AN: This one-shot takes place before the others in this series. And while this isn't a holiday special, I still hope you have a Merry Christmas!
It was a blissfully peaceful night in the Stein household as those within were all sleeping and no nightmares had yet to fall upon them. It was only a few days since Henry and the others had escaped the studio and things had not been easy. Nightmares and flashbacks ran rampant among them all. Tensions were running high and several fights had broken out between the ink creatures. But other than a few broken objects (and one broken table from a particularly bad fight) and some ink stains, there wasn't any permeant damage or injuries. Henry was doing his best to smooth over the conflicts when they arose, but he also had his own issues to deal with as well as starting to help fix everyone. Alice had insisted she be the first one and no else felt up to fighting her for it.
Bendy was still stuck in his Ink Demon form though working on getting his toon form. He hadn't shown Henry his progress yet as he wanted to surprise his creator, but he might end up having to go to Henry for help as he was having trouble on his own. As such he barely fit in Henry's chair that he was currently curled up in. Linda and Henry were planning to get more beds and rearrange the rooms to fit everyone better, but with everything else they were dealing with it wasn't a priority. Bendy and the others didn't really mind as Henry's home was far more comfortable than anything in the Studio.
Bendy forcefully awoke from his sleep by a loud boom. He immediately jumped to his feet, claws at the ready, and letting out a hiss as he stood ready to face the threat. His inky shadows also spread out from him, though he made sure that they were only for show as he didn't want to accidentally hurt someone other than the threat. Bendy's horns quivered slightly as he scanned the room, but he saw no sign of the noise. He knew it wasn't just something from a nightmare of his as the others in the living room had reacted as well.
The Butcher Gang had fallen to the floor and were trying to both untangle themselves from each other and fight the threat. Charley was even swinging his arm as if he still had his pipe. Boris was hiding curled up in a corner, covering his head. But still, there was no sign of what had caused that loud noise.
Bendy was just about to let his guard down when another boom rumbled through the house as long as a bright flash. Bendy was reminded painfully of the flash that would burn his ink away at the end of the loop and immediately let out a loud growl, slashing the wall near the window in anger. The others also began letting out noises in panic and fear, creating quite a racket in the living room. The Ink Demon ignored them all, searching for the source of the noise intent on showing them who the true threat was.
"What's going on?" came Henry's voice as descended the stairs. Boris immediately bolted to his Creator and did his best to hide behind him. Bendy only gave Henry a brief glance to makes sure the man was alright before returning to his search. Another boom went through the house, once more causing shrieks and growls to fill the room. Henry looked on in surprise for a moment before he started to laugh. His reaction surprised the toons and they all quieted down to look at him.
"Guys, there's nothing to be afraid of," Henry assured with a smile as his laughter subsided. "It's just a storm is all. Here… let me show you."
Henry went towards the window, the frightened toons clinging onto him as he walked. Bendy stepped protectively close to Henry, ready to take down whatever Henry was trying to show them if it proved to be dangerous. Henry pulled back to the curtain and the toons all peered outside. They could see rain coming down hard and fast. Even though they had never seen it in person, they could recognize it for what it was. The toons watched it in wonder when a streak of light raced across the sky followed by the loud boom. The Butcher gang and Boris yelped and cowered behind Henry while Bendy let out a hiss.
"The light you just saw is lighting," Henry explained calmly, patting the various toons in comfort. "And the loud sound that follows is called thunder. They happen quite often in storms and there is nothing to be afraid of. I promise."
Under Henry's encouraging words the toons slowly gained confidence and returned to the window. They still flinched occasionally when lighting would flash, but their fear slowly melted away leaving only amazement. There was so much to learn and discover in the outside world, they couldn't wait to experience them all!
Henry let the toons watch for a few moments longer before encouraging everyone to go back to bed. Now that the fear had passed, the toons realized just how tired they all were and willingly returned to their places. Henry gave everyone one last comforting pat once everyone had settled in before heading upstairs himself. As Bendy and the others drifted off, they could help but wonder what new and exciting discovers waited for them…