shoulders. He put his book in the small, deep brown leather bag he held as the two of them began their walk to find somewhere more secluded to sit.

They settled with sitting under the shade of a large willow tree on a grass hill. Freddy carefully set the guitar and case down and sat down quietly while Bonnie practically collapsed on the soft grass and laid on his back contently. There was a comfortable silence for a moment before Bonnie sat up and started taking the instrument out. 

"Guess what song I've been working on~?" Bonnie snickered as he pulled out the sheet music.

Freddy hummed and leaned back on his paws. "I don't know... which one?" 

Bonnie passed it for him to read, and he saw it was his favorite song, 'Daisy Bell."

Freddy chuckled. "I thought you didn't like the song...?" 

Bonnie rolled his eyes with a smile and scooted backwards to lean against the tree trunk. 

"It's okay... just really sappy." He fiddled with some of the strings.

"I also thought it was appropriate for the moment." He turned to Freddy and gave him a small, one-dimple smile.

In response to Freddy's confusion, Bonnie gestured behind him. When the bear turned around, he saw a small patch of daisies in the grass, and a few scattered around the park.

Freddy chuckled and scooted back to lean next to Bonnie, though kept a little over an inch of space between them. Though he paused as Bonnie scooted closer and ended up closing that space, so his head and shoulders were laid against Freddy's arm. 

Freddy immediately tensed, and felt that familiar heat overtaking him. He both wanted Bonnie get up, and wanted the bunny to lean even closer at the same time. He felt a strong urge to wrap his arms around his friend and pull him in so he was leaning on his chest. He wanted to show everyone in the park that Bonnie was all his. But he stayed put, and did his best not to shake. Bonnie passed him the sheet to read off the music.

"Are you gonna' sing it for me while I play...?" He glanced up at Freddy hopefully.

Freddy had to clear his throat to speak clearly. "S-sorry, what...?"

Bonnie pulled his knees closer to his chest and checked the tuning on the guitar. 

"Sing while I play! You're better at singing than I am." He insisted.

Freddy hesitated. Bonnie was planning on fulfilling his dream of being a performer when he was older, and he was under the impression Freddy would be beside him the entire time.

While it was Freddy's dream to perform with Bonnie, and to sing, he knew he would never be able to. His path in life was already set out. Even if he escaped, he could not have a job with that kind of exposure. He had to woefully give up and accept that dream would never come true. But he did not want Bonnie to feel that heartbreak right now, and he still could not be honest about his job, so all he could do was turn it down as subtly as possible.

He sighed in defeat and nodded. "I... I guess. I'm out of practice, though..." He glanced away sheepishly. 

Bonnie brushed that off and got his instrument ready, counting in his head before playing the beginning. 

Freddy psyched himself up in his head and forced his voice to remain steady as he waited for the cue and started singing the song which he knew by heart. Bonnie must have heard his voice breaking and stumbling, and may have thought Freddy had not been lying, and was actually out of practice. Freddy stopped singing for a second out of shock as the bunny started quietly singing with him in an attempt to help him out. He was too embarrassed now to keep trying, but Bonnie was giving him such a kind and patient look, that he had to keep going for his friend.

As they went on, he found that singing with Bonnie actually did help ease his nerves. He started relaxing more, and his smile grew into one of real joy. The bunny's happy attitude was contagious, and as usual, Freddy fell right into it. He was enamored by his friend's higher and sweeter sounding voice, rivaling his own deep and smooth one. He never wanted this to end. He would have to lock this sweet memory away forever. When the song finished, both of them had a playful laugh about it, and Bonnie went back to toying with the strings of the guitar and idly playing random notes. He was still leaning against Freddy, though the bear was beginning to grow more comfortable with the affection and gradually began leaning further into the bunny as well.

His gaze traveled to his right, and he did a double take as he saw a daisy that was growing right beside him.

An idea popped into his head, though it was very bold, and he was not sure about it. Then again, he and his friend have loosely discussed 'crushing' and romance, so maybe this was a good next step. Though he still was not sure of Bonnie's exact feelings. He sucked in a quick breath and quickly took the Daisy before he changed his mind. He turned back to Bonnie as he held the flower in a death grip with his now shaking, sweaty paws. 

He did not trust himself to speak. Instead, he wordlessly stuck the delicate flower in Bonnie's hair, making the bunny pause at the feeling. He lifted his paw to feel what was on his head, but Freddy stopped him before he could rip it out.

"I-it's a daisy. I put it there." He finally spoke up.

Bonnie turned to him in surprise. "... the flower is for me-?" 

Freddy nodded, and felt some relief as the bunny smiled timidly and turned down. Blush was rising to his face as well, which gave Freddy more confidence. 

He was nearly speechless at the sight of the flower in Bonnie's ear. He looked so beautiful, Freddy couldn't even explain it in his own head.

Bonnie finally glanced up at him again and giggled softly. "Have you been reading too many love stories again?" He joked. Freddy chuckled and hunched over where he sat. 

"... maybe. But sometimes, they... make me think of you." 

Bonnie was stunned again as he searched Freddy's eyes. There was no backtracking now, so the boy went on.

"I don't know... we... we don't have to. O-obviously it could never happen, w-we don't know what the future will look like, but..."

He sighed. "Sometimes... I think of marrying you." 

Bonnie was in disbelief at what he was hearing. "... s-seriously-?" 

Freddy nodded shyly and glanced away. "I-I understand if you don't also feel that way... m-maybe it's just a silly thought. We're both still just kids-" he rambled.

Bonnie rested his paw on Freddy's shoulder to ground him again, giving him another soft smile.

"Well... maybe I'm not against that idea... I wouldn't mind marrying you one day." Bonnie finally said. 

Freddy perked up again as he heard that. His small tail wagged as he scooted closer to the bunny more excitedly. "R-really...?"

Bonnie giggled. "Yeah! We could kiss and stuff-" the boy sat up on his knees. 

Freddy laughed. "But no kissing is allowed before marriage, Bon." He reminded.

The bunny nodded thoughtfully as he heard that. His ears lifted as he thought of an idea, and he grinned playfully at Freddy.

He set his guitar down and lifted his paw to his face, kissing the tips of fingers and reaching out to gently place them over Freddy's lips. 

He giggled at his own stupid gesture. "I don't know, it's close enough-" 

Freddy felt a new wave of confidence hit him suddenly. Without a word, he lifted his own paw to gently take the bunny's that still lingered on his lips.

He lowered it before placing a gentle but awkward kiss on the back of Bonnie's paw. It was his first time ever kissing anything, so he could only go off of what he's felt his mother do before. Both of them were silenced, and their blushing increased as they finally made unsure eye contact. After another moment of tense silence, Bonnie finally pulled away and covered his mouth to giggle bashfully. 

"Maybe one day..." 

Freddy finally forced a gentle smile in an attempt to hide his elation. "Yeah... maybe." 

Bonnie glanced to his left and reached over to grab another random daisy, placing it directly on Freddy's head.

They both laughed again at the silly gesture, and Bonnie sat up on his knees to playfully push Freddy. The bear would not budge, and as he pushed Bonnie's paws away, he underestimated his own strength and made both kids lose their balance and fall. They both fell on their backs beside eachother on the soft grass. The daisy Bonnie placed on his head now landed on his nose. He blew it away from his face, making the bunny titter in amusement. He ceased his laughter and turned to his right where Bonnie was. 

The image of the bunny laughing in the grass beside him was breath taking. Bonnie turned to make eye contact with him again, and his laughing ceased into a sweet, fond smile directed at Freddy. They were once again, stuck in a daze of silence. 

It was only interrupted as Bonnie's left ear flicked, and after a moment, his smile fell. He sat up suddenly and glanced around in concern. Bonnie's hearing was emaculate, and he could always pick up on sounds long before Freddy did. That made the bear worried as he pushed himself to sit up.

"What's wrong-?" 

Bonnie glanced around the grass on high alert. "... I think someone's trying to sneak up on us...?" He whispered. 

Freddy searched their surroundings as well, and he caught sight of a suspicious dark car not far from where they were sitting. There was a mysterious man watching them expectantly from the front seat in formal attire. The boy may not be as immediately alert as Bonnie, but from his experience, he knew this could only mean one thing: the driver was waiting for someone. Someone could be coming from nearby to take them to the car.

As if on cue, another figure finally became visible from behind the tree. They had their eyes locked on the kids, and were already advancing towards them. Freddy already knew they were after him because of his father, but he feared what they could possibly do to Bonnie, who was frozen in terror as he watched the man in a mix of fear and confusion. 

They may just ignore Bonnie and let him go, or they could do something unspeakable to his friend. He was not going to risk it and find out what their intentions with the bunny could be, as he forced himself to his feet and grabbed Bonnie's wrist in a death grip, pulling the boy in front of him and pushing him to run. He turned around and followed the bunny quickly after.

"Wait! My guitar-!" Bonnie stopped and tried turning back.

Freddy could somewhat sympathize with him, since he knew the boy could not afford another one if he lost this. But their lives were at risk. He grabbed Bonnie's paw again and pulled him to keep running. 

"Just keep moving! Hurry!" He yelled.

Freddy was already in his mission state of mind, so he was able to remain somewhat calm and collected as they were chased. He searched the streets frantically as they made their way onto the sidewalk and road, before he spotted a restaurant. He knew the safest place for them now was in a crowded area. 

He pulled Bonnie across the road without looking both ways and forced both of them into the restaurant, moving away from the door quickly. Thankfully, it was rather busy inside, with a lot of people. The boys finally stopped to catch their breaths, and Freddy saw the man run up to the building of the resteraunt. He looked through the glass window and caught sight of Freddy, but once he realized there was no way to get the kids, he cursed in frustration and stormed off.

Freddy only relaxed again once he was out of sight, but he didn't feel safe with the two of them leaving the restaurant right now. Bonnie stumbled back suddenly and stared at Freddy in horror.

"W-what was that?! Why was he trying to take us??" The boy cried.

The building was loud, thankfully, so no one was paying attention. Still, Freddy gestured for Bonnie to quiet down, and brought them to a secluded hallway by the bathrooms.

"I don't... I don't know-" he lied, checking Bonnie over. "Are you okay??" 

Bonnie hugged himself fearfully and nodded. Freddy felt his heart break as he watched the boy's nose scrunch up and his eyes begin to tear up.

"B-Bon, are you-" Freddy reached out to place a paw on his shoulders.

"N-no, I'm scared! T-that's never h-happened to me, and-!" He sniffled and wiped his nose with his arm aggressively.

"M-my guitar is back there! I won't be able to get a-another one-!" He finally started sobbing. 

Freddy was at a loss for words. "I- Bonnie, we were just chased, we could've been killed! The guitar isn't what's important-!"

Bonnie only wept louder and shook his head, burying his face in his paws. "N-no, you don't g-get it! It's all I h-have...! It's all t-that comforts me, it's the only thing I can't l-lose! M-my dad can't a-afford to get me a new one, I'll never get to play again...!"

Freddy tried in vain to think of someway to cheer Bonnie up again.

"Hey, don't... don't worry about it! I'll get you another one! I promise." He held both of Bonnie's shoulders tightly to ground the boy. The bunny glanced up at Freddy tearfully, so the bear reached up to wipe away the tears from his round cheeks.

Bonnie suddenly shot forward and trapped Freddy in a tight hug, clinging onto him and crying into his shoulder seeking safety. Freddy only felt numb about this. Not for Bonnie's grief, but from being chased. He was, unfortunately, desensitized to these things already. But Bonnie was not.

Bonnie had never been exposed to crime until right now, and the boy was terrified. 

Freddy felt his protective instincts kick in, and he held onto Bonnie even tighter and buried his muzzle into his shoulder.

He had to protect Bonnie at all costs. He would never let the bunny get sucked into this horrible job, and see the things he did. One day, he'll find some way to run away. To abandon this Mafia life all together. He'll run away and marry Bonnie, and he'll never look back.

Chapter Text

The thirteen-year-old Freddy gasped for breath in his seat in the car as it raced off. He had just completed his first mission, where he was on the front lines. Without his father.

That alone was scary enough for a child to go through, but that was not even the worst part. Freddy had shot someone. Two people, to be exact.

It was all part of the mission. They were breaking into the estate of another powerful criminal who happened to be a rival of their family. It was Freddy and two other men he vaguely knew as close friends of his father. Freddy was under the impression they were just taking the man out. Although he was horrified at the thought of doing that, at the very least, he knew the man was a terrible person, who had done plenty of irredeemable crimes of his own. That would have brought him little peace. 

But they had kept an important detail from him until the very last moment. They would also force Freddy to eliminate the man's wife and daughter. While said man was forced to watch.

That was not part of the plan at all, at least from Freddy's knowledge. They had claimed that the reason they were forcing Freddy to kill the others was because they were easier targets. That it was too much to expect a kid to take out a dangerous criminal on his first go. 

Yet this felt a million times more difficult, and more traumatic.

Looking that woman and child in the eyes, knowing they were likely completely innocent and uninvolved in the father's work, and having to pull the trigger not once, but twice, was beyond horrific.

The boy fought and begged to the point of tears when he learned what they had wanted him to do, but they would not let him get out of it. They insisted that he had to prove himself. He was even threatened to be punished with insubordination to the Don if he refused.

He had to close his eyes and try to disassociate, but he did it. All that was on his mind was the fearful screams of the child before being silenced, and the dangerous, violent criminal wail and plead as he watched his family perish in front of his eyes. 

And then he was dragged away like nothing happened. They were discussing how they planned to brutalize and torture him before his death, as if forcing him to watch that was not cruel punishment enough. He felt like such a monster sitting between two of the men, who were recounting what happened with smiles on their faces, and celebrating a job well done. The captive man was driven in a seperate car to be taken to his final destination.

Of course none of them checked in on Freddy, or bothered to try reassuring him as he was now trapped mid panic attack. All they did was joke about his negative reaction, and mock him. And they congratulated him, like he did something worthy of praise. 

.

"Well done, Freddy. I'll be honest, I did not think you had it in you." His father stated as he paced in front of his desk. Freddy was sitting on a velvet and wood chair in front of it as he was told about the mission. 

It was the closest thing to praise he's ever recieved from his father. He thought he would be been thrilled, but he just felt empty. He felt like he couldn't even call himself a person. He was just a vile, heartless monster. He did his best to keep in the remaining tears that threatened to spill and only nodded shakily to his father and forced out a 'thank you', knowing by now that crying would only make him more angry. 

He hesitated before asking another question that was lingering on his mind. 

"... why did we have to kill his family...? Why was it necessary??" His voice broke. 

Freddy's father hummed thoughtfully. He sounded less aggressive than usual because Freddy had impressed him. 

"A few reasons. For one, it sends a message to our other adverseries. A warning for those who oppose us. Secondly, it adds to the brutality of his punishment. It's something that will haunt him until the end of time... and besides, his family knew the risk of marrying him." 

Freddy furrowed his brows. "W-what do you mean-? The risk??" 

Freddy's father sat at his desk and sighed deeply as he folded his paws, trying to think of how to explain it simply to the boy. 

"... One day, Freddy, you will be married. You'll have a wife and children of your own. But the roles of your 'family' will be different," 

"... You are the Don, which means you are the most important. Your wife's purpose is to serve you, to have your children, and to raise the future Don. You could say she is... a stepping stone for you. And your children's purpose is to carry on your legacy. And the legacy of your father, your grandfather, and so on... they're not even really your 'family', Freddy. They're an extension of you." 

Freddy could hardly hide the appalled expression on his face as he repeated his father's words in his head. Is that seriously what he thought of his family? What Freddy was supposed to think of his own...? 

"But that is why punishing men like him means punishing his family as well. It does not matter how 'innocent' they are, they are a part of him. Therefore, they will die with him." His father added. 

There was a tense silence as Freddy struggled to formulate a response to this bomb his father had just dropped on him. All of this, piling on to what he was just forced to do was just too overwhelming, and Freddy felt himself on the verge of snapping again. This heavy tension was interrupted by a knock on the office door, to which Freddy's father invited the visitor in.

It was one of the men who went with him on the mission. The man cleared his throat, seeming to sense the awkwardness in the room around him.

"... Good evening, Don. The Doctor wanted to speak to you about your wife's condition." 

The doctor, in question, was a private family doctor associated with the Mafia, of course. Going to just any doctor was not an option for them, unless they wanted to be arrested on sight. 

Freddy's mother had fallen ill recently to a still unidentified illness. It had been a week already, and she was still not showing improvement. The doctor hardly knew what was wrong with her, and they were running out of options.

His father scowled in frustration and sat up, turning to Freddy and brushing him off with his paws.

"You're free to go to bed." He brushed him off carelessly and left with the man. 

The talk he had just had with his father was enough to scare him about his own mother. He decided to pay her a visit before he went to bed. He passed by the room nearby where he heard his father and the doctor speaking, though paid it no mind as he carefully opened the door to the room his mother was in, instead. She had slept in a seperate room from his father for a long time, so it was not out of the ordinary that she was alone. He quietly made his way to the side of the bed, seeing that she was awake and reading a book. When she noticed Freddy she quickly set the book aside and took off her reading glasses, offering him a small smile. 

"H-hello, sugar-cube... How was the mission-?" She asked. 

Freddy shuddered, wanting to avoid talking about that. 

"It was fine... how are you feeling?" He asked instead. 

His mother's smile faltered, and her solemn gaze turned straight ahead to avoid his.

"I'm okay... I'll be okay, honey..." 

Despite her reassurance, Freddy could see how distressed she appeared, and decided to press on. 

"Why are you sad, mama? Are you scared?" He asked. 

His mother finally sighed deeply, her brave mask starting to crack. 

"I'm just... lonely, is all... I-I wish my family could be here with me..." She whispered. 

Freddy crawled onto the bed and hugged her side, resting and squishing his cheek against her arm. 

"But I'm here, mama..." He reassured. 

She shook her head solemnly. "And I'm happy you're here, sweetie... but I mean my other family... My own parents and sisters." 

Freddy frowned. "Why can't they come? I've never seen them." 

Freddy's mother sucked in a breath, beginning to tear up. She laid back in bed and continued staring ahead with a defeated expression. "It's not so easy, Freddy... I couldn't see my family anymore after I married your father. It was against the rules..." 

Freddy felt his heart ache in empathy, and he held her arm tighter in an attempt to comfort her. He remembered hearing his parents briefly talking and arguing about this here and there. Looking back, he could not believe he had not thought about it until now... but had he really never met his mother's side of the family...? And his mother was not even allowed to see her own relatives?!

The woman hummed lowly and gave him a grateful smile, lifting her arm to wrap around him so he could hold her torso and rest his head on her chest instead. He wished there was more he could do. His mother looked so frail, and anguished, yet it seemed like there was no solution. 

Well, there was. But because of his father, they could not do it. She had to suffer like this because of his father's job. He doubted it was even impossible at this point. Freddy was certain if his dad tried hard enough, he could find better care for her. It was like he was more concerned about saving money and time than his wife's health. Then again, after the man's spiel about how little family matters to him, he could not say he was all that surprised anymore. 

His mother finally cleared her throat, and it looked like she was more willing to speak freely to Freddy without a filter now.

"... hey, honey... could you do me a favor-?" She asked hesitantly. 

Freddy sat up on his knees with a gentle paw on her collarbone and nodded to his mother attentively. 

"... you're such a sweet, caring boy... please, never change! Don't end up like him-!" She pleaded. 

She glanced down at herself. "L-look at how he treated me... how he treats you-!" Her voice trembled in intense emotion that caught Freddy entirely off guard.

"... N-never treat your partner like this... your children like this-! Don't let your wife o-or son end up like us now...!" She cried. 

Freddy was dumbstruck at his mother's sudden change in character. Though, he already had no interest in becoming his father, so this was an easy promise.

"I-I won't, mama. I won't ever be like that, I promise!" The boy claimed. 

After a few more seconds, his mother finally seemed to relax after hearing that. She laid back more comfortably and sighed, nodding to Freddy gratefully as she looked more at peace.

"... good. Thank you..." she whispered. 

Freddy noticed how sluggish she was becoming and crawled closer to her, petting her head in soothing strokes to comfort her further. 

"You can sleep if you're tired, mama... Papa is talking with the doctor in the other room." He forced what he hoped was a reassuring smile to her. 

She could only nod in response and shut her eyes quietly. He was still rather shaken up from earlier, so he hoped his mother would not mind as he crawled under one of her arms again and hugged her chest tightly. He buried his face into her chest, as he always did when he was distressed, and laid with her for silent reassurance. He stared at nothing as he waited patiently against her, hearing his father and the doctor's voices getting closer. The door opened, and they stopped talking as they caught sight of her. 

"What's going on, Freddy? How is she?" His father asked expectantly. 

Freddy finally sat up and turned to him, wiping his eyes quickly. "We were talking for a little bit... now she just went to sleep." He answered. 

The doctor suddenly cursed and raced over to check on her. "S-she's what...?! I specifically told her not to sleep right now-!" 

Freddy's father heard this and walked over as well with an annoyed look. He shoved her arm rather roughly to get her attention. 

"Get up! You weren't supposed to sleep!" He demanded. 

"Papa, don't talk to her like that!" Freddy quickly defended her, instinctively tightening his hold on his mother.

The doctor shook his head as he felt around for a pulse. "... s-she's not getting up at all anymore, Don... I'm so sorry." 

Freddy froze in place, knowing exactly what that meant, but not wanting to accept that. He shook his head in denial. 

"What...? N-no, there... there has to be some mistake-!" He begged. 

The doctor shook his head again at Freddy, turning to his father to explain it in greater detail. His dad was yet to show a reaction, meanwhile, Freddy felt as though his world was ending. He was in complete shock, having no idea how to react.

"Mama?! Mama, come on! Please wake up-!" He gently but desperately shook her arm.

She still would not budge. Freddy internally fought with himself as his head fell to her waist as he slowly processed it in his mind. When it finally came crashing down on him, he let out a loud, anguished scream and trapped the woman in a suffocating embrace, practically bawling into her nightgown. He did not care what his father or anyone would say about him anymore, he couldn't take it for much longer. His mother was gone, he needed is mama back...!

He could not make out exactly what his dad and the doctor were talking about, but he watched as his father suddenly storm out and the doctor followed closely behind him. 

But Freddy's focus stayed on his now unresponsive mother. He knew all to well what death meant, and what death looked like, yet he still tried reasoning with himself that she was okay, and just sleeping. The boy could hardly see or speak through his tears that were pouring out nonstop now. Everything that had happened in this one night alone was finally piling up on him. As he fell into another broken mess of sobs and pleas for his mother.

..

It had been two weeks since that incident, and in just another hour or so, they would have his mother's funeral service. Freddy had already finished dressing himself, and was currently sitting on his knees on the cushion of his bay window. He was sure to specifically wear the tuxedo his mother had picked out for him. He remembered that day vividly... his mother dragging him around the mall, trying on suit after suit with him until she picked this one out and made him try it on for her. Freddy didn't like it at the time, because he thought it was too 'feminine', and too extra, mainly for the black jacquard design in the top coat, and the white rose attached to the chest. Looking back now, he was not sure why he was so critical back then. 

He would give anything to go back to that day and truly enjoy that outing with his mother. To hug her, and thank her, and tell her how much he loved the suit. He wasted one more precious day he could have had with her. His mother's last words still rang out to him. He would not let himself forget it, and spent a lot of time pondering what she said over the past few days.

It made him fearful for the future. it was only now that he realized how his mother must have felt throughout her whole marriage to his father. She must have felt so trapped and isolated. She was essentially a prisoner. He could not imagine putting Bonnie in that position, for example, if he were to marry the bunny like he planned to. He recalled all of the times his father hurt him, and dismissed him, and shuddered. He could never let his kids experience that, either. He wouldn't wish that on his worst enemy.

He has always known he should not follow after his dad, and that he needed to be the better partner and father, but now, he got to see the tragic result of his dad's behavior first-hand. The real cost of living with that dangerous mindset. The people it hurts...

He was suddenly snapped out of his thoughts, and quickly turned to the entrance of the room as his father opened the door and came into his room with his usual displeased expression. He was already fully dressed in black as well. 

"Freddy. I need to talk to you for a minute before we go to the ceremony." He stated. 

Freddy was surprised and hopeful, thinking that maybe, he was going to see a softer side of his dad. That maybe he was coming here to reassure, or even comfort Freddy. 

The man cleared his throat and placed his paws on his hips. "Look, I know you're sad about your mom, but you can't go crying around at the funeral like you were when she died." He put it bluntly.

Freddy gawked in confusion. "W-what?! It's a funeral!" He argued.

The man scowled in frustration. "We've talked about this! You are the future of this family... If you're a Don, you don't show weakness. You don't look soft!" 

"SHE'S MY MOTHER!" Freddy cried, finally losing his composure.

"I don't care who she is! Be a man, for Christ's sake!" He roared back. 

Freddy wanted to yell again, but he knew it wouldn't get him anywhere. He did not have the energy to, anyway. He only sighed and turned away, doing his best to not let the tears fall in front of his dad. 

"Just don't embarass me out there." He adjusted his coat again and turned to leave. Just before he exited the door, Freddy glanced back at him and finally spoke up. 

"... did you love mama...?" He asked shakily and quietly. He gave his father a hateful, and disgusted, but hopeful look. 

"... huh?" He turned in confusion. 

"Did you really love mom... ? Did she mean anything to you??" He had a hard time keeping a steady volume anymore.

Freddy's dad seemed taken aback by that question. His surprise was only visible for a second before he scowled in annoyance and brushed Freddy off again.

"Don't ask me stupid questions." He left without another word. 

Chapter Text

Freddy folded his last peice of clothing before setting it in a suitcase on his bed. It was currently almost 8 A.M. 

He was sixteen now, and was currently packing his bags to go to college. He was homeschooled his entire life, and was now allowed to take classes at a college campus. He was only meant to stay for around a year and a half, only to get an Associate’s Degree in Law. It's what his father had done and wanted him to do as well. One, because a college education was very uncommon and incredibly respected and prestigious, but two, because he could learn more about the legal system. So he could manipulate it. 

His dad chose the school for him, since he only wanted his son in the best of the best. But that meant he needed to move in with family a lot further away for nearly two years. 

And that meant leaving Bonnie behind. 

Freddy has been hesitating to bring up to his father that he was interested in marrying Bonnie. A small part of him was still hoping he and the bunny could get out of his family's business, but Bonnie still does not know their secret. 

Freddy was leaving tomorrow morning, and Bonnie was already aware. They planned to meet this late morning as a goodbye for a while. What Bonnie didn't know, was what Freddy had planned for this meeting. 

He went behind his father's back and bought a pricey ring. It was a simple gold ring with a small gem, because it wasn't meant to be a real engagement ring. Instead, it was meant to be a promise ring to Bonnie. 

He was going to promise to remain faithful to Bonnie while he was away, and would ask if he would do the same. And when he finally came home, he and Bonnie could begin seriously seeing each other, and eventually marry. 

The ring was safely in it's case in his dress pants pocket. He was dressed more casually, in a white button up with rolled up sleeves, a burnt-orange vest, black dress pants, and his signature black bow tie. He had styled his hair extra nicely for he and Bonnie's meeting, and he was packing quickly to make it on time. His heart was racing, and threatening to break out of his chest in a mix of fear and excitement. 

He thought of Bonnie for just a second, and his mind was immediately pulled into a whirlwind of thoughts. Fantasies and dreams of the two of them being together. What Freddy has been imagining and yearning for nearly his entire life was finally within his reach. They were finally old enough to truly explore these complicated feelings for each other. His thoughts varied from passionate, carnal whims, to sweet and innocent daydreams, all of which he wanted to act on with the bunny. And soon, he may finally be able to.

He hardly noticed how blushful and love-drunk he was in the moment, until he nearly jumped in alarm at a knocking on his bedroom door. 

"C-come in!" Freddy quickly tried straightening himself up. He turned away from the door to head to his vanity in hopes of hiding his blush. 

It was a good thing he turned away, as his dad came in with his usual displeased expression. 

"How is the packing going?" He asked, getting straight to the point. 

Freddy sat on the velvet and cedar wood stool of the vanity and finally turned to his father, nodding quickly. "I-it's good... I just finished, I was going to meet with Bonnie soon." 

Freddy's father gave him a quizzical expression and looked him up and down. "What are you, sick-? Why are you so red?" 

Much to his dismay, the embarrassment of being caught only worsened his bashfulness. He covered his face and turned away nervously. 

"N-nothing! Nothing, it's just... well... I've been thinking of marriage." He told a partial truth. He thought now would be a good time to bring up Bonnie, since he was about to leave and his father would have plenty of time to accept it, but he wanted to test the waters first. 

Freddy's father hummed with a nod, turning and walking to look through Freddy's books to occupy himself. 

"Ah... yes, I remember being enamored by that at your age. You're just growing up." 

Freddy nodded as the man continued. 

"So what were you thinking, Freddy? You think you'll be ready for marriage by the time you're back from college?" 

That gave Freddy some motivation. His father did not sound completely against him marrying very soon. He might even be happy Freddy already had someone in mind. 

Freddy nodded. "Y-yes, I think I will be. I can't wait to marry-" he was cut off. 

"Well, I'll start setting up arrangements, then." His father finally turned to him. 

Freddy furrowed his brows, his smile falling. "A-arrangements...?" 

His father nodded. "Yes. You said you were looking forward to marriage when you came back, didn't you?" 

Freddy blinked back his surprise. "O-oh-! Well, yes, but I- uhm..." He stuttered as he tried explaining himself. 

"I... I already had someone in mind..." He admitted timidly. 

The man narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Freddy and rested his paws on his hips. 

"Without consulting with me first-? And with who?" He demanded. 

"... w-with Bonnie...?" 

His father went silent as he thought for a minute. 

"... your bunny friend-?" 

Freddy nodded nervously, fearing his father's reaction. He flinched as his dad scoffed in amusement. 

"You are a powerful political figure, and you want to marry someone with no money, no power, and no existing title?! I'd laugh if that joke wasn't so unfunny." He snapped. 

Freddy stood up. "What?! What difference does it make if he doesn't have a title? It doesn't affect me-" Freddy argued. 

His father sighed. "Because marriage is a big deal, Freddy! It's a lot of work, and it's expensive. I'm not wasting all of that so you can marry someone with no value!" 

Freddy growled defensively, knowing it was not a good idea to speak up for Bonnie, but unable to let his rude comment slide. 

"Bonnie has value! He's worth it to me, and I am the one getting marrying! Should I not get a choice??" 

Freddy's father took a deep breath to calm himself. His ears pinned as he turned to Freddy again. 

"You have a job, Freddy. You have responsibilities as my son, that you have to adhere to. Whether you like it or not." 

When Freddy could not think of a response, he continued. 

"It's something we all had to do, Freddy. I had never even met your mother until a month before we were married. After our families were already finished planning and setting up the wedding." 

"We were married because her family was also a powerful crime organization, though they were losing power and money, and offered my father that one of their daughters could marry me, and join both groups into one much bigger, stronger family. Which he agreed to. And look at how powerful we are today." He stated. 

"If you're marrying anyone anytime soon, it will be someone who will increase your value and power, not decrease it." 

Freddy's head fell, and his fists balled up. Deep down, he expected his father would not be thrilled about it, but he held on to some hope his dad would approve. 

He supposed it didn't matter if his plan was to possibly run away with Bonnie anyway, but he was hoping it would not have to come to that. 

In response to his silence, his father left him in his room to finish his packing. 

He turned left to where he was standing by his bed towards the tall glass doors in the middle of his room, leading to the outdoor balcony overlooking the sea. 

... 

"I'm here! Sorry I was late again!" Bonnie jogged over with a smile. They were meeting in the middle of a park in the city. 

Freddy felt all the tension from he and his dad's meeting leave his body at the sight of Bonnie, and instead, a wave of confidence and love rush over him. He flashed his own bright smile at Bonnie and opened his arms to invite him in for an embrace. 

When Bonnie returned it, he surprised the bunny by spinning him around in his hold, making making the bunny laugh in surprise. Freddy put him down a moment later while he straightened himself up. He was dressed casually for the warm weather with a navy blue button up, short sleeved shirt and black denim shorts that reached just above his knees. The top three buttons of his shirt were undone, exposing some of his chest and collarbone, and he had a small, cherry-red scarf tied around his neck. He did his hair as usual, with his bangs curled to drape over his face and held up by a deep blue headband. He wore a nice pair of dark, cedar-brown loafers with white socks. 

"I hope you don't mind, I'm here at the park with my neice, I promised I'd watch her today. But she'll wait further away while we're talking." He glanced to his side, where another much shorter rabbit jogged beside him. 

She was a kit with light beige fur and pale brown spots. She had her long, curled hair tied up in a neat ponytail with her bangs styled to the side. She had a loose, forest-green vest layered over a short sleeved white button up and a black midi skirt paired with black tights and platform ballerina flats. 

She waved to Freddy with a shy smile. "Hi... I'm Vanessa, it's nice to meet you..." she muttered timidly. 

Freddy nodded to her with a patient smile. "It's nice to meet you too, Vanessa! I'm Freddy." He offered his paw for her to shake, which she nervously did. 

Bonnie chuckled. "She just turned ten now, and she wants to eventually work in law enforcement." He gave her a supportive nudge with his elbow. The girl nodded shyly, to which Freddy nodded in understanding. 

"Well, I'm sure you'll do great at it, Vanessa. Goodluck getting there!" He encouraged. 

Vanessa nodded gratefully to him and left, leaving the two of them alone once again. Once she was gone, Bonnie's smile faltered into a more solemn one. 

"... so two years?" He asked for clarification. 

Freddy nodded woefully. "I'm going to try to work as hard as I can to shorten it to one and a half... but there was no getting out of it." 

He was trying to be strong, but it was growing harder to do. Even if Bonnie said 'yes' to his proposal, that would mean he wouldn't get to see his new lover for a long while. He was almost considering halting it until he returned, but he feared the idea of losing Bonnie. He worried someone else would step in and win over his friend while he was away. Even if Bonnie did not want to promise himself to him until Freddy returned, at the very least, he wanted them both to be aware of their feelings for eachother. 

Bonnie tilted his head to the side and kept his smile on, encouraging Freddy to return it. 

"Hey. It's okay, Freddy... we've been together our whole lives, and we have the whole rest of our lives to be together... a year and a half is nothing." He tried reassuring. 

Freddy turned away hesitantly. "... so you're not upset about it...? I mean, I'm going to miss your sixteenth birthday, I-I know how special that is to you..." 

Bonnie sighed and shook his head lightly, taking hold of Freddy's paws in his own. 

"Of course I am, Freddy... I'll miss you a lot, and I wish we wouldn't need to be apart... but I'm not angry. And I'll support you no matter what. If this is your dream, then you need to follow it." 

Freddy wanted to argue it wasn't what he wanted at all, but he decided against it. Instead, he nodded and tried calming himself down. It was now or never. 

"Thank you, Bon. But... before I leave, there... there was something I needed to ask you." He started. 

Bonnie looked surprised for a second, but gave him a patient smile and nodded for him to continue. 

He took a deep breath before beginning the speech he rehearsed to himself. 

"... I know we've joked about it in the past, but... it was always more than that to me. Ever since I first learned what love was, I've always thought of you... and to this day, I couldn't imagine living my life with anyone else," He reached into his pants pocket for the case, placing it into his palm and carefully opening it. 

"... I love you, Bonnie. I truly, truly love you. I want us to be together the rest of our lives, I want to marry you one day... I-I know I have to leave for some time, so... I bought us promise rings. This one is your's." He gave it to the now stunned bunny. 

"I-if you accept it, it's my promise that I will stay loyal to you the entire time I am gone. And when I return, we can start... formally seeing each other. And I swear that I will make it up to you when I come back! I'll finally be able to spoil you and take care of you the way I want to!" He went on. 

"... it's up to you to accept, and... I-I'll understand if you do not... but I mean what I say, Bonnie." He finally finished. 

He watched Bonnie anxiously for his reaction as he patiently waited for him. The bunny was holding the ring in it's case, still in silent amazement. 

He wanted to fill the tense silence so badly, but he also did not want Bonnie to feel pressured or distracted, so he remained silent. 

"Oh, Freddy..." He finally began. 

Freddy was tense as he listened to what Bonnie wanted to say. 

The bunny sighed, but a tearful smile made it's way onto his face. "I-I wish you would've said something sooner, n-now I really don't want you to leave-!" He laughed shakily, wiping his eyes. 

Freddy immediately grew concerned and held his paws out to help. "B-Bonnie, I'm sorry! Do you need-" 

Bonnie shook his head quickly, looking up at Freddy again. 

"I-it's okay! It's okay, I..." 

Bonnie stumbled backwards and took a breath to collect himself before nodding quickly, his smile growing. 

"... yes! I love you too, Freddy!" He laughed. 

Freddy was in absolute amazement. Before he could question if he meant it or not, Bonnie dove in for another more enthusiastic embrace. 

Freddy still took a moment to recover from his shock, but he readily returned it. He felt himself beginning to tear up in joy as he held Bonnie tighter. 

They pulled away after a minute as they laughed and tried calming down again. Freddy took initiative of taking Bonnie's ring from the case and carefully placing it on his left ring finger. Once it was on, Bonnie teared up all over again and his smile grew. 

And just as Freddy thought he could not feel any happier, he was once again brought to silence as Bonnie pulled them in until their faces were only inches apart, and they could lock eyes. 

"... if you have to leave for so long... maybe you should leave with a kiss..." He whispered. 

Freddy's face turned beet red as he glanced around to check if anyone was looking. 

"I-I don't know, Bon... I want to, but... if someone sees us, it could look really bad for you..." He whispered in concern. 

Casual dating was allowed, but very strict in these times. Physical affection was not permitted unless you were officially seeing eachother, and only under parent or friend supervision. Kissing on the cheek, or paw, or cuddling was forbidden until things were very serious, such as if you were engaged to the person. Kissing on the lips before marriage was forbidden entirely. While breaking these rules wasn't illegal, and many people did, it was considered scandalous and disgusting. It could ruin your reputation and get you into serious trouble. 

Bonnie looked around as well, confirming no one was looking. "I-I want to do this with you Freddy... like you just promised yourself to me, this is my way of promising myself to you..." He whispered. 

They were both incredibly nervous, but Freddy had to admit, he really wanted this to. After another moment of hesitation, he nodded and awkwardly wrapped his arms over Bonnie's waist, unsure how to go about this. 

Bonnie was just as inexperienced, but he showed more confidence as he carefully craddled Freddy's face in his paws and leaned up further. 

After pausing just a second longer, they both tilted their heads to make room for eachother and leaned in all the way, their lips finally connecting. 

It was brief, chaste, and awkward, since this the first time either of them had ever done this, but it still felt wonderful. It didn't look the same as it did in the movies or performances he watched, but it felt more real. The passion, excitement, the rush was indescribable. He could grow addicted to this feeling, and he wanted to have more and more of this. 

They parted quickly, but kept their arms around eachother as they met eyes again. 

The sight of Bonnie in that moment was the closest he's seen to ethereal, perfect beauty. His neatly done curls covering his now flustered, amazed face. His expression contained nothing but innocent admiration and wonder for Freddy, and he had to refrain himself from diving in to kiss Bonnie even deeper. 

They both jumped at the sound of a clock in the city striking noon. Freddy was supposed to have left for the house a few minutes before this. His father would be furious. 

He cursed to himself, but there was no way he was just going to leave Bonnie after this intimate moment. As if he read his mind, Bonnie pulled away slightly, but kept his arms loosely around him. 

"If you're gonna' be late, you should go! I'll be okay-!" He smiled sadly at Freddy. 

The bear huffed, but still did not want to run off just yet. Instead, he pulled Bonnie in for another tight embrace, burying his muzzle into his neck affectionately. 

"I love you. I'll call you as often as I can, I'll always be loyal to you-!" He muttered shakily so only Bonnie could hear. 

Bonnie hugged him back just as tightly and nodded tearfully against him. "You t-too-! I'll miss you, Fred!" He whispered. 

Freddy finally pulled away and started to leave, but curled his index finger and rested it under Bonnie's chin. 

"I'll miss you too, darling~ wait for me." He reassured. 

Bonnie grew flushed again from the pet name and nodded timidly, waving to Freddy one last time as he hurried off. 

Freddy was scared to leave in the beginning. But, although he still didn't want to leave, he felt much better about it now. He felt like for the first time in his life, he had something to look forward to in the future. Someone to live for. 

He took the ring out he had bought for himself. He could not put it on yet, because he knew his dad would just be more furious than he already was. 

He remembered his dad, and a chill ran up his spine. Now it was official, he was going to run away eventually. He would need to leave with Bonnie. 

But that meant he had to come clean about everything to Bonnie. 

He supposed he could wait to do that, until he was out of the house at least. For now, he would let his dad know he had changed his mind about marriage, and to not set up an arrangement. 

Chapter Text

College was miserable. 

Sure, it felt somewhat nice to live away from his dad for a little bit, but he didn't get out of the crime life like he was hoping to. In fact, he had to start a lot of physical training now until his father deemed him strong enough for this line of duty. Anytime he was not in school, he was in intense training or doing missions. 

He noticed himself growing. He expected a growth spurt like this, but he had not realized how much taller and bulkier he was getting until family pointed it out to him, or until he compared himself to photos of him right before he left. According to others, he was starting to look just like his dad. 

Unfortunately, he could only communicate with Bonnie through letters and over the phone, but according to the bunny, his voice had gotten way deeper, almost unrecognizable over the line. That also meant he has not seen Bonnie.

Bonnie claimed that he has not changed much as he grew, he's only gotten a little taller, and he told Freddy he had gained weight and was curvier now. Freddy could also hear over the phone that his voice was just the smallest bit deeper.

Freddy was excited to see him, but he was still heartbroken they've missed watching each other grow.

There was a plus side to this, however. Being surrounded by adults all the time in college, he got to watch and learn more about love outside of the stories he used to read. He's observed and asked the adults around him for guidance and advice on how to treat their partners, how to flirt, how to court someone. He's practically been training for the day he would meet with Bonnie again.

Freddy took a deep breath and willed himself to remain steady as he approached his phone that was mounted to the wall. There was no phone in his old dorm, so in the beginning, he needed to use one in the library to call Bonnie or his father. When they realized how inefficient that was, they let Freddy stay with a relative nearby so he could speak more privately.

He picked up the small funnel-shaped ear peice and held it to his ear, turning the crank on the side of the wooden box to alert a phone operator. He let them know the number and location of the line he was trying to reach, and waited patiently while the operators connected him to Bonnie. 

At long last, he was able to finish his studying early, like he had hoped. He finished within a year and a half, and had already prepared and planned with his father to move back home the day after tomorrow. The only one who did not know yet was Bonnie, but Freddy was not going to tell him yet. He wanted to surprise Bonnie by showing up in person. For now, he settled with just a phone call. He and Bonnie called as often as possible, usually every two to four days, unless something came up. And every day away from the bunny only made Freddy yearn for him more and more. If he wasn't already love-sick and pent-up before, he certainly was now. It had only gotten worse as he matured more and more. 

After nearly five minutes, due to their long distance, the operators finally managed to connect them, and Freddy heard a ringing on the other end. It took four rings before someone picked up the call.

"Who's calling?" A slightly higher voice answered the phone.

Freddy knew that voice. Bonnie's mother had passed while Freddy was away, and he moved in with his father and his older brother, Toy. Bonnie had a lot of brothers, (and one sister), but they were mostly half-siblings, coming from three different fathers. Toy and Spring were the only two of his siblings who Bonnie shared a biological father with, so he was his full brother. His father was given ownership of a small café, and he allowed Bonnie and his brother to move in and work for the business, which was what Bonnie was currently doing.

"Good evening! It's Freddy, I was trying to get a hold of Bonnie?" He asked politely. 

He didn't get a direct answer back, but he heard him immediately call Bonnie over from the other side and pass the call over before leaving.

"Hi, baby~!" Freddy finally heard his familiar, sweet voice from the other side. 

Freddy felt a warm, bubbling feeling in his stomach as he heard the bunny's voice, and he felt himself smile and lean back against the wall.

"Hello, darling~" He returned the flirtatious tone. He could hear Bonnie giggle and kick his legs from where he was sitting on the other line. 

"How did school go today? Did you talk to your teacher about the reading yet?" He asked casually. 

The conversation began as a casual discussion catching up on their last few days. It gave Freddy just enough time to stall before finally growing bolder. 

"... I've really missed you over here, y'know... it's been very lonely at college."

Bonnie hummed sympathetically over the line. "Me too, Freddy... it hasn't been the same without you here." 

Freddy felt a little more confident now that Bonnie was returning the energy as he went on. 

"Remember the song I told you I was working on for a long time-?" Freddy asked. Bonnie hummed in affirmation, so Freddy continued. 

"Well... I wrote it for you. I'm planning to show it and sing it for you when we meet again." He revealed.

Bonnie gasped over the line. "Really?! But that's so far away, I want to hear it now!" He whined excitedly. 

Freddy chuckled. "I know, I know... but let's save it. I want to see that cute look on your face when you listen to it in real time." He teased. 

Bonnie squeaked from the other side of the line. "Freddy, stop~!" 

He chuckled. "... I really can't wait to meet you again, though... as soon as we're together again, I swear, I'll make up for everyday we were apart." 

Bonnie grew quiet for a moment, before speaking up again in a more quiet, unsure voice. 

"I wanted to ask about that... I mean, you know a little more about this than I do. I know we made that promise before we left, and you kind of explained it, but... what are we, then...? What would it be like when you come back-?" 

Freddy had to think for a moment as to how to explain it to Bonnie. 

"Well... I don't want to propose to you so soon, just because that's such a huge step. And I know you, you're a free spirit. I know you're still young, and there's still a lot you want to do... I don't want to tie you down like that," he started. Bonnie's tone sounded like he was smiling as he spoke from the other side. 

"... I really appreciate that, Freddy." 

Freddy couldn't help but smile sweetly as well as he continued. "But I know that I do want to marry you eventually, and that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So I promised to you that you would be my one and only... that I would wait for you the rest of our lives, if I had to."

He lifted the necklace chain around his neck with his own promise ring around it. With how quickly he had grown, the ring no longer fit Freddy's fingers, so he had to wear it around his neck.

"As for now, when we meet, we would just be... committed partners. We'll go on dates, experiment with each other, and our love will mature together. And when we're both ready, we can fully commit to marriage." 

Freddy grew slightly nervous as he waited for Bonnie's response. "Is that okay with you-?"

He heard Bonnie nod from the other side. "Yes, that's... that's perfect. I wish you'd come sooner, I can't wait another year-!" He groaned.

Freddy chuckled, knowing full well they would get to see each other again in just two days. 

"Me too. But it will go fast, Bon... I promise." 

Bonnie sighed. "... I hope so."

He paused at the sound of a deeper voice further away on Bonnie's end, followed by his brother calling him. Bonnie moved away from the line to call back before lifting it again.

"I'm so sorry, I have to go..." Bonnie spoke quieter.

Freddy smiled sadly. He was disappointed, but he reassured himself knowing he would see the bunny soon.

"It's alright. I'll call you again very soon... stay safe, darling... I love you." 

"I love you too, baby! 'Night!" 

"Goodnight..." Freddy nodded as the call ended. He set down the receiver again, and was immediately hit with a new problem. 

Bonnie still didn't know his secret.

He couldn't tell Bonnie this entire time because the phone was not secure, and he didn't know who was listening. He had to tell the bunny as soon as they met again. He was done with these secrets. 

But he was scared. What if this ended things for them? What if Bonnie was disgusted with him? Or worse, afraid of him? What if he called off their relationship and friendship entirely?

His initial excitement for their reunion quickly began morphing into anxiety.

Chapter Text

As soon as Freddy stepped out of the car back to his old home, he was immediately greeted to the misty, polluted air and bustling sounds of city traffic. It wasn't nearly as peaceful or clean as the more rural town his college was in, but it was home.

He had to go home and unpack first. He was not thrilled to be living under his father's command again, but none of that mattered now. He was back with Bonnie.

He was thrilled to see the bunny again. He had been rehearsing in his head how he was going to greet himself. He kept psyching himself up to be confident and forthcoming, though he was also nervous about going too far and possibly making Bonnie uncomfortable. It was incredibly nerve-wracking. All the training and preparation could not prepare him for this uncertainty. 

He looked for every excuse to leave again as soon as he got home, and he managed to be on the road by noon. Freddy was driving straight to the place Bonnie said he worked at. He was not sure if the bunny was on a shift right now, or it he was off, but he hoped it was the ladder. He tried in vain to calm his racing mind as he tried to safely drive through the city, which was thankfully not so crowded, since everyone was at work. The place was a ten minute drive from Freddy's estate, but eventually, he found a spot to parallel park across the road from it and stepped out of the car.

He glanced over to the back outdoor seating area of the two story brick building, and felt his heart stop at the sight of his best friend, in his uniform, sweeping outside.

Bonnie was not lying when he described how he changed. He was taller now, but he did have a fuller and curvier frame, and he had gained a bit of muscle as well. It was mesmerizing to Freddy. He could not have imagined the bunny growing up to be such a bewitching young man. All the confidence Freddy previously had immediately flew out the window, like his brain was just wiped. It was as if he forgot how to speak as he stared in amazement at the unreal, stunning sight.

Freddy was forced to snap back to reality as he saw Bonnie beginning to head inside again, still having not noticed him. He checked both directions before quickly crossing the road, and said the first thing that came to his mind.

"W-wait!" 

He could have mentally slapped himself for how pathetic he sounded. He was trying to be confident, yet he sounded like an unsure child. 

It was too late to try again, as the bunny turned around in surprise, expecting a customer. At the sight of Freddy, Bonnie stood up straighter and stared at him in equal shock. It became a minute long staring match between the two adults, as they both took in the sight of each other. 

Bonnie was the first to break it. The bunny's paws shook around the broom as he took a hesitant step forward. 

"F-Freddy...?" He muttered in disbelief. 

After another second of processing, Bonnie suddenly dropped the broom. A happy, teary-eyed expression made it onto his face as he covered his mouth with both of his paws in shock and jogged over to Freddy.

Freddy could finally muster a reaction, and instinctively opened his arms to invite Bonnie in. The bunny readily dove into his arms, and the two adults shared a passionate, emotional embrace.

Bonnie giggled and held Freddy tighter as the man quickly grew emotional in their hold. They pulled away after a minute, and Freddy had to briefly wipe his eyes before speaking to him. 

"S-sorry! This... this isn't the way I was... planning to greet myself-" he stuttered out. 

Bonnie snickered and lifted his paws to Freddy's cheekbones to gently wipe away the tears. 

"A-are you here to stay?? You're actually back from college?!" Bonnie asked hopefully. Freddy nodded enthusiastically. 

"I'm here to stay. What time are you off work...? We can go and do something together." He offered.

Bonnie gasped and glanced back at the building, remembering his job, before turning back to Freddy.

"I-I can get off early! I just need to ask my dad, c'mon!" He used both of his paws to grab Freddy's arm and exuberantly pull him in. 

Freddy had to sit and wait in the eating area as Bonnie spoke to his father in the back. After a few minutes, he left with a brighter smile on his face and gestured for Freddy to follow him.

"I can get off now! Come on, I need to go change!" 

The bunny took him into their apartment above the café. He was greeted to a rather small, messy living room and kitchen. Bonnie chuckled nervously with his back turned to Freddy.

"Oh, sorry for the mess, I-I didnt know you'd be over-"

As soon as the door closed, Freddy felt a new surge of confidence hit him. Now that they were alone in a closed area, and away from watchful eyes, he felt more comfortable greeting Bonnie the way he originally wanted to.

Freddy chuckled. "It's alright, Bon... but I wasn't done with you yet." He teased, walking up behind the bunny quietly as Bonnie turned his head attentively. 

He wrapped his arms around the bunny from behind but did so very gently, and experimentally. If Bonnie was uncomfortable, he could easily scoot away from it. Freddy rested his head on his left shoulder and hummed in content.

To his relief, Bonnie was not put off by this attention. He tittered in amusement and lifted his left arm to gently scratch Freddy's head, earning an involuntary soft purr from the man. 

"I missed you, too, baby..." He turned around in Freddy's hold so they could embrace more comfortably again.

This hold lingered longer than the other one, and was much more comfortable and intimate. After a while, Bonnie gasped suddenly and pulled away, staring at Freddy in shock.

"Is something wrong-?" He asked worriedly, his nerves already building up from the bold moves he's been initiating. 

Bonnie glanced down at his chest and arms in a mix of shock and curiosity. He reached his paws out to Freddy's upper arms and grabbed a hold of them. He squeezed them a few times to feel the tense muscles in his toned biceps, and his shock only grew.

"Wha- when did this happen?! I thought you were going to college, not getting drafted!" He laughed, glancing in amazement at his body.

Freddy only chuckled goodheartedly. This wasn't new to him. He didn't look like an average man, especially for his young age. He had an abnormally large build and was incredibly bulky with muscular frame. That, combined with his tall height, made him rather intimidating. He was used to strangers gawking or feeling intimidated by him. He could understand Bonnie's surprise as well, since the last time he saw Freddy, the bear was still tall and stocky, but he was much closer to average than now. 

"Yup... I've been training a lot. While I was away, I also had to attend a training camp part of the time. I can lift people over my shoulders now, too! Like firemen do. I bet I can lift you up." Freddy rambled on excitedly.

Bonnie chuckled and shook his head. "You couldn't lift me, Freddy... I've gained a lot of weight, I'm too heavy-" he insisted.

Something sparked inside of Freddy. In this moment, he wanted nothing more than to impress Bonnie. He was determined to show him how strong he could be. 

"Nono, I can do it! I'll show you." He stood in position, hovering his paws over Bonnie's waist.

The bunny rolled his eyes, but entertained the idea and turned his back to Freddy. "Do I jump to make it easier?" He asked. 

"No need." Freddy insisted, getting a good grip on Bonnie's waist, but lowering the other paw to his lower inner left thigh. He double-checked with the bunny that it was okay before securing his hold in that more intimate area. With one more breath for preparation, Freddy huffed and pulled him up in a second.

Bonnie squeaked loudly in surprise, clearly not expecting Freddy to seriously lift him so high. The bear held him vertically above his head and smiled up at him.

"What were you talking about?? You're so light, it's like I'm holding nothing!" Freddy insisted. He wasn't lying, the bunny weighed practically nothing compared to the other men he's had to deadlift in training.

Bonnie squirmed in his hold and curled in on himself, trying to hold onto Freddy's arms for security. "T-this is so high up, please don't drop me...!" 

Freddy playfully let go of him for a half second before catching him again. He wasn't in any real danger of course, Freddy wouldn't have joked like that if he didn't know for sure he could catch Bonnie again, but it was enough to scare the bunny even more.

Bonnie squeaked again and kicked his legs in retaliation. "Freddy-!" He whined. 

He snickered, but decided the bunny had enough, and he slowly lowered him into a more secure bridal hold so they could make eye contact. He nearly cracked up at the sight of Bonnie, who had his arms crossed and was turned away from Freddy with a crotchety expression. His face was bright red, but he obviously wasn't actually angry, so Freddy knew he didn't need to take it too seriously. He began walking across the living room.

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry, Bonnie. I was trying to show you how strong I was... I didn't realize it would scare you."

Bonnie finally faced him, and his ears pinned as he made an offended scoff, his face going more red.

"I wasn't scared! I was just... alarmed. I was caught off guard." 

Freddy's chest rumbled with a low, barely audible laugh. "... that sounded pretty scared to me." He knelt down in front of the loveseat and delicately placed Bonnie to sit comfortably on it. He positioned it so they could face each other directly. 

Freddy hooked a finger under Bonnie's chin with a small smile. "Would a kiss make it all better...?" He offered. Bonnie thought for a moment, before a small, almost mischievous smile appeared on his face, and he nodded. 

Freddy leaned in and tilted his head as Bonnie followed along, preparing to have an even more beautiful and passionate kiss than the first one. Except, once they were only an inch apart, Bonnie pulled away slightly. Instead, he lifted his chin up to kiss Freddy's nose. He grinned at the bear's confused expression. 

"I don't know if I forgive you yet. You have to earn the kiss." He whispered, using his index finger to push Freddy's nose away in a teasing manner.

It was Freddy's turn to grow flushed and starstruck. He began stumbling over his words, feeling his initial confidence leaving again.

"A-and how do I do that...?" 

Bonnie playfully pushed him backwards with his one arm, making Freddy land sitting on his knees.

"We'll see how our date goes today~" Bonnie insisted. 

Freddy took Bonnie on a ride in his own car. Like earlier, he was hoping to impress his date with his wealthy vehicle, though Bonnie did not point it out. He had even specifically chosen to bring one of his family's red luxury sports cars, since he knew it was Bonnie's favorite color. He put so much thought into every intricate little detail in their meeting, but clearly did not think enough about how to talk to him.

It was supposed to be a drive around town, but it turned into an entire day outing. It went from a picnic in the park, to a walk, to a longer drive around the city, and then to dinner. Freddy had managed to discreetly buy a bouquet of flowers while they were leaving and hid it from Bonnie. It was mainly his favorite flowers, daisies, and they were currently hidden in the backseat. The sky was dark, and the streets were growing empty. The radio played quietly in the car as the two of them spoke casually about their lives. 

"I actually perform now! I perform tomorrow night at the dive bar across the street of where I live. Can you come see it??" Bonnie turned to him hopefully. 

Freddy's brows raised in surprise. "Really-? I'd love to! What kind of performances do you do?" 

Bonnie reached into the small bag he was carrying and pulled out a small folded paper before passing it to Freddy.

"All the information is on there. I'd really love it if you came." 

Freddy offered him a loving smile and carefully took the paper, placing it in his pocket. "I'll be there." He promised. 

They pulled up to the backdoor of Bonnie's apartment a moment later. Freddy left the car first and quickly made it to the other side. He was fast in opening the door for the bunny and gesturing for him to step out. Bonnie blinked in surprise before snickering and thanking Freddy.

"You didn't have to-" Bonnie turned to him as they started walking. Freddy scoffed.

"I am a gentleman. And gentleman treat their dates right." He insisted. 

As he was walking to his door, Freddy quickly reached into the back for the flowers and shut the door, hiding the bouquet behind his back before following the bunny. 

When Bonnie turned around again, Freddy cleared his throat and revealed the flowers, increasing the shock on the bunny's face. Bonnie's face was bright red again as he hesitantly reached for the pale florets. When he snapped out of it, Freddy swore, he saw the cutest smile appear on his face. Bonnie giggled and covered his mouth bashfully with his free paw. Freddy could see his rose red eyes glitter, and his dimples rise in his cheeks as he tried to contain his laughing fit. 

"... thanks for everything. I had such a good day, I'm glad you're finally back." He spoke earnestly.

Freddy did his best to return a shaky smile and to remain steady. He hoped he did not look as red as he felt. He felt as though he was on fire. 

"Y-you're welcome! I've... I've really missed us, too..." 

Bonnie's eyes darted to the side for a second, like he was contemplating something, before he turned back at the bear and his smile softened. He began leaning in, and Freddy felt his heart nearly jump out of his chest in anticipation. He leaned in and moved his head to make room for he and Bonnie's lips to connect. 

But the bunny, once again, decided to tease Freddy further. At the last minute, when they were only an inch apart, he placed his finger and thumb around Freddy's chin and gently turned his head to the side to kiss his cheek. 

It was not just a disappointing peck like Freddy was expecting, though. It was a prolonged, gentle yet passionate kiss that left his cheek feeling hot to the touch. It lasted a few seconds before he finally pulled away. He lingered with his paw still below Freddy's chin, and their faces still a few inches apart so they could lock eyes for another few seconds. Freddy was about to fall apart at the seams. Somehow, the kiss on the cheek felt more intimate and passion-fueled than the real kiss he was waiting for.

Bonnie stepped back and stood up straight again, and he moved the bouquet in front of his mouth and nose to hide his growing blush. But his sweet, innocent eyes were still visible. When he removed his other paw, Freddy could still see the promise ring he was wearing, and it only made him melt more for the bunny. Bonnie gave a small nod of farewell to him from behind the flowers. 

"Goodnight, Freddy. Get home safe." 

Freddy finally snapped himself out of his infatuation and straightened himself up to form a response.

"Y-you too, Bonnie. Sweet dreams tonight." He nodded back. 

He watched as the bunny finally unlocked his door to his home. Once he was sure Bonnie made it inside safely, he left back to his own car and paused to take a deep breath at the steering wheel. It took him a minute to process everything that went down. He was more sick on love than he thought. 

He remembered the paper Bonnie gave him and pulled it out of his pocket again to read more into it. From what he could make out, it was called a 'Burlesque Performance'. 

Freddy was not entirely sure what that was. While he did love the art of performance, he only really knew classical theater. He was never allowed to see any kind of informal shows growing up like circuses, or local plays. Regardless, he was excited to the bunny's performance.

He quickly slipped it into his pocket again and started the car, driving home quickly to hopefully not give his father more reason to be angry.

Chapter Text

Freddy quickly adjusted his black bowtie in a mix of excitement and anxiousness. He was getting ready to see Bonnie's show, the only problem being: he had no idea how he was supposed to dress or what to expect. He didn't know what this show even was. 

He almost called Bonnie and asked, but he mentally scolded himself not to. The bunny must be preparing right now, and there was no reason to harass him with stupid questions. Freddy tried playing it safe with a simple white button up, burnt orange sleeveless vest, and a black bow tie. He paired it with black dress pants and loafers. As he was fixing his hair, he nearly jumped as his father walked into the room unannounced. The man did a double-take and paused at the door as he saw Freddy getting ready. He glanced at his son up and down oddly. 

"... where are you going-?" 

Only now did Freddy realize he forgot to come up with a cover story to tell his dad. He stood up and turned from his vanity to face him, and as he stammered over his words to explain, his ever-observant criminal father saw the folded paper under his bag and pulled it out to read it. 

"A burlesque?! Are you fuckin' kidding me??" He questioned. 

"Of all places, why would you go there?!" He turned to Freddy expectantly. 

Freddy had to admit, living with his dad had gotten easier as he grew older. His father had grown significantly less violent and more careful with his words the older he got, and the bigger and stronger Freddy became. He chose to believe it was because his father was realizing that Freddy was not a defenseless little cub anymore, and he was becoming a fair match to his father. It was a massive boost in Freddy's ego, and was almost amusing to him. Though to this day, Freddy was not the violent type. Even when his dad raised his fists to him, he never fought back, and only took the role of defense. He was not sure he could ever actually hit his father back, no matter how much he believed the man deserved it.

Freddy furrowed his brows, unsure why his father could be reacting this way. "What-? What even is a burlesque?" 

His father shook his head in disapproval as he crumbled up the paper. "You know why we never let you go to these kinds of shows?? Because they're beneath us!" He growled as he tossed it on the bed.

"You know what a burlesque is?? A burlesque is trashy, lower-class entertainment!"

"It's a show full of cheap, vulgar, low-brow tricks and humor only poor people who can't afford better could find amusing." He scrunched his face in disgust. 

Freddy felt himself growing defensive again, feeling offended since Bonnie was participating in one.

"I am watching it to support my friend. And I would appreciate it if you were more respectful of his art." Freddy warned.

His father scoffed humorlessly. "... I didn't know you surrounded yourself with those kinds of people." 

Before Freddy could argue again, his father brushed him off and turned away to leave. 

"Whatever, knock yourself out. I don't care... but you're being stupid. You don't know what you're getting into." He rolled his eyes dismissively before leaving again.

Freddy watched him leave quietly and thought about what he said. He knows he should take his father's words with a grain of salt, knowing how he was. But even then, the way he was talking about the show made Freddy somewhat nervous. 

..

Freddy left an hour early for a gift. He had bought Bonnie a much bigger, grander gift while he was away for college, which happened to be the new guitar he promised he'd get him. He had to hold off on getting it until then because he could not buy it with his father around. 

It was not just some random guitar, either. It was a rather expensive, custom-made one he bought from a luthier. It had three large stars outlines ranging in size carved into the top of the wooden body. The wood had a glossy finish to it and featured gold trims and Bonnie's name etched in gold on the edge of the pick guard. He spent a large sum of money on it, and he was nervous the bunny would not like it. He came extra early in hopes of asking someone to leave it somewhere private for Bonnie until after the show. 

He parked outside of the bar and left with the instrument in it's case, but also wrapped in a box so it was not so obvious. He had come in the most inconspicuous car his family owned to not draw too much attention to himself, which was only a small black four-seater. When he entered, he was greeted to a small and rather rundown bar and diner. Over half of the area was taken up by a long T-shaped stage, where he assumed the show was taking place. 

He looked around for anyone who looked like a performer, and caught sight of a woman speaking to a bouncer in front of a door leading backstage. She had obvious stage makeup on, but was wearing a big coat over herself to cover what she was wearing. Freddy walked over quickly and cleared his throat, getting both of their attention. As soon as they saw him, they seemed to recognize who he was, or at the very least, saw him as a potential threat. Both of them visibly paled and tensed, and the woman's eyes shot towards the door beside her, silently planning a quick escape. He held up his good paw to show he was not a threat.

"Good evening. I was here to see Bonnie, he invited me to watch him perform. I had a gift for him, and I was wondering if it could be hidden from him somewhere backstage until after the show?" 

The woman furrowed her brows in disbelief at him.

"... you're with Bonnie-?" 

He nodded. "Yes... I'm Freddy, you can check with him. All I ask is you hide this from him backstage. Until after the show." He repeated, holding up the box.

The woman hesitantly took the guitar and slowly nodded, not taking her cautious eyes off him. Freddy adjusted his tie as he tried to ease the tension.

"Is Bonnie here now?" 

She shook her head. "... he won't be here for another twenty minutes... and the show starts in a little less than two hours." 

Freddy nodded, allowing the woman to leave. He turned on his own way back to the exit. While he waited, he could look for something small to pick up for Bonnie as well. 

He made it back just twenty minutes before the show started and picked a table in the very front, right beside the stage. He ended up picking up a simple, single red rose for Bonnie with a ribbon and card attached to it. The place was getting packed quickly before the show started, so he was glad he got here so early. He could hardly sit still in his seat as the lights went out and there was applause in the audience, signaling the beginning of the show. 

A waitress came by to take Freddy's order, but he could only ask for water. His nerves were making it hard for him to even think of an order as a well dressed man in a tuxedo came onto the stage and started singing to open up the show. 

When the chorus of his song started, more performers appeared on the stage, all of which were women decorated in feathers and brightly colored, glittering one-peice outfits who served as background singers and vocals. He did not see what his father was complaining about, it just looked like a fun, theatrical, musical number. He was slightly disappointed he didn't get to see Bonnie in the first performance, but it looked like there were more acts coming out. 

The next few acts were more unorganized performers, mostly performing circus and party tricks for the guests. While it was definitely informal, Freddy still could not see what his father had been complaining so much about. Then again, the man was very snobbish and judgemental, so Freddy wasn't all that surprised. Around five acts in, and a female singer came on. He recognized her as the woman who took the gift for Bonnie. She was still dressed in the coat from before. 

Freddy was under the assumption she was hiding a costume, and waited in slight anticipation for the reveal. His intrigue would quickly shift into horror as he watched the woman slip the coat off and toss it aside, revealing that she was only clothed in her undergarments.  

The other men in the audience cheered loudly as more undressed women came on, while Freddy quickly and instinctively averted his gaze and covered his eyes. He could hear louder cheering and cat-calling, and only spared a small peek to see what was going on. 

Seeing that some of the women were beginning to even remove their underwear, Freddy immediately covered his eyes again before he saw too much. His cheeks felt like they were on fire as he buried his face in his palms and propped his elbows on the table. 

He kept his gaze away until the music stopped and applause erupted, and he could see between his fingers that the lights were turning on. Still, he did not take his face out of his paws until he nearly jumped out of his skin in startlement at the feeling of a paw pushing his shoulder from behind. 

He immediately relaxed hearing Bonnie's mischievous giggling from behind him. He turned to his side where the bunny was standing and holding tin a tray, which he set aside on the connecting table beside them.

"You actually came! I was worried you wouldn't make it, thank you..." He said genuinely. 

Freddy finally uncovered his face completely and offered Bonnie a shaky smile. "O-of course... wouldn't miss it for the world."

Bonnie's smile fell into a look of concern as he lay a gentle arm on Freddy's back. "What's wrong...? Are you feeling okay?" 

Freddy nodded quickly and tried straightening himself up. "Y-yeah! Yes, yes, I... I just saw the last act and I... I wasn't expecting it. I-I've never been to one of these..." He laughed nervously.

Bonnie gasped and covered his mouth in shock as a look of culpability made it's way onto his face.

"Oh! I'm so sorry... I assumed you knew what a burlesque was, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable-" he spoke genuinely.

Freddy sat up straighter and quickly gestured to Bonnie that it was alright. Even seeing the bunny look upset for a second pulled at the bear's weak heart.

"Nono! It was my own fault, I-I didn't do any research before coming... Besides, I'm an adult, I can handle some nudity... I was just caught off guard." He insisted with a chuckle. 

He glanced away with a huff, trying his best to play his prudeness off and to sound tough again. "But... I'm a taken man, y'know. I wouldn't look at such things anyway." He shrugged, forcing a disinterested look.

Bonnie giggled and stood up again, moving his paw to rest on Freddy's shoulder. His own cheeks flushed up now, showing that he seemed to really like that answer. He felt himself gradually beginning to settle down in Bonnie's presence, and finally uncovered his face and turned to him completely. He quickly broke character, being unable to keep up the facade around his partner.

"I didn't see you perform, though-" Freddy was nearly done with his sentence, until he realized Bonnie was also wearing a large coat similar to the woman before, as well as light performance makeup.

Bonnie nodded with his arms loosely crossed. He had a comfortable, amused look on his face, and his curls that had been done for the show were now somewhat falling in front of his eyes, giving him a mysterious but innocent look. 

"That was just the first half... it's intermission now. I'm appearing in the second half with Foxy." 

Freddy's eyes widened. "Foxy is here too-?" 

Bonnie giggled with a quick nod. "Yeah! He loves performing. Now we just need you to join us, and we're set." 

Freddy subtly winced at that. He did not realize Bonnie was still under the impression that he could one day perform as well. As much as he would've liked to, at one point, he knew he'd never be able to. That dream was crushed years ago, so at least it didn't hurt so much anymore. 

Freddy only nodded slowly, not having the heart to shut Bonnie down in the moment. When he looked at Bonnie's coat a second time, and connected the dots, his face immediately grew red again, and he glanced at Bonnie with a look of subtle fear. He leaned in and whispered to him.

"Y-you're not... g-going to be like those women on stage, a-are you...?" His voice shook. He was not sure if he would be able to maintain his image or composure if he had to watch that. 

Bonnie furrowed his brows in confusion for a moment, processing what exactly Freddy meant, before he realized and broke into another small fit of laughter and shook his head.

"Nono, I'm not a strip-tease act! Don't worry!" He quickly collected himself. 

"This isn't free!" He joked, gesturing up and down his body.

Freddy took a deep breath of relief. Just when he caught his breath, he immediately sucked it in again as Bonnie pressed a paw on the surface and leaned his entire body over the round table in front of him. He sat up halfway on the table so the sharp outline of his torso, narrow waist, and hips were more exaggerated for Freddy to see even through his coat. He offered the ursine a flirtatious smile and leaned in incredibly close, until their faces were nearly touching, to whisper in his ear.

"... I'm a taken man, too. So this is only for you, anyway~" 

Freddy gulped again as he suddenly felt like he had cotton-mouth. He tried to play it off as well as he could, but it was hard to as he reached his violently shaking paw out to grab his cup of water and take a nervous sip. 

"I-I see..." He stuttered out.

Thankfully, despite his embarrassment from his nervous response, Bonnie found it quite amusing. He pulled away somewhat and sat up higher, keeping his same coquettish smile on.

"But y'know... if you're ever interested, maybe I can give you a private strip-tease sometime. Just the two of us~" He suggested with a small tilt of his head.

Freddy's eyes were wide as saucers as he stared into Bonnie's, completely dumbstruck. His eyes did a quick glance down to Bonnie's side as he noticed something, which he realized was Bonnie's shoulder that was exposed as the coat was nearly falling off of him. His eyes kept wandering down the body in front of him for a moment, catching a quick gaze at the bunny's small waist and nearly exposed legs, but he quickly averted his gaze again and fought to keep his eyes on Bonnie's.

"I, uh.... I-I would... I'd be o-open to that... o-only if you're c-comfortable-!" 

Bonnie snickered and covered his mouth with one paw. "You're so cute~!" He fawned.

He moved his paw to cradle under Freddy's jaw and leaned in to leave a quick, gentle peck on his cheek.

"I love you~" He whispered.

Freddy's hot embarrassment softened into something more gentle and affectionate as he felt a fond smile for Bonnie rising to his cheeks. He leaned in to gently headbutt his forehead against Bonnie's. He did not know how the bunny could be so perfect. Freddy could not even dream up a better lover in his imagination 

"You too..." He whispered. 

After a moment of comfortable silence, Bonnie gasped and leaned over more, pulling himself further over the table until both of his knees were on top of it to eagerly look over Freddy's shoulder at the chair beside him.

"What's that??" He asked.

Freddy knew it was the rose he brought Bonnie, but he didn't want the bunny to see it until after the show. He quickly scooted the chair in to make it harder for him to see and cleared his throat.

"It's nothing. You can see it after the show." 

"But I want it now-!" Bonnie whined playfully and leaned over more, trying to reach for it. Freddy chuckled and gently held Bonnie back, carefully guiding him off the table again. 

"You'll get it after the show, I promise!" He insisted. 

The bunny pouted but accepted that answer. Freddy noticed the tray he brought over and turned his attention to it. "And what's that-?" 

Bonnie perked up in surprise and turned back to it like he just remembered he brought it. He scooted it closer and passed it off to Freddy.

"Well, I heard you only ordered water, and that didn't sound like you at all... and I know how shy you are, so I ordered you something I thought you'd like." He gestured to the food. 

Freddy glanced down to see what it was. It looked to be a pretty standard dinner meal of green beans, black beans, corn, and mashed potatoes, but Freddy saw there was salmon on the plate as well.

Bonnie leaned over the table. "Usually they serve this with eggs instead of meat, but I asked to substitute that for salmon. It's cooked just how you like it." He smiled. 

"And the drink is just black coffee for when you're done. I know you like black coffee after breakfast or dinner. It's all on the house." 

Freddy was both amazed by how good the food looked, and touched by the thought. The fact that the bunny remembered what he considered to be such pointless, little details, but used them to give Freddy something he would enjoy was absolutely heartwarming. It was only a simple meal, yet Freddy had never recieved something so thoughtful from anyone before. He took a hesitant bite of the food, and instantly fell in love with the well-seasoned rush of flavor. He glanced at Bonnie in disbelief. 

"B-Bonnie, I... y-you remembered all of this...?" He asked.

Bonnie was leaning a paw over the table and watching Freddy. He offered him his own fond, gentle smile and reached his paw down, using his thumb to carefully and affectionately clean some food from the corner of Freddy's mouth. Freddy involuntarily purred at the contact and lowered his ears in timid embarrassment, but his loving eyes and smile remained on Bonnie awaiting his response. 

"Of course I did... I'm taking notes on how to cook for my future husband~" He teased softly, leaning in to brush his nose against Freddy's.

Before Freddy could nervously respond, the lights slowly shut off again, signaling the end of intermission. Bonnie quickly stood up and wrapped himself tighter in the coat. He glanced at Freddy again with a more hurried look.

"Meet me at that door after the show." He whispered and pointed across the floor. Freddy followed his finger and saw he was showing the door that he went to before to drop the gift off.

He nodded quickly and watched as Bonnie swiftly jogged to that same door and back to the backstage area to prepare for his set. His gaze lingered there for a moment as he was lost in thought remembering their conversation, mainly the bunny. His paw rose to hover over the spot on his cheek where Bonnie had kissed him, as he still felt a warm, tingling feeling. After another moment of day-dreaming about his partner, he turned his attention back to the stage as a new act came on and began eating. Thankfully, the performers in this one were not so unclothed.

It was not until two acts later that Freddy got to see Bonnie, and he had already swiftly finished the delectable food. The bunny only had a minor background dancing role in a bigger number. And thankfully, was clothed. Sort of. 

Modesty was the socially accepted norm in these times, including with fashion. No matter what the occasion was, even bathing suits were strictly regulated and covering. Freddy had never seen Bonnie in anything shorter than his knees, so he was absolutely floored at the sight of the bunny in the red, skimpy, sparkling performance leotard. These burlesque shows were going to be the death of him, as they were clearly not made for him. Bonnie had made eye contact with him a few times on stage and offered him quick flirtatious smiles, knowing how flustered he was becoming. And Freddy knew Bonnie wanted him to watch, and he didn't want to seem rude, or let his partner down, so he forced himself keep his composure and watch the show all the way through. He was tense as a statue by the time the act ended, and the last few performances went on. He felt some relief as the lights came on again and the show ended, which meant he could visit Bonnie.

He left a generous tip under the tray for the waitress and stood up, taking his rose and pushing his chair in before nervously making his way to the back. He met the security guard again, whom he nodded politely to as he waited beside him outside the door for Bonnie. He ignored the fearful side-eye the bouncer was giving him and tried to look as non-threatening as possible. 

The door opened, and he was greeted to the excited look of his beloved, who had poked his head out and quickly ushered him in. Freddy followed quickly.

The bunny took his wrist and eagerly pulled him into the green rooms, sitting him on a velvet sofa and standing in front of him expectantly. He was still in the revealing performance costume, but had a loose and thin robe loosely draped over him now. 

"... so?? How did I do?! Cause I know you had eyes for only me~!" Bonnie teased, leaning over to be closer to him as he eagerly anticipated his feedback.

Freddy chuckled, trying to ignore the heat rising to his face again as he offered Bonnie a big smile. "You looked great! I had no idea you were such a good dancer." 

Freddy nearly choked on his own breath as the bunny sat on the right side of his lap with his right leg folded over the other. He could see practically all of Bonnie's legs through the sheer stockings, and it was making him incredibly nervous. He was certain his father would have a heart attack if he knew this is what Freddy was up to. Bonnie gasped at the sight of the rose.

"Oh, baby... is that for me-?" He asked in disbelief as he turned to look Freddy in the eye. 

Freddy glanced around nervously, amazed at how Bonnie could feel no shame with such public affection. Then again, the other performers in here did just perform nude, so he supposed this was not too much for them. He nodded timidly and passed it to Bonnie.

"But... there was actually a bigger gift I got you. I-I gave it to a performer for you, but I am not sure where it is..." He thought out loud, searching the room with his eyes.

Bonnie glanced around as well. "Which one?" 

Freddy pointed out the woman, and Bonnie climbed off of him briefly to speak to her. He had to keep his eyes and head low, remembering his family's honor as he willed himself not to watch the bunny leave. 

The bunny returned a minute later lifting the heavy box. Freddy scrambled to his feet and took it from Bonnie, helping him take it the rest of the way. When the bunny sat down, Freddy placed it carefully on the ground in front of him.

"What is this?? It's huge!" The bunny exclaimed in awe as he looked over the gift and began carefully opening it. 

Freddy only hummed and watched with a small smile. "You'll see."

Once Bonnie opened up the box, he spotted the handle of the case and lifted it out. Now that the shape of the case was exposed, he seemed to figure out what it was right away, and his smile quickly fell into a look of disbelief. He glanced back at Freddy who only nodded for him to keep going, so the bunny unclipped the sides and carefully opened the top to find the instrument.  

"I know I owed you one... I'm sorry it took me so long, but I hope the quality of this one makes up for the wait-" he chuckled sheepishly. "It was crafted by a luthier."

Bonnie's jaw was still hung open as he took the guitar from it's case in a shaky grip. He inspected and ran his fingers over the expertly carved designs. He took one of the picks and strummed experimentally for a second to check the tuning. The bunny set it down in the case carefully again before turning to Freddy quickly.

"Baby, how much did this cost-?!" He fretted in worry. Freddy waved a dismissive paw at him.

"Don't worry about that! It's rude to tell someone the price of their gift." He gave him a playful wink.

"No cost would've been too great for you, my dear." He assured.

A paw flew over Bonnie's mouth, and he nearly teared up in joy as he turned back to the guitar, clearly overwhelmed by the gift. Before Freddy could offer him a hug of reassurance, the bunny dove in and trapped his chest in a suffocating embrace. He could hear and feel Bonnie giggling against him excitedly as he muttered repeated emotional 'thank you's to him. His body radiated with heat from Bonnie's close touch and he warmly held him back. Just then, he heard odd noises coming from Bonnie that caught him off guard. At first, he thought they were cries or sobs, but upon listening closer, they were far from it. 

Freddy, like everyone else, made noises out of their control sometimes. He would grunt, purr, and growl quite often, as did his father and every other bear he knew. He had never heard anything from Bonnie, and just assumed bunnies did not make sounds like that, but he was just proven wrong. In between giggles, he could hear what sounded like quiet honks and oinking noises coming from the bunny. He shifted his head away so he could look down at Bonnie while holding him and gave him a look of surprise. 

"What is that-? Are you honking...?" He asked.

Bonnie lifted his head to make eye contact with him in startlement before he seemed to realize what Freddy meant. The bunny grew red in the face and groaned, burying his face in his neck in embarrassment as the noises continued.

"I-I do it when I laugh sometimes, but it's so embarrassing~!" His whine muffled . Freddy felt a new rush of fond love and endearment for the bunny as he giggled and held Bonnie tighter for a moment. 

"But I love it! It's so cute-!" He insisted, pulling them apart. He only found more amusement in the way Bonnie hid his face with his paws and ears as his laughter settled down. The two of them were interrupted by another performer tapping Bonnie's shoulder.

"You got another gift." The man said, passing him an envelope before leaving. Bonnie took it and looked it over before sighing in annoyance with an eye roll. 

"I think I know who this is..." He muttered as he opened it up to skim the paper over.

"Who is it-?" Freddy asked curiously, attempting to peek at the paper. Bonnie gestured to it in visible annoyance.

"I swear to God, I have a stalker. He always leaves me flowers and romantic letters after my shows, so he knows my performance schedule, but I've never seen him. He never shows his face, and he never even signs his name." He pointed to the bottom of the paper. "See?" 

It had no name addressing who it was from, only the initials: 'C.C.' 

Freddy furrowed his brows as he read over the letter. He couldn't help but feel some protective anger for Bonnie as he saw how this man was talking to his partner. 

"Do you feel safe ...? Do you need someone to walk you home from here?" He checked. 

Bonnie bit his lip as he considered that for a moment, before glancing back at Freddy.

"... if you don't mind waiting for me to change and clock out-?" 

..

Freddy waited the extra fifteen minutes until Bonnie was dressed and ready before they left through the back and began their treck through the alleyway and onto the open road. Bonnie leaned closer to Freddy as he glanced around cautiously. 

"... thank you for walking me home, baby... you didn't have to." He whispered as he held Freddy's arm. The bear chuckled softly.

"It's no trouble! It would make me feel better knowing you got home safe." He adjusted so they could lock arms. Bonnie lived just across the street, so it was only a five minute walk at most. Even then, a dangerous man only needed a second to hurt his bunny. He simply could not take that risk. They walked in comfortable silence down the dark road, which was thankfully nearly empty, allowing them some peace. He was carrying the guitar case for Bonnie while the bunny held his flower close to his heart, gradually growing more relaxed and secure with Freddy's presence. When they made it to the backdoor of the café, and the entrance to his apartment, he waited as Bonnie fumbled with his keys to open it. The bunny had his ears up to listen for something, and at first Freddy was anxious, thinking he was hearing incoming danger, until Bonnie sighed in disappointment.

"My dad and brother are home... if it was just my dad, he doesn't pay attention, anyway, and I could've invited you inside. Maybe to even stay the night... but my brother would never let me live that down." 

Freddy smiled politely, trying to hide his oncoming blush again. "T-that's alright... my father is expecting me home tonight." He insisted as Bonnie got the key into the slot and turned it, hesitating to open the door.

Bonnie turned himself to face Freddy and leaned his back on the door, looking up at Freddy shyly.

"Would you like that...? To stay over sometime?" He offered. 

Freddy scratched the back of his neck nervously. Bonnie was definitely more forthcoming than he was. Freddy was slightly more traditional when it came to romance, though he was open to exploring with Bonnie. Especially if the bunny kept 'poking the bear' like he was. Freddy was not sure how much longer he could take it slow and traditional with the bunny at this rate, before he lost all restraint and truly brought dishonor to his family's name.

"I-I... I would! I am not sure how we would arrange it, a-and... it would have to be a secret, but... I would." He corrected his own posture to play it off.

Bonnie relaxed again and smiled up at him. "Good. I'll call you when and we can plan ahead of time." He insisted.

"But one more thing," he gave Freddy a playful smirk, beckoning him forward with his finger. 

Freddy knew what this meant and rolled his eyes in mirth as he leaned down and turned his head, giving the bunny space to kiss his cheek. He was swiftly silenced as the bunny gently took his jaw in his hold and turned his head so they could face eachother again. Bonnie's smile softened before leaning in and tilting his head to adjust. He shut his eyes as his lips slotted with Freddy's like a perfect fit. Freddy snapped out of his disbelief and shut his eyes, silently accepting and enjoying their lingering connection. It left time for him to pull the bunny in with his paws on his hips, while Bonnie's rested on his shoulders. 

When they finally broke away, their faces remained only inches apart, and they shared half-lidded and focused eyes on eachother. Freddy's first instinct was to glance around with caution, making sure no one saw them. Confirming there was none, he turned his attention back to Bonnie, who pulled away with a sweet smile.

"Thank you for everything, baby... I love you." He whispered.

Freddy nodded back, taking off his hat and holding it to his chest, placing the other behind his back as a sign of great respect for his love as he gave a small bow.

"You're welcome, and... I'm absolutely smitten for you, my dear." 

Bonnie giggled, visibly perking up as an idea popped into his head. He quickly reached into his bag. "I almost forgot-!" 

Freddy tilted his head curiously, but froze as the bunny pulled out one of his sparkling, deep blue lace stockings he performed in.

"It's a funny tradition for some performers to take a stocking off during their performance and toss it to someone in the audience they're into as a gift, but I knew you'd get embarrassed, so I didn't-" he chuckled. "... but if you want to accept it, I still wanted to give it to you. As a token of me." He winked playfully. 

Freddy hesitantly took it, and he was sure there was no hiding his flushed expression now.

"... God, Bonnie. I'm trying to be respectful and a gentleman, but you're going to turn me to a sinner-" he joked, hiding it in his pocket. Bonnie giggled and covered his mouth with one paw.

"Okay, okay! I'll stop now. You can get me back later, then." He teased.

Freddy hummed. "Maybe I will. Goodnight, starlight. Sweet dreams tonight." He nodded to him.

Bonnie nodded back to him with a small wave, opening the door behind him. "Goodnight! Sweet dreams, teddy-bear." He set the guitar down inside and shut the door behind him.

Now that Freddy knew he was safe inside, he took a breath of relief that he did not have to hide his embarrassment anymore as he started on his way back to the venue for his car. He took out the stocking again to feel and look it over, and the cold night suddenly felt incredibly warm. 

He absolutely could not tell his dad about this.

Just as he was leaving, and Bonnie's building was behind him, Freddy paused at what sounded like a metal trashcan being hit against the brick wall, like it was knocked into on accident. He glanced back at where he thought it came from, which appeared to be the other side of the building where they took the trash out.

Freddy slowly approached to investigate the noise, pushing his coat away and hovering his paw over the hidden handgun tucked into his pants. When he rounded the corner with his weapon drawn, there was no sight of anyone, nor evidence of anyone being there. Though there were some overflowing trashcans missing lids. He supposed it could have just been a hungry homeless person, but hesitated over the spot just in case. Hearing that Bonnie suspected someone was pursuing him, he could not be too careful.

The smell of cigarette smoke and roses filled his nose and threw him off, as they were not the usual smells of homeless people or criminals. After another few moments of weary inspecting, he finally left.

Chapter Text

Freddy stared at the wall blankly, where he was laid flat on his bed. He was, once again, stirred from his sleep by nightmares and memories of his sins. Of what he's had to do for his family.

He swore, he could see the blood of his victims oozing from the cracks where the walls met the ceiling and pouring down the panels. He could see their disfigured, horrific faces still contored in their final looks of pain and fear, all directed at him. 

Some of his men go to church and are religious, as shocking as it is. They've suggested he tried it out as well. Freddy was never raised religious, and he's never seen the appeal either. He had his doubts about a higher being or after life, because it didn't make sense to him. If there was truly a higher being who loved him so much, why would they let Freddy be born and raised into this life? Why would they let so many children like himself suffer like that...? 

It was too late for him now, anyway. With the atrocities he's already committed, he doubted he could ever be redeemed, even if he tried to. If there was a higher being up there, he definitely felt like some children, such as himself, were set up for failure from the start. 

But he supposed there was good in evil, and evil in good. There could be no paradise, no wealthy class, no money or luxury goods, without some sacrifice. Not without some innocent lives being used and destroyed to keep that balance. It just didn't feel very nice getting the shorter end of the stick. 

He was not sure he would ever find peace within himself, or have a happy, stable life. He would be grateful for one night of peaceful sleep. His right ear flicked at the sound of a knock on his door. 

Freddy rubbed the sleep from his tired eyes rimmed with dark circles, and threw his arm over his face sluggishly, not having the energy to leave bed.

"... who is it?!" He called. 

"Uh... phone call for you in your study, sir..." a maid awkwardly spoke from the other door.

Freddy sighed deeply and forced himself to his feet. He's been getting calls for a week now, and hasn't responded to any of them. He figured he should at least answer this one. He was still in his plain red button-up pajama set, so he ripped his deep blue robe from the door and quickly tied it around himself before thanking the maid and leaving into the hallway.

His 'study' was just a tiny closet space with a bookshelf and desk his father gave for 'practice' until he got his 'real office'. He appreciated that it at least had its own phone line so he could make private calls. When he made it to the phone, he yawned briefly and picked it up with a disinterested tone.

"Hey... apologies for the hold, I was busy." He grumbled.

"Oh... sorry, was this a bad time...? I-I can call you back-" Bonnie's timid voice answered. 

Hearing the bunny on the other side was enough to snap Freddy awake again, and he immediately changed his tone and cleared his throat again.

"Nono-! I'm so sorry, I didn't know it was you, buttercup... I always have time for you." He assured, taking a seat on his velvet chair. 

Bonnie giggled slightly at the pet name. "T-thanks... how have you been, baby...? You haven't picked up my calls for a few days, I was getting really worried..." 

Freddy's ears fell with culpability, acknowledging he had not been a very good partner to Bonnie recently. He sighed deeply and pinched his nose bridge.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... I've just ... I've been in a tough spot. It's been difficult... I can't stand living here like this-" his voice shook.

Bonnie hummed from the other side. "Oh, baby... I'm so sorry, that's horrible-" 

Freddy shrugged. "It's life, I suppose... I've missed you, though. A lot... I would really love to see you again... maybe it would even help me." 

He could practically hear the bunny smile on the other side of the line. "A-actually, that was what I was about to bring up," he began. Freddy listened in with new interest. 

"My brother moved out yesterday with his partner, now it's just my dad and I in the apartment... my dad is never really around, though. He's either working, sleeping, or sleeping around-" Bonnie joked in annoyance from the other side.

"The weather's been nice this Summer, I was wondering if you wanted to maybe... go on a beach date? And maybe spend a night or two here? I know you've been wanting to get out of the house, and you used to love sleeping over when we were kids..." he chuckled. 

Freddy paused as he heard that. He couldn't deny, he was ready to jump at this opportunity... the only thing that held him back was his dad. He would need a good lie to get out of the house for a night. And his father was not easy to fool.

"Well, I'd... I'd love to, Bon-! But when would it be...?" 

"I'm off tomorrow, and for two days after." Bonnie answered. 

So he had a day or two to come up with an excuse. He could do that. 

"Alright, how about tomorrow at noon?" Freddy offered a time. "I'll need time to get come up with some excuse... you know how my father is."

Bonnie brightened over the line and hummed in agreement. "Yeah, sounds like a plan! And it's below the Pier, the spot we would meet and swim at as kids. We could meet at my apartment and drive to the Mall nearby, then walk the rest of the way to it." 

For the first time in days, Freddy could feel himself genuinely smiling again. "Perfect! I can't wait to see you again, my love." 

Bonnie squeaked and giggled bashfully over the line, and Freddy could hear him quickly kicking his legs in excitement. "You too, handsome~! I bet you can't wait to see the new swimsuit I bought the other day~" He teased.

Freddy chuckled. "New swimsuit...?" 

"Uh-huh~! Now that I'm an adult, I can finally wear 'adult' swimsuits. I got myself a one-piece with short-shorts, and a low-cut back." He bragged. 

Freddy felt himself growing red in the cheeks as he imagined that, but was grateful the phone was there to hide it.

"You're wearing nothing but a one-piece and knockout-shorts to swim... ? No stockings, or sleeves, or shoes?" He questioned.

"Nope!" Bonnie answered back confidently. "Only that and a swim cap."

Freddy hummed. "And what are you going to do when you don't pass the modesty codes, and the police fine or arrest you-?" He teased back, waiting for Bonnie's response as the bunny went silent for a few seconds.

"... then I have my big, strong boyfriend there to fight them for me." He responded back. 

Freddy lost it after that comment and pulled the phone away from his face to laugh. The bunny's cute little giggling from the other side only added to the warm wave of joy and relief he felt now. Even just speaking to Bonnie was like being wrapped in a warm blanket. What he wouldn't give to have Bonnie here in his arms right now. The memories and nightmares could not reach him with his ethereal ray of starlight beside him. 

He stayed speaking to Bonnie for an hour with still no plan on stopping anytime soon. He could speak to his boyfriend all day and never get bored. Bonnie usually did most of the talking while Freddy listened, and even then, it was never dull or annoying to the bear. He loved hearing his outgoing boyfriend talk about anything. Their conversation would only come to a close when Freddy heard his name called by his father downstairs. 

"I have to go now, buttercup. My dad is calling me. But I can't wait to see you tomorrow!" He quickly tried concluding the call. 

"You too, teddy-bear! Remember to pack to stay the night, and bring a towel!" He reminded. 

"Will do! I love you, Bon! Goodbye!" 

"Bye!" The bunny hung up. 

Freddy sighed in relief as he stood up, already feeling somewhat lighter and relieved from the call. He quickly made his way back down the stairs to see what his father wanted. 

His father opened his mouth to speak before even looking at Freddy, though he glanced over and did a double-take in confusion as Freddy practically skipped into the living room. 

"... what are you doing-?" He looked on with a hardly contained cringe at his son's joy. 

Freddy cleared his throat awkwardly, deciding it was better to be as honest as possible, without revealing too much. 

"I just got off a call with my friend. We were arranging a time to meet tomorrow." He stated simply.

The man rolled his eyes and shook his head in subtle disapproval, turning his head away again and back down to the newspaper he was idly reading.

"I was letting you know that the day after tomorrow, we were heading to a special event. It's a party, and the entirety of the family will be there, so don't make a joke out of me. This will be your chance to debut yourself as the hier to this lineage." He explained professionally. 

Freddy nodded with a slight bow of respect. "Yes, father... I should mention, though, that I had planned to stay the night tomorrow. It wouldn't affect the party at all." He assured. One of his favorite aspects of being an adult now was having the freedom to simply tell his father where he was going, rather than asking if he could go places. His father looked up from his reading again and furrowed his brows at Freddy, giving him another confused look.

"Why are you saying the night...?"  

Freddy shrugged, trying to look indifferent. "We were going to be out a little late exploring the town as well. I haven't gotten to see much of it in a while." 

His father's gaze hardened as he eyed Freddy up and down. 

"... don't forget Omérta, Freddy. I had better not find out you stayed out late and made an idiot out of yourself." He warned. 

He was referring to their infamous codes of conduct, one of them specifically prohibiting things like swinging, clubbing, or getting drunk. Absolutely no dive bars, bar hopping, or partying. It was simply dishonorable, and beneath them.

Freddy nodded. "I know, father. And I plan to uphold our family honor." He promised. His father finally seemed to accept that answer, and he was dismissed to begin preparing for their meeting.

.

He had double-checked his bags twice to make sure he packed everything. He had a conservative unitard swimsuit under his summer outfit, which consisted of black dress pants, oak-brown slacks, and a simple white button-up with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Swimsuit options were limited in these times, and he, frankly, didn't like any of the minimal options, which mainly consisted of the same sleevless, short unitards for men and women. He was excited for Bonnie's suit, though, and was already beginning to grow red in the face imagining it. 

He had hoped to avoid it, but he ran into his father before he left, practically brushing shoulders with him. He was about to stutter out an apology, when his father spoke up rather harshly.

"Who the hell are you meeting exactly??" He demanded.

Freddy's brows scrunched in confusion. "I-I told you, I was meeting my friend to go to the beach, what's the problem...??" 

His father growled. "... do you think I'm an idiot...?" His voice was low and laced with warning, making Freddy gulp down the small fear beginning to build in his chest.

"I've never heard of a man who would go swimming at the beach with his best friend with his hair made up, his outfit put together, and wearing expensive cologne!" He gestured to Freddy's attire. Freddy quickly grew defensive to hide his hidden nervousness.

"W-what if I just like putting myself together?? ... What do you think is going on-?!" He asked incredulously.

His father bared his teeth and approached dangerously close to Freddy, poking a rough, clawed finger at his chest.

"I think you're sneaking around meeting some girl! After you told me not to arrange a marriage because you 'weren't ready' yet!" He snarled.

He tensed, not expecting his father to throw out an accusation like that. Although, because it was not technically true, Freddy would not technically be lying by denying it, right...?

Freddy scoffed. "What?! No, how would I?? I never leave the house, and I only ever speak to one person-!" He tried explaining. 

"Is it not normal for young men to want to go out and impress people??"

His father's growls had not ceased, though he backed off slightly and changed his gaze to that of stern glare rather than anger. 

"... do not forget this, Freddy. We do not 'date around' in this family. I will not allow any tainting of our image." He warned.

Freddy only dipped his head and nodded silently, walking past his father cautiously, who did not even say goodbye to him as he left to meet Bonnie.

.

"Good thing your dad let you out. That's crazy how strict he is when you're an adult already!" Bonnie laughed from where he was walking by Freddy's side in a short, navy blue jumpsuit to cover his bathing suit and a tote bag. Freddy shrugged with a casual smile, rocking their loosely intertwined paws back and forth, feeling the tension gradually leave his body around his boyfriend. 

"I don't know... but let's not think about that right now. I can't wait to go to the beach! I don't think I've gone since I was a cub-" he chuckled.

Bonnie grip on his paw tightened as he hummed in excitement, skipping ahead slightly until he was pulled back by their hold on each other. 

"I go there occasionally, but usually it's pretty boring. I've never had any fun friends to go with, and you've never been able to." 

Freddy only hummed solemnly, keeping his gaze ahead. The beach was within their view, and it was beginning to grow more crowded. There was also more and more sand appearing in the cracks of the pavement. He let go of Bonnie's paw and opted to locking their arms together instead, keeping them closer.

"What...? Baby, you're in the newspaper!" Bonnie exclaimed from his side, making them stop in their tracks.

Freddy felt his blood run cold in dread. Not only would that mean he was exposed to Bonnie in the worst way possible, but when his father found out, he would be livid. He was too afraid to look at what Bonnie was pointing at to their side, but hesitantly turned his head. What he saw was not something he was expecting at all. He furrowed his brows in puzzlement until a second later, when he realized what Bonnie meant.

Hung up on the side of one of the brick buildings was a few posters and newspaper sheets. One of them was advertising the circus in town, and the bunny was pointing to that one, specifically at a picture of a clown. 

He only sighed sharply and made a face of pretend-unamusement as he turned ahead again and continued walking, his arm still locked around his boyfriend, who was now giggling immaturely at his joke.

"Sorry, it looked like you-!" He teased. 

Freddy only rolled his eyes, having a hard time disguising his amusement. He caught sight of a large poster on the window of a restaurant and had a playful tease to follow back with.

"And that looks kind of like you, my love." Freddy pointed across the street.

"What??" Bonnie briefly paused his laughing and turned.

"That poster." He pointed to the advertisement, which depicted a humorous, overexaggerated, laughing drunk man. When Bonnie saw it, his mirth only grew as he cackled and doubled over, which was enough for Freddy to break out into laughter as well.

Bonnie was not joking about his bathing suit. The second Freddy saw it, he had to glance away and take a moment to gather himself and prepare before he could face the bunny normally again. But all and all, their time at the beach was quite nice. They were not there for as long as they had planned because it was so crowded, and also because Freddy, admittedly, could not keep up with Bonnie's energy. The bunny was running in the sand, pulling Freddy in the water, and swimming the entire time. He loved his boyfriend to death, but the bunny could be a bit much for him sometimes. After a few hours, they dried off and sat down to have a dine-in date at a resteraunt on the beach in their swimsuits before Freddy drove them back to the bunny's place.

Bonnie's adorable giggling, his dimples, his bright eyes and smile, all of it had the same intoxication effect on Freddy as drinking several martinis. Any sort of repress or good judgment he had flew out the window as he chased his mischievous, bubbly beackon of light up the stairs to the door. Both of them were beyond love-drunk at this point. They were absolutely wasted. 

The bunny could not even peacefully take his keys out to open his apartment door without Freddy catching him from the chase and holding him from behind. Bonnie squealed and giggled as he pressed sweet, playful kisses over the bunny's cheek and neck. He was nearly pinning the bunny against the door, and they were lucky Bonnie's father was not home, otherwise, Freddy doubted he would leave the apartment alive. 

When Bonnie finally got the door open, he brought both of them in and locked it behind him, tossing the keys on the couch carelessly and scrunching his damp bangs up, which were somewhat crusted from the sand and salt water.

"I'm going to take a quick shower, baby. I'll take it in the main bathroom... you're gonna' need to take your's in my dad's bathroom, cause I don't know if you'll fit in my shower, Hercules." He teased, playfully patting Freddy's large, toned bicep before turning to jog across the hall and open a low drawer. He passed Freddy a spare towel and took his own from his room, before opening the door to his own bathroom. He was surprised to see that Bonnie carelessly left the door ajar behind him.

He left to quickly take his own shower. He used minimal products, not wanting to take anything from Bonnie's father, and he made sure the bathroom was left in clean, pristine condition. Even then, he was finished within ten minutes. Bonnie's 'quick' shower, on the other hand, would not end for another hour. Freddy had the time to change into his pajamas, brush and groom himself, and read his book in the living room while he waited. Once he heard the water turn off, and Bonnie leaving the shower, Freddy chuckled and closed his book to look back towards Bonnie.

"Is that a 'quick' shower to you??" He teased, hardly paying attention to his back. The bunny had not even put on his clothes, only left in a towel tied over his chest as he crept behind Freddy to surprise him. 

Freddy nearly fell forward out of the seat as he felt one of Bonnie's warm, moist arms wrap loosely over his chest, the other reaching and snatching the book from his paws.

"Hey! Give that back-!" He chuckled, turning himself more to face his lover. Bonnie's nose scrunched up as he gave the bear a mischievous grin.

"Or what~? You can't catch up to me, big guy!" Bonnie joked back, playfully hitting his shoulder and leaving with the book. Freddy knew by now that Bonnie wanted to be chased, so he rolled his eyes in amusement and stood up, pacing after the nearly nude bunny who now brightened up and tried running down the hall. When he made it in front of his bedroom door, he scowled. 

"Fuck! I forgot we weren't outside!" Bonnie thought out loud. He was too late to think of a backup plan, as Freddy caught up to him and grabbed a hold of his bicep, keeping him in place to try and take the book back. Bonnie squeaked playfully and straightened his arm with the book above his head, trying to make it harder for Freddy to reach. As Bonnie stepped backwards, Freddy grabbed ahold of his towel and pulled without thinking, and was left speechless as it unraveled from the bunny and pulled him forward against Freddy's chest, exposing his now somewhat damp, nude body pressed against him. 

Both of them stared at eachother in surprise, as Bonnie dropped the book suddenly, keeping his eyes locked on Freddy.

Freddy took a deep, shaky breath, glancing down Bonnie's neck and to his exposed chest as he felt more intense heat building up.

"I-I'm sorry, I almost t-touched you-" he stuttered out, but was unable to pull himself away. Bonnie leaned closer and kept his eyes on Freddy, his eyelids falling slightly. 

"... did you want to...?" He whispered. 

Freddy felt as though a volcano erupted within him, as he nearly choked on the lump forming in his throat, believing he heard his boyfriend incorrectly. "I-I'm sorry...?"

Bonnie hummed with a small, knowing smile, placing two gentle paws on Freddy's chest.

"It's been obvious, baby... you've always been the more stable, and mature one... you're already ready for marriage, and kids, while I barely feel like an adult-" He chuckled. 

"... and I know you've been... tense lately. About us... Whenever we're together, it feels like you're holding back a lot... I should mature a little bit faster for you. It's time for me to start growing up. The same way you've slowed down so much for me..." He shrugged with a timid smile. 

Freddy searched his eyes with hesitation. "... so what are you saying we do, exactly-?" 

Bonnie glanced away thoughtfully. "Honestly, I-I don't know... you know more about this than I do. And I want to do this for you, mostly... so you decide." He stepped back slightly towards the bed.

"Whatever you've been holding back. You can touch me anyway you want, baby... But we can't go all the way, yet." He quickly set a boundary. 

Freddy was in absolute disbelief as he heard this. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Y-you're sure...?"

Bonnie nodded with a smile and sat back on the bed, leaning back on his paws. 

"Go on, Freddy. I trust you." 

He was so unbelievably overstimulated. He felt like he was about to erupt as he slowly approached the bunny. He's dreamed about this exact scenario before, and what he'd do... yet now that it was right in front of him, he blanked completely. 

His eyes traced the bunny's soft, curvaceous body, silently admiring his broad ribs and shoulders, his small, narrowed waist, wide hips and his toned thighs. His body looked as though it was sculpted by angels. It was even more beautiful than Freddy had ever imagined.

Freddy knelt down in front of where the bunny was sat, and he was not sure how long he must have stood there nervously, until he woke up from his daze as he felt a soft paw cradle his cheek.

"Don't be shy, baby. I'm nervous, too... both of us are learning." He reassured, placing his other paw on the bear's other cheek.

"This is for us to learn together... you don't have to be perfect." He spoke earnestly. Freddy placed his own paw over the back of Bonnie's on his cheek and intertwined their fingers tightly, giving him a small nod. 

"Please let me know if something's wrong, and we need to stop..." Freddy's voice shook nervously. Once the bunny nodded to him, it was back to silence, and Freddy gathered his courage to continue.

He started by taking Bonnie's paw from his cheek and kissing the palm lightly, looking over the underside of his paw. The fur was white, and he had warm, light pink pads on them, the same pink as his nose. Freddy brushed his thumb across the skin experimentally, before he began pressing and rubbing it into the supple and soft pink flesh. Bonnie watched him with half-lidded eyes, and slightly slanted eyebrows in a look of uncertainty and innocence, emotions that Freddy was experiencing as well.

"They're so soft..." Freddy commented gently. Bonnie only hummed back, allowing him to continue as the bear lifted his own large paw to compare them. His own pads were a deep, almost black-brown in color, matching the dark brown fur around his paws. His paws as a whole were much bigger and less soft than Bonnie's, as well as wider and stronger than the bunny's more agile, narrow paws. It was the bunny's turn to hesitantly reach up and experiment. He shifted himself to sit on his knees to feel and squeezed around Freddy's paw briefly with his thumbs, before tracing a light finger over the creases in his pads.

"They're dry and cracked..." Bonnie brought up to him, glancing up at him for an explanation. Freddy only nodded silently.

"... you've been working hard, huh-?" Bonnie joked slightly with a small, one-dimple smile. Freddy chuckled softly and only shrugged.

"I suppose so..."

His breath caught in his throat as Bonnie pulled his paw closer and began placing light, breathy kisses onto the pads and massaging them with his thumbs.

"Please take care of them... they're going to crack, and you're gonna' get blisters, baby." Bonnie fretted for him in concern. Freddy gave him another small nod and smile. 

"I will, my love..."

He grew slightly bolder now, and took the bunny's paw in his hold, still holding it facing up, and placed his other one carefully under the bunny's extended arm. He lowered his head and began trailing small, tender kisses up the bunny's arm. Once he made it to Bonnie's shoulder, he had to stand up and lean forward over the bunny on the bed to keep going. He settled his knees on either side of Bonnie's hips, while the bunny slowly adjusted for him by lowering himself until he was laying on his back with his legs straight and closed for his partner to have more access to him. Freddy was now crawled on top of the bunny and essentially pinning him, as there was no way for Bonnie to even shimmy under his weight as he sat on Bonnie's lap and lowered himself to his elbows to reach his face. 

He finished his trail of kisses past his shoulders, up his neck, jaw, and cheek, and to his ears, which Freddy now breathed over curiously. 

He could see his tender pink skin under the thin white fur, and he reached his paws up to take the base of both of his ears and massage them with his thumbs. He was startled by Bonnie gasping suddenly and reaching to him, lightly pushing on his chest and squeezing the fabric of his pajamas in a tight grip with a look almost resembling pain. 

"I-I'm so sorry! Did I hurt you...?" Freddy whispered, letting go of the ears immediately. Bonnie caught his breath again and gave him a shaky smile.

"N-no, sorry... My ears are just...really sensitive... keep going, I liked it." He assured. 

Freddy hesitantly reached for the ears again and gave the bases a small squeeze with his thumbs, which made the bunny wince and writhe under him. Bonnie's grip on his clothes tightened as he needed some kind of leverage, and his legs under Freddy curled and writhed. He started more softly massaging and stroking the skin, which thankfully seemed to elicit a more peaceful and content reaction from the bunny. He gave both ears a small kiss of affection before moving his paws to the sides of Bonnie's face and making warm eye contact. Bonnie recovered and smiled playfully at him before reaching up and feeling his smaller, fluffy ears.

"Are your ears not sensitive too...?" He asked quietly.

Freddy chuckled and winced as he felt the curious bunny yank his ears slightly. "No, not really..."

"But to make it fair... my nose is extremely sensitive-" He admitted. 

Bonnie stared in awe and disbelief. "... your nose-?" 

Freddy nodded, hardly noticing the bunny's small, wicked smile as he reached his paws up to Freddy's muzzle and gently ran his thumbs over his dark snout. Freddy had an immediate reaction, as he grunted and exhaled sharply, leaning his head away from the touch on instinct.

Bonnie pulled his paws away in surprise. 

"It's wet?!" He laughed.

Freddy chuckled with a nod. "Yes, it's supposed to be! If it was dry, that would mean I'm sick."

Bonnie curiously reached to hold his muzzle again and look at it further. The bunny had leaned in and shut his eyes softly, beginning to gently kiss the soft skin of his nose. Freddy had shut his own eyes to lean into it, unaware of his mischievous boyfriend's plotting.

He suddenly let out a high-pitched whine and flinched back, feeling the bunny's teeth gently bite the sensitive skin. His face was beet red to match Bonnie's as he stared in disbelief, while the bunny immediately broke into a fit of amused laughter at his face. He didn't even know his voice was capable of reaching such a high octave. 

"Sorry! Sorry... I couldn't resist-!" He giggled. 

"You sounded excited, though!" He teased playfully.

Freddy now felt slightly embarrassed, and had to think of a way to salvage his dignity somehow. The bunny had continued laughing at his own innocent joke, unaware of the bear's actual frustration. 

He leaned down suddenly, attacking the bunny's neck and collarbone with small kisses and nibbles as he attempted to burn out the strong, new emotions building within him. The bunny's giggling died down somewhat, and was replaced by quick gasps and squirms, suddenly feeling too exposed again as the bear had moved on to more heated affections without warning. Still, he played along and playfully pushed Freddy back by his chest, initiating a playful rough-housing game while they grew more intimate. 

Freddy's mind was not necessarily on a game, though. He wanted to get his boyfriend back as a joke, but also to save his somewhat hurt pride. Suddenly, he was not as careful with his muscle anymore, as he grabbed Bonnie's wrists from his chest and pulled them up to restrain them in the air on both sides of Freddy's shoulders.

It did not stick out much to Bonnie at first, since they did this kind of thing often when they play fought. Bonnie did not begin thinking something was off, until he realized how tight Freddy's grip on his wrists were getting, which was beginning to grow painful and cut off circulation. And suddenly, he realized he couldn't escape the bear's hold even if he wanted to.

The bear didn't seem to notice Bonnie's laughter slowly stopping, as he continued his attention on his neck. At one point, he latched onto the bunny's collar and began kissing and licking it more harshly. The bunny was not opposed to the marking and kissing on his body, and was more so concerned about Freddy's surprising grip on his wrists that kept them tightly in place.

"Fr-Freddy, what're you..." He asked too quietly for the bear to hear. 

Freddy was too frustrated and overwhelmed to notice. Years of being mocked and belittled had made him furious. He was not going to let himself be made a fool again. He wasn't some weak cub to be laughed at, he was a man now. In his ill, irrational state of mind, he seemed to have forgotten who was under him, or what he was doing. His teary eyes were squeezed shut as he thought about it more and more. As the thoughts of his father's words crossed his mind, he unknowingly bit down harder in anger, making Bonnie jolt in pain and struggle to pull his arms away. His entire body was exposed and uselessly pinned under his Freddy, so he was beginning to grow frustrated himself.

"Freddy?? Freddy, c'mon, what're you doing-?" He repeated softly still. 

He wasn't holding back his own strength like he usually was. He felt twice as heavy on top of the bunny's body than he usually did, and his grip on his wrists were like steel. And then, Bonnie felt as he sank his large, sharp canines in even deeper, breaking through the skin. The bunny finally realized something was seriously wrong with the his partner, and began kicking and struggling more aggressively under him.

"FREDDY, STOP-!" Bonnie cried. 

Freddy was suddenly snapped awake from whatever train of thought he was traveling down. It took him a second to process what was going on, or why Bonnie had yelled in distress. He realized right away as he glanced down and saw the somewhat deep, crimson bite mark on his collar, and most of his weight up to his chest suffocating Bonnie. He was also restraining the bunny's arms in the air. 

He gasped in horror as he realized what he did and quickly backed off of Bonnie, allowing him to scoot away. His own eyes teared up in guilt as Bonnie held his bite wound and curled in on himself, hiding his exposed body from Freddy now and staring at him in a mix of confusion and mortification. The bunny's face was puffy and teary as well, and his wrists were slightly bruised from the powerful grip.

He remembered what his mother had warned him about when he was a cub. He was bigger than Bonnie, so he had to be more careful. He had to be gentle and control his strength and weight when they played together, because he could easily injure his friend by mistake. He was always careful before, so he never realized how fast, or how easily the bunny could be hurt by simply forgetting to hold back for a few seconds. Not only did he let his power go unchecked, but looking back, what was he thinking?! 

He was acting like a brute... like a criminal. This was beneath him, this was something his father would've done. 

He let the dangerous, Mafia-Man in him seep out. And that was horrifying to him. It was also devastating that out of everyone it could've happened to, Bonnie had to be on the revieving end of his hidden brutal nature. A paw rested over his mouth as he stared at Bonnie in a look of pure culpability and worry.

"Oh my God... Bon, I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean... I-I should've been more careful! I should've watched my strength... I'm sorry..." 

Bonnie took a few deep breaths before finally sighing and relaxing his body, rubbing his bruised wrists. He glanced down to avoid Freddy's gaze.

"I-it's okay... w-we're just l-learning..." He winced. 

Freddy stood up from the bed. "Where is your medicine cabinet...? Let me help you-!" Freddy insisted, walking over to Bonnie's side and gently taking the bunny's biceps, guiding him to the head of the bed to lay him back on the pillows. Bonnie allowed him to and wiped his own eyes.

"I-in the kitchen, under the sink... the wooden box." He whispered. Freddy ran out of the room immediately to take the supplies before quickly returning with said box, and setting it on the nightstand. He poured some alcohol on a cotton pad and began carefully cleaning the bite mark for caution. He normally wouldn't have for a love bite, but it had broken through skin and drew blood, so he had to be cautious. Once it was clean, he carefully covered the wound with wool and used tape to cover the small patch before deeming it safe. There was not much he could do for the bruises on Bonnie's wrists, so he only carefully took the bunny's paws in his own and gently kissed the wounds in apology.

Bonnie furrowed his brows and gave him a look of concern.

"What happened, Freddy...? You weren't responding to me, and you looked angry..." 

Freddy sighed as his ears dropped and he glanced away, shame visible on his face.

"I was... but it was stupid. I was embarrassed over the sound I made, and you laughing... so I overreacted. I wanted to get you back... but I took it way too far, and I wasn't careful enough... That was so childish and prideful of me. I-I don't know why it set me off so much, but I have no excuse for it. I'm so sorry, buttercup..." He kissed the bunny's wrists again. 

Bonnie's gaze softened, though there was some frustration still visible. He looked grateful for the applogy, at least. "It's okay, baby... That's the point of what we were doing. Learning about eachother, and how to be intimate. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings when I laughed... I giggle when I'm nervous, and the whole experience was really... nerve-wracking for me... but it's scary for both of us. So I'll try to be more mature and considerate about it now... but please, tell me right away next time...?" He asked softly. Freddy nodded.

"Of course, Bon..." He hesitated for a moment before speaking again. 

"... does that mean we're not doing anymore...?" He asked, some sad disappointment evident in his tone. 

Bonnie gave him another small side smile and tilted his head. "... I don't see a reason not to. I was enjoying myself... and I'd like to explore more... if you want to continue?" 

Freddy gulped nervously, as he fidgeted with his paws. He was terrified of possibly hurting his boyfriend again. Then again, this was the only way for him to learn how to safely show his love for the bunny. He only nodded quietly and hesitantly made his way back on the bed, where Bonnie watched him. The bunny had his expectant but patient eyes on him that expressed trust and sought guidance. 

"... U-uhm... do you maybe want to... kiss...? As in, the sensual kind of kissing...?" Freddy began awkwardly, losing all of his initial confidence. Bonnie giggled in endearment and nodded, sitting up and scooting himself closer to Freddy.

"Whatever you want, baby." 

With that, Freddy sucked in a breath and decided to move forward. If he could complete the most deadly, challenging criminal heists one could think of, how scary could this really be?

He got on his knees and scooted himself in between Bonnie's legs, leaning in and carefully lifting his chin up before initiating the kiss. 

As Freddy had tried explaining, it was different from their previous connections. Not the affectionate, light smooches and pecks they were used to doing. It was somewhat clumsy and inexperienced on both of their ends, but the tension and heat was palpable, and gradually growing. Their innocent and gentle canoodling was beginning to turn more passionate and energized as they curiously felt and explored around eachother's bodies with their searching paws.

They finally pulled away from the intense kiss to catch their breath and make eye contact again. Freddy's eyes were half-lidded and relaxed with want and love for the bunny, as well as a deep feeling of peace from the bunny's endearments. His soft paws brushed lightly over Freddy's searing hot skin and up to his head, with one paw resting lightly on his shoulder, and the other cradling his cheek and jaw affectionately. He was very thoughtful in all of his movement and touches, and it felt so very new yet euphoric to Freddy, who has only ever experienced violent and aggressive physical touch.

Bonnie's expression was somewhat different. His eyelids were half-lidded but also squinted, and his brows were creased from the new stimulation. He was standing up on his knees so he had to look down at Freddy, who was now sitting flat and comfortably with his legs bent out and the bunny in between them. The bear was overwhelmed with a mix of enthusiasm and nervousness, and he was beginning to get ahead of himself. His paws were still eagerly feeling around Bonnie's body.

The bunny glanced down to watch as Freddy dipped his head into his neck and collar to inhale Bonnie's scent deep within his fur. It was a calming, somewhat floral smell with a hint of rainfall. It reminded Freddy of spring time, which he did associate with Bonnie since it was the bunny's favorite season. It felt addictive to him, and he pressed his lips repetitively all over the bunny's neck and shoulder area while continuing to prob and feel around Bonnie. At some point, Freddy was taken out of his stupor as Bonnie tensed and winced, taking a hold of his arm and giving it a small squeeze. He paused his affections and looked up at Bonnie worriedly, almost immediately jumping to the worst case scenario. 

"A-are you okay...? Did I-" 

Bonnie lifted a paw up to silence his anxious rambling, giving him a small, patient smile. He gently took the bear's paws in his own and placed them back where they were on his waist, before reaching up to hold his cheeks in his palms lovingly and keep his head up to face him

"It's okay...! You were just getting a little rough again. Be gentle, like I was..." He reassured softly.

Freddy's ears dropped timidly, and his already flushed face had only grown more red as his eyes darted to the side in embarrassment. 

"I'm sorry... i-it's hard for me to control it, I guess... I-I never know how much force I'm putting in..."

Bonnie hummed thoughtfully for a moment before coming up with a solution. He leaned in to briefly brush their noses together in fondness to cheer up Freddy's internal distress. 

"Don't stress about it, darling... I'll keep giving you signs to go softer whenever you need them... Eventually, it'll feel natural to you." He gave Freddy a brighter and more earnest smile that he could not help but return. He felt a surge of love-aggression for his boyfriend, and began giggling with genuine joy as he leaned forward to graze gentle pecks and nibbles to the bunny's cheeks, feeling the urge to kiss those adorable dimples off his face. The bunny giggled at the affection as well and hugged Freddy's neck with his arms as they fell back with Bonnie laid on the pillows and bed with his legs curled and lifted to the side, while Freddy laid over him on his elbows. 

. 

Before Freddy even opened his eyes from his slumber, he was confused by the sound of a deep, rumbling sound that resembled machinery. His eyes fluttered opened and he found himself on the left side of Bonnie's bed and facing his wall and window. It was still a cool, light blue hue outside, and the sun was barely peeking over the city buildings, so Freddy assumed it was around or right before dawn. He rolled over sluggishly and turned to his other side, seeing Bonnie's sleeping figure beside him. He was surprised that the bunny did not wake up to the loud rumbling, when he realized it only sounded so loud because it was coming from himself. He was purring. 

What was shocking was that he could not remember the last time he purred like this. The last time he did was when he was a small cub, and it was when he would cuddle with his mother. He forgot he even had this ability. Had it really been so long since he's felt truly safe and content...? 

He watched the bunny for a moment with a small smile on his face, and his purrs growing in volume. The bunny's chest was rising and falling slower than usual, but still faster than Freddy's. He was currently dressed in nothing but Freddy's button up pajama shirt that was far too big on him, so now Freddy only had his pants on. His face was partially obscured by his nest of curls hanging over him, and his long ears were limply draped over the pillows. 

Freddy scooted himself closer and leaned up on elbow with one arm, using the other to twirl Bonnie's curls around. The bunny stirred from his rest with a tired moan, scrunching his nose as he blearily opened his eyes. He blinked up at Freddy and smiled tiredly. 

"Morning, Bon." Freddy whispered. "Sorry if I woke you too early... I'm an early riser." He chuckled. Bonnie shook his head, briefly stretching his arms above his head with a yawn. 

"It's okay... this is when I usually wake up for work-" he rubbed his eyes before lowering his arms comfortably again. He gave Freddy a playful smile and reached up, brushing his thumb under Freddy's mouth. 

"You're drooling a little bit, are you that excited to see me~?" He teased affectionately. Freddy chuckled lowly and reached his own paw up to hold Bonnie's on his face, pressing light kisses to his palm. 

"You can say that..." 

Bonnie's smile softened as his paw lingered there. "I didn't know you purred, baby..." 

Freddy shrugged. "I forgot I did... I don't do it for just anyone." He gave his bunny a sweet look. Both of them paused at the sound of a knock on the front door. 

"W-who...?" Bonnie leaned up on his elbows and turned to his bedroom door in half-awake confusion. 

Freddy sat up and rubbed his eyes. "It's dawn... it's probably just the Milk Man." He spoke mid-yawn. 

"We have a milk box in front of the main entrance, they don't come to the door-" Bonnie laid back tiredly with an arm on his face as he groaned, not wanting to get out of bed yet. 

That's when Freddy finally woke up fully and remembered what it was. Since he knew he was spending the night, he had pre-ordered flowers to the address to be delivered at this time as a surprise for Bonnie. Not wanting to give it away, he pushed himself out of bed and searched for his robe to tie over himself. 

"I'll handle it, don't worry." He insisted as he left quickly to the door. Once he opened it, he saw the bouquet he ordered had been dropped off already and picked it up to make sure the arrangement was correct. He had requested a small lavender and daisies bouquet since those were Bonnie's two favorite flowers, which thankfully, was correct. He closed the door again and hid the gift behind his back with one arm as he made his way back to Bonnie's room and opened the door, where he saw the bunny had lazily sat up now. 

"You won't believe what the Milk Man just brought you," Freddy joked with a chuckle as he pulled out the flora for Bonnie to see. The bunny gasped in amazement for a moment before reaching out to take them. He turned to Freddy in disbelief the longer he looked them over and smelled them. 

"... Freddy, you... you got this...?" 

The bear nodded again, barely catching the bunny as he lunged forward without warning and trapped Freddy in a tight embrace, nuzzling his chest affectionately. 

"Awe, baby~! You're so romantic, Freddy..." He giggled and pulled away, covering his muzzle in an attempt to hide his bright pink cheeks. 

"Anything for my sweet flower." He leaned over to peck Bonnie's temple affectionately before gently guiding his chin up. 

"Now let's go to the living room. Before I have to leave, I want to make you a nice meal." He insisted and stood up again, despite the bunny trying to insist he shouldn't. 

The morning felt just wonderful to Freddy. He had prepared them a good breakfast and left to get the milk from the box like he said he would to make them drinks. He could not remember a time in his life he had felt so at peace. Even just silently enjoying eachother's company was enough to keep him quietly purring the entire morning. It was almost physically painful when Freddy had to kiss his beloved bunny goodbye and leave again. 

And as he did best, his father would tarnish his joy almost immediately as he got home, when he passed some heavy news to Freddy. 

"One of your first cousins, from your mother's side, was arrested yesterday. We are already making arrangements for his rescue, and our... response." 

The Mafia preferred to keep a low profile, and not make a spectical out of their crimes. And they were extremely loyal to family. If you were a loyal member of the group, and you happened to be arrested, you could be provided support via bond money, good lawyers for your trial, and even bribes for your release. 

But if someone from the Don's actual close family was taken in, those previous codes were thrown out the window. That was taken as an act of war. And that was in the literal sense, considering the Mafia had access to military weapons and were horrifyingly high in numbers. And that is when they resorted to more deadly and gruesome acts to send a message across. Bombings, burning buildings, slaughtering law enforcement in the streets... or like the jail break Freddy had been taken on when he was young. But even that man back then was only a close friend, not a family member. Freddy already knew this would be an absolute blood bath. But now, he had a whole new fear to worry about on top of all his others. 

It was unavoidable that innocent blood would be spilled in the carnage as well. 

Bonnie could be caught up in it, too... 

Freddy's claws were practically digging into his arms, and he clenched his jaw to hide his building worry and fear.

Chapter Text

He was not sure what he was expecting when his father had told him his mother's family were not very friendly, but he certainly was not expecting this.

He thought his aunts, uncles, and cousins would be just as excited to meet him for the first time as he was to meet them, but that couldn't be further from the truth. From the start, they were all rather hostile towards he and his father. And Freddy could understand them holding a grudge against his dad, but he was confused as to what they had against himself. 

He was not ready for the answer.

One of his aunts, whom was the most polite to him out of all of the relatives, seemed to sense that he was not like his father, and therefore, was more willing to speak to him. She asked him in private if he had anything personal and sentimental of his mother that they could take with them, since they recieved nothing of their sister after she died. Freddy agreed of course, completely understanding where they were coming from. As soon as he had some time to himself that evening, he went searching in his mother's old room. His father had, thankfully, not even bothered to go through her belongings, so all of it was left frozen in time within the room she died in. 

Freddy approached the bed slowly and shuddered to himself as he relived the moment he lost his mother. He was so young, and he still naïvely clung onto her, and comforted her for minutes... not even knowing he had been holding his mother's deceased body all that time. 

If he was asked to recount the day he 'grew up', and 'became a man'; he would say it was then. That night. He never had much of a childhood, anyway, but the night he lost his mother was the night he lost all the innocence he may have had as a kid. It was also the night he had killed for the first time, and had to take the lives of another innocent mother and her daughter. 

After that, the world just became less colorful... less joyful... He already felt like an adult.

And by now, he felt like he's been an adult for a decade now. He would wait, because he knew Bonnie was not tainted like he was, and did not rush to grow up... but Freddy already felt ready for marriage and children now, just at age eighteen. He didn't need to enjoy or 'fulfill' his youth like Bonnie did, because there was nothing to fulfill. He never had it in the first place. 

He tried ignoring those memories for now, and instead, knelt down to look under her bed for anything she may have hid from his father. Sure enough, there was quite a few stacked boxes and journals below the bed, all collecting dust. 

Freddy picked out a random box and briefly peeked inside, seeing it was full of old photos and belongings of with her family. He didn't bother looking through it and closed it again deciding it was perfect to give to the family. But then, he noticed what looked like a journal that had slid out when he pulled the box out.

Curiously, he picked it up and opened the old notebook to get a glimpse of his mother's thoughts. It was a barrage of different things, including recipes, poems, journal entries, and letter drafts. He supposed it was nothing out of the ordinary for a journal. He was just surprised but relieved that it looked like she could write to a few of her relatives, if not see them. One of them caught his eye, as it was addressed to one of her sisters, but it mentioned himself. He felt somewhat guilty looking at this, and only hoped this would not be disrespectful to his mother. 

He was quite intrigued as to what his mother would say. Even excited. But the small smile on his face would quickly disappear as he read some of what she had to say about him. 

'... too clingy...'

'... too shy...'

'... scared of everything...'

She was speaking negative of him, though it was different than how his father would speak of him. It was not coming from a place of superiority, or hate, or a need for control... but a place of defeat. Melancholy. Almost like she pitied Freddy.

'... and it pains me, and makes me feel so guilty to admit this... but I cannot say I feel anything when he hugs me... or calls me 'mama'. I should feel joy, attachment, love... but I do not. Everytime I hear him, or see him... all I can see is his father...'

'... it is so difficult for me to not carry that resentment for my son. He has not done anything wrong... but he trapped me with this man. I had no choice but to mother him... it is so wrong of me, but I can't help it..."

"... I hate his father. And I hate him." 

From all the heartache and horrors he's ever witnessed, Freddy forgot he even had a heart anymore until he felt it drop as he read that. His arms slowly fell and lowered the journal, and he stared off at nothing as he slowly came to terms with what he just read. 

..

"... what could I have done differently...? I-I don't... u-understand-" his voice trembled as he tearfully recounted his finding.

When he discovered his mother's notes, early the next day, he met with Bonnie again right away. He felt rude showing up to the bunny's work completely unannounced a day after he stayed over for the night, but he needed his partner right now. Thankfully, the bunny had one more day off, and was home alone in the apartment within the café. And seeing how distraught Freddy was, he was more than willing to provide solace for him. He had taken the bear into his own room in the apartment so they could speak privately.

Bonnie frowned as he heard that and placed a warm, gentle paw on his shoulder for reassurance from where he was sitting beside him on the side of the bed.

"There was nothing you could've done, love... this wasn't your fault at all, you didn't choose your father!" Bonnie assured him. Freddy took a shaky breath out and wiped his eyes.

"... and I'm not angry... I-I don't blame her, I... I know how my dad t-treated her... I know she d-didn't have a choice, and I... I feel... s-sorry for her, that she... h-had t-to have me..." His voice gradually broke and fell apart more and more by the end as he came to terms with what he was saying.

"I-it just... it hurts, because...! B-because I l-loved her s-so... m-much-! I... I tried so h-hard to p-protect her, a-and m-make her... h-happy...!" He could not hold it in anymore, and a paw rose to cover his eyes as he hunched over and leaned up on his elbows as his shoulders shook with sobs. 

It took him a while to realize Bonnie was holding onto him, until he felt his boyfriend's arms wrap around his chest and pull him in as he leaned back, until Bonnie was laid back against the pillows. His arms wrapped around Freddy's upper back, and he settled his legs on either side of his waist, letting the bear's head rest against his collar and the crook of his neck. When Freddy realized it, he was quick to lean into the affection and returned an even tighter embrace, pressing his muzzle deeper into Bonnie's neck and breathing in his scent he had grown accustomed to by now. He felt himself begin relaxing more as Bonnie hushed him gently and moved his right arm to rest over his shoulder instead, petting and scratching the back of Freddy's head in reassurance. 

"I know you did, my love... you were such a good son. Both of you were just... given unfortunate circumstances. You did absolutely nothing wrong." He whispered, craning his head down to kiss Freddy's forehead affectionately. When he shifted slightly, so his chin was on Bonnie's chest and he could make eye contact with his partner, the bunny gave him a smile of patient fondness, and moved his paws to cradle Freddy's cheeks in his palms and wipe off his tears with his thumbs.

"You can save your love for those who will appreciate it, and who will cherish you a much as you do them..."

Freddy hesitated for a moment, scanning his partner's face for any indication he was lying. He had been fooled by his mother's affection before, and now feared this could be another lie. But as he recalled his past, and the way his mother would look at him, there was not even a comparison. He could see now how forced her affection had been, how obviously fake her smiles were. All of those little details he could not pick up on as a child. Or maybe didn't want to pick up on...

But the way Bonnie was looking at him was different. He looked so genuinely engaged in the moment, so invested in making Freddy feel better. There was no act, and he had no reason to pretend, or force his attention. He truly valued Freddy.

It couldn't heal the wound, but it was enough to patch it up for now. He felt some relief return to him as he pulled himself forward and rubbed their noses together affectionately, making the bunny shake with small giggles, but he kept his paws on Freddy's jaw. Freddy pressed their foreheads together with a sigh of relief, letting himself enjoy this moment. Confessing to Bonnie was the best decision he could have made. Being in love was the only thing keeping him going anymore. It was such a powerful and addicting drug to him that he was starved of for so long, and now he couldn't get enough of it. 

After another few moments of lingering with their foreheads pressed together, Bonnie opened his eyes and chuckled lightly, which caught Freddy's attention and made him pull away just slightly and open his eyes as well. As soon as he did, he was met with those beautiful, rosey-red eyes, and was instantly hooked.

"You've been pressing your forehead against me for a whole minute now-" he pointed out with slight confusion, making Freddy chuckle.

"I'm just doing exactly what you told me to... I'm giving all of my love to the one who truly loves me." He assured with a smile. 

His eyes traveled down to Bonnie's lips, and as soon as he saw the adorable bunny's smile and dimples, he was already leaning in. Bonnie giggled again before leaning in as well and allowing them to share a prolonged, tender kiss between each other. The longer the kiss went on, the more desperate Freddy became for healing, for love, for the warmth only Bonnie could provide. Before he knew it, he was feeling up and down the bunny's sides as Bonnie wrapped his arms around Freddy's neck more securely. 

Once his paw dipped under Bonnie's pajama blouse, and began feeling his bare chest and skin, the bunny broke away with a breath of air. He had a look of vulnerability, love, and want directed at Freddy as his smile shook and softened somewhat.

"I-I love you, teddy..." 

"I love you, too, my angel..." 

Their beginning of intimacy would be interrupted as Bonnie tensed suddenly, but it was not immediately known to Freddy. It was not until he felt his partner gently push him away from kissing his neck, and warned him to halt.

"Freddy, stop-" he whispered.

He paused immediately and pulled away, giving his partner a worried look in fear he went too far again. To his surprise, however, Bonnie's cautious gaze and attention were turned towards his window. 

"... is something wrong-?" Freddy whispered. 

After another few seconds of quiet listening, Bonnie glanced at Freddy in concern.

"There are people outside the resteraunt. A group... but they should know it's closed-" he whispered. 

Freddy felt more worry and tension build in the air as Bonnie's look of concern quickly turned into one of horror. The bunny suddenly pulled his night shirt closed in alarm and huddled tightly on the bed fearfully. 

"What?? What's wrong?!" Freddy questioned. 

"W-we're in danger-! I think they're gonna' break in!" He whispered more frantically, pushing his legs to hang off the bed.

Before Freddy could question him further, he froze at the sound of a bang on the door, followed by sounds of metal clawing and hitting against the knob. Freddy and Bonnie only had time to stand up from bed, when they suddenly heard what sounded like the door knob being busted off, and the door being kicked down. It was followed by the sound of a handful of men, their heavy footsteps and voices rushing into the apartment. 

Bonnie shot Freddy a fearful look, and the bear had to act fast to protect them. He was not carrying his usual hidden firearm because he was with Bonnie, it was in his car. He scowled in frustration and pulled Bonnie behind him as he heard them quickly approaching the room. He had no idea who was coming, but when they revealed themselves, it had to be the most horrifying reality possible. 

His own family and some of his men. From his father and mother's side. They stormed in with their usual suits and firearms, and advanced on them immediately. Freddy felt himself get roughly grabbed by the tricep and pulled away from his partner, and watched helplessly as two of them lunged at his boyfriend and locked his arms behind his back. Bonnie cried out in a mix of fear and confusion, and struggled frantically in their grip. He called out to Freddy in desperation as they had his arms completely restrained. 

"Wait...! what are you-?!" Freddy cried, instinctively running to his aid but stopping as one of them stepped in front and blocked him.

"The fuck do you think you're doing?!" His cousin whispered sharply. 

"Your father sent someone to follow you cause he thought you were sneaking around with someone! Then he sent us to stop it!" 

"You know this is not our code!" Another one spoke out. 

Bonnie glanced in terror between the armed men, but upon hearing them, tensed in shock and turned to Freddy expectantly.

"Y-you know them...?!" Bonnie questioned desperately. 

Before Freddy could stutter out some kind of explanation, the bear who first confronted him turned to Bonnie and pointed an accusing finger at his chest.

"And you. You have some fuckin' balls to be sleepin' around with the Don's son! This little affair is over!" He snarled threateningly.

Bonnie did not even have time to react to the man exposing Freddy, and only struggled more frantically between them with teary, pleading eyes.

"I-I didn't...!" He tried explaining, only to be cut off by the sound of a click, and the feeling of the man whipping out his small firearm and pressing it against the bunny's  sternum as a threat.

"Just take him straight to the Don. He'll tell us what to do with the bunny." He turned to the other men to give the order. 

The whole world was crumbling around Freddy, and the feeling of helplessness was suffocating as his worst nightmare unfolded in front of his very eyes. He had to quickly think of some way to get Bonnie out of this within seconds. 

"D-don't take him!" Freddy ordered, trying with difficulty to keep his voice steady. When the others turned to him expectantly, he felt his throat constricting as he thought of his excuse. Even just lying about this was still painful for him to say in front of his partner.

"It's hardly an affair, my father never arranged a marriage for me, and he's nothing to me, either." He gestured to Bonnie. 

"He didn't know my title, I was just trying to sleep with him!" He explained with a neutral but frustrated expression, avoiding Bonnie's hurt look. If he could convince them that Bonnie was just an innocent civilian, they would have to leave him alone. 

The man paused his intense stare on him, shifting it to Bonnie to read his expression, which quickly shifted back to fearful as he looked back at him, then back to Freddy. His face scrunched in frustration before he finally growled in defeat, gesturing for the others to let the bunny go. Bonnie was abruptly released and pushed down, landing on his knees. He recovered from the fall quickly and crawled backwards away from the armed men.

The man gestured for Freddy to follow them out. "He's safe for now. You've got a lot of explaining to do to your dad." 

Freddy trailed somewhat behind them with his head low, turning to Bonnie one last time before leaving. One look at his boyfriend's aghast look of betrayal was enough to make him emotional as well, as he gave him a sorrowed, deeply remorseful look to express a silent apology to him before quickly leaving behind them. 

..

"I knew there was something going on, but I was hoping you wouldn't disappoint me so..." His father began, keeping his eerily calm gaze on his stack of papers at his desk he was sitting behind. Freddy tried in vain to explain himself again. 

"I'm young, I'm not married yet, I was just messing around! I don't see the issue-" he argued, maintaining his lie.

"You're an embarrassment!" His father raised his voice suddenly, standing up from his seat to loom over Freddy. In response to the moment of tense silence, his father continued.

"You are meant to uphold an image of honor! Everyone's eyes will be on us right now, and we can't afford for you to go 'messing around', you idiot! You'll single-handedly make a joke of my entire business!" 

Freddy dropped his head in defeat, deciding it was not worth arguing about. 

"I am sorry, father... that was never my intention."

His father sighed deeply, cooling off somewhat as he fully stood up from his desk and began to pace aimlessly.

"You're not a child anymore, so there will be no more 'messing around' for you. It's time you became a man..." he began, turning his back to Freddy and his gaze out the window.

"... after careful thought and consideration, I have found a suitable wife for you, and arranged with her family. If you so eager to meet someone and experiment, I'll let them know we can begin planning the ceremony immediately after this is over." He concluded. 

"What?!" Freddy stood up abruptly. "No, I never said...!" He was cut off.

"I don't want to hear your bullshit right now! That's what is happening, and there will be no more sneaking around for you!" His voice boomed.

"I didn't want this...!" 

"I don't care what you want! And don't you go talking back to me!" He warned, advancing on Freddy and pointing a harsh, accusing finger on his chest. But Freddy was so distraught and enraged, he kept pushing, even though he knew this was a poor idea. He was so distracted by his own intense emotions at the thought of losing Bonnie, he missed that familiar dangerous look his father was giving him.

"I won't do it again, okay?! But you can't just arrange something like this without-!" 

Freddy was suddenly silenced by what felt like a harsh, blunt force colliding with his nose. He felt a pain so intense, it sent a paralyzing wave  of shock through his whole body, and a momentary numbness in his nose. His nerves buzzed from oversensitivity, and the force of the hit sent him falling back. 

He clenched and shifted his trembling jaw back into place. When he lifted a paw to his muzzle to sooth the damage, he was alarmed by the copper taste he felt in his mouth, and the blood now smudged onto his paw. When he glanced up, he knew his father had punched him, but now saw a bulky golden ring on his finger that must have hardened the blow. He was aghast and speechless, and only stared at his father in disbelief, who did not seem deterred by his injuries. He had not been physically attacked by his father for a while, and had made the mistake of letting his guard down.

"Oh, can't I?!" He taunted threateningly. 

Freddy forced himself to his feet again, but still backed away and cowarded in fear, being brought back to his childhood of nightmares at the paws of his dad. 

"What are you gonna'do about it?? Keep running your mouth?!" He was trying to instigate Freddy to fight back, yet for some reason, he wouldn't. 

He was nearly bigger than his father was, and he was younger and in better shape... so why couldn't he fight back? 

He mentally cursed himself. After being a helpless child for years, it's all he knew. He couldn't bring himself to fight back, because somehow, he still felt like a small, defenseless cub when it came to his father. 

Taking his continued silence as a sign of victory, his father merely gestured to the door with an unwavering look on his face.

"Get out of my sight."

Freddy scrambled to catch his footing and quickly left for the door, opening and shutting it behind him quickly. In the heat of the moment, he remembered what transpired with Bonnie earlier, and ran to his study in a hurry in hope of calling him. Each time he tried to call, and the operators tried to forward him, it was unsuccessful. Bonnie would not pick up his phone. He shut the device down in frustration and collapsed in his chair, the weight of the situation finally dawning on him. Bonnie wasn't coming back. Why would he after that-?

Freddy finally had real love in his life that felt worth something, and he threw it away. Not only their relationship, but surely their friendship as well. 

He wasn't even sure if Bonnie was safe. What if they returned after he left to punish the bunny?! What if Bonnie was dead??

His claws gripped at his swelling, bloody face in intense stress, and his cheeks heated up with oncoming tears while his breath was getting caught in his throat. He felt like he was suffocating the more he thought about.