Safe

Fiddleford Vs Manliness

"Fidds, I'll pay, you don't have to worry." Ford held Fiddlefords hand on the freshly rinsed diner table. Fiddleford was telling Tate not to get too excited because he didn't want to spend more than needed. Yet at the same time he didn't want to force Ford to pay, though Ford volunteered. "Ford, I don't wanna force ya," Fiddleford was cut off by Ford kissing his cheek quickly, not wanting everyone in the diner to see. "It's not a problem, just order whatever you two want." Ford smiled sweetly but Fiddlefords attention was elsewhere, he was staring at a weird and ugly machine across the diner, beside the door with a fresh batch of pancakes beside it. "Nope, no need for ya ta pay." Fiddleford winked and cracked his knuckles. "I told you, cracking your knuckles is unhealthy." Ford gave an annoyed look to his partner. "Ford, darlin', we all know that's a myth, you just don't like the sound." Fiddleford snickered as Ford rolled his eyes but still managed a little smile. Tate was too busy coloring to notice what was going on, which was probably for the best.

Fiddleford got up from his seat and walked over to the machine called a manliness tester. Fiddleford looked back at Ford who was smiling back at him "You can do it Fidds!", which helped Fiddleford with his confidence as he clutched the handle and held on as tightly as he could and watched the meter to go almost all the way up but drop back down to 'wimp' and spat out a card labeled 'cutie patootie'. Fiddleford crumpled the paper and threw it away out of frustration. "I'm not that weak, seriously, this thing is highly inaccurate, heck, I bet even this guy couldn't win." Fiddleford gestured to a ginger haired, muscled lumberjack wearing flannel and a brown fur covered aviator hat. The man stood up and walked over to Fiddleford and picked him up. "Heh...no offense?" Fiddleford forced an awkward smile. "Oh! Morning Dan!" Ford ran over and smiled at the green eyed lumberjack nervously, Fiddleford even caught a light blush, making him rather mad and annoyed at his partner. "Sorry about my partner, he get's carried away." Ford apologized as Dan put Fiddleford down. "Fidds, this is Dan Corduroy, he helped build the house, I had to live with him for a short period of time while it was being built, he's a nice guy." Ford put a hand on Fiddleford's shoulder which was greeted by a glare but he took a deep breath and smiled. "Well, nice ta meet ya, Dan. Name's Fiddleford Hadron McGucket, I'm currently living with Ford as his assistant and I must say you did a nice job buildin' that place." Fiddleford shook Dan's very very strong hand, Fiddleford was mentally taking back what he said about him not being able to beat the manliness tester. "Nice to meet you too." Dan responded very loudly as though he were screaming, making Fiddleford very uncomfortable as Ford just continued to smile awkwardly and blush lightly. "And about what I said, I' was just jokin'. I'm sure ya could beat..." Fiddleford was cut off as Dan pushed him aside and barely even touched the machine yet still won, heck, the tester looked as though it was going to explode. 'Ugh....lumberjacks...' Fiddleford rolled his eyes as Ford watched in amazement. "C'mon, darlin', so much for those free pancakes..." Fiddleford started walking back to their table but looked back to see Ford walking back with a plate of three pancakes.

"Wait! Where'd ya get those!?" Fiddleford asked as Ford sat down and gave Fidds and Tate each a pancake. "Well, Dan won the test so he gave me three of his free pancakes." Ford smiled and Fiddleford started to cut Tate's pancake and mumbled to himself. "Yeah, yeah, Dan's sooo great." The southerner rolled  his eyes and cut faster into the pancake, scraping the plate, making Ford shudder at the sound. "Fidds," Ford grabbed Fiddleford's arm, making him stop. "don't be like that. We're just friends, what's with you?" Ford asked and looked at Fiddleford who sighed and averted his eyes. "It's nothin'... just a bit self conscious is all." Fiddleford smiled and kissed Ford's forehead gently as his hands shook. "There's no need to be OK? I only love you." Ford smiled and leaned of Fiddleford who was still shaking but began to eat anyway.

"I have to go to the bathroom." Fiddleford rushed down the hall as they arrived back home. Ford chuckled and smiled, due to the goofy nature of his boyfriend. "Daddy? Will you play superhero with me?" Tate tugged on Ford's tan coat, the child shifted from calling him Pops or Daddy, it really just depended on the day, unlike with Fiddleford who was always Papa. "In just a second, bud. I have to check on your Papa, OK?" Ford smiled down at the brunette who was holding a barbie and action figure. "OK!" The kid responded and ran into the parlor. Ford knocked on the bathroom door with the back of his knuckles but got no response. "Fidds? Buddy? Are you OK?" He wasn't very good with pet names, unlike Fiddleford who seemed to have a library full of just pet names for his partner. "I'm coming in.." Ford slowly opened the unlocked door to see Fiddleford shirtless sitting on the side of the tub with red eyes, evidence he had been crying. "Fidds?" Ford keeled in front of Fiddleford who didn't respond, just sniffled. Ford wiped his partners nose with his coat sleeve. "What's wrong?" Ford asked, concerned for his loved one. "It's really nothin'....I promise." Fiddleford still failed to make eye contact with Ford. "C'mon, don't hide those big blue eyes of yours,  tell me the truth, is it about that manliness tester?" Ford held onto Fiddlefords hand, playing with the golden ring he gave to him last night. He could feel Fiddleford tense up, he knew it.

~
"Fidds, you can't listen to them, they don't even know what Pi is." Ford insisted as he and his friend stormed into their dorm room. "Stanford, you don't understand." Fiddleford turned to look at Ford with tears in his bright blue eyes. "Yes I do. They said you weren't manly, they called you  a pansy and...other words, look, I understand, but what I don't understand is why it bothers you so much!" Ford shouted, out of frustration, not anger, just frustration. "Because I'm....I'm not..." Fiddleford felt tears run down his face. "I'm not a man....not to them..." he slipped his shirt off to reveal to scars across his chest. He shook and fell to the floor, on his hands and knees. "You don't get it, you're gay but, you were still born you but...but, I....I wasn't....my own parents disowned me....and..and..." Fiddlefords tears fell onto the shaggy carpet, stained with numerous other things. "Fiddleford...I don't care, you're still you. You're still my best friend." Ford held his hand out to Fiddleford who took it and Ford pulled him to his feet. "You're still the man who's capable of fending off those cave men that call themselves jocks." Ford smiled warmly at his friends tear stained face. Fiddleford stared into those brown eyes, his expression as if he'd seen a ghost. "Stan..Stanford.." He wrapped his arms around Ford and cried into Ford's shoulder.
~

Ford kissed Fiddleford's chest gently, rubbing his hands over his scars. "You're the manliest man I know, I love you with all my heart, you know that. I wouldn't trade you or Tate for anything." Ford kissed Fiddleford gently. "Hell, you're more of a man than me, no matter what some inaccurate arcade game says. Even Tate knows that. You're his papa, not his mama and he knows that. Just because you're the one who carried him doesn't change that." Ford ran his fingers through Fiddleford's tan hair. "I love you." He gave Fiddleford another kiss on the lips, trying to cheer his boyfriend up as much as possible, eventually a small smile crept onto Fiddlefords face. "You sure you don't want Manly Dan?" Fiddleford chuckled into Ford's neck as the brunette hugged him tightly. "As positive as a proton." Ford grinned like a maniac as Fiddleford busted with laughter. "You really are my nerd." Fiddleford smiled sweetly at his partner who smiled back and whispered,

"And you're my superhero."

{To calm any confusion: Fiddleford is trans, he got pregnant with Tate on accident before he got married, part of why he was abused was due to him being trans. He got married to try to fit in better as a male with a child, he thought maybe he could just have a happy family but unfortunately...that didn't work out too well, he really got himself into a mess but is doing soooo much better now, especially now, with Ford. Also, Tate's other biological father is unknown, or at least Fiddleford says it is. Sorry it's so needlessly complicated and hard to follow! One last thing, the reason I made a big deal about Ford and his partner being unable to have kids is because Fiddleford doesn't want to go through pregnancy again and Ford understands that.}