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It's been the same for a while now, everyone doing their own thing, everyone either in the house relaxing or out doing stars knows what, and it was getting kind of lonely here.
Having Sarah speak in his ear constantly didn't help either, it made him feel like he was going insane.
Today was extremely boring too. Hardly anyone in the house, and if they were, they were either busy or they were the sick folks that needed their rest.
He sighed. He needed to check if he could find some new information for the ink machine but he wasn’t allowed to do it all alone.He’d get knocked out for days, if not more, and if he just decided to do that on his own everyone would be unhappy with him. He needed someone to check on him every once in a while; but he had no one.
Cuphead and Mugman were out, Felix and Holly were busy, Cala and Alice were off limits, and the others in the house clearly expressed their discomfort over using this kind of magic, and he didn't wanna pressure them into doing this.
He sighed again, at this point that’s the only thing he has been doing this week.
Until he heard a door open from upstairs. His ear twitched, recognizing that someone was coming down the stairs.
Looking up he saw his brother. He watched in silence as Bendy made his way, rather slowly, down the stairs. Barely processing that Boris was even there.
Well, kind of. Bendy did look at Boris, but didn't say anything and just pretended that he wasn't there at all.
Boris didn't like that. He just felt like they were nothing but strangers that were forced to live in the same house.
So he took a deep breath, smiled the best he could, almost genuinely and said,
“G’morning Bendy!” He chirped, waving a tiny bit.
“...mornin’..” Bendy said, barely in a whisper, rubbing his good eye that wasn't bothered by the scar. He didn't even look back at Boris, just barely moving his tail.
…Awkward silence.
Boris felt so forced, and he hated it. He hated how talking to his brother felt more like a chore than anything. Why was he so sad all the time? What was wrong with him?
“..Soooo.. How's it going?”
“..’s fine. Was gonna grab some breakfast and then go out, why?” Still not really looking at Boris,
“Oh! Oh— uhm..Yeah.” He didn't want his brother to go. It would just mean Boris was gonna be all alone again, and to be frank, he didn't want that.
“Say! Why don't..You stay here? With me.” ‘Being my brother again’, he bit back saying.
“Why? Somethin’ happening?”
“No not really; but I was thinking about using the record agai-” he slipped out, since that was the only thing in his mind at the moment.
…And just like that he could hear his brother loudly groan, as if physically stopping himself from smashing his head against the wall.
“And.....Yeah! I was hoping you'd….Stay..? To check on ..Me? Y'know?” He fidgeted with his hands, at this point neither were walking. They were stuck in this hallway that only felt like a cage.
Bendy gave him a tired look.
“Can't you ask someone else? Like Cup or Mugs? They usually like helping you with this.” Not really, but Boris won’t mention that.
“Well, both are busy and- I- I want it to be you.” It feels selfish but he just wants his brother to take care of him again, like old times. It's kinda comforting.
Bendy sighed, fixing him one of those looks he’d give when he was about to say no.
“Boris, look—”
“Please?” He begged. “I barely see you anymore- no one does and-”
“Boris-”
“-and I miss you. I miss us. We barely feel like brothers anymore-”
“Boris-!”
“-and it's not the same with Holly or- or Cuphead or Mugs! They don't feel as close or-”
“BORIS!” Bendy shouted, finally getting the wolf to shut up.
Both stayed silent for way longer than necessary, it seemed to make the air thicker and thicker, it felt suffocating. It was almost impossible to be in the same house without being uncomfortable.
“Look. I’d like to spend time with you, really” He barely seems to though, “But I can't today, alright? Between Hell and Hat, and the other tons of stardust I have to do, I just can’t stay with you today.” He turned, starting to walk again, “Let's go get breakfast.”
Staring at his brother's back, his hands shook a bit. He didn’t want him to leave again to who knows what who knows where. He wanted him to stay home, s̶̮͒͊̏͑a̶̱̣̞̝̞̍̏͗̉f̴̢͎͙̎͛ȅ̷̍̀̉̅-
“Wow!” Sarah laughed, amused, “He didn’t even hear you out,” thrilled the parasite that’s inhabiting his mind, “You gonna let him win this easily?”
No he wasn’t.
“You know what? No. No, I'm not letting you go this time!” He puffed up his cheeks, ears going down.
Bendy frowned, genuinely tired. “Boris-”
“It's always like this! Always doing your way- ‘Boris let's do this, Boris let's do that’” He imitated his brother's voice in a mocking way, “I'm tired!”
“What?” He looked genuinely confused about it.
“It’s- it's like you don't care! You don't care about me, about anything, about how anyone feels or how things go! You're just this- this empty, sad husk!”
“What?! I don't care? I don't care?” The demon couldn’t help but huff out a laugh, “After I've taken care of you since I found you? After I've been working days and nights to try and save everyone from this damn illness? I don't care as if you're not the one constantly putting yourself in danger with that cussing record?!”
“And here it goes! Always with that stupid record! It’s like you can't think of anything else! Either that or Hell! It's as if you never left the labyrinth at all!”
Bendy froze for a bit, he could feel his fur bristle up a bit. His hand began to shake before he got a grip on it, “Oh golly gee, I wonder why” He sarcastically mocked, yet his voice wavered “Do you even hear yourself?!”
The wolf’s ears flattened on his head. “Ever since- no. Even before the labyrinth, you've been different! You always have this sad look, like you're somewhere else-”
Bendy isn’t looking at him anymore.
“-With your far off gaze and half-baked excuses-”
Does he even care? Is he even listening? Boris is pouring his heart out, and he is just staring off!
“-You don't even feel like my brother anymore…You're always drinking or- or locked in your room doing stars know what!” Boris kept going with his rant, feeling his eyes begin to sting.
There was a giggle. “It’s as if he doesn't even want to be here,” whispers Sarah in a mocking tone. Boris’ fur now bristled.
Like he doesn’t even care, like he doesn’t care for his life. It’s like-
“It's just- it just feels like you're slowly trying to kill yourself—”
“SHUT UP!” Bendy screamed, shadows under his feet turning into spikes from the unexpected outburst, before returning back into what they were before.
“Just- just shut up for once..” he stuttered, but his tone kept up as he did.
It’s almost as if Boris was avoiding Bendy as much as the other did him. As if even while craving his attention, Boris avoided looking at him. Maybe he was scared of not knowing what he’d see, or maybe he feared what he’d see? Would there be hate? Blame? Regret? For the first time during the argument, Boris looked at Bendy.
“Do you even- Do you know what it’s like?” The demon's voice shook, “I- I can't sleep anymore, every dream is another nightmare, waking me up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. Seeing something in the corner of my eye, then turning around to see nothing; my mind playing tricks, like I'm still in that nightmare! Like- like I'm still in the Labyrinth!” His eyes unfocus as he starts shaking, no, giggling to himself.
He looked frantic. He looked hysteric. He looked like he hadn't slept in weeks, but was haunted by nightmares regardless. Maybe because he is. He was shaking, near violently, his posture was so tense. Eyes blazing red, he was looking anywhere but at Boris.
“Nobody even wants me here! No one wants me in general; it’s as if I'm some unlovable freak, as if they see my tail and horns and already know I'm trouble- and I am! Anybody who is stuck around me knows it, I drag down anyone who has gotten close to me! They are right to stay away from me!”
He was tugging on his hair now, staring off to somewhere. It felt wrong, the things he was saying. No, that isn’t true. Boris wanted to argue, Bendy was very wanted. He was loved, and adored, and brave, and kind ,and heroic. He saved so many, he risked his life for more. There was something wet on Boris' face.
“Maybe I should die…No. I should have died. I should have died last winter, I should have died months ago, alongside Finley, Snow White, the Blue Fairy, Wilson. I- I don't- I don't want to wake up every morning thinking if today’s the last, and going to bed at night thinking if I will wake up to a nightmare or an ink attack- I don't wanna go through another ink attack! I don't even wanna, I don't even want to live- but-”
He should say something. Why can’t he say something? Bendy is crying now. Maybe Boris is too. Every other sentence his voice hitches, as words pour from his mouth uncontrollably; as he pours his heart out to Boris, who just stands there say something say something say something say someth-
“-but I can't stop- I gotta keep going. People are relying on me- the team depends on me, Murklin depends on me…Kaiden’s whole village, the sick- you!”
‘Why won’t you say something?’ Sarah whispered to his ear, ‘Maybe you like to see him suffer? He does deserve it for everything he put you through.’ She sounds delighted. Boris is horrified. Bendy was still shaking. No, he didn’t believe in that- he didn’t want Bendy to suffer… He just wanted him to stay- he just-
“I can't- I can't imagine what's gonna happen once I die… I don’t have anyone I can rely on to take care of these, of things I’ll be leaving behind- I used to think you’d- that you could- but…” He was struggling to breathe, from tears maybe.
He just wished things went back the way they used to be.
“I- I just can’t trust… you…”
He looks at Boris with his dull, exhausted eyes, puffy from tears. He stands there unfolded, open, fragile -his emotions on full display- and Boris is still standing where he is, frozen, unable to break from the trance, unable to tell him- what? Tell him what? What is there to say anymore?
Bendy looks horrified, and…apologetic? What? That-That wasn’t right. “I-”
Whatever he was gonna say got cut off by a cough, the demon doubled over as he continued to cough, ink starting to drip from his hand as covered his mouth. Oh… Oh no. The wolf's ears stayed laid flat against his head,this time in horror; before rushing over to his brother. Boris tried putting an arm around Bendy to support him as the demon swayed.
Bendy weakly pushes him away with his free hand.
He- that idiot- is he really- he is literally doubling over in pain as he splutters up thick, black ink at the moment! Is he being petty?
Is Boris that horrible of a brother?
“Bendy-”
“‘M fine, I just-” he goes into another coughing fit, knocking him to the ground now, his knees too weak to hold his weight.The wet coughs and gags were sickly to listen to.
Boris didn’t have time for this, this was now starting to feel more like a nuisance. He helps his brother down to the ground regardless of his silent protests, activating the rune bracelet. His brother relaxed significantly as the joy rune did its job.That was good at least.
“What’s the ruckus- Oh- oh dear,” Boris looked up to see Granny rushing over, worry was etched into the old gophers face “Let’s get you upstairs, oh dear”
As Boris helped Bendy up and towards the stairs. The gopher spoke up again, “I can help him from here,”
“Granny-”
“Hey now, these bones aren’t that ol’, I can handle it”
“I c’n w’lk m’s’lf” Bendy slurs, wobbly legs almost give up on him, but he impressively manages to stay standing, he sluggishly attempts to wipe at the ink over his eyes to no avail. He huffed giving up trying to see anything. The demon’s hand moved away from his face to blindly try and feel his surroundings. The wolf cringes as a string of the black substance follows his hand.
“I know, dear” Granny says, still putting her arm behind him for support, mostly to make sure he won’t fall back going up the stairs.
Boris stands there as they slowly go upstairs -mostly due to Bendy’s legs being weak- watching, not knowing what to do with himself now.
There was another giggle, Well…That was fun wasn’t it?’ Sarah sounded amused. ‘How weak.’
He felt a shiver on his back, ‘Shut up’, he thought, ‘No one asked you’
‘No one may have asked me…But you’re forgetting I’m a part of you now.’ She smiled darkly. ‘Everything of yours is my business, let’s not forget that.’
‘She is just trying to get under your skin’ Boris reminded himself, ‘Don’t let her get to you’
‘Oh come on. You deserve so much more than that…thing, you call a brother.’ She sounded disgusted, ‘Besides, you heard what he said’ She leaned in to gleefully whisper, ‘He’s at his limit.’
“Shut up, he is fine.” He whispered to the air,
‘Oh, stop that. You’re lying to yourself.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘He is sick of you, He doesn’t want you anymore. Face it.’
She might be right.
‘Of course I am’
‘Shut up’
Well what was he supposed to do? He tried his best, he is doing everything to make up for his mistakes, it can't be his fault anymore, right? Bendy’s issues are on him only.
‘Oh yeah I agree’
…Something tells him he might not be right.
Was he ok? Is he allowed to go and check? Would he want him there? Can Boris blame him if he didn’t? He didn’t want to argue with Bendy, he didn’t want to stress him out, and he definitely didn’t want to cause that meltdown.
‘Oh who cares that the demon cried, Boohoo’
“Shut up it's your fault,” Boris said out loud, “You riled me up!”
‘Oh Boris, Oh Boris, always looking for someone to blame.’ She hummed, ‘I suppose it’s nothing new, I’ve seen you do it in the labyrinth, after the labyrinth..’ She giggled, ‘Before the labyrinth’
Boris could feel the fur on the back of his neck bristle.
‘Why do you even bother? He doesn’t want you around. He doesn't like you anymore. So what if he dies?”
“HE WON’T DIE!” He screeched, tugging at his ears in hopes to shut her up.
She stayed quiet from then on.
The wolf was still looking at the stairs.
…He just wanted Bendy to stay home with him..Why does he suddenly feel so bad about it now?
He just wanted things back the way they used to be.
Maybe that’ll never happen
Boris' ears raised suddenly, twitching as he picked up the sound of the creaking of the stairs, someone was coming downstairs. He continued to watch the stairs waiting to see who it was, he hoped it was his brother. It was granny. Was it bad that he felt disappointed at the sight of her? He loved granny…He doesn’t know why he feels this way. The old woman had a small smile on her face.
"Are you alright dearie?" She asked, a tinge of worry in her voice.
Boris nodded.
"Well...Bendy was asking for you, could you come upstairs dearie?"