#TW: implied acholism (I think)

[welcome-to-afton-robotics]

for  an  angsty  starter . for michael afton

Angsty Starter For: @luposcainus ! (Possible Triggers added in edit tags)

Michael doesn't let his grief overtake him often, he's a man who focuses on what's truly important in this life: Undoing the misdeeds of his father. His mission should be the only focus he has and everything else should come secondary to it. In a sense, he helped contribute to the kill count William had acquired by forcibly shoving his brother into Fredbear’s jar. That day? Michael lost the man he loved to grief and grief made a monster out of him. In desperation, a man would do anything to put his family back together and that act in itself was a selfish one. Michael couldn't be certain as to when William’s goals shifted from fatherly desperation to self-preservation but the single thing he could say with confidence was that his father became a cruel creature.

No matter his intent, he did unspeakable, horrible, gut-wrenching things to those children and he couldn't forgive William. His memories of the Father he once adored are too tainted now to ever think of forgiveness, to ever think of taking a different path in life that wasn't retribution. Perhaps his desire to redeem himself in the eyes of his brother and God did help fuel his mission further as well. There is an undeniable hand that it played in how he evolved as a person. He was no longer terrorized, he no longer bullied, he just existed as Michael, with no added title or descriptor.

On days where the burden became particularly heavy, he'd allow himself a rare visit to Junior’s. Michael despised that bar with a passion, it's the very one William frequented to drink away his sorrows and pain in those early days. Whenever he enters, the older patrons look at him with pity. Do they recognize him as his father’s son? Do they see him in the same light as him? Those unspoken questions infuriated Michael.

He didn't want to be seen as William. He didn't want to be seen as his son.

Michael does his best to ignore as he takes his seat and focuses on the menu.

Just ignore them, Michael, just ignore them. They do not know you, they do not know him like you do, just ignore them.