Broken Down (A Bendy & The Ink Machine Story)

Chapter 10: Fix What's Broken

Henry was awoken early that morning to a frantic loud knocking on the front door. Giving a still sleeping Linda a kiss on her cheek he got out of bed to go investigate. Peering out the window he was shocked to find a very tired looking Joey Drew at his door. He unlocked it and smiled at him "Joey! Hows it going buddy? You look awful, what happened?"

Joey growled "I know you have him Henry, give him back!" the man hissed, his eyes unfocused as they swept the living room. Henry put a hand on his shoulder "Are you drunk? Let me just grab my keys and I'll get you to a hotel, you can cool off and come back later, okay?" Henry reaching for the keys in the small dish by the door.

Joey pushed his hand away "I don't need a hotel! I want my demon and I want to go home!!" he spat. Henry sighed "What the hell are you talking about?" he questioned.

Joey glared at him "Bendy! Where the fuck is he!?"

Henry snorted with laughter "You really are drunk, Bendy's not real, remember? Are you going senile in your old age? Hes a cartoon character!"

Joey pushed him back, "LIAR! I KNOW YOU HAVE HIM!"

Bendy woke to the loud screaming voice at the door and his blood chilled as he recognized it. He burrowed under the blankets as his door opened with a creak. A weight settling on his bed and Bendy put a hand over his mouth as he tried to stay quiet, unable to stop himself from trembling,

"Bendy? Sweetie?"

"L-Linda?" he whispered, Bendy felt relieved it was only her.

"Come here" she said softly, tying her dressing gown around her properly as the demon crawled out and cuddled up onto her lap, tail wrapped around his waist tightly. "He's here, isn't he" Bendy whispered, utterly petrified. Linda hugged him close, making soothing noises and rubbing his horns softly as Henry tried to get Joey to leave.

There was a crash and Linda scooped Bendy into arms and went to go stand in the far corner, the door opened with a bang, and Linda's grip on him tightened. "Give him to me, Linda" Joey growled, holding out his hands for the trembling demon in her arms. Henry watched from the hallway still a little afraid to stop Joey after the man had pushed him to the floor moments before. Linda shook her head "No, get out of this room and leave, Joey Drew, you're drunk and not in your right mind!"

"I'VE BEEN DRUNK FOR THIRTY FUCKING YEARS, LINDA! YOU THINK I FUCKING CARE!? NO ONE CAME TO HELP ME! NO ONE CARES!! No one- I just...I failed everyone" Joey sat down on the bed and let out a hiccuping sob as his tantrum subsided and turned to hurt. Bendy looked at him, studying his face. He was acting strange, but familiar, the demons eyes widened when he realized that lost look.

Joey Drew was broken,

Just like he was.

Linda put him down as Bendy wriggled and the small demon pulled a drawing from off his wall and slowly came over to the crying man sitting on his bed. Joey wiped the tears falling down his face with shaking hands and looked up as Bendy tapped his knee. "What?" Joey asked, sounding more upset than angry, the demon handed him the drawing and Joey sniffled and took it "The s-sky?"

"I drew it, it's the sky above Henry's house at night, and it's for you" Bendy said.

Joeys eyes widened "You drew this?" not quiet believing it. Bendy smiled and looked into his eyes with his own, blinking softly. "I can see it now, why you did what you did to me, you were broken and you filtered all your hateful emotions onto me, because besides from you there was no one else, you used that nasty liquid-"

"It's called Alcohol, Bendy," Joey interrupted.

Bendy waved his hand at him "Yeah, you used that stuff to make it better, only it made it worse, you made my life hell, Joey Drew, but now that I've had help, it's your turn, let me help you, please?" Bendy put out a hand, gloves clean.

Joeys eyes sparkled with more tears and he broke down again, fingers digging into the paper as the tears made the colored art damp "But, I h-hurt you! I gave you s-scars, I'm a horrible person! How can you even l-look at me? After what I did..." Joey cried. Bendy shrugged, and Joey laughed weakly, wiping the tears away. He gently shook Bendy's hand "Thanks."

Henry and Linda smiled "Let us help you, Joey, you're our friend, and for the record we're sorry we never visited, it must have been hard for you" Henry said, putting his hands out for Bendy. The demon ran over and Henry lifted him up into his arms, smiling as Linda rubbed his horns, making the demon purr softly at the affection.

Joey looked down at the picture and nodded "I don't deserve your help, but I'll take it" he choked.

2 year & 2 months later ~

Bendy knocked on the door of the apartment, Henry was behind him with Linda in tow, carrying Bendy's backpack. Joey opened the door, a little surprised at their visit, he was still in his pajamas "Happy Birthday, Joey!!" Bendy said with a grin, holding up the cake he had made with Henry's help. Joey smiled and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "You made that for me?"

Bendy nodded "Hurry up and let us in! I want to eat it! And people are staring at me!" Bendy whined. Joey peered into the corridor and waved at his apartment neighbors staring open-mouthed at Bendy standing there. 

Henry snorted with laughter.

Bendy hurried in and set the cake on the small table, pulling out a piece of paper from the backpack Linda set down next to him "Oh and I drew you this!" Bendy said, handing the man his present. 

Joey took it and unfolded it, chuckling at the drawing. "It's sweet, thank you." he said, pinning it up next to the other drawings, pride filled his heart. It was a drawing of him and Bendy, as if they had been taking a selfie, coloured too, he really needed to get the demon some better colouring pencils, that art store in Pasadena wasn't cutting it. Bendy interrupted his musing with a groan. "Come on, Joey! I want cake!" the demon said, banging his fist on the table.

 Joey turned to him and smiled "Patience."

(Ending Song: Castles - Freya Ridings)