Chapter Text
Feelings had never been Bender’s strong suit, and he knew that. As a robot, the complexities of human emotions were not really something he cared about. Any feelings that he did have were usually locked away in the back of his processors, never to be heard from again. Hell, he wasn’t even supposed to have emotions, seeing as he was a robot and all. Yet he did, and so he managed them the best he could, by ignoring them. Unfortunately, it was just his luck that some of those unwanted “feelings” he had locked away just had to sneak up to the surface. Not only that, they had to relate to one of those gross, disgusting humans that happened to surround him. And of course, it was just his luck that that human wound up being his best friend.
Much to Bender’s displeasure, he also wound up actually acting on those emotions. He began to steal things for someone other than himself, and it was getting on his nerves. Why couldn’t he just be selfish like he always had been? Why did this have to be so difficult? He sighed as he finished picking the lock on the place he was going to rob tonight. It didn’t even have anything really worth stealing. Yet here he was, breaking into a damn toy store to steal some dork a telescope that he didn’t even need. Why did he want one anyways? It’s not like he didn’t see the stars every fucking day. Whatever. Not like he cared. Except, of course, if he was stealing it, he obviously did.
Meanwhile, assorted items kept popping up around and near Fry. They were always things that he had wanted at some point or another, and they always seemed to have the same note attached. Something about a secret admirer or whatever. He’d never had a secret admirer before, so it was pretty cool in his opinion. Especially when this “secret admirer” kept giving him such cool stuff. A part of him wondered if it may have been Leela, before he remembered that he’d given up chasing her months ago. She seemed more thankful than anything when he had finally stopped, and it was that point that he realized she never really had seen him as more than a friend. He still felt kind of sad about it, but he realized it wasn’t really worth the effort, chasing after someone who would never love you back. After a while, he was finally able to let her go for good, no longer acting like a lovesick puppy around her. It was hard to accept, but he had finally stopped loving the girl he had chased around for years.
Each time Fry opened one of the gifts that was left for him, Bender was there, observing his reaction and hoping he hadn’t got it wrong. Thankfully he never did, seeing a pleased and happy expression on the human’s face each and every time. A part of him wanted more, but he knew the human could never like him back. So he stuck with the gifts, watching and hoping one day that the idiot would at least try and figure it out. Of course, being Fry, he never did. So Bender took what he could get, savoring each and every moment he got to spend with his human, and enjoying the happy expression on the guy’s face every time he got a new gift. It was better than nothing after all. He just wished he could steal the one thing he wanted the most. The one thing he still didn’t have. The human’s heart.
Of course, he didn’t want to steal his friend’s heart in the literal sense, although he had done it to other humans before. No. He wanted the metaphorical kind. He wanted Fry to like him in a way that was more than just a friend. He wanted the other to be captivated by his every word, to like him the way that he himself liked the human. It was disgusting. Bender never could get used to these mushy feelings. They made him all uncomfortable and weird inside. He hated it. But unfortunately for him, they just wouldn’t go away. Instead, they just got stronger with each day that passed, until he couldn’t take even looking at the other anymore.
He began to avoid the human, doing everything he could to not have to be in the same room as Fry. Of course, seeing as they lived together, it was fairly difficult to accomplish. He debated kicking the other out, before realizing that would leave Fry with no place to stay. He definitely didn’t want that. So he just continued to avoid the other the best he could, leaving the room whenever the other would enter.
Fry, meanwhile, was very confused (well, more confused than normal). Why did Bender start avoiding him? Had he done something wrong? And who was this secret admirer, who still left him gifts every day? He had all these questions and more bouncing around in his head, as concern bubbled within him. He wondered what exactly he had done to drive Bender away. He knew it was something, seeing as the robot avoided him whenever he had the chance. But he didn’t think he did anything. Although, sometimes he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the toolbox... He decided he should probably ask someone else. Maybe they would know what was wrong.
That decision was how he came to be standing in front of Leela’s apartment, knocking on her door. He hoped she would have some advice for him. She usually did though, seeing as she was the mother hen of the group. She always knew what to do, especially in situations regarding his friends. He tapped his foot, waiting for a response. Maybe she wasn’t home?
Just as he was about to turn around and leave, she opened the door, slightly surprised to see Fry standing there. She hoped he wasn’t there to try and win her over again. After all, that was usually the reason she found Fry standing at her door in the middle of the night. However, he had seemed to have given that up awhile ago. She sighed. “Fry, what the hell are you doing here? It’s one in the morning. Shouldn’t you be asleep?”
“Oh it is? I didn’t even realize...Sorry about waking you up and stuff,” he replied, an apologetic smile coming across his face.
“It’s fine I guess. What do you need though? I mean you obviously came here for something.”
“Well...I’m worried about Bender.”
She had to refrain from rolling her eyes. Of course it would be about Bender. Most of Fry’s problems seemed to involve him. That is when they didn’t involve her, of course. “You seem to worry about him a lot. But what’s wrong this time?”
“Well...He keeps avoiding me, and I don’t even know what I did wrong! I don’t think I did anything, but he won’t even stay in the same room as me.” Fry sighed, obviously upset over the circumstances.
“Have you tried asking him about it?” she questioned, knowing Fry usually didn’t think of the obvious.
“Well...no. I didn’t think to do that. Thanks Leela! I’m gonna go do that now. Goodnight!”
“Yeah yeah. You’re welcome Fry. Goodnight.” She shut the door as Fry ran off, sighing once more. That idiot really did care about Bender. Probably too much in her opinion. Especially since the bending unit tended to steal his wallet whenever he had the chance.
Fry practically ran the rest of the way to his and Bender’s shared apartment, hoping to figure out what exactly had been bugging his friend. Bender was most likely still awake, seeing as the robot was more of a night owl than anything. He rushed into the apartment, and then into the “closet” of said apartment. As expected, Bender was sitting on their couch, watching reruns of “All My Circuits.” However, as he spotted Fry in the doorway, he began to get up to leave.
“Bender, wait!” Fry almost yelled, stopping the robot in his tracks. He then walked over to the other.
Bender froze, looking over hopefully to the human. Maybe Fry had finally figured it out. For once the idiot had solved something without Bender’s help. “Whaddya want, meatbag?” he replied, hiding the excitement in his voice.
Of course, Bender was disappointed, as always, when Fry spoke. “Why do you keep avoiding me? Did I do something wrong?” Fry questioned, a concerned expression on his face.
Bender was tempted to say “everything,” but decided against it, not wanting to upset the human. He instead huffed, turning away from the other. “I’m not avoiding you, dumdum. I just happen to realize I have stuff to do whenever you walk in the room.”
“Oh…”
It was obvious Fry wasn’t buying it, but Bender really didn’t care at this point. His circuits were doing that weird fluttery thing again, and he really didn’t wanna deal with it. He left the room, storming to the bedroom he and Fry shared. Fry had convinced him to get a bed, even though he really didn’t need it. Right now though, it was useful for muffling his frustration as he flopped down onto it. He muttered into the pillow angrily. “Stupid Fry. Stupid feelings. Stupid...stupid everything…”
Fry sighed, sitting down on the couch with his head in his hands. He had a feeling that he had just made everything worse, although he still didn’t know what exactly he had done wrong. Why was Bender so angry at him? Why wouldn’t he answer the question? Was whatever he did really that bad? Fry sighed again, pulling at his hair slightly as all those questions and more ran through his mind. He missed his friend. The Bender who would watch TV with him and have water fights with him. The Bender who was always there for him. At least he still had that secret admirer. Although it wasn’t much comfort, seeing as he still had no idea who it could be. He pulled out one of the notes he had saved from his pocket, looking it over. He wished he could decipher who’s handwriting this was. Then, maybe he would know who kept sending him gifts.