A/N: So, this is something I've had in my docs since last year and I just now came back to it. Just a story for the fun of it. (Which I'll probably loose interest in but I'll see how this goes) I had been in a pretty big Jeremike phase back when and this came out of my head. Decided to spruce it up, add in an old au of mine and finish it off. Sorry for any grammatical mistakes. I'm dead tired and need sleep, but this was too good not to finish off.

Disclaimer: I don't own FNAF. That belongs to good old Scotty boy.

-:-

Mike waited outside the pizzeria in the cold night air. He wasn't going inside that place yet for two reasons.

One: Those animatronics were literal killing machines. It was amazing that those things, made for children, could scare an adult out of their wits (Well, teenager.). It was hard for him to believe that they were made for that purpose. They all seemed terrifying to him. As if they should have long, sharp rows of teeth. Their suits like they should be worn down and old, patches and holes running across them, exposing wires and their bare endoskeletons. But those were just the nightmares talking to him.

Mike shuddered slightly at the thought, pulling his cap lower, covering a tender area of his head.

The only reason he was still even working in this hell hole was so he could pay off a few debts. God knew his parents needed it. And he had to repay them somehow. He didn't want to be considered a liability anymore, no matter how much they detested the idea.

As for the second reason: He was waiting for a new trainee to come around. Management had thought it would be better for both the company, and Mike's own health, to hire another guard. When he heard this, he rejected the option; he thought he could manage it on his own. He wasn't so handicapped that he couldn't function properly. But, he also didn't want to put anyone else in his position. He thought that another guard would only be another thing to look after, another object that could break.

But, managment had him overruled, and before he knew it, he was standing here in the middle of night waiting on someone he didn't even know. The only information he had on the guy was his name: Jeremy.

That name rang a bell in his head. He just didn't know why.

Mike shrugged it off, sighing, a steam of hot breath swirling in the cool air. He checked his watch.

11:45.

Newbie had fifteen more minutes before he'd have to give up and head in. Mike expected as much. He had been late on his first day as well. It hadn't helped he was dazed on that day too. It had taken him a while to get a handle of the ropes here, but he had a pattern he went through, except, he had to be in by midnight. Who knows what would happen if the animatronics were left to wonder freely. Not like they didn't already, it all seemed a little stupid really. But, the job paid, so, he had to put up with it. Even if it would be the death of him. But he managed to cheat death once, so why couldn't he do it again?

"E-excuse me?" A voice came from beside him.

Mike lifted his head.

To his left was a boy, probably 16, his age. He was a quite a bit shorter than him, only reaching to his shoulders. A brown fringe shadowed his eyes, longer strands falling to lightly touch the tips of his shoulders. He wore a pale blue uniform, much like his own. A cap was over his head, bearing a name tag. It read: Jeremy.

Jeremy was playing with the buttons on his coat, looking down at the ground as if he was nervous.

"You the new guard?" Mike asked.

Jeremy nodded his head and said (more like stuttered) a yes.

Mike pushed himself off the wall he leaned against and signalled Jeremy to follow him. He checked his watch again as they entered the pizzeria.

11:50.

Ten more minutes.

Mike had been through this routine more then he could count, but that didn't mean he was any less frightened by it.

He passed by the stage where the three main animatronics stood. The lighting was dull and dark, casting a sort of eerie shadow over them.

Suddenley, a yelp rang through the room.

Mike turned swiftly, but only found Jeremy staring up at the animatronics. It was the first time seeing his eyes, even if they were still covered slightly by his fringe; they looked up fearfully at the robots, shocked almost. But, there was something else about them. He couldn't pin point it, but, they looked familiar. All bright, cloudy blue, trembling slightly.

"Hey!" Mike yelled across the room. Jeremy jumped slightly, giving another yelp before turning and running to Mike.

"Sorry." Jeremy apologised.

"Those th-things just look so-"

"Creepy?" Mike interjected. Jeremy looked up at him, then back away.

"Y-yah."

Jeremy and Mike walked in silence the rest of the way, Jeremy glancing from side to side every now and again. He seemed paranoid. Did he know about what goes on here at night? Then, why would he take the job?

'You're being ridiculous.' He thought to himself. 'If anyone actually knew what went on here, they wouldn't come within a mile of this place.' He thought on that for a moment then realised how hypocritical he sounded. He chuckled slightly at this. It was likely the newbie would be gone by morning.

As Mike reached the office, the lights shut off. He heard Jeremy yelp again. Mike pulled him inside, not letting him stay out in the hall.

Jeremy shivered in his grip. He felt small and fragile. He would've called any other guy pathetic if they did that, but he had to remember, this place was basically it's own haunted house. Minus the fake horror figurines and replaced with animatronic animals. The night was only going to get worse for him.

"Don't worry," Mike said, reassuring Jeremy. "The lights will come on any moment now."

The next second, the lights in the office flickered and turned on, a pale yellow shade covering them.

Mike released his grasp on Jeremy, letting out a sigh as he flopped into the black swivel chair next to the desk. He pulled out a stool from underneath for Jeremy. Mike swivelled around in the chair to face him.

"Alright, here's how things work around here." Mike started eyeing Jeremy down, the short brunette seeming to shuffle uncomfortably under his gaze.

"I work the cameras, you check the lights and shut the doors only when I say so, got it?" The newbies eyes seemed to question him. Mike sighed as he twirled around in his chair, not giving Jeremy the time to reply or interject, grabbing the tablet that controlled the cameras, checking on the animatronics. They were all on stage. Thank god.

"Look, just don't question anything." Mike continued. "All I can say is, if you don't follow my rules, things will get ugly real fast." Mike glanced back at Jeremy.

He was sitting on the stool, looking slightly paler, but still trying to stay alert. Mike expected as much. He doubted he would make it through the night without passing out though, seeing as how small he looked. Especially if that bunny got to the door. The thing would probably give him a heart attack. Nearly gave him one on his first night.

But, all there was to do was wait now.

Time passed, Mike checked the digital clock on the tablet.

2:00.

Four more hours to go. None of the animatronics had moved yet, not even the bunny. But, it was Monday, things always were calmer earlier in the week.

Newbie seemed to be holding on fairly well. He was a bit fidgety, but he betted the stool wasn't to comfortable. Didn't help that Mike didn't bother to strike up a conversation. But, he needed to concentrate. If not, they were both dead before morning. He couldn't just chat and listen at the same time. It had become harder for him to multitask since his 'accident'. But, that was just the price to pay. It was just another annoyance he had to deal with all thanks to a few certain people.

Mike realised he was drifting off in his own thoughts, shaking his head to snap himself out of it. He checked the cameras.

The band was still there.

Mike sighed in relief, allowing himself to sink into his chair a little.

A thought like that would've caused him to be sooner dead any other day. Thank god the animatronics weren't very active tonight.

"D-do you know there names?" He heard Jeremy ask.

Mike stared back at him again. Jeremy was looking at the screen, staring intently at the animatronics. Mike sat himself up straighter in his chair, turning his attention back to the screen. He answered quickly and firmly, not liking to be distracted.

"Yah, they're Bonnie, Chica, and Freddy."

"Freddy is the bear?" Jeremy asked.

"Yes." Mike answered.

"And Bonnie is the bunny."

"Yep."

"And Chica is the . . . duck?" Jeremy hesitated.

"Chicken." Mike corrected him.

"But she has webbed feet. How is that possible?" Jeremy continued.

Mike sighed irritably. He wasn't in for a whole spiel on the anatomy of one of the animatronics. He needed to concentrate, and newbie needed to understand that.

He placed the tablet down on the desk, leaving it on as he twirled around to face Jeremy.

"Look, newbie, I'm not here to go on a whole iteration with you on why that thing is anatomically incorrect, I'm just here to get us through the night and survive this godforsaken hell we have to go through." Mike ranted. Jeremy seemed to small back a bit. "So, you need to get it through whatever brain you have that I can't simply chit chat to you about these things if you want to survive the night-"

"The camera fuzzed out." Jeremy interrupted.

Mike cursed, realising while had had been biting off the newbies ear he hadn't been paying attention to the cameras. The screen was still buzzing with static when he picked it up, phasing back only to see two animatronics on the stage now. Mike cursed again, checking all the cameras until he found the purple bunny in the supply closet.

He sighed in relief once again, his shoulders relaxing from their once tense position. He cupped his face in his hands, groaning slightly. That was a close one.

"I'm sorry." He heard Jeremy mutter quietly.

Mike removed his head from his hands, eyes closed tightly.

"It's not your fault." Mike said. He had to admit, it was rather harsh of him to nag newbie off for something so trivial. Especially on his first day. He was just high strung from to many sleepless nights, and maybe just a little bit paranoid. This job got to him after all, no matter how many times he tried to rub it off. But, that was just another price to pay. Just like everything else. There was always something to pay, wasn't there?

He sighed again, opening his eyes, concentrating on the cameras again. He glanced back at newbie who was staring at the floor, twiddling his thumbs.

Mike set down the tablet, and twirled around to face Jeremy again. Hell, he needed to break the ice eventually, and he might as well do it now before it caused problems for him on any of the other nights.

"Hey," He started, catching Jeremy's attention as he took his eyes off the floor, looking at Mike meekly.

"Sorry about . . . earlier. I just . . . I just get a little too stuck up in things sometimes." He continued. "I hope we can start from the beggining again. After all, I don't think I introduced myself." Mike realised how rude he must have seemed. So much for first impressions.

Jeremy's face seemed to brighten up as he grinned, chuckling.

"No problem." He replied.

Mike grinned slightly at newbie's happier face and held out a hand towards him.

"Name's Mike. Mike Schmidt." He said as Jeremy shook his hand only to stop suddenly. Jeremy stared at him wide eyed, shocked maybe?

Mike furrowed his brows. Did he have something on his face?

"What's up?" Mike asked, curious.

His question seemed to snap Jeremy out of whatever trance he had been in as the shorter male chuckled nervously.

"U-um, nothing. I . . . just thought that I had heard your name before is all." Jeremy stuttered. "Oh! And my name is Jeremy. Jeremy Fitzgerald."

Mike stared at Jeremy a few moments, confused, before shrugging it off, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Well then, Jeremy," Mike began as he directed his attention towards the tablet again.

"I guess you're stuck with me." He grinned slightly as he finished his statement. He heard Jeremy chuckle ever so slightly from the comment as he snarkily muttered, "Sadly." under his breath.

Mike's grin formed into a smile.

Maybe his nights would be just a little more interesting. And maybe he'd finally lay off the routine for a bit. Be a little less tense.

Maybe having a partner, wasn't so bad after all.

-:-

A/N: So, I guess just tell me how that was in the reviews. May or may not update this frequently depending on my interest, but I'll see how this goes. Till next time~