Chapter 11 You Get To Choose!
"Okay, (y/n)! Fire up the ink machine again!" Boris yelled from the ink machine room. You flipped the switch for the second time that day. The pipes once more sprang to life as ink flooded them. Bendy had been hooked up to the ink machine so that the ink wouldn't flood the entire studio again.
Waiting around in the power room was boring. It would only take a minute to "recharge" Bendy. He was a lot smaller than Boris which made sense. Before long, you got the signal to turn it off and Boris was running back to greet you. Bendy was unconscious in his arms. It seemed like transportation of people was what Boris was best at.
"He's still asleep?" you questioned even though the answer was right in front of your face. Boris nodded.
"Do you recover immediately from an illness directly after you take your medicine? He just needs a few hours to rejuvenate. But until then… Wanna go to the store?" he asked.
This suggestion was surprising. Bendy would never ask to go shopping. If anything, he would ask to ram the shopping carts into the side of the building at neck-breaking speeds. Also, the thought of Boris taking you shopping just sounded odd. However, at the same time, it sounded nice. You could use more clothes and food. Plus, you could demand Boris to buy the book, Romeo and Juliet. After considering the options, you nodded.
"We'll be back before he wakes up, I'm sure. Even if he does, he can handle himself. So, care to lead the way?" he asked awaiting your answer. He didn't have to wait. It was less than a minute later and you were out in the sun outside the door.
It was quite the shopping trip in reality. Boris bought lots of food because you knew he was actually quite the cook and he knew what he was doing. He did make an odd request for you to find a nice dress in case of a special occasion. After you bought a cart full of food, you went dress hunting. Reds, blues, and any color you could think of popped out. It took nearly a half an hour, but you finally were able to find something.
"Hey Boris, what about this one? It's nice," you said looking at a dark purple dress. The smooth fabric felt nice on your skin. Boris analyzed it and shook his head.
"Nope. Keep looking."
I lied. Anyway, the longer you stayed there, the less you thought about coming back to the studio before Bendy woke up. So, when he did…
Bendy's POV
"Ugh, my head hurts… What in the…? What am I doing here?" I glanced from my feet to the wall to my hands to the floor. I wasn't here last time! What happened?
With wobbly legs, I got to my feet. They did feel a little better than they did before. It was probably somewhere in the evening from my guess so I must've been out for a long time. What really bothered me was the lack of noise or excitement. Where were Boris and (y/n)?! My investigation started and Detective Bendy was on the case… I needed a sidekick, so I found Bendy Jr and placed him on my shoulder. I stuck a pipe in my mouth and put on a black trench coat that I found in the prop room.
"Well Bendy Jr, looks like it's just you and me… On a case to find people who are so considerate to think of leaving without me. Where do you think we should start?" I questioned to the doll. It stared at me with a dead look in its eyes.
Why should I help you? You abandoned me on the floor!
"I was going to come back."
Riiiiiiiiiight. This is one of those cases where I'm just going to have to take your word for it.
I swatted at the doll for doubting me and we began our search. After a half hour of looking, it was obvious that they weren't in the studio. I couldn't help but be a little ticked off that they left somewhere without even considering having someone stay to fill me in. Everything in my mind was blurry. I could barely remember any of my conversations from earlier. I almost forgot my own name once or twice. How many hours would they be gone? Forever?
Giving up, I glanced at the projector. There was a reel sitting next to it and looked recently used. Curious, I decided to watch it because I didn't recall putting it there. Putting it in, I watched a series of unused clips in my show. I remembered the filming of each of those. Joey would constantly correct me and try to make sure I was doing it exactly the way it was written. He would always say, "A cartoon has to be flawless." If that's true, then I don't think I'm a cartoon anymore.
After a while of seemingly random clips, a song flicked I finally remembered it, my face grew hot. Nobody was supposed to be filming that! It was just me who sang that song about my Darlin' Devil. The fact that I saw caught on the projector was humiliating. The one upside to this was that if (y/n) did watch this, she wouldn't I was singing about her. If it was up to me, I would have changed the title to My Little Darlin' Angel.
Halfway into the song, I heard the door open. "Hey, Bendy! We're back!" Boris announced huffing and puffing like he had just run a mile with more stuff than he could handle. I jumped out of my skin at the sound of his voice. Yanking out the reel from the projector, I threw it against a wall right as Boris walked into the room with (y/n) on his back. We all stared at the reel awkwardly.
"What was that?" (y/n) asked.
I looked away from the reel and then at the ceiling and shrugged with a clueless look. "Huh? I dunno. Somebody's throwing stuff…" Is it just me, or have I gotten worse and worse at lying?
To my relief, they didn't really question my answer. Instead, Boris gently lets (y/n) climb off of his back and it was then that I noticed all of the shopping bags he was holding. I knew Boris was strong, but only now did I realize just how strong. I perused the gallery of shopping bags with interest.
Boris saw my interest and shoved a few bags at me. "First of all, I wanted to say how glad I am that you're feeling better. You gave both of us quite the scare! To pass the time, we decided to do some much-needed shopping. If you want, you can make yourself useful!" he chirped. I stared blankly at the bags.
"What do you want me to do?" I asked.
It was then that (y/n) got to her feet while balancing on one foot. "Well, I wanted to ask you something… Maybe you could help me out with taking my stuff back to Joey's room…?" she asked.
I could never say no. Nodding my head, I hopped to my feet and took her bags. "Sure! I'll be your baggage carrier," I said making a weak attempt at humor.
I could tell she was making an attempt to start up a conversation, but it seemed like she had exhausted every single conversation topic already. Probably because she was talking with Boris all day. So, instead of waiting for her to speak, I started my pointless jabbering. "So, uh, sorry for, like, passing out and stuff. It's not like Joey gave me an instruction manual or anything for how to be myself…" I tried to not think about how dumb I sounded. At least, it was a start.
"Well, it did come as a shock, but I knew Boris had it all under control. If anyone knows you, it's him," she replied.
Again with Boris. If I didn't know better, I'd be jealous. However, I know better than to be mean to him. Not after everything he's been through. Besides, I've heard that green and jealousy go together well. I don't. "Yeah… By the way, it's not nice to leave your best friend all alone and unconscious in a creepy animation studio with no clue of if you're going to come back!" I'm not sure why I said it, but it was bugging me. She gave me this look of surprise.
"How long were we gone for…?" she finally asked.
"About an hour since I woke up! You'd better believe that it's not the first time I've opened my eyes and… everything was gone. I wouldn't be able to handle it happening again… The two of you are the only people who are keeping me mentally sane and if anything happens to either of you…" I stopped at the thought. It wasn't going to happen. That was my purpose. To make sure that doesn't happen.
"Bendy…, I can assure you that it won't happen again. Look, I'm sorry for leaving you alone here. Maybe I could do something to make up for it!" she suggested.
An idea popped into my head. I wondered if I should seize the opportunity while she was giving it to me. I cocked an eyebrow with interest. "Anything…?"
She put a smile on her face and I could tell she was doing an impersonation of me. "Whatever you wish, Bendy! I shall sing and dance if that be your wish! I shall conquer empires! I shall destroy armies! I shall win the world and let you rule it! Just say the word!" she quoted. I couldn't help but grin. She wasn't half bad.
"Well…, There is one thing I want more than anything…," I told her. I could feel my hand shaking, but I refused to let her see it. Taking a deep breath, I told myself there was no going back. "I… I wanna go on a date with you!"
(Y/N)'s POV
You stared in shock at his bold statement. It was definitely the first time you've ever heard that. Nobody had ever really asked you because you never really got to know anyone. Well, now there's Bendy. For a moment, you felt dumb for not noticing or figuring it out because you realized just how obvious it was. The eight-year-old side of yourself screamed yes while the logical side started doubting. "Bendy…, is that… true?" you asked needing to hear him say it.
"It's as true as the existence of you or me… Truth is, I've been hiding my feelings from you which might be why I've been going all over the place lately. Dashing out the door one minute to keep people from taking you away or racing back to make sure you didn't leave me the next. I know that the only reason that you' got involved in this mess was because… I wanted you to stay. It really is all I want… To be loved…," he confessed.
There was a pause. His short heartfelt speech was enough. Now you were the one who couldn't say no. "Only… if you play the violin again."
Bendy's eyes lit up in an instant. He looked like he would fly away if he wasn't carrying so many grocery bags. "How could I not?"
After you dropped off the bags in the room, you looked through them to find the dress you got and you realized why Boris wanted you to buy it. He knew Bendy was going to ask you out at some point. It was also no surprise that he was so picky about the size, the style, the color, etc. It was funny how Boris knew almost everything. Bendy and you agreed to make the date that night. Of course, considering how late it was already, that would mean it was effective immediately.
Once Bendy finally left, you sat onto a desk on the opposite side of the room from the bed. You fished through the bags and looked through the stuff you got for yourself. Boris was able to pay for everything with the fortune Joey earned while Bendy was actually popular. Dumping a bunch of stuff onto the desk, you held up a hairbrush. "At long last, I can fix my atrocious hair!" you shouted.
While brushing out your hair, you couldn't help but smile slightly. It was flattering to know Bendy thought of you that way. It made you wonder what you really thought of him. You wondered if you were really lying to yourself when you said he was just a friend.
Boris's POV
I see Bendy walk back with a both dreaming and scheming look in his eyes. He was humming something that I couldn't quite recognize, but from the style, I could tell it was a romance song. I already knew why, but I decided to ask anyway. "Well, well, well. You're suddenly extremely happy!" I pointed out first. I didn't want to just go and demand what happened.
Bendy stopped humming and stared at me blankly. "Huh? You say somethin'?" he asked.
"Yeah! You looked like you were off on another planet! I just pointed out that you looked suddenly like-"
"Like a silly little dreamer with his mind stuck on this one girl he's had a crush on for years?" he answered for me. I shrug.
"I was going to say a little distracted, but that works too."
He leaned up against a wall. "I just asked (y/n) out on a date just now and she told me yes if I'd play the violin. I already know what I'm going to play! It's going to be so good that she'll fall for me in a heartbeat," he told me confidently.
Blinking at him slowly, I wondered what he had planned. "Well, do you know what the plan is then?"
He shrugs and says, "I figured that it'd be up to her. I mean, it has to be something she likes. Whether if movie theaters, parks, or fancy restaurants, Bendy can do any of them!" he answered.
"What if it's something you don't expect? What if she asks for the date to take place at an aquarium or something? I know you have a fear water because we both know what happens when-"
"Don't remind me!" he yelled. Dying wasn't very high on his to-do list. If anything, it was on the very bottom. He regained his composure and shook it off. "Honestly, an aquarium wouldn't be so bad because it's just a bunch of fish behind a glass! Not like a water park or anything. Plus, if we do go to a public place, you'd bet I'm going to break in when it's closed! Then it would be just the two of us… Unless if she says a movie theater, then I'll have to take you along."
"Well, do you need me for anything? Anything at all?" I asked.
Bendy thought for a moment. He then nodded. "You can play the piano, right?"
Later… In your POV again!
Stepping slowly out of the room with your new dress on (it can look like whatever you want), you glanced around trying to find Bendy. Before you did, Boris walks up in a black tuxedo and lifts you up once more. "If you don't mind, I'll be your transport for this evening," he told you with a wink.
"Wow, you look fancy. We've got ourselves the men in black going on here! So what's the big plan? Do you have any idea?" you asked trying to get some inside info. Boris shook his head at you.
"Sorry, but I can't exactly spoil the show for you. After all, Bendy didn't really want me to tell you anything," Boris said as he started walking you towards the main entryway area.
"There's going to be a show?" you asked. Performances were always exciting if done correctly. Boris nodded and you smiled.
He didn't speak another word until you reached the destination. Once he did get there, you were amazed by the stage that had been set up. A piano was resting on the stage and also a stand. Boris set you down and looked at you sheepishly. "We couldn't find any comfortable chairs, so you'll probably just want to sit on the floor. The show will consist of one song that features a violinist and his accompanist. We hope you enjoy!" Boris told you.
Gazing up at the stage from the floor, the lights slowly dimmed. A light flashed on that illuminated the whole stage. Boris walked onto the stage and sat at the piano. Then, Bendy walked out with his violin. When you looked, you could tell he was nervous. In front of any other audience, he would be fine, but now it was just you. He lifted the violin and placed one end on his shoulder. Clutching his bow, he nodded to Boris at the piano.
"This is Bendy and Boris playing A River Flows in You!" Boris announced. "Song was originally written by Yiruma."
Upon the first note that was played, you could tell it was going to be great. As the pace picked up, you couldn't believe how smooth and accurate it was. The beauty of the song was dizzying and it was full of emotion. Bendy's precise movements were enough to make the violin sing with joy and sorrow. The piano both made you want to sing and cry. The harmony of both the violin and the piano was so mesmerizing that you forgot who you were. You could only stare at Bendy and his violin as he played.
The spotlight shined only brighter, the violin only became sweeter, and you couldn't stop watching. There were chills that were running up and down your spine. Bendy was right about being a musical genius. Professional musicians would never be able to create such emotions. Surely not ever.
The violin and the piano began to slow after a few minutes of playing, and you could feel the song begin to end. You wanted to reach out and pull the song back to hear more, but your fingers couldn't possibly touch the notes. It left you with a sad yet happy feeling. You couldn't explain how you could feel so torn between the two different emotions. When the echo of the last note finally ceased, it was silent once more in the animation studio.
At first, you couldn't move. When you finally remembered yourself, you sprang to your feet and clapped harder than you thought you could. "OH MY GOSH, YOU GUYS WERE AMAZING!" you shouted to the both of them.
Boris grinned and wagged his tail happily. Bendy huffed because his arm was now tired. "I haven't played so serious since… ever," he stated as he hopped off of the stage.
"I loved it, Bendy. You're the only one I know who can play the violin, but I know that you do it better than anyone else in the world," you complimented.
Completely enjoying the attention way too much, Bendy crossed his arms and nodded. "I guess I'm just that great." He then realized how self-centered that sounded and then tried to make an awkward recovery. "Not that anyone in the room is less than me or anything!"
"Yeah Bendy, what about your accompanist?" Boris asked.
"Alright, I'm sorry," Bendy admitted. He then noticed the dress you were wearing. "Say, that's nice! Suits you well, I'd say. Although, if I knew you were going to dress up like we're going to prom, I would've worn a suit."
You shrugged at the thought. "Well, I don't really feel like waiting. I think you look fine! The bow tie is fancy enough and it makes you look cute," you told him reassuringly.
Bendy nodded to himself. Straightening his bow tie, he hopped back onto the stage. "We thank you for watching our show tonight! If you happen to be on a date with anyone, I'm proud to report that those stars are lovely tonight and you'll love what's in store for you later!" Bendy stated. He then got rid of the announcer's voice and returned to his normal voice. "There is one thing that I didn't plan already, however. I just thought that… maybe you'd like to decide where we go? Of course, I wouldn't go anywhere you didn't want to. I didn't mean to put you on the spot, but I just don't really know what kind of places you really like."
"He says he'll go anywhere. When he says, "I'll go anywhere", he means, "I'll go ANYWHERE." And you should know he means it," Boris told you.
"Uhhhh… Give me a second to think…"
Ok! This is where you, the readers, get to vote on where you'll go! If nobody gives me a straight answer, then I'll come up with something crazy and ridiculous. Hope you liked this and be sure to tell me what you think!
