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It was date night. Bender decided to actually look nice. Amy helping pick out his suit. It was a dark grey with a matching tie. When he met fry in the living room, he felt nervous. He felt overdressed but they were going to Elzars and actually paying this time. Fry was dressed fairly nice, Amy having bought him a new suit because he’s was just crap. Fry smiled, fidgeting with his tie. Amy smiled, speaking up. “I think my job is done, have a good night boys.” Fry waved. “Thanks Amy!” But she was already out the door. Fry was looking Bender up and down. As a robot he was a bit like a dog, technically always naked. But now human bender (who already isn’t hard on the eyes) looked amazing in a suit. Fry walked over to him, his hand coming to feel his arm, hand gliding along soft fabric until Bender used his free arm to bring fry closer, kissing him deeply. Fry moaned into the kiss when Bender pulled away with a grin. “Let’s get going meatbag.” Fry chuckled, holding Benders hand. “You know you’re a meatbag now too?” “Nah, that’s just you.” Fry rolled his eyes as they walked out the door. They decided to walk since it was only three blocks from their building. The weather was nice, chilly but not cold. It was heading toward November and Bender felt that this was his favorite time of year. Fry nearly screamed when someone jumped in front of them very suddenly and then felt even more terrified to see Roberto. Bender spoke up first, unaware of the danger Roberto was to him as a human. “Roberto!” Roberto just spun his knife. “Do I know you?! How do you know my name?!” Bender swallowed, forgetting that he was human. “It’s me, Bender.” Roberto didn’t Buy it, inching closer. “Bender is a robot and as I recall you look pretty squishy. Maybe I should test that? Maybe Bender is just wearing a human costume!” Fry put his hands up but made for his wallet, handing it over. “Here, please, don’t hurt him.” Roberto took it and threw it over his shoulder. “I don’t want you’re money! I think I’ll test my stabbin! I got a new knife. It said it was extra sharp.” Before Bender could process what was happening, Fry was pushing him out of the way as Roberto lunged. He grabbed Fry, holding him hostage as he brought the knife to Frys throat, putting enough pressure on his skin to draw blood, making Fry cry out in pain. Bender felt paralyzed with fear. He may have felt dread and despair as a robot, but they were all simulated to the situation. Real emotions were so much better and so much worse. The dread he felt made his new heart feel like it might beat out of his chest, his blood was pumping with panic at the thought of losing his meatbag. Roborto caressed Frys cheek with the knife. “I think red and I might have a good time, what do you think not-bender? I wonder what kind of sounds he would make with my knife deep inside him?” Then Bender felt it above all the panic and fear was anger. His hands curled into white knuckles fists, hearing Roberto talk about fry like he was a sexual object. They had a small audience form around them, some on their phones, likely calling 911 and others takes video or pictures. Bender took a few steady breaths, his hands up. “Roberto, let him go.” He was at a loss of what to do. A dizzying, toxic mixture of panic and rage but if he tackled him there’s a chance the knife could plunge into Frys neck. Roborto brought the knife lower, cutting his shirt in the process as Fry sucked in a terrified breath, nearly sobbing as he felt the knife cut his skin, a red line going from his chest to stomach. Bender took his chance while Roberto was moving, charging and tackling him. Fry being thrown to the ground, a few people ready to help him up. Fry watched with horror and worry as Bender and Roborto wrestled around, it was hard to tell what was happening but he heard Benders cry of pain and saw blood ozzing from his stomach as Roboto dug it deeper before pulling it out, bringing a whole new wave of blood and running off before police could get there. He struggled out of a strangers hold, going to Bender who was shaking, curled up,eyes watery and lip trembling as Fry turned him over. Benders hands were pressed on his wound as he gasped, choking on a cry, a bit of blood escaping his mouth. “Oh god....oh god it hurts..” Fry was trying not to break down, tears steadily streaming down his face as he took his jacket off and pressed it into his wound, making him cry out. Fry brought a shaking hand to Benders dark hair. “Shhh you’re gonna be ok. An ambulance is already on the way.” Bender swallowed some tears down as he brought a bloody hand to frys cheek. “I just wanted you safe.” Fry held his hand tightly, sobbing and not caring of the warm blood on his cheek. “Just stay. Just stay with me Ok?” Bender was getting more and more pale. “I think I’m cold.” He felt sleepy too. His vision going fuzzy as he saw the red and white lights of an ambulance before going black. Fry got to ride in the ambulance with him, holding his hand as they drove two times the speed limit to get to the ER. When he had no choice but to wait in the waiting room, cheek drying crusty with blood, he got his phone out. The other side rang a few times before Leela picked up. “Hello Fry.” “Leela, can you come to the hospital?” He couldn’t even hide how shaky he was. His voice wobbled as tears fell. Leela was instantly concerned. “Are you ok?” “Yeah...Bender...” He couldn’t finish as he sobbed, still felt his blood soaking throigh his shit jacket. “I’ll be right there Fry. Won’t be more than ten minutes.” He hung up, sobbing into his hands. A nurse saw him, knowing he was with the stabbing victim. He was still visibly shaken and bloodied from the incident. She walked over. “Sir, would you like to wash up?” He saw his hands painted red and felt his own scratches. He nodded and she led him to the doctors shower where he washed up and she got him some scrubs to wear along with some tea. By the time he was done he felt slightly better but was still terrified for Bender. He lost a lot of blood and stomach wounds tend to be fatal. “Fry!” He perked up, seeing Leela. He ran over, placing his cup of tea on the nearby table as she hugged him before asking. “What’s gong on? What happened?” Fry felt his eyes water. “We were going to Elzars for date night and Roberto cornered us. He held me hostage and Bender jumped in, tackling him but he got stabbed.” His voice got thick. “He lost so much blood. I don’t know if he’s gonna make it.” His lip trembled and Leela hugged him tightly as he cried into her shoulder. It was five agonizing hours before a doctor came out and called out “Fry?” Fry shot up, going to the doctor, Leela behind him. “Oh please, is he ok?” Fry pleaded. The doctor sighed. “He’s not exactly out of the woods yet. He flattened twice. He had to have a blood transfusion, he lost a little too much for us to be comfortable with. Right now he’s in the ICU and if he makes it through the night he’s odds are much better of surviving.” “Can I see him?” The doctor nodded. “I’ll take you to him.” Fry nearly gasped as they walked inside his room. He felt Leelas hand on his shoulder as the doctor explained what each wire was for. He had at least two wires in each arm, one in his neck and a breathing tube in his nose . Eventually the doctor left them to their privacy. After the one hour mark of Bender not waking up, Leela tried to reason with Fry. “Fry, maybe we should go? You could use some rest.” Fry shook his head, like a stubborn five year old, still sitting at Benders bed side, holding his hand gently. “No. I’m not leaving him. What if something happens? What if he wakes up?” Leela frowned, knowing she wasn’t going to win this argument, remembering when he stayed day and night when she got stung by the giant space bee. She told him to call her if anything happened and left for the night, making a mental note to visit in the morning if there’s no update.Fry fell asleep, his head on the stiff hospital mattress and Benders hand in his.
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Bender adjusted his tie, feeling a sense of Deja Vu. Looking around but couldn’t put his finger on it. He walks out, seeing Amy helping Fry into his own suit jacket and the feeling only became worse, it filled him with anxiety. “I think my job is done, have a good night boys.” “Thanks amy!” Fry said. Amy left and Fry was looking him over and the feeling of anxiety was slowly melting away. He felt Fry feel up his suit jacket sleeve befor he pulled him in for a deep kiss, making the red head moan before he pulled away with a grin. “Let’s get going meatbag. “ Fry gave him a look with a smile as they walked out of their apartment. “You know you’re a meatbag now?” “No, just you.” Fry rolled his eyes. As they walked he felt more and more anxious and a pit of dread filled his stomach. What the hell was happening? As the turned he suddenly remembered. Roberto. New, extra-sharp knife in hand as he cornered them, Fry throwing his wallet in an attempt to please him and make him go away. “I’m not here for your money!” Roberto lunged, ready to stab him when Fry pushes him out of the way, Roberto taking Fry hostage. Bender was shaking, watching it all unfold, again. He could already smell the iron of the blood that has yet to be spilled. “Roberto let him go.” He said with his hands up. “Oh I don’t think so not-bender! I wonder what he would sound like with my knife inside him. Oh I wanna know!” Bender was about to shout, to tell him to stop but it all proved useless as he brought his knife to Frys chest, impaling him on it. Fry let out a small cry before he started coughing up blood. Wheezing as Roberto took it out and ran. Bender caught Fry, shaking and eyes watery. “No! Nononono..” Fry kept bleeding and bleeding and he heard a stranger yell something about calling 911 but he couldn’t focus and didn’t know what to do. What do you do when a human is bleeding? Fry was struggling to breath, looking so terrified as he coughed and shook and gripped Benders arms so tightly. “Bender...” Bender sucked in a breath, holding him close. “I’m here, I’m here.” He just held Fry, listening to his wheezing, trying to assure him he’d be ok. When the ambulance got there Fry was limp in his arms, eyes staring above him. Bender shook him as the paramedics came around him. “Fry? Fry?!” He sobbed, turning to the medics who looked grim, one trying to pull him away. “He won’t wake up. Please, he won’t wake up.” “Sir, you have to let him go and let them work. They might be able to save him.” Bender hiccuped a sob as he left Fry there and they got to work trying to resuscitate him. He watched and waited and prayed, chewing on his finger, tears never stopping. He’s not sure he wishes he were a robot again. If he was he could have tackled Roberto no problem and saved them both but because he’s a squishy human with blood and organs and a heart that requires it pump, he couldn’t risk something like that without some plan and Roberto was never one for a plan and killed just because he liked it. Then he heard the medics over Frys body. “Call it. Time of death 8:37PM-“ “No!” Bender cried out, going to Frys body. “No! No, he’s gonna be fine! You can fix him!” His hands went through Frys hair. The medic frowned. Looking teary eyed. “I’m sorry son, the knife penetrated his lung, he was drowning before we even got here. He’s gone.” And that was when Bender regrets ever turning human. The grief he felt as a robot was nothing compared to the actual chemicals and hormones of the actual emotion. Nothing could prepare him for how cut in half he feels, how raw he feels. He was shaking and sobbing and felt he could die as well and join him. That was a week ago and Bender now understands why Leela was so hung up when she thought Nibbler died and when Amy lost Kif. Simulated emotions are nothing close to the real thing. He stayed on their bed, holding Frys pillow and inhaling the scent of his shampoo. He didn’t get up to eat or drink. He didn’t want to face a world without Fry in it. There was a knock on his bedroom door as Leela came in. “Bender, how long have you been laying there?” Bender stayed quiet. Leela sighed, walking inside. “I know you miss Fry, we do too but life doesn’t stop because we lost someone.” “Well mine did.” Bender said, voice thick. Leela frowned. “You need to wake up Bender, everything will be ok if you wake up.” And she left, leaving him more confused than ever. He tried to go about his apartment. Feeling memories of Fry everywhere like a weight on his chest. “You need to wake up.” He turned sharply. He heard Frys voice. He nearly sobbed, thinking he’s going crazy. Then he kept hearing it. A chant of his own mind. But why would his own mind tell him to wake up? Then suddenly everything felt too loud, too bright but he’s eyes were closed and he could hear a steady beep. “Bender! Bender, can you hear me?” It was Frys voice and Bender struggled to open his eyes, seeing his boyfriend standing by him and holding his hand. Bender felt awful and heavy and his throat was dry but he croaked out. “Fry?” Fry smiled, eyes watery. “Hey buddy, I’m here. I’m right here.” He saw fry press something on the wall. “But you died.” Fry looked over at him with a certain mix of curiosity and concern. “No I didn’t. He scratched me up but you took the blow. You saved my life.” Bender was quiet and Fry felt something was wrong. “What happened while you were unconscious?” Bender took a breath, holding Frys hand, feeling the comforting feeling of skin on skin. “You died. When Roberto grabbed you he didn’t waste any time and stabbed you in the chest, puncturing a lung.” Bender felt his throat tighten and tears start. “I watched you drown in your own blood.” Fry felt his eyes widen as a nurse came in, leaving their conversation for another time. While the nurse checked on him and changed his bandage around his middle he asked. “How long was I out?” “Nearly two days. You had lost a lot of blood and it put you into a coma, we could only wait and see after the blood transfusion.” Bender nodded, glad he wasn’t out very long. She smiled. “This young man here never left your side. You certainly have a keeper.” Bender looked over at Fry, seeing how rough he looked. “Yeah, I do.” Fry just smiled weakly, he was exhausted. Bender turned to the nurse. “How long until I can go home?” “That’s up to the doctor. You took quite a serious abdominal wound and with your situation that ups the risk of infection.” Bender sighed. There was some consequences with becoming human, one of them was a compromised immune system. It’s still building technically and thus puts him at a much higher risk for infections and sickness but apparently the professor put that into his new human information and now every doctor visit (at least three times a month for the next two years, Fry dragging him to them) was an integration. He just wanted to be home and snuggled close to his meatbag. Fry smiled weakly. “Hey at lest you get a cool scar to tell everyone about. You can tell everyone what a big hero you are.” Bender smirked. “That is true meatbag.”