Chapter Text
…
Ya kiddin' me? Really? He spent all this time watchin' these two, and, and all they've been doin' is nonsense and flirtin'!
Audrey’s been holdin' and now cuddlin' this lost for way too long now . He'd been hopin' that, that it was all just a ploy on eitha' one o' the two's parts, something to let guards down so that Audrey could go back to butt-whoopin' this lostie but instead...
Originally, he’d been flippin' through the cutouts round the place ‘til he found Audrey. She looked so cool , like a spy or somethin' as she snuck behind losties and erased 'em. He couldn't really figure out what sort of toon she was meant to be, since she didn't really look like a spy. She looked more like that Wilson.
A shiver went down his spine. 'He knows your purpose', huh? Well. At least Audrey wasn't like that.
Instead of spooky, she was cool . Instead of wheezy, she… well she did end up pantin' a lot, but that's cause she ran.
Plus, she never hurt him.
He had decided to keep an eye on her. He'd watched as she beat up all o' those losties, and re-beat them when they reformed. She… she got lost a lot. So they had time to reform a lot. But! She still looked cool while fightin' 'em again!
He'd been confused, though, when Audrey left a closet holding hands with a lostie. Thing didn’t even look splattered at all! Plus, It was quiet. Different from all the others yammerin' over and over about rippin' and tearin'.
After that, the two’d been joined by the hips. ‘Til that blob got scared of the pool ink. He'd hoped that when it got left behind Audrey'd just forget about it. Or kill it too.
He'd figured pretty quick the lostie was a swindler who thought Audrey was an easy mark. He didn't want Audrey to be used like that. She worked better alone, rollin' into hidin' to then erase those losties. That'd be all messed up if someone joined up with her. Plus whateva' that lostie was up to was no good , obviously.
He had stayed back with the lostie while Audrey left, hopin' it'd finally mutter it's plan. He couldn't do anything to fight it, not in this form, but at least he'd be able to protect Audrey if he knew what was comin' up.
His grin twitched wider at that thought. He'd come in, all cool like while the lostie was about to wack Audrey. He'd point out that the lostie was gonna hurt her, and she whip around to see it holdin' about to attack, and erase it before it could in a cool battle, jumpin' and dodging while it just missed her. Or, oh! Oh! What if he tripped it into the pit while it was distracted! Then Audrey would thank him , and hold his hand , and go on adventures with him! All he had to do was wait and listen first.
….
Instead, it had just… stared at him. Did…
Did it know he was there? Watchin' and waitin' in the cutout? Then why didn't it-
SPLRT!
It had smacked him to the ground suddenly. Owie…
That proved it. It knew , it definitely did!
He felt inky sweat droop down his face as he felt the cutout be picked up. What was… what was it gonna do to him now?
Brush him off and grab a plank o' wood, apparently. Or pick up a different one, since it didn't like the first one.
Did… huh?
WAIT! The wood! It was gonna use that to attack Audrey! He knew it, he knew it! He'd have to wait for Audrey to come back first, but this proved he was right. He was gonna get to save Audrey!
He had waited, watchin' as the lostie crept back into the inky pool room. Hah. So that was why it stayed behind. Have Audrey get all the food, then Smack!
Hah! Ya plan is nothin', Audrey'd easily stop that. He wouldn't be able to do anythin', though. Well, he could wait for anotha' chance. In the meanwhile, he could just watch Audrey be cool some more.
He grinned.
Yeah, that'd be good.
…
Ugh! This was boring him . How long did it take to grab some cans! She got lost again, didn't she.
Sigh.
Maybe he could… try and see what that lostie was doin', again? He could see that it was still on this side o' the ink pool, doin' somethin' on the wall, but he couldn' tell what from here.
Maybe it was a plan or somethin'... Probably not, but he was bored at this point. He wasn't really all that patient of a demon in the first place. Maybe he could… hmmm.
It ain’t all that smart o’ an idea, but at this point, he’s too bored to sit still anymore.
Slowly (quietly) he creeps out o’ the cutout, watchin’ the lostie the whole time. He’s bored, but he ain’t in the mood to die.
He steps both shoes onto the floor, and when the lostie doesn’t notice, he starts creepin’ forward. And forward. And forward. Until he’s standin’ in front of the door between him and the lostie. He can’t attack it, he ain’t that strong anymore, but he could find out what it was doin. He has’ta be careful, though. The door ain’t closed, so he can’t hide behind it.
He just needs to lean a little…
…
…
Was that him? And the butcher gang? It’s a little hard to tell, but one o’ the perks of bein’ a toon is bein’ able to tell picture intent. Or somethin’ like that. Mostly it just helps him figure out what drawin’s were meant to be. Helps, since ‘lotta losties that lost their mind ‘round here were artists.
He watches for a bit longer, wincing occasionally at some missed brush strokes. Currently, it was drawin’ whatever the gang was meant to be holdin’ above his head. So far it was a rectangle, but… hmmm.
He tilts his head left and right, tryin’ to figure it out until the lostie draws a circle in the middle of it. Ah!
He smacks his fist into his hand as a not-so metaphorical lightbulb appears over his head.
A Dolla’! He mostly only sees slugs, so it’s no wonder he couldn’ get it. He nods his head, finally understandin’, before he stops as he considers the actual meanin’ of him tryin’ to grab the cash.
Hey! He ain’t broke, technically this whole place was his, so all the money here was his!
His cheeks puff out, and his foot taps grumpily against the floor. He was considerin’ goin’ over there to straighten the lostie’s idea of him, when he hears splashin’ and scurries back behind the doorframe. That’s right, he completely forgot he was hidin’! Urgh, he got too caught up in watchin’. Well, atleast he knew what the lostie was doin’ now.
“Oh! What a cute octopus! Or is it a squid?”
Wha- SNRK!
How did, how’d she get that ? It didn’t even, pffft ! He needs to go, or he’ll get caught. He’ll just… he’ll go back in the cutout. Then he can laugh all he likes.
He tiptoes back while coverin’ his grin to stop any whistles of laughter from escapin’, his shoulder shakin’ each step. He’s very much ignorin’ whatever they’re talkin’ ‘bout. If he listens any, he’ll just end up breakin’ down.
Finally he gets back and scoots back into the cutout. Finally . He he he-
He giggles silently, with the cutout only minorly shaking as the lostie and Audrey walk past (hand in hand. Of course …).
With some calming breaths, he finally calmed down, and looked up to see the two cuddlin’ on the boxes. Which finally brings him back outta rememberin how he got to this point, boredly watchin’ the two eat while leanin’ on eachother.
Ughhhg. Watchin’ romance was the worrrstttt . It’s always so borin’! All they do is be dramatic and then kiss, no fightin’ or jokes or nothin’. He was gonna be so bored , wasn’t he? He might not even be able to put his plan in action, if it turned out they actually liked eachother, not the lostie wantin’ to kill Audrey.
A sigh groans out of him as he watches. He’ll just have to figure somethin’ out then. He’ll figure out how to get it off of her, just wait. Specifically, wait right now.
…
….
…..
Crrrrrreeeeaaak.
…
CRASH!
“Meep!”
The box gave way under ‘em.
Snrrk!
Nooooo, he just stopped laughin’ earlier, he didn’t want to start again!
But they looked so funny, he he he-
“Pffft! Ha Hah Hah! Well, that’s one way to be told we should get a move on, huh?” Audrey gets up and swipes the dust onto her pants, before holding out a hand for the lostie, which it immediately takes.
A frown mentally starts to tug on him.
Why did it get to hold her hand ?
Doesn’ matter, doesn’ matter, it doesn’.
‘Til it pulls Audrey back before she can fall into the pit she didn’ notice.
“Oh! Oh wow, thank you. No idea how I missed that,” she squeezes the lostie’s hand in hers while smiling, “Already pulling your weight, hmm?” Her shoulders bounce as she giggles at her pun.
Why does he feel jealous? Why does the lostie get to be her friend? Why can’- why is he-
Nope.
He’s just gotta go.
He was meant to be the one to help her .
Nope, time to scram. He’s not going to deal with anymore of this lovey dovey stuff and puns .
They’re still near the pit, he could-
He hops from the cutout and scurries into the pipe leaking ink, uncaring that he was seen.
“What was-”
He climbed through the inky pipe for a while, uncaring about the ink soaking his pants. He’ll absorb it later.
Right now he needs somewhere he can rest, because right now he’s just stewin’ in jealousy.
He’ll… He’ll look wrong if he stays there any longer. He still wants to be friends with Audrey, but he can’ be near the two while they’re doin’... all that.
Right now, he’s just focusin’ on crawlin’.
Turn around, you’re not the one who should be-
A deep sigh leaves Bendy. Somethin’ else, he needs somethin’ else to focus on.
“Phil? Are you there Phil? I need some help moving my paintings…”
He’ll take it!