Chapter Text
“He’s run away from families before, this is the fifth time he was returned by his foster family.” Was one of the first things Woody was told when he was the one called in. Freddy was reported as a missing person, a runaway to be specific, and Woody, being a good Sheriff, was especially good at looking for people.
Freddy was sixteen and a very troubled kid. He didn’t like anyone and preferred to be alone. H didn’t know how to communicate, always replacing words with a glare or an answer with a snarky comment. It was obvious he was emotionally stunted, this fact being due to a traumatic childhood that wasn’t specified to Woody when he’d asked. The in the foster care system explained that Freddy had made it adamant he wanted NO ONE to know about what happened. He didn’t like talking or thinking about any of it, nor did he like anyone to know about it. If there was anyone who did know what happened, they were unknown to everyone else or simply didn’t exist.z
“Oh, well. He’s a year away from becoming an adult. If he wants to be alone, he can be alone.”
That didn’t sit right with Woody. At all. Sure, Freddy was almost an adult but that was only legally. He was a still just a kid. A kid without a family or home. A kid that had problems that shouldn’t just be brushed off. Woody knew what it felt like to be in Freddy’s position. To leave an unsafe home and feel so lost, only with Freddy, he had no support system. The foster care system definitely wasn’t doing to support him! Woody has heard the stories.
Point was, Woody didn’t want to leave Freddy at the hands of a system that was ready to toss him to the side once they were legally able to…
So, he went to Buzz and they talked.
~~~
Weeks passed and they had Freddy in the backseat of their van. His bags were packed, he hugged his backpack, and glared out of his window as Woody happily started the car. He looked into his rearview window, adjusting it to see the teenager. Freddy had pale skin, messy almost-white hair that stuck up in all directions, a red and white sweater, a long red scarf, black leggings beneath beige shorts, and beaten up converse that had been scribbled on so much, there were doodles over older, faded doodles.
“We really hope you’ll feel at home, Freddy.” Woody said. Freddy glanced over at him with a scowl. It didn’t deter the Sheriff, though. He kept his smile. “I can’t wait for you to meet the girls! There’s our daughter Molly and our youngest being Bonnie— oh, you’re gonna LOVE Jessie— that’s my sister— she’s—“
Freddy began thumping his head against the backrest of his seat as Woody went on and on and on. He kind of considered jumping out of this van.
They soon arrived at the house where Buzz got Freddy’s things inside while Woody showed the kid to his new room. It was originally a guest room so it was plain and looked like how a grandma would decorate it. But it was perfect for Freddy… at least that’s what Woody thought. Freddy had zero reaction to the place aside from a scowl when he realized the room didn’t have a door, only a curtain.
“Gee, thanks. It’s almost like I’m in a prison.”
“It’s only for a bit. It’s the only here to make sure you’re not—“
“Running? How nice.”
Woody sighed and smiled. “Look, Freddy, I’m just making sure I’m doing what’s best for you. And I really hope you’ll come to call this place home. Then eventually you’ll get your door! Baby steps.”
”Awesome! Just what every kid wants! For adults to make sure they’re sane enough to have privacy.”
“… Okay, well… I’ll leave you to get settled in while I get dinner started. Buzz will be back home with the girls soon. They’ve been spending the weekend with your aunt.”
“Uhuh…” Freddy responded flatly before sitting on his bed with a huff. Woody stopped to look at him for a moment, watching as the kid pulled at a loose thread on his sweater. His leg bounced and he glared at nothing. As if he was mad at something invisible.
“… Hey… Freddy…” Woody spoke gently, leaning against the doorway. “I know how you feel about this. And trust me, I get it. It’s hard to feel at home after whatever home you had felt… unsafe.”
Freddy didn’t respond.
“… But, listen, it’ll only be a year or so until you’re an adult. We don’t want you to just be thrown to the wolves once that day comes and have you fend for yourself out there. Once you’re 18 and are able to, you have the choice to leave or stay. Alright…?”
“… Uhuh…”
“… Okay.” Woody patted the doorway a bit before backing up. “I’ll leave you be for now.”
~~~
Introducing the girls to Freddy had been… fine. Bonnie was very excited to have a “new brother”— to which Freddy immediately specified he was a FOSTER brother and not a real brother. That didn’t seem to deter the little girl, though.
Molly, being the kind to not show much emotion with anyone, said a polite hello and nothing more. Freddy seemed to accept that way better than Bonnie’s excited rambling about all the playtimes they’ll have.
Immediately after introductions, Freddy retreated into his room immediately and Buzz gave the girls the rundown of the situation. Telling them that Freddy will need some time to adjust so they should give him space.
Finally, it was just Buzz and Woody.
“So… how is Freddy…?” Buzz asked all while his husband was getting dinner ready.
“Oh, fine, fine… I think. He’s not talking much, which is to be expected, but… I just hope he’s comfortable here. They didn’t tell me much about what happened to him but anything they did say…” Woody paused and sighed. “… He’s a hurt kid, Buzz. I don’t want him to live with that all alone…”
Buzz smiled sympathetically before holding his husband’s hand. “I know, Woody…”
“I don’t want him to feel how I’ve felt my whole life. Or how Jessie did. If I can help, I will help.”
“I know you will…”
There was a brief pause between them before Woody sighed softly. “Y’think this’ll go well…?”
Buzz inhaled and shrugged. “Who’s to say? Guess we’ll see, huh?”
“Yeah… and Buzz?”
“Yes?”
“I’m really glad I have you with me.”
Buzz smiled and pulled his husband close to kiss him softly. “I’m glad I can be here.”
~~~
Three weeks later…
Woody gently knocked the doorframe of Freddy’s room and smiled at the 16 year old who looked up from his phone (one that Woody had got him so he didn’t have to worry if Freddy needed to contact anyone) to stare at him blankly.
“Heyyy, Fredrick—“
“Don’t call me that! It’s Freddy.”
“Oh- sorry. I was just kidding. I… uh— Buzz and I are about to drive Bonnie to her Kindergarten orientation.”
“I’m not going.” Freddy answered flatly.
“That’s the thing, Freddy, we can’t leave you here alone.”
”Then one of you can stay.”
”That's a no can do, I’m afraid.”
”Oh my god, why can’t you just—
Before Freddy could finish that thought, Bonnie ran into the room, scattering up to Freddy whose eyes widened at the sheer audacity of the kid for invading his space. “Freddy! Can you come with me to kindergarten!?”
“Wh-? No! Get out of my room!”
“Bonnie, sweetheart,” Woody said quickly, trying to deescalate before Freddy lashed kh. “What did I say about coming in without asking?”
“But he has no door!”
“That’s doesn’t mean—“ Woody sighed. “You still when to ask, honey. Okay?”
”Okay, dad.”
”Good. Now go get your shoes on.”
Bonnie completely ignored that and turned back to Freddy who was trying his best to hide his distain, though it was obvious to Woody. “Pleeeaaaase can you come, Freddy?”
“I said no.”
“But… But I’m scared to go…”
“Too bad.”
Bonnie looked down sadly. “But… I want my big brother…” she said timidly.
In that every second Freddy’s frown faltered. His gaze softened a little and he glanced up at Woody who simply shrugged, silently telling him that he didn’t have to but it’d be nice if he did. Freddy immediately forced a frown against and rolled his eyes with a groan.
“…. Ughhh… fine! Fine!” He relented in pure frustration before getting out of bed. Bonnie cheered before Freddy spoke again. “Okay, stop that. And I’m not your brother! Don’t call me that. Now get out so I can change.”
Woody gave him a smile before quickly guiding Bonnie out of the room.
~~~
Buzz scooped up Bonnie from the backseat and gently placed her on the ground, but not before pretending she was a spaceship flying around as he made whooshing noises and placed her down. “Aaand we made a safe landing! Good job, Space Ranger!”
Bonnie giggled. “Papa, You’re so silly!”
Woody smiled lovingly at the display all while Freddy rolled his eyes.
“Can we get this over with…?”
“Alright, alright. Come on, Space Rangers, hurry it along.”
Buzz chuckled before looking back down at their daughter. “You ready?”
The little girl made a hesitant noise as she played with the end of her dress nervously. “Um… I dunno…”
“You’re going to do great, honey…” he said gently as he brushed her hair behind her ear. He then held his hand out. “Come on.”
Bonnie took his hand immediately and held it tight. The group made their way into the building before Woody mumbled to himself about where this “darn classroom” was but insisting he knew when Buzz suggested asking for help. Freddy found it mildly amusing when Buzz finally did ask for help, much to Woody’s frustration, and they bickered a little about it. But, eventually, they made it to a hallway filled with parents and their children.
Freddy kept himself small, crossing his arms and curling into himself a bit as the group walked. His eyes stayed on the tiled floor and his dirty shoes.
“Freddy?” Bonnie’s small voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He sighed.
“What?”
“Can you hold my hand, too?”
He looked at her with a weird look. “Why me? Just hold Woody’s.”
“No. I wanna hold yours.”
“Ouch.” Woody whispered with a chuckle as Buzz lightly elbowed him.
“Please…?”
Freddy stared at her, then at her parents. Woody gestured for him to just do it. The teenager scowled and groaned quietly. “… Fiiiine…!”
Bonnie immediately took his hand into her own tiny one and he saw how much her demeanor had changed in doing so. She smiled a bit and walked with both her father and her foster brother in her grip. Woody walked behind them and smiled lovingly at the display. He wished he could take a photo but he’d rather not have Freddy angry with him and demanding he’d delete it.
Once they got to Bonnie’s class, Freddy immediately let go and backed away as Woody joined his daughter and husband. Bonnie looked on at the other kids with their parents as she held on tighter to Buzz. Woody crouched down to caress her soft brown hair. “It’s gonna be okay, Bonnie. The day will be over before you know it and we’ll be here to pick you up. Okay?”
Bonnie didn’t say anything as the teacher walked up to the trio.
“Are you Bonnie?” She crouched down a bit towards the kid. “I’m Ms. Wendy. I’ll be your Kindergarten teacher this year.”
Bonnie hugged her backpack, squeezing it to her chest a bit.
“We have a special place where you can put your backpack!”
The little girl looked up at her fathers and they gave her encouraging smiles. Then, with a deep breath, she let Ms. Wendy guide her towards her cubby. Woody and Buzz waved happily to their daughter who waved back timidly.
“… Aaaand… alright. That’s our cue, cowboy.” Buzz patted Woody’s back before walking away. But Woody stood at the doorway for just a bit longer, watching his daughter putting her bag away before sitting on a round table. Woody smiled and sighed before he willed himself to turn away. His eyes caught Freddy’s whose face showed an almost unreadable expression— well, maybe not unreadable.
“Freddy? You okay?”
The teenager blinked. Then his face went back to his default “Pissed Off At The World” look.
”I’m fine.”
“Whatever you say, kiddo.” Woody responded, not wanting to push him on it. Especially here.
”Don’t call me that, I’m not a child.”
… This was going be a long year.