Curiosity - Bendy and the Ink Machine x Reader

Chapter Six

You both didn't have time to question it, running on limited time as the projector continued to play out its reel of film. James was the first to move, already running around the room and playing the instruments in the order that he remembered and when he played the single note of the piano key, a light flickered on above the gate that slowly lifted itself and revealed a long hallway that led towards a single value with the word "Flow" neatly written on a sign above it. You didn't really want to be the one to go near it, to tread down such a long hallway that would make you feel like the walls were closing in on you and there was no escape if any of those monsters from earlier decided to come popping up. James didn't blame you, he looked hesitant as well, even with a deadly weapon in his hands he didn't feel safe or comfortable. But eventually, he was the one to go, slowly creeping down the hall towards the value with you hesitantly following behind but staying close to the doorway as you watched him turn the value with all his might when he finally reached it.

He turned around with a reassuring smile, shooting a thumbs up as if that would comfort you which it kind of did as you returned his smile before turning away yourself. Jumping and stumbling backward before losing balance and falling on your ass when one of those Bendy cutouts suddenly popped up out of nowhere and peered right at you before disappearing from view once again. James was already rushing down the short hall, squeezing right past you and rushing out into recording room with his axe held out. He may have looked ready for a fight, but the fear in his eyes and the lack of color in his face as he heavily breathed was enough to tell you that he was terrified of facing the person. He looked all around the room as you slowly and carefully pushed yourself back up and shuffle towards him, almost not wanting to come out of the sanctuary when he seemed to tense up the moment his gaze flickered up towards the projector booth.

"Who are you?!" he suddenly shouted as you faltered in your steps a little. "You're that same guy from before, aren't you?! Aren't you?!" he sounded frustrated, he sounded scared like he didn't know what to expect as he tightened his grip on the axe and continued staring upwards until you finally passed through the doorway and looked up towards the projector's booth as well. Breath catching in your throat as you spotted the man that you both had only saw a glimpse of earlier. He was covered head to toe in ink and only wore a single pair of overalls as a stained and dirty Bendy mask covered his face.

He said nothing, just standing there and swaying back and forth as he watched the two of you. "Answer me before I go up there and make you answer me!" James continued to scream, you didn't know if he was screaming to act tough or because he was terrified of the silence that he was receiving as an answer. Part of you wondered if you should speak up—ask if the man would help, but one look at him told you the same thing it told James, this man wasn't going to be of any help. He didn't look friendly and the way his body was coated in ink made you second guess if he was actually human or not. But, in some way the man's silence and appearance aren't what scared you, it was James' reaction that terrified you.

He wasn't one to normally get angry fast, he wasn't one to scream at others or demand answers. If this was his reaction to finally seeing someone, then you were certain that that means he sensed something dangerous about the man. James was sometimes overly trusting you felt, but at the moment there was no trust in his voice, there was no trust in his face, there was only fear and aggression as he shouted at the man to answer. You were almost certain that this was a glimpse of how he really felt, that the reassuring smiles and the joyful laughter that would bubble out of him every now and then was nothing more than a pitiful façade that he had been wearing either for his sake or yours. But at the same time, you pitifully wanted to deny that this was the truth.

Because it scared you to think that someone like him that normally had no problem recklessly running into danger and rarely ever felt or showed genuine fear could truly be scared over the appearance of some man. But all too quick that fear and anger seemed to melt away from his face as his lips shakily forced themselves upwards and his grip relaxed just a little on the axe. "Come on now, just say something" his voice was calm and light, no longer holding that aggressive tone as he seemed to relax. "I just want to—" he took one step forward before screeching and scrambling backward as you recoiled and screamed yourself when those humanoid monsters from before shot out of the ground. They crawled their way towards you two, leaving behind trails of ink as raspy groans left their nonexistent mouths.