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The long and chaotic "fryday" evening; which consisted of 2 boxes of pepperoni pizza, their couch, the tv and game console, lots of beer and Bender's fembot filled magazines, finally came to an end at around 1 AM. Fry was now in his bed, surrounded by his dirty clothes and empty slurm cans and everything, just like how it's always been, and Bender in his own corner. He was expecting to fall asleep after like 5 minutes at most, especially after all the drinking, but it felt as if it was taking much, much longer than that, probably because of all the noise in his head. For someone who could barely form a thought it was way too overwhelming to have all these overly complicated thoughts linked to his emotions rushing at him in his half-drunk and sleepy self. If it was just the random junk that he absolutely didn't care about or even embraced in, like how he's achieved nothing in life or how stupid he is, it wouldn't matter. It would just be annoying is all, would barely even bother him and he could fall right to sleep, shutting them up. Couldn't really do that when it came to that one thing that had been bothering him recently.
Him and Bender had been best friends for... a few months? Years? He honestly didn't know, it felt like a lot and so little at the same time. Fry almost always enjoyed the chaotic robots company and he believed Bender also enjoyed his. For as long as Fry could remember, both of them had been very comfortable with each other. Yes, Bender was an ass who would make fun of everything even slightly embarrassing, yet when it came to Fry, it felt a lot more playful than genuine or mean. It was silly, usually just friendly banter. Yes they had a lot of obstacles when it came to their friendship, yet they were still practically soulmates. Fry felt safe, comfortable, happy when he was with Bender. Not being genuinely judged about who he is, being able to ramble about his stupid interests and talk about some shower thought that would quickly turn into a rabbit hole of the most ridiculous questions that even Socrates was scared of thinking about... It was all so sweet and Fry was very often baffled about how he could be so close to Bender of all people. The thing that bothered him was exactly that. He had no idea if Bender felt that way too.
Yes Bender would seem obviously engaged and interested in everything whenever they did anything together, but was it actually genuine? Was Bender always just plotting something else he would want to do instead of hang out with his inferior, idiot "best friend" whenever they were together? Was admitting some of his secrets to Bender not a good idea at all? He has used some of his insecurities against him at times but surprisingly, they weren't even that serious or Bender was trying to help or something and he wouldn't even do it all the time with everything Fry told him, so Fry knew he could trust Bender, yet now there was this not-so-little voice inside him telling that he didn't actually mean anything to Bender and that he was just something to take adventage of or pass the time with. That nothing he believed Bender felt about him was real, since he's the insufferable feeling-less robot that claimed to not care about anything- except Fry. Yes Bender claimed he cared about Fry. Multiple times. All the time even. Every time they encountered an obstacle that usually Bender caused, they would somehow fix it and everything would magically go back to normal, that was proof enough for that. Bender did actually care about Fry. But he didn't, there's no way he actually did... Fry was quietly sobbing before he could even realize his eyes were forming tears. They had just played some of the best rounds of the latest CoD game and Bender did look like he was actually having fun and now Fry was here questioning it all. Stupid head, so unable to enjoy anything he had...
So ungrateful too, apparently. Since the thoughts had now turned into how what he even thought he had with Bender wasn't enough. He needed more of their... close moments? As in, when they hugged and such? Bender was surprisingly good with hugs too, making fry heat up every time he held him close and patted his back after one of their mishaps, making him feel so safe even if Bender didn't meet the biological requirement for one of the core components of a comforting embrace: warmth. Yet Fry wanted more of that. Or their rare, tender moments even without anything physical; just pure, silly chatting and giggling like teenage girls at a sleepover... Fry wanted more of that too. A lot more of it all. And things they have never even done before. Stuff normal best friends would never do since it would mean they wouldn't be best friends anymore, they would either be nothing or more than tha-
Wayyy too much for Fry to handle now. He was about to start bawling and he obviously didn't want that. Some deep breaths and sniffles later, his crying had subsided enough for him to get up quietly to go to the kitchen to get a glass of water and some melatonin gummies or something to make him fall asleep by force. The kitchen light was already open, for whatever reason. They hadn't even used the kitchen all day except to grab their drinks from the fridge which was something they didn't need the lights on to do, so they couldn't have left it on-
Bender was sitting at the small table, beer in hand, visor closed. Fry assumed Bender couldn't sleep aswell and got up to mess around, then shut down. He wanted to wake him up, to tell him to go back to his corner and tell him good night, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it after all that he had thought about him. He just went to grab a bottle of water from a cabinet when he heard Bender take a swig from his beer. Guess he wasn't asleep, he was just looking through his porn folder or whatever he did when he was inside his own world. Fry still didn't want to face him, though, so he did his best to open the cabinet as quietly as possible but the door wouldn't cooperate. Why would it?
Bender's visor opened almost instantly as he got up, ready to beat up whoever had broken into their home. Thankfully, he noticed it was just Fry before he did anything.
"Oh, just you." Bender said before he relaxed and met the slouched gingers gaze. Fry just gave a quiet "mmm" before he got the bottle and started heading back to his room, having to sacrifice the gummies to get away as fast as possible before Bender stepped in front of him, eyes slightly lidded which felt like it conveyed concern but Fry didn't trust his judgement at all at this point.
"Whoa whoa, you can't just get up in the middle of the night and not even tell why! Why're you up so late??"
"Couldn't sleep, nothing special.."
"You always start snoring in like 2 minutes and I can hear you from all the way in my room. There must be something different now! You're not getting away til' you tell me, fleshball."
"Bender, I'm not in the mood, please just let me pass-"
"Not in the mood???" Bender grabbed onto Fry's shoulders and got right in front of his face as Fry was trying to sneak by from under Bender's arm.
"Who are you and what did you do to my chatty Fry?" He shook Fry a little which made Fry suddenly get a sharp pain in his head, all the alchohol and sleep deprivation and crying finally coming back to bite him as a headache.
"Bender, I just want to... go back to bed. I'll tell you later or something, I don't know. Just let me go-"
"Not until you tell me whats up!"
Fry's eye twitched, his grip on the bottle getting stronger. He was trying so hard not to snap in front of him right then and there.
"Come on, you idiot. I can see the dried up tears on your face. You can't get me all curious then just lea-"
"Not like you would care, right? You don't care about anything. Why do you want to hear what's wrong so badly? Are you waiting for important information you can use to blackmail me? Or are you just soooo bored that you would want to listen to someone elses problems!"
Fry had raised his voice. An angry, hurt expression on his face. It was his turn to hold onto the other tightly, dropping his water bottle to grip the robots shoulders which made the other back up a bit, letting go of Fry with a surprised expression on his face. How could he respond to that? Before Bender could get a word in, Fry suddenly embraced him, wrapping his arms around the robots cylinder torso, holding on for dear life, hiding his face in his "shoulder" as he started bawling and mumbling barely coherent apologies. Bender didn't know what to do except hug him back, not liking seeing Fry like this at all and kind of wishing he hadn't pushed him.
Of course he actually cared about his problems, he just wouldn't straight up admit it, that would be out of character... Why did Fry think that anyway? Bender believed he had made it obvious enough that he valued their friendship, that he valued Fry. Had he said something wrong? Done something that could upset him? Well, yes, he definetly has, but it was all forgotten about by now. He was selfish a few times when it came to choosing between himself and Fry or had betrayed his trust a few times; but that was just Bender being Bender. Fry knew that. Fry was okay with that. He knew Bender didn't mean it when he did or said something insulting or wrong, it was just what he did with everyone, and it was actually kind of affectionate when it came to Fry. He thought they were perfectly fine.
"Fry, c'mon dude, what's wrong? Y'know that isn't true, dumbass."
Fry didn't respond, he just tightened his grip around him. Bender didn't know what to do, he had rarely seen Fry like this and those times he didn't do much again since Fry would calm down on his own eventually.
"Uh, just- just sit down and tell me what's up.." the robot said, dragging Fry along to their couch as he was still clinging onto him, his sobs subsiding a little. They sat down- well, Bender did. Fry had pulled his knees to the top too as he was trying to get as close to Bender as possible, keeping his face hidden on his "shoulder". Bender gave him a few gentle pats on the back, feeling so awkward yet kind of comfortable in the other's embrace.
Secure.
Feeling his friend so close was always nice, and this felt even sweeter which left him feeling super guilty since it was that one time the ginger wasn't okay.
"Bender.."
"Yeah, bud?" Fry let go of his grip to wipe his face, sniffling as he looked up at the robot.
"Do you actually like me? At all...?" Words were hard to get out but he somehow managed to do it. His mind felt so empty yet so chaotic and full of too many thoughts and emotions for him to handle. Everything was fuzzy except his vision of Bender. His face so close, the familiar emotionless expression replaced by a softened gaze with slight concern, something he hadnt see Bender do to anyone else which just made everything worse since that was proof enough that he did care about him and now he was just bothering that person with his worries. Pathetic.
"...Sure. Was that all that this is about?"
"Say it."
"Say what? I said sure-"
"Please..."
Bender really had to flat out say he actually did love him now. Vocally. Straight up in a sentence. Way too embarassing for the robot's comfort but what other choice did he have? Either he would humiliate himself a little or devastate his human further.
"..I do like you, Fry. You're my best friend and the only human I will spare when the robots take over. You know that." Bender was now also getting comfortable on the couch, holding Fry in his arms as he gave a shaky sigh of relief, nuzzling against the robot and squeezing him tighter. Fry mumbled some "thank you"s and apologies as he calmed down slightly. Bender didn't know what to do now. Stay like this until morning? Get up and leave him alone? He obviously couldn't just leave. He decided to just stay like that until Fry fully calmed down, which happened faster than he was expecting.
"You better now?"
"Mhm.." Fry nodded against him. He didn't want to let go of this. As his thoughts subsided he started to focus on everything else that was going on, which was nothing except him cuddling Bender on the couch. He should've wished for a billion dollars instead of cuddles from his best friend. How stupid!
Oh, he never wanted it to end. The robot's embrace felt much more comfortable than when they just hug. He can't have this forever, though. He can't bother his robot longer, he had already bothered him enough.
"I shouldn't keep you up, Bender and.. I know you don't like sleeping anywhere that isn't cozy." Fry let go of his hold on him and was starting to get out of the robots arms before Bender pushed him right back down to where he was, tightening his embrace.
"Who said this isn't cozy? I mean, something like a wall on the right would make it cozier but this is fine too I guess. And you're not going anywhere either, meatbag."
Fry wasn't expecting that. Not at all. He wasn't about to complain, though. All his overwhelming negative emotions were replaced by slightly less overwhelming positive emotions quickly, his expression now grateful and happy. He shifted slightly to get into a more comfortable position, him on the backrests side, kind of on top of Bender to not get crushed by the robot trying to fit aswell. Only problem was, his head dangling on top of Bender's shoulder, which was.. really uncomfortable.
Fry chuckled. "I can't really stay if you don't fetch me a pillow or something.."
"Wayyy ahead of you." Bender declared as he extended his right arm all the way to Fry's room and searched around, then got it back with his pillow, putting it under the humans head. Fry gave a happy sigh as he was finally fully comfortable and able to enjoy the tenderness of it all.
"Thanks, buddy.. I like you too."
"I know. Just never forget how lucky you are to have the Great Bender as your friend."
"I won't."