Henry Stein x Reader {Completed}

Chapter 2: Welcome Home

Henry's POV:

30 years later...

"'Dear Henry,

'It seems like a lifetime since we worked on cartoons together. 30 years really slips away, doesn't it?

'If you're back in town, come visit the old workshop. There's something I need to show you.

'Your old pal, Joey Drew.'"

I leaned back in my chair with a sigh before re-reading the letter from my old partner and friend.

I had practically forgotten about that place. The studio may have crossed my mind a few times here and there, but for the most part, it wasn't much of a concern anymore. I had a hard time leaving the place at first; especially since I had to leave y/n as well. But I eventually learned to move on.

The thought of Joey inviting me to visit again seemed a bit strange. We had lost touch a year or two after I quit the workshop, so whatever he wanted to show me must've been important.

Hopefully I'd get to see Joey again too. He wasn't just my boss, but also a good friend of mine as well. But it wasn't just Joey that I missed.

I missed most of my co-workers there. But for some reason there was just one person in particular who I really missed more than anyone... y/n.

I tried not to think about her anymore, but every time she crossed my mind I couldn't help but feel guilty for how much I hurt her thirty years earlier. I'll never forget the way her distraught eyes were filled with tears the day she read that note; I'll never forget how I cried that night, and how alone I felt without her laying next to me. I wanted to get back together with her later on, but she said no; she said I had hurt her too bad.

I loved her a lot, that's for sure. For the next year or two after I called off our engagement, I felt so much regret and pain. I thought I'd never be able to forgive myself. But I moved on; I had to.

When I first received that letter, I highly doubted I would go. It seemed almost suspicious that Joey would be inviting me back. But after putting more thought into it, I figured that it would only be right for me to go. It would be plain rude to ignore his invitation. He and I were such great friends, so it would only be right for me to accept his invitation and go.

Perhaps I'd get the chance to see y/n if I went too. If not her, maybe I'd get to see Joey or one of my other old co-workers. I just needed to think of this as a reunion rather than an errand.

And besides, what's the worst that could happen?

Y/n's POV:

"Gosh... my head is killing me..."

I wearily opened my eyes to the feeling of someone aggressively shaking my shoulder. Once I was fully awake I groaned and pushed myself up from where I had fainted on the floor. I looked around to see that Boris was by my side and trying to wake me up with an anxious look on his face.

"You're a lucky little girl, y/n," I heard a loud voice sneer. "Next time you won't be so lucky. And neither will your little friend!"

I shuddered at the sound of Alice Angel's fearsome voice. Gosh, I hated her. Ever since I got trapped here in the studio she had been after me and Boris. She wanted to use us so that she could be the "perfect angel," or to "be beautiful" or some sort of crap like that.

Staying here in the studio for the past two years wasn't exactly my ideal way of living life, but I had no choice. Joey had invited me to come visit two years before, saying there was something he wanted to show me and now I had no way out.