Chapter Eight
*Y/N*
I was restocking the shelves not paying attention to anything when i heard the sending machine burst opened causing me to drop the glass globes i was holding. I tsked annoyed and turned seeing a cycloptopus crawling towards me i gasped and moved to step back, but fell back, slipping on the liquid of the globes, getting a piece of glass that was on the floor slicing into my palm, i cried in pain, and looked forward, but saw it jump at me, i kicked it mid air and ford caught it by its tentacles shocking it with his shock gloves, he looked at me with a happy face but it dropped seeing the blood, i stood up, wet and bleeding and he gulped.
"Y/N you're bleeding!" Stanley said walking over
"I-Im okay." I said
"Y/N, love, are you sure?" Ford said still holding the fried creature in his hand and using his other to look at my palm. "Come I'll clean that up." He said and pulled me along to the vending machine.
"Great Uncle Ford! Wait- can i help? I've read all about these creatures in your journal and i think i know how to-" Dipper said hopefully
"No!" Ford interrupted dipper. "Im sorry dipper, but the Dark weird road i travel.. im afraid you cannot follow... also i need to help Y/N right now, and tell her everything!" He said and stepped in the room. "Call us when dinner is ready!" He said closing the door and i watched Dipper follow the machine shutting. I felt bad for the kid. Ford pulled me Downstairs and sat me down and shoved the cycloptopus into a jar sealing it. He took his gloves off. "Im so sorry Y/N." He said sitting in front of me.
"Ford it's okay, I've felt more pain in my time." I said and he looked at me, with an uneasy expression. He grabbed the first aid, and gently took my hand, and slid the glass out to which i flinched.
"So.. tell me what you've been through.?" He said looking at me, i hummed and looked down.. Louis... i leaned on my free hand as he cleaned my wound.
"Fordy, i lost you, my parents are gone, not to mention having fight multiple creatures when i came across them. After you left i didn't know what to do so i channeled it into work.. ended up getting hurt a lot. Fell off a mountain once.." i said thinking he looked at me biting his lip.
"A mountain?" He asked and i looked to the side nodding.
"Saved by the trees." I said and he held my now bandaged hand. "So, you're doing what?" I asked and he looked at me nervously.
"I've been taking the portal apart. I don't like what you did." He said getting up and i followed him in my gaze. "Opening that portal was highly dangerous." He said and i stood up.
"What was i supposed to do Stanford.?" I said and he shifted at me using his full name. "I lost you, and i couldn't just.. move on?" I said and he looked at me.
"That's not what im saying."
"Then what are you saying? You sound like you wanted me to.. to date Stanley or something?!" I said and his eyes widened.
"Date Stanley? That sounds horrific, where did that even come from." He said and i could feel my face getting red.
"Well you sound idiotic!"
"Y/N what- What's wrong?"
"Would you rather me abandon everything?! Aft-after you left you were the only one who-" i felt tears brim my eyes. "I did what i had too. So did Stan. So don't scold me for getting you back." I said. "Hell i lost you even before you disappeared into the stupid portal." I slammed my hand on the table.
"What do you even mean?!"
"You were losing your mind! Fiddle already did! Th-Then you call your brother down here, a-and you break his heart well-" i looked at him. "You broke mine the moment you told me he was coming down here! Someone you- you seethed for what they did and-" i looked at him and he seemed so surprised at my sudden outburst, but did he even want to come back?. "S-Stop." I wiped my eyes of the tears before they fell. "Stop making me feel like you didn't wanna come back to me.." i covered my face and after a few moments of silence, and tears falling, i felt his arms wrap around my shoulders and i slid my arms around his chest, clutching the back of his coat.
"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I don't want to make you feel like i didn't want to come back. To be honest for those 30 years even in a different dimension, i was getting your flashes." He said pulling back pointing at my watch. "Sadly, i realized you weren't getting mine." He said and i looked at it.
"Really?" I asked and he nodded smiling, he cupped my face and leaned down kissing my lips, i kissed him back just slightly. "Y'know Ford i think.. i'm gonna.. go to bed." I said and he looked at me confused.
"I tho-"
"I'll see you later." i said walking away and upstairs. I opened the vending machine and closed it behind me. I sunk down in front of it and that's when i saw Dipper walk past me looking sad. "Same here kid."
I said and he looked at me. "H-Hey.. uh you wouldn't happen to like the game Dungeon's, Dungeons, & More Dungeons would you?" He asked and i sighed.
"Yeah actually, i do. But kid, today isn't a great one. Maybe we could play tomorrow.." i said getting up and he looked up at me hopeful.
"Really?!" He smiled and i laughed nodding.
"Really." I said Patting his head and walking to the kitchen to make super. But saw Stanley sitting at the table, and i tensed, great. I ignored his look of curiosity as i entered looking pissed.
"You okay?" He asked standing up and i started to make food.
"Peachy." I mumbled.
"No seriously what's wrong?" He asked and i clenched my eyes together.
"Order pizza." I said and walked out of the room.
"****
"The mayor's dead." Stanley said looking at me in the kitchen
"That's cool." I hummed and flipped through my sketchbook before my brain could process.
"Oh and i'm running for mayor." He said.
"Hmm sounds fun." I said and he snorted. "Hm?" I looked at him. "I'm sorry, what?"
"Mayors dead, and i'm running to be the new mayor." Stanley staid and i went wide eyed.
"W-What?" I mumbled, how the hell was he supposed to run for mayor if he has no experience in politics except tax fraud. "Mayor? Stanley i don't know.. Are you sure you can even do it?" I asked and he sighed.
"The kids said the same thing to me.. Does no one believe in me?" He rubbed the back of his head in a kind of discomfort manner.
i instantly felt bad, oh no can't let him thing i didn't support his decisions. "What? Stanley it isn't that i don't 'Believe' in you." I stood up and he looked at me tilting his head. "It's just.." i grabbed his jacket. "Do you believe in yourself?" i smirked pushing him aside and walking into the kitchen seeing Ford standing on the counter and i rubbed my brow. "W-Why are you standing on the counter with your muddy boots Stanford." I said looking at him and he looked back at me.
"Oh Y/N i was meaning to find you. how was your rest last night?" he asked and i scoffed as i grabbed a drink from the fridge.
"What rest?" i asked and he furrowed his eyebrows confused. "Stanford i haven't gotten proper sleep for 30 years." I said and he jumped down from the counter, i walked over to clean his muddy prints from the counter.
"Oh that's right, you never did like me staying downstairs, or slept well when i wasn't with you." he said and i looked at him.
"Yeah so imagine how i felt for 30 years wondering if you were dead or alive." I smiled at him irritably. He looked at me, the expression on his face was an odd one. "What?" i said and he looked to the side.
"Are you.. Mad at me?" He asked and i gulped. No, i was mad at myself. jeez i just got him out and now im treating him like i did Stanley all those years ago.
"No.. Just tired." i said and i leaned over giving his cheek a peck before giving him a smile. he looked at me and smiled softly. "But stop standing on the counters, with your muddy boots." I ran my hand on his cheek as i walked away.
****
I sat at the first stump speech in the audience seeing Stanley burst through the curtain. "Hello there! Stan Pines here, Let's get real. Do you think the women of Gravity Falls wear too much makeup?" he said and i face palmed immediately, oh no this man wasn't gonna make it out alive. Suddenly he shook, and leaned back on the podium. That was when i noticed what he was wearing, oh lord. "Uh- what i meant to say was you ladies all look great, and have you done something with your hair?" he pointed to the crowd. "Girl you are workin' it!" he snapped his fingers. "I'm Stan Pines and you may all know me as that guy who let all those bees loose in that elementary school once, except Y/N will know me as her trusting sidekick, love you!" Stanley spoke and i sighed and i looked through the back of the curtain seeing dipper rip the other tie off Mabel and put it on. "But i believe in things, America, Freedom, Ameriafreedom!" Stanley mindlessly spoke pointing to the sky. "Like my opponent pointed out, i may not have a pretty face. but if you want a candidate that will listen to you, Well i'm proud to be ALL ears." He mindlessly cupped his ears and how much i was pained to watch this man get exploited by these kids. "Now! Watch me break it down" he yelled and obviously Mabel had taken over. Everyone clapped and cheered for him. I stood up and walked to the back, seeing them taking a picture, Stanley saw me and he walked over and he wrapped his arms around me. "Did you see? They Love me!"he said looking into my eyes and i smiled.
"Y-Yeah.." I smiled at him.
****
I sat in the living room doing my new sketches on the infinite sided dice that he brought back with him, and i heard a clearing of throat that i perked at, i looked at the entrance of the living room and stiffened. There stood Stanley in.. Well one of the most handsome outfits i've ever seen him in.
"Stanley? W-What are you wearing?" i asked and he slipped off his beige leather jacket swinging it over his shoulder. He looked down and then at me with hooded eyes, clutching his belt.
"Why hello there Y/N, what do you think of my new style as Mayor candidate?" he asked walking in and over to me, and i put my head in my hands.
"Stanley, Seriously."
"Uh-" We both heard and i looked over seeing Ford looking at us with furrowed eyebrows, and his face red, i knew that look, he was getting jealous, just like he used to with Fiddle around.
"Fordy perfect timing, yknow what would be amazing, if you escorted your brother out." i said and Ford looked at Stanley who huffed.
"Just tryna get a rise." Stan said as he walked out past Ford and looked back at me who waved, he just sent me an obvious playful wink at me, i rolled my eyes. Ford walked in and looked at me.
"Does he do that all the time?" He asked and i smiled looking up at him.
"Jealous there Fordy?" i asked and he looked away rubbing the back of his neck.
"N-No of course i'm not."
"Yes you are." i smiled and he looked at me surprised at my bluntness. "To answer your question, Yes, He does do the often, Doesn't mean anything." I said and he huffed out a small growl. "It's not a problem, It hasn't fazed me for 30 years so why would it now?"
"Your face was red when i walked in." Ford said and i shook my head silently as i fixed my sketch and definition i would write. "You did like his outfit?" He said and i looked at him.
"And i like yours." i said getting up and walked over, he looked at me and i gave him a smile as i pulled his jacket off and carefully put it on the chair, he looked at me as i wrapped my arms around his waist loving the feeling of his body.
"I'm wearing just a sweater." he said and i smiled nodding smiled starting to sway as he wrapped his arms around my back. "I remember when you'd do this, start swaying and we'd start to dance together, to those old songs you loved to play on your cassettes." he said taking my hand in his and we started to sway more, in a dancing motion, but i turned and slipped my fingers between his perfectly, oh the comfort i felt doing that.
"Perfect fit.." i whispered and He started to hum a familiar song from the fifties that i absolutely loved, Dream Lover by Bobby Darin, i smiled as he looked down at me and he let himself break into a smile, and i started to hum with him, as we swayed together.
My own problem got in the way of feeling this again, but i couldn't help but easily remember my moments with Stanley- y'know what no, i clenched my eyes shut and looked down.. don't think about that. Just Ford.. i looked up at him and he smiled at me again as i leaned my head on his chest. just Ford.. Why Stanley? Why was i thinking about Stanley?