A Friend (Stanford Pines x Reader)

The Truth

Ford hadn't been there when you started walking to your classes. Considering you started the day in the same building, you did find it strange -- and perhaps slightly disappointing -- but you weren't going to make it a big deal. As the day progressed, you didn't see him at all. Not in the cafeteria, in the halls, nothing. Worry clouded your mind. He couldn't be sick, could he? Did the lack of sleep get to him somehow?

It was these concerns that inclined you to make your way to his dorm. If he was sick, you wanted to help in any way you could. You knocked on the door and took a step back. Slight bangs and other noises emerged through the wood. "Just a minute!" Ford's voice called from inside. The shuffling persisted, then the door opened narrowly. Ford stood in the frame, trying to block the inside of the room. "(Y/N)..."

"Ford... what's going on?" Your tone was laced with concern. You had seen him dishevelled, sure, but the Ford that stared back at you wasn't dishevelled. He was a mess. "I haven't seen you all day. I'm worried."

The brown-haired man that hung in the doorway blinked at you a few times, trying to process the words. "Ford, whatever is going on, whatever happened, we'll work through it." You tried to reassure him. Ford shook his head, his anxiety radiating off of him so much that it gave you a small twinge of it as well.

"I... I can't find it." He said.

"Can't find what?" You asked. Ford opened the door completely. You took in a sharp breath. You had never seen his dorm, but you weren't expecting it to be in the state that it was currently in. Every drawer was pulled open, either partially or completely. Different pieces of clothing littered the floor. The covers of the bed had been thrown away carelessly, leaving only the bare mattress. Papers were strewn about everywhere. You looked back at Ford, trying to formulate words. "Ford... whatever you lost, we can find it together. It's oka-"

"It's not okay!" Ford's shout startled you into silence. Oh, man. He's worked himself into a frenzy. You nervously extended your arm, reaching for his and rubbing it reassuringly. He looked down at the movement, not saying anything. He didn't push you away. You took a step closer, wrapping your arms around his thin frame. You could feel his heart pounding against your chest. You held him for a few moments, your hand making a circling motion on his back. Hesitantly, Ford embraced you in return. You kept your tone low and gentle. "Ford, we can find it together."

Truthfully, you were unsure of what he could have lost that could have stirred such a frantic side of him. You had never seen him this way, but you weren't about to leave him there. The look plastered on his face when you first saw him had burned itself into the front of your mind. How broken and lost he was. You couldn't, you wouldn't, leave him.

Ford took in a shaky breath before speaking again. "It... it's something important. A memory..." He trailed off, trying to find the words. Mentally, you punched yourself in the face. Of course.

You broke the embrace, and for a second, he looked hurt. You dug into your pocket and carefully extracted the photo. You held it behind your back for a second, unsure of how he would react. "Is... is this it?" You whispered as you pulled it into view. Ford's eyes doubled in size as he stared down at it. He reached out for it, and you obliged, passing it to him. He took a few steps back, then sank onto the mattress in anguish. You sat beside him, feeling the stiff mattress sink beneath your weight. You eyed him, not daring to utter a single word. His face was dark and gloomy, and for a brief moment, you saw his eyes brimming with tears. He blinked them away, and as if they were never there, they were gone.

"Thank you," He said finally. You nodded, reaching over to take his hand. It was awkward to hold onto the sixth finger, but you didn't dwell on it. It wasn't unbearable, and you didn't want to let go. "Do you need to talk?" You asked softly. Ford closed his eyes, nodding. He stood, moving from the room. You followed, matching his pace and gingerly closing the door behind you. You left the building, walking further and further away from campus. He didn't seem to have a specific direction in mind, and that was okay with you.

"This is my other brother." He pointed at the little boy holding the mast. "Stanley." You looked back at the young boy again, then at the other. The similarity was still there. "Are you...?"

Ford picked up on the rest of the sentence. "Twins. Yes. We're twins." His tone and his expression were unreadable. You waited for him to continue, and after a while, he found his voice again. "He's my best friend. We... We did everything together. With him, I didn't need anyone else. It was he and I until the very end." He pointed at the ship. "We found this one day while exploring the beach. We decided that we would repair it, use it, and sail away from Glass Shard Beach, leaving it behind and not daring to look back. We were going to hunt for treasure together, making a fortune.

"That ambition, albeit childish, grew up alongside us. It's what made us close. Everyday we would work on that damn boat, everyday inching closer and closer to the day we would sail away forever. But then, well, I was given the pamphlet to West Coast Tech, and a whole new door opened. So many opportunities awaited me in one, my brother in the other, and all of a sudden, I had to choose between two dreams. I... I told Stanley that if the school didn't want me, I would go treasure hunting with him. But if it did... I would have gone to the school, all the way across the country. Stanley... he didn't understand. He broke my science fair project, West Coast Tech didn't see potential in me. My father, in his rage, kicked Stanley out. I turned my back on him when he needed me the most. I pushed him away."

Ford didn't face you as he spoke. If he had, he probably wouldn't have been able to finish. Silence filled the air. "Ford..." You started. "I'm so, so sorry. I can't imagine how... how that must've felt, or how it feels."

"I'm an awful brother," He said bitterly. You shook your head, clasping his hand in yours again. "You're not an awful brother. You made a mistake. You're human. You could... you could fix it?"

Ford shook his head. "I can't... I can't face him. I'm still angry, yes, but I'm guilty, too. The conflicting emotions are at war with one another in my mind everyday. It... it's best if I just keep Stanley in the back of my mind, closed off." Ford tucked the photo into his pocket, took in a deep breath, then released it, seemingly deflating a little. "(Y/N)... I'm sorry you had to see me like this."

"No." You said. "You don't have to apologize to me. I appreciate you trusting me with this. I'm always going to be here for you, Ford." Your eyes fell on your intertwined hands, and for a moment, your heart sped up.

"I don't know what I would do without you," Ford whispered. You gave his hand a small squeeze. "You won't have to find out."