A/N: I based this story on a BatIM 2D Bendy AU by Shinyzango on Tumblr. Check their work out!
Disclaimer: Bendy and the Ink Machine is owned by TheMeatly. I only own my Ocs.
A Special Day
Bendy was so excited. Henry was taking him back to spend time with Aunt June and her family again. He missed them so much. He was bouncing in his seat the whole way there. Henry would just tell him they were almost there and that just made him more anxious.
Finally, they made it to the house early Friday evening. Henry parked in front of June's home and Bendy didn't hesitate to jump out of the car. He ran up the walkway while Henry grabbed his bag from the backseat. Bendy was already knocking on the front door as Henry came up the walkway. The door swung open and June was standing there with a huge smile on her face.
"Hey there old man!" She wrapped her arms around Henry and gave him a hug. She let go of him and stepped back to see Bendy smiling up at her. June opened her arms and the toon practically jumped into them. She squeezed him tightly.
"There's my nephew!" The toon demon laughed and hugged her back. "Glad to see you too, Aunt June!"
June lowered Bendy to the ground and he was immediately tackled by two little girls. "Cousin Bendy!" Bendy had to chuckle. It looks like they missed him as much as he did them.
June and Henry watched as the poor toon got dragged into the house. Henry just shook his head and June laughed. "They have been looking forward to this all week." They both walked in and June headed for the kitchen. The girls had Bendy sitting on the couch while they chatted away.
June walked back into the living room with a man following close behind.
"Henry!" The guy walked up and shook Henry's hand.
"Hey Jason. Good seeing you again!" Jason was a few inches taller then him with light reddish brown hair. He was a little burlier and had a mustache and light grey eyes.
"Man, it's been too long." Jason said with a huge grin on his face.
Henry scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I know. I promised June-Bug I'd come by more."
Jason chuckled. "If I learned anything, you don't argue with June."
"You got that right!" June was standing there with one hand on her hip and the other wiggling at them. "And don't y'all forget it!"
The burly truck driver chuckled at his wife's antics until he noticed the figure sitting with his daughters on the couch. He went over to introduce himself.
"So, you're Bendy." The toon looked up at him. "I'm Jason. I'm their father." He reached out and ruffles both girls' hair. They giggle and bat his hands away. Bendy jumps down from the couch and hugs Jason's leg.
The toon looks up at the man with a huge smile on his face. "Hi Uncle Jason!"
"Uhh…" Jason looks at Henry who just shrugs. He then looks at June. She had a soft smile on her face and gave him a small nod. Jason reaches down and pats Bendy on the head. "You're right June. He sure is a hugger."
"Told ya!" June laughed.
Jason pushed Bendy away a little before he knelt down. He was somewhat at eye level with the toon. He placed his hands on the toon's shoulders.
"Hey Bendy, I wanted to thank ya." Bendy looked a little confused. "The girls told me what happened with the well." The toon looked down at the floor for a moment. "Thank you for saving Beth."
Bendy looked up a little surprised. "Um, you're welcome. I was glad I could help."
June was relieved Jason was alright with Bendy being around the girls. She looked over at her brother and noticed he was watching Jason and Bendy. Henry looked relieved as well.
"Alright everyone!" June got the group's attention. "I don't feel like cooking tonight. So how about we order a few pizzas?" The kids cheered and yelled out "Pepperoni" or "Just Cheese" so she ordered both.
They had the table set up by the time the pizzas arrived. Jason brought the two large boxes to the table and soon everyone had a slice. The girls laughed as Bendy bit into his slice only to have a string of gooey cheese strung between the piece of pizza and his mouth. No matter how far he tried to pull back, the cheese just kept stretching. June and Jason stared before turning to Henry for an explanation. He just shrugged and said it was a toon thing.
Soon Jason was trying to teach the kids how to eat the pizza New York style. June just rolled her eyes, but she had a small smile on her face. "Oh boy, here we go." Jason folded the large slice in half and tilted to the side slightly and bit into it. The kids tried to copy the technique with various degrees of success. Either the cheese or the sauce was sliding out the other end of the slices. Henry and June watched with amusement as Jason tried to keep the kids from making a mess.
After everyone had their fill, Bendy and the girls went into the living room to play a game while the adults stayed at the table. They lowered their voices so the toon wouldn't hear.
"So, he doesn't know what tomorrow is?" June stated.
Henry shook his head. "As far as I can tell, it's just another day to him."
"Huh, that's not right." June looked almost offended for the toon.
"Well, I doubt Joey gave it much thought."
June pressed her hands together and she had a big grin on her face. "Well, we're gonna have to make the day extra special then!" She pointed to Henry and Jason. "You're going to keep the kids busy in the morning, right?"
"Yup!" Jason nodded. "There is a special showing at the theater tomorrow. They're gonna love it!"
"Good, that'll give me time to get things ready while you're all out."
"Sounds like a good plan to me. Thanks for doing this guys." June just waved her hand and told him it was no problem. Jason piped up.
"Oh, the girls are in on it too." He thrusts his thumb in the direction of the living room. "We had a long talk with them and they promised not to say anything." Henry smiled softly. He knows it must be hard for them to keep a secret but he was happy that they were willing to try.
The rest of the evening went by rather quickly. The kids played a few rounds of old maid before it was time to head to bed. Bendy wondered if the girls were going to set up another tent like the last time. June shook her head and ushered the toon up the stares.
"Not this time kiddo." Bendy looked a little disappointed until they reached the girls' room. There was a cot set up on the other side of the room, complete with pillows and a blanket. June laughed at the surprised look on his face. "I didn't say you wouldn't be sharing a room, silly. Just no sleeping on the floor this time." The toon let out a funny squeaking noise before hugging June and rushing into the room. The girls followed right behind him.
Jason stood behind June and watched as the little group tried to settle down but ended up chatting away. He rested his head on June's shoulder and whispered in her ear, "Your family is weird."
Henry came up the stairs just in time to see his sister punching her husband in the arm. "No weirder than yours!" she shouted and they both started laughing. Henry just shook his head. He didn't even want to know. He headed to the guest room. He found himself surprisingly excited for tomorrow.
-The Next Day-
June was up bright and early that morning. She was already making breakfast by the time everyone else started making their way downstairs. It was then that Henry and Jason told the kids they were going to the movies. Bendy was so excited but then he asked if Aunt June was coming too. She told him she had some errands to run but to have fun without her. She would see them when they got back. The toon didn't like the sound of that, but June reassured him that it would be alright.
After they were done, the group headed out the door.
"So, which car are we taking?" Henry asked. Jason turned to him with a huge smirk on his face.
"We're taking "Lucy"!" June was giving her husband an incredulous look.
Bendy looked at Jason a little confused. "Who's Lucy?"
Jason lead the group around the house and they came face to face with a huge, red T. Brad Dunkin Truck. The man walked up and was practically stroking one of the massive tires. "This is "Lucy". Isn't she beautiful?" Bendy had to do a double take. He had never been this close to a truck this big before. The tires were taller than him and the girls. He found it a little strange that it was named Lucy.
June was standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. She huffed "Sometimes I think he loves that rig more than me." The next thing she knew, Jason was at her side, wrapping her up in his arms.
"Aww c'mon. You know you're always my number one gal." He began kissing her on the cheek before moving to her lips. June was blushing and giggling like a school girl. Bendy was watching this all go down with a blush creeping up his own cheeks. That was until little hands covered his eyes. He was surprised until he heard Beth's voice.
"Ewww! Don't do that in front of cousin Bendy! Gross!" Beth was making a face, Sarah was laughing and Bendy was waving his hands in the air. He couldn't see a thing! Henry chuckles and agreed with Beth and said as much jokingly.
"Alright, alright." June laughed and pushed her husband towards the truck. "You better get going."
Jason opened the doors and helped the kids up to the back seats. The step up was a little high so he had to give them a lift. He and Henry had an easier time of it because they were taller. Jason made sure everyone had their seat belts on before pulling out. The kids waved at June and she returned the gesture. She stood there until the truck disappeared down the street before heading back to the house. She had work to do.
Bendy had never been in a truck this big or this noisy before. He could feel the whole thing vibrate around him as they picked up speed. Sarah told him that they didn't get to ride in Lucy that much because their dad was away at work a lot. It was fun for them if she was a little loud. The toon jumped when Jason used the air horn. If it sounded loud from inside the truck, he couldn't imagine what it sounded like from the outside. As impressive as the truck was, Bendy knew he'd take the quiet of Henry's old car any day.
After twenty minutes they finally made it to town. Jason found a lot big enough to park his rig and the group was now making their was to the movie theater. No one would tell Bendy what they were going to see. "You'll see when we get there." Henry said with a soft smile on his face. This just made the toon even more excited.
The Magnolia was a pretty big theater. There were movie posters in glass cases that lined the outer walls. The smell of buttered popcorn and candy hit the group as soon as they opened the doors. The kids ran to the concession stand while the adults got the tickets. Henry brought a huge tub of popcorn while Jason got sodas for everyone. They gave the usher their tickets and he showed them to the correct theater.
Bendy, Sarah, and Beth took seats in the middle with Henry and Jason sitting on either end of the group. There was a red velvety curtain covering the large screen. The kids still didn't know what they were about to see, but they were getting very excited. Soon, it got dark and the curtain pulled away. The light from the projector behind them lit up the screen. The studio's emblem shown in crackling black and white as the music started to play.
"The Wizard of Oz" was shown in huge letters before them. Henry passed the kids the popcorn. They sat it on Sarah's lap so they could all reach it. Everyone had their sodas and was sipping them quietly.
The movie opened with a girl named Dorothy and her little dog, Toto, sitting in front of a far house. Other characters were introduced and one musical number later, the kids were entranced. 'Heh, just wait until they get to the good part.' Henry thought with a soft smile.
Dorothy's house gets swept up in a tornado and lands with a huge crash. Henry watched the kids out of the corner of his eye when Dorothy opened the door to the land of OZ. He wasn't disappointed. Bendy, Sarah, and Beth all had the same look on their faces. Wide eyes and open mouths at seeing a world of overly bright colors open up before them.
"Henry!" Bendy tapped the man on the arm and tried to talk as softly as he could. "So many colors!" Henry chuckled. He looked over at Jason and saw him looking down at his girls with a soft smile on his face. Looks like he wasn't the only one waiting for that look of wonder on the kids' faces.
Every new character that introduced themselves to the main character made the little toon giggle. Glenda the Good witch reminded him of Alice. So nice, willing to help and giving advice.
The Scarecrow is funny and the boneless way he moved reminded him of a cartoon character. He could dance and sing too! Bendy was impressed.
He liked the Tinman. He kinda felt sorry for him though. The poor guy was rusted and stuck in one place for who knows how long until Dorothy and the Scarecrow came along. Bendy knew what it was like to be trapped in one place. He was happy that the Tinman was saved just like he was.
Then there was the Lion. He reminded him of Boris. Not so much the cowardly part but they way he talks and moves. He liked that the Lion could be very brave when his friends' needed him.
The little group munched away at the popcorn and eyes were barely taken off the screen. The kids gasps when the Wicked Witch of the West came on the scene. She threatened Dorothy and her friends and just looked all around scary. Bendy told the girls that if that witch showed her face around here, he'd give her what for! They laughed and made the witch seem less frightening knowing Bendy wasn't scared of her.
The group followed the yellow brick road and finally made it to the city of Oz. There was so much color, singing and dancing, the kids couldn't stop smiling. They watched as they finally met the Wizard and Bendy already made up his mind he didn't like the guy. The Wizard promised the group everything they could ever want as long as they went out and killed the witch. That sounded like something Joey would do.
Henry thought he heard a soft growl coming from Bendy. "What's wrong buddy?"
The little toon crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the screen. "I don't like that guy." Henry reached out and patted Bendy on the head, reminding him it was just a movie and not real. That seemed to calm him down a little.
The witch sends out her flying monkey to capture the group. She demands Dorothy's ruby slippers. The Witch threatens to torture the group when she refuses. Bendy winced when she set the Scarecrow on fire and nearly jumped out of his seat when Dorothy threw the bucket of water on her and she started to melt. It made him wonder if she was made out of ink as well.
Surprise, surprise, the Wizard turned out to be a big phony. Bendy huffed as he watched the man rewarded the group for killing the witch. When the 'Wizard' took off without Dorothy, Sarah yelled out that that wasn't fair and Bendy couldn't agree more. Then Glenda shows up, tells the group that they had everything the 'Wizard' promised them all along, and Dorothy had a way to get home all this time. Bendy thought it was a little strange that a Good Witch would make a little girl go through all of that danger when she could have just gone home. He tried not to think about it too hard or he'd get angry again. Dorothy and Toto made it back home safe and sound and the movie ended happily.
"So, how did y'all like the movie?" Jason asked as the group left the theater. The kids loved how colorful it was and the songs too. Bendy began to dance and move like the Scarecrow, saying he was his favorite character. The girls wanted ruby slippers like Dorothy or a little dog. Henry had to chuckle at the way his brother-in-law tried to tell them all the reasons why they couldn't have a dog. None of which the girls were buying.
"Well, look at the time. Lets head on home." There was a chorus of "awws" and "do we have to?". Henry smirked at Jason's attempt to change the subject. At least they gave June-Bug enough time. They all piled into the large truck and headed home.
Thirty minutes later, they pulled around the back of the house. The adults helped the kids down and they ran to tell June all about the movie. By the time Jason and Henry made it to the kitchen, June was standing there with an amused look on her face as the kids tried to tell her everything that happened to Dorothy and Toto.
"Wow, that sounds like a pretty good movie!"
"You should have come with us, Aunt June!" June reached down and ruffled Bendy between his horns.
"I know. Maybe next time." She pointed to some bowls on the kitchen counter. "I had to get a few things for the barbeque we're having this afternoon!" The kids cheered and ran out the backdoor with Jason following close behind. He was going to fire up the grill and keep an eye on the kids.
"Did we give you enough time June-Bug?" Henry could see ground meat in one bowl and potato salad in another.
"Yup. I got done maybe an hour ago. It's all set and ready to go. I think he's gonna love it." She reached into the freezer for the hotdogs and pulled a thawed steak out of the frig.
Henry gave her a one armed hug and thanks her. "No need to thank me. Just seeing the look on my nephew's face will be thanks enough."
Bendy and the girls were playing various games while they waited for the grill to get hot. The steak was placed on the grill since it would take the longest to cook along with the hamburgers and corn on the cob wrapped up in aluminum foil.
June brought out a small radio for them to listen to music. The little toon tried to teach the girls how to tap dance. Henry could tell his friend was having so much fun teaching them too. His face lit up when the girls got certain steps right to his impromptu routine.
The little toon even got June in on it. It had been so long since he had a dance partner. June was rather light on her feet and managed to pick up a few steps rather quickly. When a bouncy number began to play on the radio, he took June's hand and she spun on the balls of her feet. She laughed and kicked her legs out as she tried to mimic something she saw in a movie once. Bendy encouraged her. It was nice to see her smile like that.
A slower song began to play and Jason asked if he could cut in. Bendy stepped aside as Jason wrapped an arm around his wife's waist and whisked her around the yard. Henry picked up Sarah and asked if she wanted to dance. The little girl giggled before nodding her head. Beth asked Bendy if he could teach her how to dance like her parents and he was more than happy to show her. Soon the entire family was dancing around the yard. Laughter and singing could be heard all around.
Soon the meat was cooked and set up onto the table. Everyone had they plates full of food and they were all munching away happily. This is where the girls find out that Bendy loves hotdogs and drowning them in mustard. Sarah made a face. She liked ketchup herself. Beth had no problem putting both on hers. Bendy thought that was strange. The kids laughed at each other's reactions.
It was late in the afternoon and everyone was finished eating. The adults were just relaxing as they watched the girls chase Bendy around the yard. The little toon was fast but sometimes he would let himself get caught. They would end up in a pile in the grass, just laying there and laughing.
June looked over at her brother and tilted her head slightly towards the house. Henry got the signal and followed her. Jason watched them leave and gave them ten minutes before calling the kids back to the picnic table.
"What's going on?" Bendy looked around. He just noticed Henry and June weren't at the table. Beth, Sarah, and Jason just smiled. He was going to ask again when the back door opened. June walked out carrying a large cake with a single candle in her hands. Henry came out after her with three boxes and a tub of vanilla ice cream in his arms.
Bendy froze in place as he watched June set the cake in front of him. The icing was white and there were words writing on the surface in blue. "Happy Birthday Bendy." The little toon sat there a little stunned as his family surrounded him and began to sing "Happy Birthday" to him. By the time they were done, Bendy was left speechless. He just stared at the cake. The other's began to get a little worried.
"Bendy, sweetheart, are you alright?" June placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Hey buddy, say something'." Henry had his hand on the toon's head. He was starting to get really worried when he didn't react.
"Cousin Bendy?" It was the concerned tone in Sarah's voice that snapped the little toon out of it. He looked around and saw everyone one at the table staring at him.
"Birthday? I don't understand…" His Birthday? Did someone like him even have birthdays?
The adults looked at one another before Henry cleared his throat. He could tell Bendy was confused and he needed to explain. He sat down next to the toon and turned him until he was looking at him.
"While we were running through the studio, I came across some paperwork in Joey's office." Bendy winced at those bad memories. Henry continued. "He had a lot of sketches about the machine and stuff. He also had the concept art we drew together when creating you." He gave the toon a warm smile. "Then there was a note about the day Joey brought you to life. That day is today, bud."
"M-My Birthday? I didn't know." Bendy scratched the back of his head. This was a lot to wrap his head around.
"I figured you didn't. That's why we're here. We wanted to make this day special for you." Bendy looked at everyone around him. They were all smiling and agreeing with Henry.
"You all did this for me?" Bendy couldn't believe it.
"Of course Cousin Bendy." He turned towards Beth. She looked excited. "Birthdays are the best things in the world! You get to share it with all the people you love!" Bendy couldn't help but smile at that.
"And there are presents!" Sarah cut in. "Don't forget the presents!" Beth agreed and Bendy looked to the boxes Henry set on the table. 'Are those really for me?'
"Okay sweetheart." June got his attention. "Make a wish and blow out that candle before it burns down all my hard work!" June chuckled at the surprised look on the toon's face. He closed his eyes for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and blowing the candle out. Everyone cheered and congratulated him.
The girls wanted too but didn't ask him what he wished for because it wouldn't come true if they did. If they did ask, he would have told them. He wished to have more days like this.
Henry cut a huge slice of cake and placed it on a plate. June scooped out some ice scream onto the plate and handed it to Bendy. Jason couldn't believe how big the toon's eyes and smile had gotten. He could swear he could see stars in his eyes as well. The toon practically squeaked with happiness. He thought that was kinda cute in a strange sorta way. June's side of the family was definitely weirder than his.
Bendy was drooling over a three layered cake with strawberry filling between each layer. He dug in and took one bite. He thought he would melt into a puddle of ink right then and there. It was delicious! He thanked June as she was passing out pieces to everyone else. She just laughed and was glad he was enjoying it. Soon everyone was sitting at the table, quietly enjoying the birthday cake.
After they were done with the cake, it was time to give Bendy his presents. The toon was practically bouncing in his seat. Beth and Sarah handed him a box with a big red bow on top. Bendy sat the box in his lap and opened it. He blinked and his mouth hung open. He looked up at the girls and they were looking at him expectantly. He reached in and pulled out several bow ties. Each one was different from the next. They were all in different colors and sizes. Some had glittery pieces on them or pins with a gems glued to them. He ran his gloved fingers over them and noticed the stitching. They were hand made!
"Do you like them?" Sarah asked him. All he could do was nod. He seemed to have lost his voice for the moment.
"Oh good. We made them ourselves with mom's help!"
"We thought you might like the different colors!" Sarah pulled out one that was completely covered in rhinestones. It glittered in the sunlight.
Bendy reached out and managed to wrap his arms around both girls. "Thanks guys!" The girls giggled and hugged him back.
It was June's turn. She handed him a box wrapped in blue paper with gold stars on it. Bendy tore into it carefully and lifted the lid on the box. Inside were a collection of books. Some he recognized and some he didn't. He pulled out one. "Treasure Island?" Jason smiled and told him that was a good book. He read that when he was young. It's full of pirates and action. Bendy liked the sound of that!
June was happy that he liked their gift. "You can start your own book collection now!" The toon jumped up and ran over to June and Jason where he hugged and thanked them both.
Last was Henry. He handed Bendy a large, plain white box. He opened it and stared at its contents. A huge grin spread across the toon's face as he pulled out a large sketch pad, charcoal sticks, colored pens and pencils. "Oh gosh, Henry…"
"Well, I figured you might want to try your hand at some art of your own." Henry waved his hand at the box. "That should be enough to get you started."
Sometimes he forgot how fast the little toon could be. Bendy had the box on the table and had jumped into Henry's arms in less than ten seconds.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Bendy pressed himself against the man's chest and Henry wrapped his arms around him. "You're welcome bud."
-OoOoOoOoO-
Afternoon bled into evening. It was a full moon and the pale light casts eerie shadows across the yard. There was a slight breeze causing the grass to rustle in the quiet night. The light from the back porch barely stretched passed the back door. The only things out of place were two little girls hiding under the picnic table.
"Beth?" came a soft, nervous voice.
"Shhh Sarah. He'll hear you!" The girls huddled up closer to one another. No matter how hard they tried, the couldn't see or hear anything. It was too quiet.
A cloud passed across the moon, plunging the yard in complete darkness. There was a shuffling sound to their right. Beth's looked in that direction but didn't see anything. Maybe it was just the wind? She doubt it.
*Snap!* Both girls jumped and looked around frantically. They couldn't tell where the sound came from. Sarah whimpered softly and cowered against her big sister's side.
"It's gonna be okay, Sarah." Beth whispered to her sister as she wrapped an arm around her. "Gotta keep quiet." They could hear the grass rustling close by. Something big was moving around the table. Beth squinted but couldn't see a thing. She had to be brave for her little sister, but to be honest, she was getting scared.
It got quiet again and both girls were holding their breath. Seconds went by and the girls were getting very nervous. It was just too quiet.
Sarah yelped when she heard a soft growl coming from behind them. She began tapping his sister's shoulder urgently. "Beth, BETH!" She was trying to whisper but it was hard when you're scared.
"I know Sarah! I heard it too.."
*THUMP!* The girls squeaked as something heavy hit the table above them. The whole structure began to shake before being lifted off the ground, exposing the girls' hiding spot.
They turned to see something really big standing over them, holding the picnic table high in the air and growling at them. It was so dark, they couldn't make out any features save for a pin prick of light that seemed to be staring down at them.
The girls screamed, Beth took Sarah's hand, and they were running across the yard. They could hear the thud of the table hitting the ground before heavy footsteps were following behind them. They only managed to run a few feet when each girl was snatched up off the ground. They were lifted high until they came face to face with… The Monster!
"AHHH Mom, Dad - Help!" Beth was waving her hands in the air.
"The monster's got us!" Sarah called out.
The adults were standing by the house, watching this all go down.
"I'm sorry girls! That monster is too much for us to handle!" June was trying hard to keep a straight face.
"Your mom's right! I'm afraid *dramatic sigh* there's nothing we can do!" June had to cover her face with her hand to keep from breaking down. Her husband was really hamming it up.
Sarah managed to twist slightly in the monster's grip until she could see the adults. "Uncle Henry, please! You gotta help us!" She yelped when she felt herself being pressed into the monster's chest. "He's gonna HUG us to death!" That one statement caused the monster's growls to dissolve into several snorts.
"Sorry girls, you're on your own! I know how lethal those hugs can be." Henry waved a hand at them. "Hugged to death. What a way to go." That was it. Henry's straight delivery caused June to loose it. She doubled over in laughter.
Moonlight began to floor the yard as the cloud passed overhead. The scene before her made June laugh even more. Bendy was in his monstrous form holding both girls in his arms. His one visible eye was shut tight as he tried hard not to laugh. His whole body was shaking. He was failing miserably.
"C'mon Cousin Bendy!" Beth whined. "You're not suppose to be laughing!" She tried to look serious, but Bendy's silent laughter was making it hard. It didn't help that Sarah started laughing as well. "Not you too!"
"I-I can't help it!" Sarah wheezed. "He's shaking like Jell-o!" Beth couldn't hold it in anymore. She broke down in a fit of giggles at well. Bendy held them close and let loose a peel of laughter that sounded like bubbles popping and someone gargling water at the same time.
Near the house, June was fighting to get her laughter under control. Henry had a soft smile on his face. Jason just looked amazed.
"I can't believe THAT little guy can turn into-" He waved his hand in the girls' general direction, "THAT big guy!"
June was wiping tears from her eyes. "I told you he could do that!"
"I know, but still…" Jason trailed off as he watched the giant ink demon spin his girls around. He just shook his head. "As big as he is, he's still a hugger."
That made Henry laugh. "Oh yeah. You don't know the half of it." He rubbed the side of his face. He sobered up enough to face June and Jason. "This and his other forms are just as much a part of him as his toon form. Back home, the neighborhood kids know he can change, the adults… not so much." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "He's always scared that one of them will find out. He's always on edge." Henry turned back to see Bendy holding the girls as they pointed to the stars in the night sky. This was the most relaxed he'd seen his friend in a long time. June placed her hand against his back.
"Well, I'm glad he can come here and just be himself. Our home is his home too." She leaned against her brother and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"He's a cool little guy. I'm glad I finally got to meet him." Jason stated. June was happy to hear that. Knowing how protective her husband was, she was glad Bendy was able to win him over.
The adults were standing in a loose circle, talking with one another. The girls were still quietly stargazing with Bendy. June was trying to plan a few things she could do when Henry came back their way. There was so much she wanted to do with her nephew, she was getting excited. There was a soft shuffling sound and she noticed Bendy walking up to them.
"Aww, so cute." The guys turned to see what she was talking about. Bendy was now holding two sleeping little girls in his arms. He had a sheepish grin on his face.
"It looks like you wore then out buddy." Henry chuckled at the almost proud look on his friend's face.
Bendy came a little closer to Jason and June. He leaned over low enough for the parents to take the little girls from him.
"C'mon you two, time for bed." There was only a soft mumble from each girl before their parents brought them into the house.
Henry waited for Bendy to change back. Soon the little toon was standing next to him. A tired smile on his face.
"Henry?"
"Hmm?"
"Thanks. I had so much fun today." The toon leaned against his side. "I can't believe you planned all this. And now that I have a birthday too, we can do stuff like this every year!"
Henry chuckled and placed his hand on top of Bendy's head. "Definitely bud, definitely." They both walked into the house. They would be leaving the next day, but they'll be back. If the twinkle in June's eye was anything to go by, she had a lot more things planned for the little toon.