Neverending Loops

Chapter: 8

After making sure the both of them were okay enough to continue on, or in other words, Henry fussing over Joey, they continued on. Right now the main focus was to try and understand the layout of the Studio's deeper levels, as they were unknown to the both of them. Normally the safe house would come right after Sammy's area, a comforting notion that seemed very nice right now.

They walked in silence, content with each other's company. Joey refused to let go of Henry's hand though, not that it bothered him. It was rather comforting, a reassuring sign that they were still together. After a while of wandering around aimlessly for a while though, they decided to ask each other questions about the different loops; along with the events that occured within them.

"How different was it from this one? Layout wise. Or was it the same? Y'know, like ours?"

Joey nearly tripped over his own feet at the question. Well, more like a certain word at the end.

Ours.

"Ours?" He didn't give Henry a chance to answer, continuing on in a rush. "I mean of course ours, we opened it together obviously."

"Glad you remember that. And yes, its ours. For such a smart guy you can be really oblivious sometimes."

"I am not." They stopped walking, both ready for a playful debate to begin.

"Yes you are. You haven't even noticed that I like you back." And ta-da, there it was, the grin that Bendy himself was drawn with.

"You- what. Am I dreaming? Are you teasing me, because its not really amusing." Henry placed a hand, and therefore Joey's, hand on his chest as if deeply offended.

"I would never."

Joey was still reeling a bit, because holy fucking shit the person he liked returned the feelings and he had the nerve to ask if it was a joke. So instead of apologizing like a normal functioning person, he pulled his hand away and pinched himself.

"Never?"

"How many times do you want me to say it? You are my best friend you incompetent dumbass. Stop pinching yourself, its not a dream." Joey stopped, and instead stared.

"You really mean it." He stared, at the floor first, then at Henry. The person that to him, contained all the light and life behind his eyes that Joey couldn't ever seem to get enough of.

"I mean it." Then they were both laughing, quietly at first, then louder. Just happy, uncaring laughter that started back up when they so much as looked at each other. Hand in hand, walking down the dust filled hallway, they both unknowingly came to the same conclusion. That happiness? That's what home was.

So of course when Henry decided to tell that to Joey, it felt unbelievably cliché. Apparently, the cheesiness of it was completely and utterly missed by Joey.

"That- that's what you came up with? Not 'this is the idiot I'm in love with?"' Saying it out loud, Joey could feel himself blush, only to notice the same reaction from the other.

"Well, I personally think that you're the best kind of idiot I could've fallen in love with. The loveable kind."

"Okay, now its getting cheesy."

"This is stressful!!"

. . .

After the unintentional but welcome confessions from the both of them, with Bendy chiming in to tell them finally, the discussion moved back to the Studio.

"You wanna know something strange? I never actually met Alice."

"Really? That sounds nice. She's not the Angel that you probably remember."

"How so?" Joey honestly couldn't picture anyone other than the sweet Angel with a streak of mischief, pearly horns, and halo that glowed brightly.

"It's- she's not just Alice. I'm pretty sure Susie is in there too." Henry stopped walking, and lifted a hand to cover the left side of his face. "It always sounds like she's hurt, like she wants to get out. Like she's been clawing herself apart just to see her own face again."

"That's...awful."

"It isn't just that. She's like awful version of herself. She's missing the left side of her face, it's just plain disturbing." Henry was making a conscious effort not to stay Susie's name, as if that would do anything to help her. But he was tired, of seeing her in pain, seeing everyone in pain.

"We have to set her free. Set everyone free, Joey.'' He slowly lowered his hand, only to flinch and pull it back towards himself.

"What? Do not tell me you're fine, I know you."

Henry held his hand out, and God, had he really been shaking like that the whole time? In the center of his palm, the puncture wound had turned an ugly, almost shadowy deep red colour. The color split off into separate strands, almost like vines.

Very deadly looking vines. Very deadly ink covered vines.

"I think...I think it's ink. Or maybe it's the lighting, and nothing's wrong. That's it. No need to worry. We just have to press on and figure this out later. Right?" But he didn't pull away as Joey took it in his own, inspecting it closely.

"We can try something. It might hurt, but it could help." He let go, and Henry drew back as he saw Joey pull a knife from this pocket; the one that Sammy had had on his belt. He pulled his hand to his chest, ignoring the spike of pain it caused.

Joey took a step forward before stopping with a small 'ah'.

"I'm not gonna stab you or anything like that, just make a small cut an' see if we can get it out before it spreads. Easy." Joey spreads his hands, even while holding the knife in between his pointer finger and thumb. "Or you could do it, doesn't make a difference."

Taking in a admittedly shaky breath, Henry looked back down at his hand. Just from moving it that small amount, the ink had spread, now inching closer to his wrist. Looking up at Joey, he could tell it was sincere. Even after the calm caring moments they had, it was difficult to forget that initial stab of betrayal.

"We'll deal with it after making sure we're safe." He walked past Joey, down the hall that looked like every other one that they'd passed by, forcing him to follow.

"That's not safe!! If anything we should take care of it now."

"No. That's the end of it, okay?" Henry offered a small smile, feigning confidence. "Nothing to worry about."

"Okay. But if it gets worse, you tell me."

"I will."

They continued on, trying to unravel the labyrinth-like layout of the Studio's lower levels.