Hand in Hand || Stanford x Reader

Chapter 2 • You

"Do you mind if I sit here?" 

I whipped my head up to see none other than Stanford Pines standing by the desk next to mine, shifting his weight from foot to foot. 

"Of course not, go right ahead."  I shook my head and smiled.  He was such a dork.  He came after me yesterday and comforted me when he didn't even know my name, of course he could sit next to me if he wanted.  He plopped down in his seat, his messy hair nearly covering up his deep brown eyes.

BZZZZZZZ!

The school bell jarred me out of my thoughts, simultaneously announcing a tardy student who breezed through the door in the nick of time.  I squinted and adjusted my glasses.  He looked just like Stanford, with neater hair and no glasses. Ford's double wiggled his eyebrows at him when he saw me in the next desk and made a finger gun at him.  "Wha...?"

Stanford looked absolutely mortified.  "That's Stanley.  My twin brother."

"Ah."  I glanced down at my notebook and opened it up to the sketch of my science fair experiment.  I leaned over it, blocking it from prying eyes.  It seemed a bit ridiculous to make it, even to me, but I had to try and build it. 

Stanford leaned over. "What's that?" He said, motioning to the sketch.

I impulsively covered it up.  "It's, uh, nothing. Just something for science fair."

"Can I see?"

I hesitated. If anyone had asked, I would've said no, but he had so willingly showed his sixth finger to make me feel better. I couldn't say no to such a little request when he had done something like that.  "Alright..."

Stanford slid the notebook over to his desk.  His eyes widened. "A fully functional robotic hand?! This is ingenious!" He flipped through the pages of math I had done for it. "It has to be at least fifty years ahead of its time, and the math checks out! You'll win the science fair for sure, Y/N!"  He smiled so wide you would've thought he made it himself. 

I felt my cheeks heat up.  "I don't know about that," I said, rubbing my wrist where my hand should be.

"Don't be modest, this is brilliant!"

I shook my head.  "I don't even know where to get the parts.  It looks good on paper, but unless I can get supplies it's nothing more than a doodle."

"That's the easy part.  My family runs a pawn shop by the Belgian waffle place.  It's got everything, I once found a shrunken head in there.  I'm sure you could find what you need."  He gave me a shy smile.  "What do you say?  Can you come by tonight?"

"That sounds perfect."  I said, returning his smile.  He was being so kind to me, but why?  This was extremely confusing.  Eager to change the subject, I glanced at his notebook.  "What are you working on, anyways?"

"The same as you.  I mean- obviously not the same but also for science fair-"

I let out a laugh.  "I know what you mean, you nerd."

His face burned.  "S-Sorry."

I nudged his arm.  "I'm only kidding.  But seriously, what's your experiment?"

Stanford picked up his notebook, flipped to the right page, and handed it to me. 

I adjusted my glasses to make sure I was seeing this right.  "A perpetual motion machine?!  That's crazy - but in a good way!"  I quickly scanned over all his notes.  "Your math is solid, too. And you said I was gong to win. This is a surefire first place! How did you come up with it?"

He slowly smiled.  "I don't really know.  I vaguely remember someone told me that it was impossible to make one, so I felt like I had to prove them wrong."

"Some days, I believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast." 

I left him to figure out what I meant by that and went back to scribbling more notes on my blueprints, desperately trying to get it done before the period ended.  But for some reason, I couldn't concentrate.  My thoughts kept on drifting back towards Stanford.  I didn't know why he was being so kind, but he gave a warm feeling inside.  No one had really been truly nice to me since I transferred to Glass Shard High.  It was a nice change, to be sure.

"I never did thank you for coming after me yesterday.  You didn't have to do that."

"That's where you're wrong.  I got you into that mess, I was the one you knocked you down in the first place. Besides, I know from experience how much it hurts to be called a freak." He fidgeted with his hands.

I flushed slightly at the memory, embarrassed.  "That's true.  But still... thanks, Stanford."

One of the corners of his mouth tugged upwards.  "You're welcome, Y/N."  We locked eyes for a brief second, then looked away awkwardly. 

The bell rang sharply, scaring me half to death.  The class flooded out the door, leaving me scrambling behind, gathering my things.  Stanford caught up to me on the way out.  "See you at seven tonight?"

My stomach fluttered. Did I eat something bad? "I'll be there."  I got lost in the sea of students in the hallways, feeling very confused and thinking of fake hands, impossible machines, and a certain six-fingered teen.