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Cuphead’s eyes scanned the streets as he let out a puff of smoke. He flicked the cigarette between his fingers with bits of ash falling to the ground and lazily placed it back between his lips. It was late in the evening and, based on the smell through the open window, Granny was hard at work with making dinner. He took a deep breath and sighed, once again holding the cigarette.
It wasn’t long before he could see Felix walking up the street with Boris tailing beside him. The two were deep in conversation and only spotted Cup just before entering the house. As soon as he noticed him, Boris smiled and waved.
“Hey Cup, coming in soon? Smells like dinner’s about done.” The pup shifted out of Felix’s way as the cat went ahead inside, a small stack of books in hand that Cup only just noticed.
With another sigh and last cloud of smoke he snuffed out the cigarette, “Yeah, let’s get in. I’m starving.”
He placed a hand over his stomach and stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. Everyone had already gathered into the dining room with tonight’s feast laid out in a spread. People were already assembling their plates and sitting in their usual seats with Mugman, of course, sitting next to where he would be. Soon enough, Cup found himself in his own chair, the one on the other side of him noticeably empty of his friend.
“Bendy out again?” He looked between Felix and Boris, having last seen the demon with the two. The three had been going out lately, most likely shopping for the new house Felix had gotten them or occasionally visiting the circus based off of the pup’s ramblings of the mouse.
Boris’s ears perked at the question and he nodded in response with a mouth full of food. It was Felix who gave the verbal answer, “He went down to Hell for a little while. Meeting up with a friend, I believe.”
He hummed in response as he took a bite from his own filled plate. The stew was as perfect as always, if not a little hot, and in his mind he could hear himself once again thanking Granny for the amazing meal. The first couple of bites burned his tongue a bit, but it was worth the warmer feeling he got in his chest.
“So you, Felix, and Bendy all went out to do some shopping today?” Mugman was turned to Boris and the wolf’s ears perked.
He finished chewing and swallowed a bite before speaking, “Not really shopping much yet, more like browsing. I guess me and Bendy still feel a little awkward about buying just for us instead of what we need.”
“And I still assure you that it’s okay.” Felix broke into the conversation with a kind smile, “I won’t pressure you and Bendy to hurry, of course, but rest assured I don’t mind.”
Boris gave a shy smile as he fidgeted with his hands and nodded to the cat, “Thanks Dad.”
Felix seemed to beam at the word and the tip of his tail wagged in response. Cuphead smirked and raised a brow at the action only to receive a pointed, but similarly amused look from the cat before turning away again. Stars, he was happy for the three of them.
Conversation continued to flow easily around him, but he was only half paying attention now as his mind slowly drifted away. He wasn’t thinking about anything in particular, simply letting his mind wander. It was only when he tried to focus on a single thought that he realized something was wrong. He couldn’t think straight, and every time he tried there was a sharp pain somewhere on his body but he couldn’t pinpoint where.
He rubbed the palms of his hands at his eyes and groaned. He could practically feel his brother looking at him, but no words of reassurance came to him. Another stab of pain shot through him, but instead of going as quickly as it came it lingered. Wow, his chest hurt.
It hurt a lot, actually.
He took a shuddering breath to try and ease it, but it only seemed to make it worse. His hand moved to hover in front of him before pushing back and away from the table. Mugman, who was still watching his brother, was now fully worried and his own hands hovered around unsure, “Cup? Something wrong?”
The conversations around the table all quickly died away and, once again, he could feel eyes turning to him. He tried to speak, to assure the others that he was probably fine, but he was unable to as he was almost certain something stabbed through him. He gasped and lurched forward, falling off his chair. He was breathing heavily, not from the pain, but from the panic in his racing mind as he looked down at his chest. There was no sharp black tail, no blood, and no hole in his chest, but the fact didn’t ease him.
“Cuphead?!” His brother was on the floor in front of him immediately and grabbing his shoulders. Something wet dripped down his face and over his eyes. He would have guessed his hair, but it was far too dark. It was practically black, like ink, and he barely registered the acidic smell of the room.
He could feel someone’s hand shove something down his throat, but he couldn’t tell what it was. Something else was wrapped around his arm and almost immediately a warmth came from the cloth and his mind had cleared. He could think, and there were only five thoughts repeating in his mind.
He was screaming. He was in agony. He was melting. He was dying.
Where was Bendy?
-
Boris was shaking like a leaf beside Felix and watching as Oddswell and Red worked. As soon as Cuphead had fallen and started screaming everyone was out of their seats and panicking. There was ink everywhere, his hair changing to look like the black liquid, and cracks slowly forming over his body with more ink seeping through. When they realized what was happening Red had pulled out an emergency bottle of pills she kept on her, and Granny didn’t hesitate on untying her joy bracelet to wrap around Cuphead’s wrist.
After the joy rune had been activated there was a gasp and a groan of pain. Mugman pulled his brother close, ignoring the dripping ink, “Cuphead?! Oh stars-”
With visible effort, Cuphead lifted his hand to grab Mugman’s arm as tightly as it could. He started coughing again, and Mugman was about to say something else, but Cup managed to push through the fit, “B-Bendy-”
Boris froze as Cup coughed again and he could feel Felix flinch beside him with a horrified whisper, “Oh no…”
In the same moment a burst of familiar flames appeared in the other room. The two didn’t waste a second as they ran over to find Black Hat standing in the middle of the house. Floating beside him, surrounded by his magic, was a mass of inky blackness just barely twitching. Boris immediately knew who it was.
Black Hat sat Bendy down on the floor and Boris ran over to his brother. Felix had run back into the dining room, most likely getting Oddswell, and Black Hat wasn’t far behind him.
“Bendy?!” Boris dropped to his knees and plunged his hands into the ink and pulled his brother out as soon as he felt anything solid to grab. He used his hand to wipe away a thick layer of ink until he could finally see his brother. Bendy gasped and gagged, a flood of ink pouring out of his mouth.
“I- I can’t-” he fell into a coughing fit and just behind them Cuphead groaned again in pain, but he had stopped screaming. His attack must be fading.
Boris sighed in relief and wiped more ink away from his brother’s head, “Don’t worry Bendy, it’s almost over. You’ll be oka-”
“N-No… no…” He coughed again, and with each lurch more ink dripped off of his body. Boris looked back at Cuphead. He was recovering. His hair was going back to normal and the cracks in his skin started to disappear. He looked back at Bendy. Was he getting worse? Why was there more ink?
As if to answer his question Bendy groaned before screaming in pain. Everyone’s attention shot to him and Oddswell and Red finally ran into the room. Black Hat followed in behind and stood off to the side.
Oddswell turned to Black Hat, “Do you know if he took his pills?”
“Of course, he always carries around the satchel that holds them.” Black Hat responded while dropping an ink stained bag that Boris only now realized the demon was holding.
Oddswell only nodded in response, but Black Hat continued, “How long do these attacks usually last?”
Boris flinched at the question and the doctor paused in what he was doing for a moment. Felix spoke before anyone else could, “Why do you ask?”
The room would have fallen into a tense silence if it wasn’t for Bendy’s agonized screams. Boris couldn’t help but fold his ears at the noise and he held his brother closer. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Cuphead just barely sitting up and leaning against Mugman.
Black Hat spoke over Bendy’s cries, “I’m sure you are aware that time goes by faster in Hell?”
Reactions were immediate. Gasps of shock echoed around the room and Oddswell and Red went to work faster. Bendy had already been suffering for minutes since he got back, and if Cuphead’s own attack was connected to Bendy in the way he thought it was then there was no telling how long it had actually been going on for.
Tears pricked at Boris’s eyes. He looked down at Bendy who was only groaning in pain now, though Boris could tell it wasn’t because the attack was stopping. Panic flared in him and he began to hyperventilate, “B-Bendy?”
A hand landed on his shoulder and he didn’t need to turn around to know it was Felix who’s own fur was standing on end. Off to the side, even Black Hat seemed to be growing uneasy.
Bendy wheezed in pain and, with visible effort, slowly turned to Boris. Ink pooled out of his mouth in gushes and waves and dripped to the floor. Everytime he tried to speak more ink would flood out.
“I-It’s okay. It’s okay. I-It’ll be over s-soon. Like always. Just- j-just hold on.” Boris hold him close and sobbed.
His brother’s head fell back with a groan of pain and he shook his head. He was crying now and still trying to speak, but only more ink came.
Bendy quickly gave up on trying to speak and instead lifted his hand to his head and dragged off his goggles, placing them in Boris’s hand.
“D-Don’t worry, w-we’ll get them cl-cleaned up! They’ll be a-as good as new!” Boris tried to smile at his brother, ignoring what he was trying to say. Bendy would get through this and stay alive, just like every other time. They always looked bad, but he would make it.
The look in Bendy’s eyes told him otherwise. Not only did they show the pain that came with an ink attack, but a deep sadness and something else Boris couldn’t fully see. His head turned to the side to gaze at the cup-brothers, his eyes landing specifically on Cuphead before closing, “I-”
A splash, and then silence.
It took a second for everyone to register what happened, but when they did they all jumped or flinched away in shock. Boris, however, continued to sit and stare in frozen silence. There was nothing solid left to hold onto besides the fabric that slipped from his grasp, and under all of that was nothing but ink.
That ink.
There was nothing left but a stain on the floor. He should do something. He wanted to scream. He wanted to cry. He was devastated and terrified. Angry. He was angry at… no. Bendy was gone. It wasn't fair. The memories. He was going to do something.
He knew his eyes were pitch black the moment everyone backed away or flinched. Some said something, but he didn't listen. He clutched the whistle tightly in his hand. The memories. He could fix this. He was going to fix this. And he ran. All that was left was anger and desperation.