The One He Protected///Gravity Falls Fanfic///TW in desc.

Great Minds Think Alike

The first tunnel was a staircase that spiraled down. By the tenth flight, Ben was convinced that it wouldn't end.

The one thing that made it bearable was who he was paired with for the journey. Ford was quiet and kept to himself. That was something that made Ben a bit more comfortable. He'd always liked a more quiet environment.

Ben attempted to sense how he was feeling, but it was difficult. Almost muffled, as if there was something blocking his powers.

As they walked, torches on the wall lit their path. The flames were a golden color, but they still made Ben nervous. He was worried an ember could reach him and set him on fire. However, the lights weren't all too bright, and the demon missed a step. He stumbled a bit and managed to catch himself with his hands.

After taking a moment to catch his breath, the sting in his hands started up. "Well, that wasn't very fun." He mumbled as Ford helped him up. He glanced at his hands, which weren't too skinned.

The two continued walking, returning to silence. Except now it was a bit tense. Both felt like they were getting nowhere. "So, I don't think I got your name." Ben mumbled, glancing at the human. "Stanford," the latter responded.

The demon nodded a bit. "Benjamin, but everyone- well, my family, calls me Ben." He said.

The tapping of footsteps. Then, "Everyone of the others has a certain color scheme. Why do you have the bow?" Ford asked, tilting his head.

Ben hesitated for a moment, reaching up and grabbing the bow on his hat. He plucked it off, looking at the purple-pink fabric. He trailed his hands along the strings attached to the knot. Little beads on the string rolled in his fingers.

"It was my sister's. This was her color scheme." He said, his voice nearly wavering. Ben clipped the bow back in, his eyes darting down. Ford looked at him with sympathy. "What happened to her, if you don't mind me asking?"

Ben was quiet for a moment. "We were born in a sort-of cult. Lots of violence and- just a really horrible place." He glanced at Ford. "Death wasn't exactly a rare occurrence." He mumbled.

Ford nodded, sighing worriedly. "I see..."

"She was my twin. I loved her more than anyone could know. Losing her was losing a part of myself." Ben fidgeted a bit, his hands twitching with nervousness. Ford winced a bit, thinking of his own twin. Of how Stanley must've felt when Ford had been launched into the multiverse. Of how his brother must've thought he'd been dead. Ben noticed the look in the human's eyes.

"The other human is your brother?" Ben asked. Even without his powers, he was good at reading people.

Ford nodded. "Twins seem to run in our family. The kids are twins, too." He responded. Ben rubbed his arms, his eyes cloudy. "Cherish each other until the end. That's my advice." The demon sighed.

Quiet.

It didn't seem to feel lonely. It seemed that both of them could understand.

Ben sighed, stopping for a bit. "How many steps are here?" He half-laughed. Ford laughed a bit at that, leaning on the wall. "I imagine this is what it feels like to walk up the Empire State Building." He responded. Ben tilted his head a bit. "What's that?"

"It's a building in New York, another state. I've thought of going there for a while." Ford responded. Ben smiled a little. "New York? That sounds like a cool place. Maybe I could go there one day, too."

Ford shook his head. "The town has a magnetic pull to oddities. You won't be able to get out of it." He explained. Ben sighed in disappointment, leaning on the railing. "I see..."

The railing suddenly turned into flower petals, making Ben stumble back. Ford grabbed the demon's sleeve, pulling him forward so he didn't fall down the stairs.

After a moment of shock, Ben laughed in shock. "Sorry, sorry, that happens when I'm nervous." He stood up straight, running his fingers through his hair.

"Must be difficult- having powers that activate like that when you're anxious." Ford replied, adjusting his glasses. Ben nodded. "One time, Zace got so upset, he accidentally burned Mom. I was, like, six." Ford raised his eyebrows in concern.

Before that conversation could continue, Ben noticed something. "I think I see the bottom." He took a deep breath and knelt down. With a careful swing, he managed to hang over the edge. He squinted a bit, trying to see into the darkness. "Yep, we're definitely close!" He called up to Ford.

In his line of sight was a small trapdoor. It was afloat in a bit of a void at the bottom. "It looks like it opens down. It seems big enough. If I could land on it, I could fall in and see what's going on there. Then, you could get in, too." Ben said. "And If we miss?" Ford asked. The demon sighed nervously. "We disappear into the void and cease to exist. Or we just float in there endlessly." He said, rather calmly.

"Fun. " Ford muttered sarcastically.

Ben felt his fingers slipping. "Eh, let's just try then." With a deep breath, he pulled himself back, then threw himself toward the trapdoor.

With a sudden crack and singe of pain, he felt wood crack as it tried to break his fall. He landed on the other side, though he couldn't see around him. He coughed a bit and sat up. "All good here, Stanford!" He yelled. In a few moments, Ford fell through the trapdoor and landed next to Ben.

The demon couldn't help but smile. "This..." He gasped. "This is cool..."

All around them were circuits and blinking buttons. Ben felt the electric energy buzz around them and seep into his skin. Ford stared up at it all in shock. "What in the world is this? What- what is this all doing here?"

Ben shrugged. "No idea! Mindscapes are weird as hell!" He stepped forward. "But something tells me we're not supposed to be here..." The trapdoor suddenly manifested back, locking up.

"Yep, we are not meant to be here." Ford grumbled

Ben smiled, cracking his knuckles with a wild smile on his face. "Welp, we're about to find out what's going on here!" Ford laughed a bit at that. "Let's just try, then."