the fighter | john bender ✅

three (edited)

" Why is that door closed?" Vernon questions, walking into the library. Cue the awkward silence. " Why is that door closed?!" he repeats louder.

" How're we s'posed to know? We're not s'posed to move, right?" Bender answers with another question. Luis has to bite back a smirk from her lips. Vernon turns, looking at Claire for an answer.

" We were sitting here like we're supposed to. It closed." Awkward silence is magnificent.

" I think a screw fell out," Bender guesses, giving a shrug. Luis glimpses at his form before looking back at Vernon, finding his staring daggers at Allison.

" Who?!" He receives is a high squeal before a quiet thud, Allison's head hitting the table.

" She doesn't talk, sir," Bender explains, a dramatic sigh leaving him afterward.

" Give me that screw," Vernon orders, stomping towards the troublemaker.

" I don't have it."

" You want me to yank you outta that seat and shake it out of you?" he threatens.

" Screws fall out all of the time, the world's an imperfect place," Lui butts in, leaning back in her chair with a tired sigh.

" Oh so you have it, Martin!" he exclaims, taking another step towards the table.

Without missing a beat, Luis stands from her chair swiftly, making it fall to the floor while to the two glare at each other. "Try me," she whispers, a smile on her face that reads "trouble".

Vernon loses, going back to the door to see if he can hold it open with a folding chair. Lui picks her seat back up before sitting down and placing her feet on Bender's lap. Despite the door slamming and Vernon cursing, Bender's gaze is still on Lui, shock in his eyes.

" Why'd you do that?" he whispers.

" You know I don't like people yelling in my face," she sighs, turning her head towards her friend. " I won't' do it again if you don't want me to. I promise." She points her pinkie out, forcing a chuckle past Bender's lips as the two link fingers. We both look back to see Andrew trying to get back into the library with a magazine rack blocking it.

" That's very clever sir, but what if there's a fire? I think violating fire codes and endangering the lives of children would be unwise at this juncture in your career, sir," Bender states, his tone formal yet sarcastic.

A moment passes before Vern hollers, " Alright, what are you doing with this? Get this outta here for God's sake! What's the matter with you? Come on!" Luis can only chuckle, noticing a light rose on Vernon's cheeks. " Get back to your seat!" Andrew follows orders, sitting beside Claire. " I expected a little more from a varsity letterman!" He turns to the duo. " You're not fooling anybody, Bender, and Martin! The next screws that falls out is gonna be you two!" Vern seemed to have the last laugh, until Bender mumbles something under his breath." What was that?"

" Eat. My. Shorts."

" You just bought yourself another Saturday, mister."

" Oh Christ..."

" You just bought one more right there!"

" Well, I'm free the Saturday after that...beyond that, I'm gonna have to check my calendar!"

" Good! 'cause it's gonna be filled, we'll keep goin'! You want another one? Say the word, just say the word! Instead of going to prison, you'll come here! Are you-"

" Go screw off Vermin," Luis sighs, a groan escaping past her lips, head lulling back in boredom.

" Well Martin you just got one too!"

" Oh perfect, another weekend where you pay a hooker."

" Oh you just got another one right there! You want another one?"

" Sure," Lui shrugs.

" There's another one right there."

" You through?"

" You kidding? The party's begun!" Luis exclaims, her excitement as dead as her heart.

" Good! You got one more, right there!"

" You think I care?" she wonders, raising a brow with smug look.

" You will when I call your father!" She falters a moment, her mind going blank from fear before she pulls herself together.

" Well he'll be pleased to hear you, Varmit."

" There's another one... You through?"

" How many is that?" Lui shrugs, a curious look as she folds her arms. It seems to anger Vernon some more, the mood she's giving off called "not giving a fuck."

" That's four for Bender counting the Barry Manilow line and seven counting when Lui came in late." Luis can only, impressed with herself.

" Now it's five and eight, and you stay out of this Johnson!"

" Sir it's four and seven!"

" Shut up Peewee! You just got four more Martin! I got you Bender for a month. You for two Martin, your mine."

" I'm thrilled," Lui grins, her eyes noticing the vein on his neck throbbing.

" Oh, I'm sure that's exactly what you want these people to believe in. You know something, Martin? You ought to spend a little more time trying to do something with yourself and a little less time trying to impress people. You might be better off. Bet your father will love the call he'll get too." Awkward silence comes to rescue again." Alright, that's it! I'm going to be right outside those doors. The next time I hafta come in here I'm cracking skulls."

Vern walks off, the door shutting behind him. Lui tries to have the last word, yelling, " Fuck you!"

Silence comes around once more. Lui can only sigh dramatically, turning to find her friend. However, she's only given a look of disappointment from him. As a needle stabs her heart, Luis looks away, deciding now is the perfect time to sleep. As she places her head on the table, her eyes shut quickly as the sandman takes over.

As Luis falls asleep in seconds, Bender stays up a little while longer, laying his head down beside her's. Carefully, he moves her hair before admiring her face. A small smile creeps its way on his face before his eyes close, a quiet "sorry" passing his teeth before he falls like his friend.