Joey Drew groans as he rubs his forehead, ambling down the hallways of his animation studio.

The twenty-two-year-old man had a vision. A brilliant one too. One that would make Walt Disney be forced to catch up to Joey, instead of Joey catching up to Walt. It would be unlike anyone had ever seen, something people could only dream of. And Joey was going to make it reality. He was going to be the one to make dreams come true.

The only problem was, Joey had a team of animators, voice actors, musicians, and writers working on making said vision come to life, but they still didn't have a star for the films waiting to be made.

Hence the frustration of Joey Drew.

Henry Ross understood the frustration.

He actually fed off of it, wanting nothing more than to please the hardworking man who spent all of his time to compete with the best. His speeches were invigorating, and the teenager at the ripe age of seventeen-years-old was determined to do something that was more than him for someone who deserved it.

The problem was, Henry wasn't a human. He was only a borrower living in the walls of Joey Drew's Studios.

And if anyone knew anything about borrowers, it was they could only stand at four inches tall if lucky when full grown. They couldn't make their own food, forced to scavenge crumbs dropped carelessly by the giants they also fear. Every single borrower was told that if a human sees you, you're dead. Nothing to it, just the fact you're a pest to those who dominate the world. One mistake and...

"Seriously? A fucking no? At least I came up with something!" Henry exclaims, fist clenched as his other hand brushes through his short hair.

...well, Henry wasn't the best borrower.

The teenager was too creative, too adventurous, too restless to sit inside the damn walls while people around him drew and created works of art. Henry wanted nothing more than to have his own idea broadcasted onto the big screen for all to see.

Even if it gets him killed, even if he doesn't get any credit, Henry needed to show what he could do.

That's how a sketch of a demon like character was drawn on a slip of paper and set on every single desk in the studio. The teenager diligently drew his idea, and then quickly placed them out so they couldn't be missed. It might've been over kill with having every single desk have his drawing, but he didn't want to take a chance.

Apparently though, his hard work wasn't good enough for Joey Drew.

"Alright. Too cute? I'll give you fucking 'cute'." The borrower quickly then takes out another sheet of paper, the size about twice his height. It was meticulous work, but it was necessary. If Henry drew to his own scale, no human would see the damn thing without a magnifying glass. And who the hell would take the time for that kind of shit?

As he dives into the new project, Joey was walking through the first floor, trying to find Sammy Lawrence's desk. He knew the African American was only a music director, but maybe he had some sketches for an idea-

"Maybe I can do this."

Joey halts to a stop at the extremely quiet voice. It was so small, so short, incredibly easy to wave off as a whisper of wind. And the studio owner almost waves it off like that before his mind finally analyses it.

It could be a robber. It could be a late worker. It could be competition. It could be anything, so are you really going to let it go that easily?

Agreeing with his thoughts, Joey quietly walks back the way he came, calculating brown eyes scanning every inch of the hallway and rooms for any sign of movement. There had to be someone there. And Joey was going to find them and teach them a lesson.

Or, that was the plan, until the human spots a tiny person laying on top of a desk, humming softly to themselves as they, as they...

Is he seriously drawing?

Henry was too concentrated on his sketch to notice the giant ass human staring at him in confusion. He was too lost in his little world to notice said human then walking closer to see his project better. The borrower had gotten an idea that topped even Mikey Fucking Mouse and he couldn't lose the idea. It was almost finished anyway.

Joey watches closely as another demon character a bit like the one he disapproved just this morning appears on the paper. A smile stretches across his face as the minuscule hands trace across the paper, as the person is forced to stand and move simply because the drawing was bigger than he was.

It was fascinating, but that's what really impressed the man.

"There! Say no to that you son of a bitch!"

"It'd be very hard to, I must admit."

"SHIT!" Henry screams, leaping to his feet at the significantly louder voice. The teenager then sprints to his abandoned hook and thread, not even wanting to see who caught him, just pleading to a higher power he'd survive.

But a giant hand quickly settles on top of the borrower's only escape root, effectively stopping Henry as he jerks to look up at Joey.

"It's incredibly well drawn. And he looks mischievous, yet thoughtful. I think you have a winner, Mr.-" The human's eyes widen at seeing the tiny person, incredibly young as well, simply staring up at him. And shaking. "I didn't mean to scare you. Were you still working on it?"

Henry shakes his head vigorously, unable to even breathe. A human had spotted him. And the human was Joey Drew, the very person he wanted to help. But now with the man here, and complimenting his work, the borrower wanted nothing more than to sprint into his small room in the walls and lay there to die alone.

At least he wouldn't be at the hand of a human. Human's might keep him as a pet. Henry wasn't a goddamn pet.

"You can talk son. I won't hurt you," Joey begins.

"YOU'RE A HUMAN!" The man blinks at the outburst, laughing softly when the kid's hands slap over his mouth.

"A human interested in your work."

"But, you're supposed to, to. You know!" Henry exclaims, fear replaced with confusion. Maybe even anger.

Joey hums in thought as he sits in the desk's chair, smiling as he gets on a closer level to the tiny person. His hand doesn't leave what looks to be a homemade grappling hook. But his hand doesn't grab for the artist either.

"I don't really know, sorry. But I love the character you've drawn." Joey's gaze flickers back over the kid, watching as he seems to grow increasingly comfortable at the compliment. "Have a name?"

"Bendy."

"Bendy. That's a weird name." Henry only shrugs, eyes locked on the demon he drew.

"He's more of a Darling Devil, the Dancing Demon known as Bendy. I thought it'd be." The borrower's voice trails off as his head snaps up to Joey, staring as the man laughs softly. It takes a moment but he finally realizes what the human had meant. "My name's Henry! Not Bendy! I'm so sorry Mr. Drew, sir!"

"I like you Henry," Joey smiles, waving a hand at the blunder, enjoying how nervous the kid was. It was a better attitude then Sammy had, or Wally for that matter.

His eyes focus back on the demon, on Bendy. The Darling Devil and Dancing Demon that will guarantee steal everyone's hearts.

"Uh, thank you, sir," Henry breathes. He couldn't believe it. He was talking to a human.

Not only that, but the human was complimenting him. A borrower. Someone humans see as a pest, a pet, a toy. And yet, Joey was treating him as if he was just a regular teenager. Just a normal person trying to impress someone just like him.

"Say, Henry, would you like to be my lead animator?"

"I'm three inches tall, sir." Henry smiles as Joey Drew laughs again, enjoying the smile he brings to the human's face.

"Bendy will have your personality. But seriously, I'd like you to be the head of my team. Help them when they need pointers for drawing, analyzing every story board made to make sure they're perfect. How does that sound?"

It sounds like heaven. Sounds like a dream come true.

It also sounds like hell. Sounds like death coming in the most disturbing way possible.

"No human would...think I don't, uh, think I shouldn't tell them what to do?" Henry asks. His eyes become wide as Joey turns horrified.

"Has anyone done that to you? I swear, I'll teach them a lesson. Just tell me who-" Joey's proclamation cuts off as the tiny kid suddenly bursts out laughing. "Are you laughing at me?"

"YES!" Henry exclaims, unable to help himself.

A human was worried for his well being. A human thought no one would want to hurt him. A human considered him unstoppable even at inches tall.

"Drew, I am at your service to the end. Henry Ross is now your head animator."

"And Ross will be getting a pay cut for that."