Mike raised a brow as Jeremy crept closer, a playful smile on his face as he lunged forward, fingers moving quickly in the guards sides. He didn't get much of a reaction, however. The security guard frowned at the action, unamused. A Schmidt was never ticklish.

Jeremy went pale as he realized his mistake, taking a cautious step backwards. Suddenly, a dangerous spark lit in Mike's eye as he slowly turned to face the nightwatch. His hands rose, fingers twitching in mock as a grin spread across his face. You done goofed, Jeremy. Don't feed the tickle shark.

Jeremy spent the next half hour frantically running from Mike's mischievous hands.

There was a tenseness in the room, something thick enough you could bite down on it and hold on. It choked Jeremy, stilling him. Freezing his body to stare directly in Mike's direction, only, it wasn't the security guard that held his attention.

Mike remained obvious, still chattering about the events of his shift. He leaned over the restroom sink, head craned down to wash his face. Unknown to him, as he dipped down, his reflection remained upright in the mirror, locking gazes with the startled nightwatch.

It held it's stare, the body darkening and becoming translucent as it morphed. It was, for lack of a better word: hauntingly. Just a void black figure with piercing stark eyes, smokey tendrils swirling around as it opened it's teeth, white as the stitches seen across it's skull.

It appeared to breath as Jeremy felt his own lungs halt, confused and scared of the figure. In the glass, he could see his own reflection, and felt a shudder run down his spine as the apparition smiled, calmly wrapping around his body as it placed it's hands on Jeremy's shoulders. Friendly.

Frightened, Jeremy spun around, expectant to see what the reflection had displayed, but to no avail, the room was empty. No one was in there but Mike and himself.

He turned back to the mirror, blinking when he found the figure gone, Mike's reflection back in it's proper place as he rose from the sink. He ran a towel over his dripping face, furrowing his brows at the younger male. "Yo...Jere, what's the matter?" Mike eased, eyeing the nightwatch. "You look like you've just seen a ghost"

"I swear, Jeremy, I'm going to set Fazbear's on fire one day"

Jeremy laughed at the threat, earning a small frown and an eye roll form the security guard. Mike reached over and ruffled his hair, a playful smirk on his face.

Only later would Jeremy realize that Mike wasn't kidding.

"Well, well, well...." Mike smirked, plucking the sketchbook from Jeremy's grasp "What's this?"

The nightwatch whimpered as the man mindlessly flipped through the pages, holding it out dramatically to keep it from the teen's reach. "That's not yours!" Jeremy stammered, his pencil slipping from his grasp. "G-give it back-!"

He cut himself short as the security guard's smirk disappeared, re-positioning the book to handle it carefully. Blue eyes ran thoughtfully over each page, soaking in the details. Then, a small hint of a smile tugged at his lips.

He turned to look down at Jeremy, whom stood helplessly on the side. Embarrassment and pressure brought a light pink to his face, a color Mike watched trail up to the tips of his ears. "How come you hid this, huh?" The guard chuckled. "Let me see this..."

Without so much of word of protest, Mike snatched the pencil up, flipping to a blank page in the back of the book. Jeremy swallowed, watching as pencil quickly scribbled on his paper. Then, Mike tossed it back to him, gently shoving the book into his hands. Jeremy winced, feeling a hand ruffle his hair. When he opened his eyes, Mike had his back turned to him, smugly walking elsewhere.

Baffled and a little curious, Jeremy flipped though the pages. He paused, a doodle catching his eye. It was nothing more than a crude scribble of two stick figures, one notably shorter than the other.

The bigger one dawned a squiggly smirk, it's beanie much too large for its head. The small one held its hand, little lines on the sides of its cheeks for a mock blush. Jeremy frowned at the mass scribble on it's own head, probably signifying the hair. Two arrows trailed down form the top of the paper, leading titles to the stick men. 'You & Me'

Mike sputter out a call of pain, doubling over. He clutched himself protectively, dropping to his knees. From the ground, he gave Jeremy a glare that promised revenge. But for now, he withered in agony.

Jeremy stood nervously over the man, a little shocked by the deed he had just committed. With a mumble of a half-hearted apology, he picked up his book bag and ran from the room, his cheeks red and burning.

Never again would Mike Schmidt underestimate how low short people could reach. And how hard they could hit.

It was dark and warm tonight, a rare combination. While it was pleasant, it would have been much nicer to have had a ride, Mike thinks. His truck was going to break down sooner or later. He went to the bar anyway. Had a single drink, stayed sober by habit, kept to himself and had to deflect the occasional drunken chick. Nothing exciting.

He steps outside and groans as he shakes out his cigarette box, muttering to himself as he throws it to the side. Empty again, and if he thought correctly, it had something to do with a certain Fitzgerald. Sighing to himself, he leans against a brick wall, admiring the city lights.

There was familiar movement from across the street. Without so much of a second thought, Mike zeroed in on the individual, raising an eyebrow in recognition. He checked his watch; much too late for someone like that to be out by themselves. Especially in this part of town. Unsure, the guard sighs, moving away from the wall and walking a simple pace down the sidewalk.

It was the weekend, meaning no Fazbear's. Downtown was lit up in neon signs and flickering street lights, a small figure walking underneath them. Jeremy quietly notes how empty the sidewalks are and turns a corner. The alley way was dark and wet, from the earlier rain no less. He's stayed way too late at the school, headache and empty stomach. Giving tutoring sessions really dragged the time out, too bad he wasn't getting paid much for them.

There were two to three silhouettes at the end of the alley, but Jeremy paid them no mind. He minded his own business, gripping his backpack's strap tighter as he passed. The group spared him a glance before returning back to their conversation, hardly giving him any acknowledgment. Jeremy passed them easily enough, ready to walk another block or three before he made it home.

Footsteps behind him. His bag is pulled from his shoulders and a hand latches onto his arm, yanking him down to the concrete. Jeremy gives a yelp as a boot slams into his side, instinctively curling into himself.

He can hear the contents of his book bag being dumped out onto the ground, a combination of voices and the sound of sneakers squeaking as they ran. Through the hurt, he manages to open his eyes, only to bite his tongue and flinch them closed again as he was pulled from the ground, flung into the side of the building.

His head hit the brick. Everything was dimming.

Slowly, Jeremy slid down off the wall. He sat down in the ground, green, dazed, half-lidded eyes trying desperately to scan the situation. To find an escape. But another blow struck him in his chest, and he choked on his own spit. There was no way out of this, he was just going to have to take it. If he was lucky, the least he'll get is a broken limb or two. If not, well, he hoped his mother didn't expect him home anytime soon.

He was hurt. He was scared. But he was ready to accept the beatings.

But then it stopped. The hovering shadow over him disappeared, like someone had pulled it away. Through blurry vision and stinging tears, Jeremy opened his eyes.

The bullies who were assaulting him had their own problem to deal with now. Jeremy watched with dizzy consciousness as a mystery figure darted across his vision, raising his right hand and solidly hooking one of the men. The poor soul's chin snapped back on impact, stumbling backwards until he tripped over one of his presumably already unconscious friends. In the dark, there wasn't much light to provide a visual, but the nightwatch could clearly make out the stream of curses that flooded from their mouths.

His erratic breathing slowed as he heard sounds of people grouping together, shouting insults and threats towards the newcomer. Then, there was a pain filled cry and the sound of something snapping. Jeremy clenched his eyes shut, pulling his knees to his chest and gripping his hair. He was utterly afraid, much too shocked to move from his spot. He didn't have a clue of what was happening and frankly, he didn't want to know. He just wanted to go home.

There was a patter of footsteps retreating as two hands reached out, hovering over his own. Then, they took hold of the nightwatch's fingers and gently pulled them away from his head. Jeremy flinched at the contact, expecting another blow to the gut or smack to the face. Instead, a pleasant warmth left his hands as his face was cupped, preening it upwards to stare directly at his savior.

Even with his panging ache, Jeremy would recognize that blue anywhere. "Are you hurt?" Mike asked, turning the teen's face from side to side. "...Do I need to take you to a hospital?" He didn't receive an answer. Instead, he frowned as the younger male's lip quivered in a multitude of emotions. Fear? Relief? Who knows? Either way, he didn't look as peachy as Mike had hoped.

He swiveled down to Jeremy's neck as he thinks this, sneering when he found a red splotch of skin peeking out from the end of his shirt. His gaze trails back, sneer deepening when he recognized the faint discoloration around the teen's right eye. Soon-to-be bruises, no doubt.

Much to the guard's displeasement, Jeremy backed away from him, swatting his grip. "I-I'm fine!" He stuttered. He took a shaky breath as he was met with a dull look of disbelief. "I-I'm f-fine I swear..." He trailed off, wincing as strong hands grip his shoulders. In one swift motion. Jeremy was pulled to his feet, sniffling as arms wrapped around his hurt figure. Fortunately for him, the heat in his face was distracting enough to outweigh the ache in his injuries.

Mike stilled as the teen squirmed in his grip, murmuring something incoherent against the guard. The older man sighed, making sure the hug was gentle enough. He didn't want to agitate any of Jeremy's bruises, now did he?

Pulling away, he sighs with disapproval. "You're a better punching bag than a liar, Jere" Taking another glance up and down the alley, Mike saunters over to the forgotten backpack, leaning down and hastily shoving it's scattered contents back inside. "I'm taking you home. You live a block or two from here, right?"

Jeremy wipes away the wetness in his eyes, staring at the guard. "...How did you...find me?" He asks, pausing when he received a questioning look in return. "I-I mean, how did you just...appear?" He tilts his head as he says this, green eyes going wide in a child-like manner.

It's so adorkable that Mike has to restrain from grinning. "Didn't you know?" He chuckles, "I'm a superhero. It's what I do"

Jeremy rolls his eyes at the sarcasm. "I thought you said you weren't into heroics..." Mike was not a hero, but he was definitely something.

Mike shrugs. "Yeah, well..." He swings the bag over his shoulder, gesturing Jeremy to walk besides him. "I can play the part, but only for you..." He pauses "Dork"

His mother opened the door with a smile, it faltering as soon as her eyes landed on her son. "Oh my god..." She flung forth, entrapping Jeremy as he cringed. The woman pressed against his skin, irritating a certain bruise on his stomach. But he wouldn't tell her that, of course. Sighing, he hugs her back. "Hi, mom..."

Behind him, Mike watches the two silently, holding the teen's bag. He lets them have their moment before coughing awkwardly. "Uh...hey, Mrs. Fitzgerald..." He leans in through the door, setting the bag down to the side before stepping away from the two.

She clutches Jeremy harder as she looks up from his shoulder. Her eyes are watery. "What happened...?" She wheezes, "Why does my son have a black eye?!"

Mike can sense the hostility in her tone and takes a step back, looking away as he sheepishly rubs his neck. "Yeah, um...about that-"

"Mike saved me, actually..." Jeremy cuts in, taking them both by surprise. "..I-uh...T-this could have been a lot worse, believe it or not...." He nervously smiles, pulling away from his mother and giving her a reassuring pat. "I'm fine, Mom. Really"

Her expression is a tell sign that she doesn't believe him, and the worry on her features only intensify as she glances over his shoulder. Mike silently shakes his head, mouthing the words 'he's not'. Jeremy raised a brow at his mother's lack of answer, swiftly turning and following her gaze to his co-worker. He frowns as Mike turns away, acting innocently. "Guys, I'm fine. Really...i-it's not that big of a deal-"

"Bullshit" The words left Mike's mouth before he could stop them. Jeremy's mother frowns in disapproval at the language, but the security guard doesn't seem to notice. "He's got a couple of bruises, Mrs. Fitzgerald. But he's too much a dweeb to admit it..." He trails off, realizing he just insulted the boy in front of his own mother. Fuck, did he really just have a single drink tonight?

Surprisingly, however, she pays no mind to the comment. "I'll take care of him" She reassures, "He can't hide everything from his mother, after all" Mike nods in agreement with her statement, the both of them turning towards Jeremy for his input. The teen crossed his arms, embarrassed. "I'm not a damsel, guys! I-I'll be fine...geeze" Without so much of a word to either of them, Jeremy walks past his mother into the house.

She presses her lipstick clad lips together as he pouts passed her. "Go and sit in the living room, pudding...I'll get the first aid in a minute." A faint acknowledgment sounded from inside the house to her order, leaving just the woman and the security guard out on the porch.

The air filled with awkward silence, Mike glancing around. "So, uh..." He stuffs in his hands in his pockets. "...Pudding?"

A soft smile spreads on her mouth. "He always loved it since he's been a baby" She giggles. Mike grinned. "Yeah, I can tell." He's already seen his fair share of Jeremy shenanigans. "I just might have to use that nickname now..."

A whine of protest sounds from inside the house, spinning a grin on Mike's smug face."Go right ahead, dear" The woman laughs, the conversation taking a much lighter tone. They share a friendly look before Mike turns away, stepping onto the pavement.

"Yeah...I guess I better go. You have a good night, then..." He waves himself off, taking a few steps away.

To his surprise, she calls out to him once more. "...Micheal, wait for a minute..." Blinking, said man spins on his heel to see her shut the door behind her, preventing Jeremy from eavesdropping on their conversation. "...Yes, m'am?"

With a warm smile, she places a hand on her shoulder. A natural, motherly gesture from her that Mike ponders on. "He's much too shy to admit it." She begins, "But he's thankful...and so am I"

A small force tugs at the corner of Mike's mouth. "He sure does have a funny way of showing it..."

She laughs again as she steps back up on the porch, dismissing the guard with a smile. "It seems he acts very different around you than he does with others. Alot more..open, for lack of a better phrase." She lingers on the thought. "I might just be being too bold, but it seems like he feels safer whenever he's with you. Even though you're quite the hazard yourself, young man"

"..."

Mike only stood in his place, unsure of what to say. Fortunately, he didn't need to. Jeremy's mother gave one last nod of the head before cracking open the door. "Good night...and be safe, Micheal. Who knows what Jeremy would do without you" She waves him off, shutting the door behind her.

Left standing in the warm night, Mike stares at the house for another moment. Then, he spins on his heel and heads on his way.

"Goodnight, Mrs. Fitzgerald..."

One of the best things about having a tall friend is that they make very good shields against the wrath of mother nature.

Mike walks along side Jeremy, taking the onslaught of slanted rain as he mumbled under his breath. To his side, a mostly dry Jeremy giggled, poking at how soaked the security guard was getting.

Despite making a constant threat of pushing the nightwatch into a puddle, Mike still refused to switch places, shielding Jeremy from the rain.

59: Tower

"Dweeb, oh dweeb...Where art thou dork?"

"...Mike, what are you doing outside my window?"

"Shakespeare"

"...It's 4AM"

"So? What's the problem?"

"...Just why?"

"I'll be honest with ya, Jere. I have no fucking idea"

A little head pops out beside the teen, peering out of the window. Jeremy's cousin smiles down at Mike. She giggles. "I wanted to write something dumb"

The first time he wandered into the office, he found the both of them arguing quite intensively. Bonnie watched from the safe distance down the hallway as the green eyed endoskeleton scooted away from the bigger one, speaking something along the lines of a disapproving retort.

The taller endo, one of blue eyes this time, teethed something sarcastic and leaned away from the other, a sneer in it's oddly human-like voice. The both of them bickered even as he entered the office, whispering insults as Bonnie scanned. The rabbit left disappointed, wondering as to why the endoskeletons could escape so quickly, leaving two suits in their wake.

The second time he passed through the office, it was a much more different story. The blue eyed one sat close to the smaller one, one limb strung over it protectively as it lay with it's head down on the desk, usually close to the taller one. If Bonnie didn't know any better, he'd think the puny one to be asleep. But that couldn't possibly be it; endoskeletons don't hibernate.

Blue eyes looked up from the tablet screen and muttered something out of range for the rabbit's ears. Suddenly, they disappeared. Data results bat at Bonnie's AI as he watched the taller one morph into an animatronic with a simple motion of his hand, pulling something down in the front of his face. He turned back to the smaller one, only to blink his lights when his facial recognition found him gone.

Disappointed but intrigued, Bonnie left them be.

Mike flipped the mask back upwards as the rabbit left, curling the sleeping Jeremy closer. It was easy to keep Jeremy's face hidden, even as he slept. Returning to wind the music box, Mike pulls him in to snuggle closer, allowing the teen a few needed hours of rest.

Jeremy grims as Mike yells beside him; "What the double fucking fuck..." The guard snarls, mashing the controllers buttons wildly. "No fucking way, just fucking fuck fuckity fuck..."