It's Not The Answer He's Expecting ( Not That He Was Expecting Much To Begin With ), Breath Hitching

★ — It's not the answer he's expecting ( not that he was expecting much to begin with ), breath hitching and a momentary flash of fear catching in his eyes. Did she know about the missing children, then?

"I told you I don't care about the animatronics."

Well, that's partially a lie ; he cares about one animatronic, but he's had enough up close and personal experiences with the others to last a lifetime.

"There's — somethin' I need to try and find, okay?"

She pauses for a moment, not having expected him to actually question her on that. "My dad owns the place." Not...exactly, sure, but it was something like that. She didn't need to get into it. Besides, weren't kids usually gullible or something? Hopefully that's enough for him to leave her be oh, if only she knew what she's getting herself into with Gregory.

She raised an eyebrow, "And why exactly is the number of people watching such a big deal? Again, seeing the animatronics up close and personal, not worth it."

Where have you been? / vanny (give me that sweet, sweet princess quest ending content)

Jurassic Park (1993) starters

★ — Gregory freezes mid - step at her voice, a sharp inhale ( he hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath in the first place ) as his gaze darts towards the woman he hadn't initially noticed, far too focused on not making a sound as he came back in, hopeful the escapade would go unnoticed. Too late for that — it seems he'd been caught red - handed, a deer in the headlights.

It's not the first time he's snuck out, from Vanessa's care or otherwise. It's not the first time he's been caught, either, at least as far as otherwise is concerned. If Vanessa had noticed Gregory's absences, she hadn't approached him about them until now. He'd begun to assume that she might be like the guardians he's had in the past who simply didn't care where he was or what he was doing.

( not that this arrangement has been long - established ; a few weeks at most ).

Something swirls in his stomach. Embarrassment. Though rather than having the sense to look sheepish over his oversight, Gregory's posture lifts into something defense ; his brows furrowing, expression turning to a scowl, shoulders pulled back and back straightening. It makes him look just a little bit bigger, but it's almost pathetic on a kid as small and scrawny as he is.

If he stopped to think for even a moment, he would realize that the embarrassment stems from the fact that he might have worried her, after everything they've gone through, rather than simply being flustered over being caught. He doesn't think, though — simply acts. Just as he does on the assumption that he must be in trouble, if she's been waiting for him.

"Why do you care, huh? You just wanna keep me stuck here."

The door closes behind him — not a slam, but not shut gently either. He's not looking at her any longer, instead turning his glare to a particularly interesting spot on the floor just to the left of her. ( anywhere but at her, where he could see if she's disappointed in the kid she took in ).

"Did Freddy tell you I was gone? I told him not to tell you."

freddies pals

“ you look like you could use a hug. ” ( let rosa hug the kid ! )

‘𝐬𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐲’ 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐬.

★ — Gregory is a difficult child. He knows this to be true about himself, has heard it said time and time again. It's why everyone gives up on him, eventually, even if some take longer than others. This is a longer situation. Michael, and everything that comes with him is a longer situation and he is trying so, so hard to not get complacent, to not get comfortable, so scared it will be gone the moment he does.

He doesn't trust — finds it difficult to accept kindness as something genuine, even on good days. Comfort has never been extended towards him, so he's stopped seeking it out. Always easier to nurse his own wounds than find someone who would potential inflict more.

But Rosa seems genuine in her concern, in her soft offer. She's been nothing but kind to him ever since realizing who he was. And perhaps it's only because her son took him in ( maybe she doesn't really care, not about him ), but Gregory is so tired, and all the words he could say feel stuck in his throat. He makes no sound ; only regards her with wide brown eyes, a mixture of weary fear and something that's beginning to look like acceptance.

After a moment of long hesitation, he nods — a gesture so small it could be missed if she weren't paying attention.

𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐕𝐒. 𝐌𝐔𝐍

𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐘: @muutos ( ty !! ) 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆: @defenseonly @offenseonly @makeswell @insidefantasy and anyone who wants to steal it from me

sometimes I’m like yeah I worked with kids I know how kids can act and then I remember I worked with kids while I was in the literal circus and the ten year old I was closest to walked a tightrope and rode a unicycle while juggling and is maybe an outlier in ten year old behavior