I mean this is the worst graphic novel I've ever read or seen.
I honestly don't understand who it's even meant for, because it doesn't work for kids or for true Bendy fans.
The whole novel feels like all of Adriana Kress' books were thrown into a blender, but without logic, without purpose, without interesting characters, without a moral, and without any decent dialogue - just a pile of cliches from american horror stories.
It feels like some kind of fever dream at 40Ā°C, and even those have more logic than this "masterpiece".
Wally comes in to clean, and ends up stuck in the studio with Joey.
They have a good time. A very good time.
Rated: G+
Warnings: recreational drug (marijuana) use
Words: 2,500
Ao3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/69064291 (you must have an ao3 account to read my works)
There are two opinions on Winter.
Winter can be fun, says one. The other screams that it is cold, boring, wet, dark, and lifeless.
Wally and Joey were in these two opposing camps. Wally would enjoy running outside during his breaks and engaging in snowball fights with the theater next door or random passerbys, though his favorite opponents were the children going home from school. Unlike the other adult players, they tended to kick his butt; even when he got Shawn or other members of the studio to help him. What could he say? Children could be vicious little buggers.
Meanwhile, Joey held a very, very different opinion. As soon as winter rolled around, the man would refuse to leave the studio, glaring at the snow falling with a hot gaze so intense one could only wonder why it did not combust into flame. It baffled Wally why he detested the weather so intensely, especially considering that the entire studio was aware of his impressive ice skating prowess. He supposed that it was related to how his mood would generally dip during colder times; not that Wally understood that either. Anyone who enjoyed hot weather was absolutely crazy.
Now, being that the studio was empty on Saturday, and folks came in to work on Monday, Wally enjoyed a special schedule where he worked on the weekend and took off the first day of the work week. Wally found that it was much less hectic, and as long as Joey was okay with it, then he would continue on his modified work hours. Not only did it mean that he got time and space to himself to clean on Saturday; as an added perk, he did not have to deal with the insanity that Monday typically turned out to be.
It also meant that Wally was inevitably one of the few that knew that Joey lived in the apartment above the studio. When he first found out, he was a vague mix of confused, horrified, and impressed, but accepted it as one of Joey's eccentricities. While in the beginning it was somewhat awkward and stilted when he came in on Saturday and found Joey doodling in the animation department, it soon became quite comfortable. Joey liked having someone to talk to and Wally was glad for the company as well (it was definitely nice that there would be someone there to let him in if he forgot his keys).
One winter morning was like that ā Wally had looked all over his apartment and could not find the ring that held his keys. So he knocked on the door to the studio and waited a few minutes, before a dark hand shot out from the quickly opened door and yanked him into the building, the door shut just as fast behind him.
Wally grinned.
"You really don't like the cold, do ya Mr. Drew?" he teased his boss, shucking his jacket in the hall and hanging it up. "You can barely stand it!"
"I'd rather not feel my b-bones from the inside, thank you very much," Joey dryly replied, though he smiled. Wally laughed a bit, shoving him lightly. "What! Wally, it can be s-so cold!"
"It can also be a great time, especially with someone ya like," Wally winked at him. Joey rolled his eyes. "Or dislike. Depending on what you get up to."
"Yeah, whatever you s-say," Joey giggled. Wally liked seeing him smile. Joey always seemed to be so stressed, even more so in the winter, so it was great to see him lighten up. "Did y-you lose your keys again?"
"Might have," Wally admitted. "I probably dropped them somewhere in the studio, though."
"Ah, well, I made sure to have you another s-spare set made," Joey nodded, smiling with a playfully admonishing glint in his eye. "It's hanging in your closet."
"Thanks, Joey," Wally felt a touch of relief. "Sorry that I keep misplacin' 'em. Just loosing track of stuff left and right if I get a bit too distracted."
"It's completely fine, Wally," Joey assured him. "I'll have another set made s-soon."
Wally was about to state his appreciation once more when the lights suddenly cut out. The two stared at each other in stunned silence for a long moment, then the crackle and hum of Joey's backup generator kicked on. The majority of the studio, however, remained enshrouded in darkness ā the generator's range only extended to the first floor and Joey's apartment.
"Well," Joey remarked, a queasy smile on his face. "I s-suppose I can't reasonably ask you to clean more than the main floor, and it isn't that much of a messā¦."
"Eh, I'll take care of it," Wally shrugged. "I'm already here. You go take a look at what's goin' on and why the lights got snipped."
"Will do," Joey nodded, heading to the stairs to go up to his apartment, probably to scout down the main line. Wally got to work, humming a tune (probably one that Sammy made) while he cleaned up the few papers and pencil shavings in the dim light of the backup. He jumped, however, when- "Oh, hell!"
Dropping his broom, Wally quickly bolted up the stairs to check on Joey, adrenaline sparking at Joey's horrified tone. When he got up the stairs, though, he only saw Joey standing with dismay next to a pile of snow. The sight made him laugh, amused.
"Ah, ya got a splash from the white little devils?" he asked. Joey slowly looked up at him and then towards the window. Wally's smile froze on his face as he followed the other's gaze. "Whatā¦ the heck?"
"It appears that we areā¦ effectively s-snowed in." Joey flatly remarked. Wally shook his head as he continued to gawk at the window, which was clearly covered in snow ā on the second floor. "Explains the power outageā¦."
"Yeah, it sure does," Wally dumbly agreed. He went over to Joey's kitchen to grab a towel, wrapping up whatever snow he could grab and shook it off in the sink, then put the towel onto the puddle the snow had left. Joey in the meantime had sealed off the window, and closed the curtains in an effort to dispel the cold that was certainly wafting in. "Soā¦ I don't think I'll be able to go home tonight."
"You probably w-won't be able to, no," Joey concurred. He frowned, then sighed. "I think I'm going to go cut the genny t-to the lower floors f-for now. No need to waste fuel there. Make yourself comfortable."
"Ah, okay," Wally nodded, understanding. "Do you want me to pull out some activities? We can play a game or somethin' if you want."
"I'd appreciate that," Joey paused in his doorway, smiling softly. "You know where my games are kept. Just-"
"Yeah, yeah, I know, don't touch the chessboard," Wally laughed quietly. "Don't worry. I was thinking we could play some cards. You go handle that power, Mr. Drew."
Joey nodded, and Wally went over to the shelf that stored Joey's games, plucking off a deck that he knew Joey had painted himself. He always admired the man's artistic ability, even if it was less cartoony than his typical creations. Joey swiftly returned, and Wally happily showed him his choice.
"Poker," he announced, and cut Joey's thinly humored question off before he asked it. "No, not your weird version. The regular one."
"Fine," Joey chuckled, sitting down by the coffee table. Wally liked how he looked in a chair that actually was his size. "Deal, then."
They played a few matches, with Wally winning the majority. They were just about to begin another round, but then Wally's stomach growled. Joey glanced up at him with surprise and then looked to the clock.
"Oh, it's lunchtime already?" he noted, standing. "I'll warm up some squash soup. I have some batter for churros in the m-making that we can finish up together."
"That would be fun," Wally grinned, thinking of a different sort of churro he had in his pocket. Not that he would give that away just yet. "I'd love to help."
They settled in the kitchen, chatting as the soup warmed. Wally found it to be surprisingly tasty for a dish that was essentially a heated puree, and said as much ā mildly offending Johan. Wally laughed at his expression, then immediately drained his bowl, proffering it forward for another portion. Joey acquiesced with a humorously heavy sigh and a roll of his ruby red eyes. They ate together until Wally finished his second bowl, Joey's interestingly minute appetite fulfilled with just the one. Then again, the bowls were rather large; accounting for Johan's massive size. With a lazily spoken agreement, the two made their way to the kitchen to cook, Wally teasingly insisting on being the one to take the bowls and set them in the dishwasher. After all, he had come in to work; and he was planning on getting his paycheck! It made Joey roll his eyes and smile ā so a successful move.
When Joey took out the prepared batter, Wally sat down by the table and took out his blunt.
Joey, at first, seemed to disregard the roll, glancing up at Wally and then returning to the task at hand. However, a moment later he froze in realization, head suddenly jerking up from the pan he was preparing and swiveling around to face the janitor.
"Absolutely not!" he ordered, pointing a spoon at Wally as though it were a knife. "Do not light that up in m-my apartment! I have enough accusations as it is! The last thing I need is my studio s-stinking like skunk!"
"Aw, come on, Joey, it'll clear up by the time we can get out!" Wally whined, though with a cheeky grin on his face. Joey looked at him with a completely straight face, unimpressed by Wally's logic and with murder written in his eyes. Wally's smile turned schoolboy sheepish, raising his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, I won't smoke it."
"Good," Joey nodded with satisfaction, turning back to his cooking. Wally rolled the roll between his fingers for a moment, thinking. He came up to Joey's counter, pulled out a cutting board and a knife, and, after shaking out the contents of the not-cigarette, chopped them up even more finely than they already were. While Joey was not paying attention, already working on a few sticks, he stole up behind him and tipped the tray into the remaining batter. For the second time in three minutes, Joey froze, looking at Wally's handiwork with a sort of unsurprised dismay. Wally, extremely proud of himself, said; "You gotta loosen up, Drew. Snacking on these bad boys has got to be a dream."
Joey slowly shook his head, but there was amusement evident in his eye. Wally nudged him, reaching up to take the spoon out of his hand to mix in the soft drug. Johan threw up his hands and let him, deciding that at this point the battle was not worth fighting. He showed Wally how to make the sticks turn out perfectly, and soon enough the cleaner was doing quite a good job with it. Joey excused himself to the restroom, Wally confident that he can handle the task.
He nearly jumped when a few minutes later, a whisper came to his ear.
"For the record, Wally," Joey's low tones made a shiver crawl up his back. "The only reason I'm allowing for this is because I f-fucking hate winter. If you breathe a word of this to anyone, looking f-for a new job would be the least of your problems."
"I'm assuming that to mean I'd be better off lookin' for a casket," Wally gulped. Johan's hum was answer enough. "Uh, message received."
"Glad to hear it," Joey genially replied, and returned to taking over the cooking. Wally's gaze flicked up his lanky form, uncertain if he were flustered, nervous, or amused. Probably a mix of all three. Soon, the batter emptied from the bowl, the sweet cinnamon scent wafting through the air, with a slightly acrid undertone. Luckily, it was minimal, just enough to detect rather than overpowering in any form. Joey heated a chocolate honey dip while Wally took out the last of the churros, and the two met at the coffee table. While Joey hesitated, Wally did not wait for a moment, grabbing, dipping, and devouring one with delight. "I take it that it's good?"
"They're amazing," Wally beamed at him, waving his second in Joey's face. "Have one!"
Joey carefully picked one up, Wally watching with anticipation as Joey nibbled off an end. After the precursory bite, he blinked and then took a larger one. Soon, he was sucking the sugar off his fingers and reaching for a second. Wally, on his fourth churro, laughed, patting Joey's arm.
"There you go!" he encouraged. Joey flipped him off while he ate, only earning another ear to ear grin. Smugly, Wally pointed out, "That's a sign that it's working."
Joey this time only stared ā and burst out into fits of giggles. Wally grinned; it was definitely starting to kick in. The plate quickly emptied, the two men laughing so hard at nothing that they were nearly in tears. Somehow, they ended up in the art department, Joey wearing a nightgown with a belt of flowers in his hair, sitting on a stack of desks. Wally, haphazardly wielding his mop like a sword or spear while Joey shrieked in peals of laughter.
"I'll save you, my princess!" the janitor announced, failing to sound remotely serious, earning another round of guffaws. "The evil demon will be vanquished!"
"The knight would do better with a helmet upon his h-head, no?" Joey teased, flushed with joy and teetering with the effects of eating excellent quality product. "Gotta k-keep it from being lopped off, hm?"
"That is an excellent idea, your highness!" Wally enthusiastically agreed, making Joey giggle again with pleased amusement. Wally thought that he liked that sound quite a bit, and would probably do a great deal to hear it many more times. Wally looked around the room and alighted upon the wastebasket, not bothering to empty it before dumping it on his head. Suddenly, a clattering of metal caught their attention, and they both looked to Wally's feet. "Oh. Found my keys!"
"Oh, Wally," Joey laughed softly, making the other positively beam. Wally scooped up his keys and jiggled them about, making Johan laugh all over again. "Your mystic charm, more like!"
"You think so?" Wally asked, lighting up. Joey never minced words. Joey thought he was charming. Of course he did, Wally reasoned with himself. But the affirmation made him glow nonetheless. "Well, all the more reason for this Prince Charming to rescue the damsel!"
Wally bolted up the stack of desks, sending half tumbling down, including himself and Joey. The two landed in a heap, staring at one another.
i feel like people don't talk about sammy and susie enough. imo there's a lot people don't talk about w sammy in the first place but i think their relationship is painfully interesting
not only do i think they'd be comedic if they ever interacted directly in the game but it is implied. susie states he was once a very handsome man, implying that she has seem him with how he is now and given the amount of control and leeway she has to explore the studio i feel like sammys trekked his way down there to yell at her to stop defacing and vandalizing his bendy cutouts and rituals at least once LMAO
i also think people forget about their relationship as humans too. susie being a new hire, wide-eyed and naĆÆve about the industry and the longevity of her position voicing alice angel, being complimented by sammy, the composer and arguably one of the if not the best critic on what talent looks like given he puts the songs and voice acting together, of course she'd develop an admiration of him.
one can argue sammy was being manipulative with his compliments and didn't actually mean them, but i'd say he whole-heartedly meant them. or at least half-heartedly. he has an eye for talent as i previously mentioned and while he is one of the employees closer with joey drew, being the head of the music department, he, too, was a victim of the machine and joey, unfortunately, the man who called the shots. while he does have a say in new voice actors for hire i don't think he got too attached to susie as alice angel-- sure, she did good, she had voice acting talent, nice and sweet. but i don't think sammy would be afraid to terminate a business relationship like that, considering it's just that: business. if a better voice actress came along he wouldn't feel obligated to keep susie on the team and not swipe her out for allison.
susie is also concerned with being beautiful and being perceived as beautiful so i think she latched onto sammys compliments and therefore felt very betrayed when she was pulled from the role of alice angel... and while i do believe in woman loving susie i think she'd develop a crush of admiration on him too. one of those that aren't genuine yknow the ones. thanks for coming to my ted talk and i might talk about sammys religious psychosis later
Some Wally Franks stuff because I love this silly guy (albeit a little stupid and naive but it's okay ā¤ļø)
(There was something else I wanted to add here, but it wasn't turning out well and I was already taking long enough and I didn't want this post to come out at midnight or postpone for another entire day just so it could come out at a normal time for my followers to see it, so that idea can wait for later. If I finish it)
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