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"Baby?"
"What?" Came the clown's reply, a quick snap that clearly showed that she didn't want anything to do with talking.
At least to him.
Clutching her arm so hard that it looked like it hurt, she scowled ahead of her, not looking at anything in particular. Just the empty space that was Circus Baby's Auditorium, the particles the flew in the air from some robotic part or metal shelf. There were blinking lights of different bright, pastel colors somewhere in the distance, but it came often enough that both robots didn't really notice it.
Baby dangled her legs over the cold, metal ledge she sat on, Funtime Freddy sitting relatively close by on the same platform. He took care to make sure she had space, though, given the sour mood that rose from her like smoke off of burning hot metal.
But he felt something else inside her, too. He knew there was more than just anger and coldness resting there in her heart somewhere. He just had to bring it out somehow. Slowly and gradually, but surely.
He was very patient, everyone in their underground facility knew that about him. But he just couldn't help but wonder when this stubborn little clown would open up.
Funtime Freddy had multiple personality disorder. Just two, to be specific, though. One half of him, the one the crew knew most well, was jumpy, hyper, disorganized, and... A bit insane, from what he was told. He had never met this part of him, to him it was just like falling asleep and suddenly he was awake three days later, to be given more stories about how his other half had wrecked havoc.
And he knew that was one of the reasons why Baby was wary about him. She was wary about everyone, however, so that didn't stop him.
Freddy, the second side of him, had just been put into existence about a month back. So he didn't know her all too well, but his calm demeanor and soft voice had somehow made him a comforting presence. It was nothing compared to Ballora, the mother and protector of their group, but still, he was something.
Baby opened up to Ballora, in the slightest, he was told by her. So what would it take for her to talk to him as well?
"Come on, tell me what's on your mind. I won't bite," the bear coaxed her quietly. He felt Bonnie shift a little on his chest, the little puppet nosing deeper into the fur as she slept. And unaware of the one sided conversation, grew still once again.
Baby seemed to wince at the word "bite," but she didn't lose the hard, disinterested mask that hid any expression. Though it nearly cracked through for him to see.
There was a long moment of silence, and Freddy allowed it.
"None of your business," she finally snapped in a low mumble, making sure her gaze rested far away from where the bear sat. Somewhere in the suffocating darkness. "You can't make me say anything."
"You're right, I can't."
The bear drew his left paw from where it had been resting on his lap, and onto his head to press his temple in thought. He looked ahead of him, in the stretching darkness as well. He'd have to use his words very carefully if he wished to break though Baby's thick skull tonight.
She never moved, she still sat right there. And she had every right to move or tell Freddy to leave. But she never did, so here he was still. Not forcing anything, just seeing what or if she would say.
"I'll share my feelings with you," Freddy spoke up again, louder but still gentle. The clown scoffed, as if surprised that he even had feelings. Though the more she stared ahead, she seemed to lose just a tiny bit of the sting buried deep in her eyes.
"To put it nicely... I want out of this place," Freddy continued after a hesitant breath, cutting the strings and letting himself vent, a part of him that usually only Ballora saw. "I want to break the laws of physics, the laws that bind us to this prison. Though I yearn for the outside and go in a heartbeat if I could... I'd rather be with and protect you guys."
Freddy swallowed down the pain in his voice once he realized it, keeping it low and gentle for Baby's ears. But as he looked at her from the corner of his eye, she didn't move an inch. Her mouth was still shut, but once Freddy lay his gaze onto her, her eyelids lowered just a bit.
"Do you feel the same way, Baby?"
Again, she said nothing, only staring at the view that wasn't there. Surely she was softening her shell in the least bit. Surely there was something she was yearning to say back.
"I'm scared," he decided to continue, looking back in front of him, fiddling with the fingers on his left paw. "Very, very scared. Sometimes, I dread falling asleep, or waking up."
He could swear he could see Baby's head move in the slightest bit, up a little at the bear's words. "It's a natural feeling to have in a place like this, I guess."
When Freddy looked over, he saw that Baby had begun staring at him with a look of surprise, as if she couldn't believe that the calm bear could ever possibly be afraid. A part of Freddy's heart felt relieved as he gazed into her eyes, feeling like she might finally be listening. Taking it to heart.
Then her expression pulled to something that nearly looked like a grimace before she turned away again.
"I guess," she finally murmured, the second time she had spoken that night.
After a moment of silence, a bit of time of Baby just holding her hands tightly together, they squirmed a bit on her lap and Freddy could've sworn he saw tears begin to form in the corners of her eyes. Before he could register, though, the pigtailed clown quickly drew her legs closer to herself and buried her face in her arms.
"Just leave me alone..." came a muffled voice, a tiny bit broken underneath her metal exoskeloton and silky, red cloth of a dress. "I don't want to talk anymore."
Freddy felt a massive stab of pity for her, but nonetheless acknowledged that he should give her the space she needed.
"Alright." The bear stood up, careful to not jarr the sleeping bunny on his chest, only walking a pace to his left to lay his free paw briefly on Baby's shoulder. She flinched a little, obviously straining to keep her breath calm and even, and he immediately drew away.
"But if you ever want to come talk to me again, don't hesitate." He smiled sadly at her curled up form, even though he knew she couldn't see it, and then made haste to turn away and pad across the room towards the exit vent.
Freddy closed his eyes for a moment and smiled still to himself, feeling like he took a small step ahead to making Baby feel a little bit better. Today was one of her worse days, but he felt by this time tomorrow night she'd be back to her bossy, thoughtful self.