#and ford knew fiddleford was using the memory gun on him

[fadedkat]

can’t look him in the eye

[catzncoffee]

A little FiddleStan AU I cooked up, more information about the AU below the cut!

I'll probably post a few more characters from this AU later!

Aren't they just the cutest couple? (* ´ ▽ ` *)

BADEND FiddleStan Au

> Welcome to BLIND EYE CO. : Unsee It All!

-To Start us off, Ford sends his postcard over to Stanley a lá Canon, and Stanley immediately drops everything to rush up to Gravity Falls all the way from New Mexico, spending his last dime on gas and driving with as little breaks as possible. At this point in time, Fiddleford has left Stanford and is actively going through a divorce and the process of loosing his mind via mind gun overexposure. Stanford is not doing well, paranoid and extremely sleep deprived, watching for Bill in any eye sockets or triangles that flash in the corner of his eyes. None of them are doing well to sum it up.

- Stanley arrives fresh off a no breaks drive to meet with his estranged brother of 10 years, and while not exactly expecting a warm welcome, a crossbow pointed at his head and a flashlight shone in his eyes certainly didn't help set the tone of the meeting. Or help the spinning in his head. Or the Nausea. Frankly he only caught the tail end of Fords very concerning speech, but at least he knew to follow him down the stairs.

-naturally things devolve from there, Ford demanding Stanley take his research and flee while Stanley grapples with the fact that it's all Ford wanted of him. Spiraling into a physical fight once old grudges are dug up from their graves. A Fight that brands Stanley with a symbol he can't even understand, turning something on he didn't even know the danger of. A singular shove that absolutely wrecked Stanley's world, and the last words "Do Something Stanley!" Haunting the room as the portal that his brother built ate him and imploded.

- Fiddleford notices the gravitational anomalies and panics, going into hiding but terrified for Fords safety against his better judgment.

- Stanley spends the next week desperately trying to peice together both the portal and the journals contents, and his mental health takes an even steeper decline. He sits in the same lab going over whatever books he can find and that stupid journal over and over and over until he works on the portal till the next injury or road block, surviving off of whatever canned food both he and Ford combined had left

- Enter Fiddleford, who couldn't bear not to check on Ford after the gravitational anomalies and continued radio silence. Just a confirmation that he wasn't dead, Fiddleford told himself. Nothing more. Stanford deserved no more from him, after all Fiddleford had given. Just a quick safety check in for the sake of an old friend. A knock on the door, however, brought a slow shuffle towards it and opened to reveal a very tired, very devastated..... not Ford? But also Ford? At least he certainly looked like Ford. But Ford had less muscle mass last time Fiddleford saw him. Less hair too, because Stanford? Have a mullet? What sealed it was the normal, five fingered hands that the Not-Ford rubbed his eyes with when Fiddleford demanded, as politely as possible, to know who he was and where Stanford went.

- Fiddleford is invited in and the two sit on a couch Not-Ford cleared off in this waste zone of a house and explains that his name is Stanley, and he's the estranged brother of Ford. Who also happens to be his identical twin. Ford had called him up to help him by taking his stupid journal and running, the two got in a fight, and Ford got sucked in. Fiddleford felt cold panic settle in his gut, thoughts scattered and memories of what was on the other side coming back in nauseating waves, lapping at his consciousness.

- At first Stanely succeeds in getting Fiddleford to help him with the portal, and he's extatic while Fiddleford is decidedly not. However much to Fiddlefords surprise, he isn't forced into the basement, or working on that devil machine, or even couped up in the study to work nonstop. Instead, Stanley gives him a notebook and pen, and gives a description or photo of the exact thing he needs help with, explains to the best of his, admittedly limited, knowledge what the problem is, and has Fiddleford help. Then, Stanley thanks him profusely and dissapears by himself down to the depths of the lab, laving Fiddleford with the glow of the TV and a warm drink.

And it confuses him.

Greatly.

Because there were very few times Ford mention having a twin; Fiddleford could count them on one hand. But Ford had been angry most of those times, other than the one or two when crying and drunk, saying that Stanley had been 'ruled by emotion' and was 'brash with no tact'. But where Ford had been accusatory and sharp, Stanley had been understanding and toned down. There had been very few times over the last few days Stanley had raised his voice, and it was more out of frustration or picking at a touchy subject than anything. And more than that was the way he would shrink just a bit and apologize with enough self loathing that Fiddleford could taste it, sticky and bitter in the back of his throat. Stanford ignored everything when in a project. Stanley only seemed to ignore himself. Stanley was nothing like Stanford had been, and Fiddleford found himself craving those differences more and more, craving more time spent with Stanley, more conversation, more memories, just more Stanley. A pleasant but confusing change, especially when Stanley's features where so similar to Fords.

- Fiddleford would blame the fact that he didn't notice Stanley's condition until much later into staying back at Fords place on the way his mind was still shifting itself into something usable again, however once he noticed he would never stop cursing himself for how he didn't before. Stanley had collapsed in the kitchen, and it had taken nearly all of Fiddlefords mental power to drag the information on his injuries out of Stanley so he could treat them. The poor man had been walking around with that nasty burn treated the best Stanley could, but improperly the whole time, and infection had begun to set in like a bastard. That wasn't even beginning to speak of the malnutrition, dehydration and multiple other bruises and cuts, some yellowed, faded, crusted over, some fresh, purpled and bloodied all on too pale skin. Scars told of a life that was harder than Fiddleford had ever originally thought to think of, questions popping in his mind as he treated the increasingly more worrying Stanley.

And in this Time, Fiddleford was alone with his thoughts.

Fiddleford was here. Again. In Fords house, trying to save him from himself. Again. And frankly he was tired. He'd pushed past his family in favor of Fords shiny promises and stayed far past when he should have, gave more of his knowledge, more of his friendship, hell, more of his heart than he'd ever thought possible. And Ford still always wanted, Needed, more. Fiddleford had felt all that rage for himself and his life over and over, but feeling it for someone else was new. Yet here he was.

Here Stanley was.

Because really, what kind of man gets a call from a man he hasn't seen in 10 years, basically a stranger, one who never talks about him, and drops absolutely everything to help them? New Mexico was a 20 hour drive from Gravity Falls, and Stanley had driven that with the absolute last of his money, no sleep, just driving. Only for Ford to completely dismiss him for the survival of his research over the world. Fiddleford had no idea what Stanley supposedly 'did' when they were younger, like Stanford had vaguely mentioned and Stanely kept saying in a heartbreakingly familiar tone dripping with guilt and self hatred, but Fiddleford could tell from a mile away it was bullshit. Stanford had no reason to hate Stanley so badly. Stanley had no reason he should have helped Ford after God knows what he went through, but he did anyways. Ford? Fiddleford would bet the last of his sanity just to say that Ford wouldn't return the favour. He never had before.

- Fiddleford spirals deeper and deeper as he treats a heavily feverish Stanley, his hatred for Ford growing into a tangible thing the more he thought. And oh, how much simpler this would have all been if he'd simply met Stanley first. Rougher around the edges but kinder. Sweeter. God the way he was so gentle with Fiddleford even though he had no reason to be. The way he'd taken the existence of the memory gun in stride and stated he'd be here if Fiddleford needed support with it. It would be so much easier if Stanley just agreed to shut the portal down forever. Then they could just live. Together, of course, Fiddleford didn't think he could live without Stanley's gruff support now that he'd had it, but just. Simply live. Without the threat of the world, or demons, or weirdness over top of them.

Without the threat of Ford.

Oh how tempting it was, Fiddleford thought, in the days were Stanley was becoming more lucid while still soft and warm due to his sickness, to just simply erase Ford from Stanley's mind. But that would leave too much of a gap, and as he regains his mind bit by bit, Fiddleford begins to come to the conclusion that the memory gun needed a bit of work, yes, but as long as it wasn't over used then it's intended purpose would be served. Over using included, however, memories that were too big to simply pluck out completely. Its where he'd went wrong with his own treatment, and like hell he would leave Stanley to deal with the consequences of that.

Then, in the last few days where Stanley was beginning to move about in small increments as he shook away the last clawing hands of illness away, Fiddleford realized it. He didn't need to erase Ford completely from Stanley's mind.

Fiddleford just had to erase Stanley's love for Ford.

- So, he was patient. Fiddleford waited until Stanley was well, until he walked with full strength and his laugh was full again, until he was sure that the grown affection Stanley had for him after his illness allowed him close enough.

Fiddleford even made sure his memory gun was freshly updated and tuned to the most perfect he'd ever gotten it, making sure the shot would be clean and accurate for his Stanley's sake. Only the best for that man from now on, Fiddleford swore it.

Then he waited until he'd made sure Stanley was relaxed. Had gone out for the day and convinced him to go out to Greasys with Fiddleford. Had taken Stanley for a walk through the woods and laughed as his eyes sparked in excitement even as he cussed out a gnome. Had curled up together, warm and safe on the couch, watching movies and drinking a couple beers. Fiddleford even managed to persuade Stanley away from another long night in the portal room, asking him to stay to sleep for Fiddlefords sake, which Stanley relented to nearly immediately. It was all just such a perfect day. It all just confirmed to Fiddleford that he was absolutely doing the right thing. He'd be happier. Stanley would be happier. And Ford could stay having his horrific adventures on the other side, just like he had seemed to want so badly.

In the dead quiet of that night, Fiddleford pulled the memory gun silently from underneath his pillow, and smiled at Stanley, sleeping soundly on his chest, and fired it directly at Stanley's temple. The only sound Stanley made was a soft exhale, one that Fiddleford chose to believe was relief.

- In the following years, Fiddleford never regretted that choice. Stanley woke up and immediately broke down to Fiddleford, initially panicking him at first thinking he'd broken Stanley, them realized the man was talking about desperately not wanting to bring Ford back, asking Fiddleford if he thought he was horrible for saying so. After that it had been Fiddlefords pleasure to inform his sweet Stanley that not only did he not hate him, but shared his thoughts and truthfully didn't want to open that portal ever again. Things had moved quicker with Stanley dismantling the cursed thing than building it, and Fiddleford hadn't ever been happier. Clearing out Fords house of anything not safe to research or just plain garbage had been so satisfying too, convincing Stanley with little effort to replace any symbol of Bill with quite literally anything else. The Society of the Blind Eye had been a surprise, after all Fiddleford had never expected a group of people to find his scrapped plans or suggest he ever start them, but it was sweet, professional conman Stanley who had suggested making something more out of it. Afterall, Fidds had wanted his own company once, why not start with this?

- With that, BLIND EYE CO. was born, originally starting as a cover for the Society to do their work, growing into a more legitimate business with Fiddlefords inventions and Stanley's charisma faster than they'd thought possible. Fiddleford even continued the Gravity Falls anomaly research to better understand what could cause what, and which things were better of forgotten. Stanley, however, wanted nothing to do with the research of the journal to help with these findings, stating that nothing Ford had made he would ever want to touch, which suited Fiddleford just fine, in fact it delighted him. With Fiddleford and Stanley as both the owners and CEOs of the company( and the Society not that the town knew) it was no wonder the town quickly came to love them and know them, this large company that gave back to the community and was started right here in sleepy little Gravity Falls! How novel.

- Fiddlefords son, Tate, (now allowed to visit since Fiddleford was 'mentally stable') had taken the change badly at first, seeing his father turn from fine to broken to better than ever before, but warmed up once Stanley showed his soft side to him. Tate seemed to like Stanley better than he ever had Ford, which made Fiddlefords heart absolutely soar with happiness. Stanley and Fiddleford, while it wasn't legal to be married just yet, didn't have a solid relationship with the law anyhow and happily wore matching rings with pride. The memory gun is still in use and is consistently upgraded, with Fiddleford being the main figurehead to use it while Stanley happily sat next to him and did whatever he needed.

- Meanwhile in the nightmare realm, things are absolutely not going how Bill Cipher thought. Seriously how the hell was he to know the hillbilly would come back and steal Mackerel away from fixing the portal?! Stanley should have been getting that portal open to get Fordsy not forgetting he ever even liked sixer! Once again that stupid Specs, always messing up Bills progress. He does, however, get a new idea on how to screw with Ford while he's trapped here.

- Ford is greeted randomly, via Bill, with mirrors into his home dimension, taunting him with what's happening just to screw with him as he survives.

And screw with him it does.

Ford watches helplessly as his closest friend and former partner cuddles up to his frantically overworked brother finally at rest, and puts the memory gun to his head, and sees pure Red.

Ford is now hopping though dimensions with a purpose; subdue Bill, get home, cure Stanley, and Kill Fiddleford. And he won't stop until he does.

- Enter Mabel and Mason(Dipper) Pines, sent to their Grunkle 'Stanford' and his husband for the summer, when Dipper finds a journal that seems to have a page of a diffrent kind of paper hes never seen sticking out. The note holds an incantation written in the same cursive as the journal, and details preforming a spell on a mirror, labelled simply as EMERGENCY CONTACT NEEDED. Upon doing the incantation, the children are met with a shadow in the mirror telling them he's their trapped uncle, he's trying to get back to someone named 'Stanley' Pines, dont make deals with yellow triangles and above all else:

Do NOT Trust FIDDLEFORD

Do NOT Trust 'STANFORD'

TRUST NO ONE

Welcome to Gravity Falls!~☆

[bbuzz28]

Memories

Old man Fiddlestan, my beloved-and what's this? It could be semi-canon compliant :O ?!?! Woof- this is one of the saddest things I have ever written. I know some of you gremlins (affectionate) love that sort of thing, but I don't. I like really really don't. This is my comfort ship, so I don't even know where this came from other than trying to figure out how they *could* work in canon. Truthfully though, I prefer my Fiddlestan heavy on the comfort when it comes to the "hurt/comfort" genre. This is my only “angsty” (i.e. no immediate happy ending) Notes-app fics, so don't get used to this level of sad from me lol.

“Stan?” an oddly familiar voice called. Mr. Mystery, Stan Pines, glanced up from the flyers he was organizing and found that Old Man McGucket stood in the doorway of his front door. The last tour of the day had just left, it was dinnertime, and he was exhausted. Stan rolled his eyes as he unfurled his tie, wishing Soos was still there to escort the crazy old man off his property. No matter what he did, the old hillbilly always managed to find his way back to the Shack. “Sweet Moses McSuckit, what are you doing in here? Shoo, scat, or whateva will get rid of ya.” Hearing no movement, he looked at the man again and found he was standing erect. His blue eyes were the clearest he had seen them in no less than a decade.

          Wait, what did he call- oh. Oh no.

“Stan…ley? Did I…did I do somethin’ wrong?” the other man asked, his hands twisted in knots in front of him. Memories flashed through Stan’s mind; Ford falling through the portal, Fiddleford finding him passed out in the lab, working together to bring Ford home again…being together. Being happy. They had been happy, if just for a little while, hadn’t they?

Then there was the cult, and his discovery of the damn memory gun that had finally ruined everything they ever built. He took a hesitant step forward, a thousand thoughts roaring in his mind at once. “Fidds? Wha-what do you remember?” A bandaged hand snaked up and rubbed over the faded scar on the side of his head “I…don’t rightly know. Did we…I think we had a fight? I just woke up in the…in the dump. N’ I don’t have any shoes. Do ya know why my arm is in a cast?” Fiddleford looked so lost.

Stan knew in his heart that all of this was fleeting- “clarity” would hit Fiddleford every few years after he had finally wiped his mind of himself. Almost like his brain was trying to jumpstart itself back together. The first time they thought it was a miracle but…it didn’t last. It just started a trend that would follow them both for the next almost thirty years. Fiddleford would seemingly “wake up” and be lucid for a few weeks in the beginning, then eventually only a matter of days. It had been so long since the last time that Stan would wager, they only had maybe a few hours together if he was lucky.

The last time Fiddleford was himself…they had fought. Stanley thought he had figured the only way Fiddleford could stay; he needed to remember. Remember everything he had ever forgotten. At the time, Fiddleford had been unwilling to try. He didn’t think he could handle it; he knew he had forgotten what he had for a reason.

Stanley had gotten as close to begging as he ever had in his life since surviving Tijuanna, and when it had no effect…Stanley had told Fiddleford to leave and never come back. He had left that night, and by the next day he had faded away again. After a while, Stan thought his last words had been the final nail in the coffin that was Fiddleford’s mind. He carried that weight along with every other mistake he had ever made. But here he was. Fiddleford. His Fiddleford.

He took a deep breath before he opened his arms up. “Hey, don’t worry, it doesn’t matter. I’m right here.” Fiddleford rushed through the doorway, melting into Stanley’s open arms. “I went away again, didn’t I?” Stan could feel Fiddleford’s tears soaking into his chest, his own whispering at the edges of his eyes. Yes, and you will leave again. You will leave me and I will be alone all over again, you fucking asshole. “Hey cowboy, didn’t I just say not t’ worry about any a’ that? You’re here now, n' that’s what matters. You’re…you’re home.” A haggard laugh vibrated through the smaller man’s chest into Stanley’s own. “I know I keep tellin’ ya, tellin’ me not t’ worry is like” “…tellin’ a fish t’ stop swimmin’; I know Fidds, I know.” Fuck was really the only conscious thought that went through his head as he held his one-time lover. He couldn’t believe he was doing this, again.

Fiddleford looked up, eyes wide and searching Stan’s face. “How long do ya think we have?” Stan shook his head, unwilling to lie even if it eventually wouldn’t matter because he wouldn’t remember. You’ve always been the only person I couldn’t lie to. “I dunno, it’s been…a while. Probably not very long.” Fiddleford closed his eyes before he said “I need ya t’ know somethin’, Stanley.” Stan started to shake his head. “Fidds, you don’t have t-” The look on the other man’s face shut Stan right up-he had always had that ability. Stan wished he didn’t miss it as much as he did. “I need ya to know that even when I’m not here…I miss you. The part of me that’s somewhere in here-” A weathered hand tapped the side of his head to emphasize his point “ misses you. I’m just so sorry, Stanley. Sorry that I’m a coward. I’m sorry that I’m not strong enough to be here all the time…but I’ll never stop tryin’. I’ll always try n’ come home to ya.”

Stan thought of the thousands of times he had chased Old Man McGucket, the neat little character that Stan had to compartmentalize his Fiddleford into when he wasn’t himself, out of the Shack. How many times he had found him curled up like a cat on the back porch. How every time they “met”, McGucket would say how nice Stan was or how good he felt to be around him “for some reason.” How many odds and ends McGucket would gift Stan from the dump for exhibits at the Mystery Shack with a large smile and nothing substantial behind his eyes.

It would be so much easier if he would stop trying to come back. Maybe the hole in Stan’s heart the size of the sweet, certifiably insane man would scab over. How many times had Stanley mourned him? How many times was he willing to hurt himself? They were now nearing their sixties, how long was he really willing to do this song and dance?

What’s one more time? he softly thought, his hand coming up to tenderly cup the grizzled face of Fiddleford Hadron McGucket. Mad scientist, friend, and unfortunately for them both…the love of his life.

“I miss you too, Fidds.”

[sharksfrommars]

For the Asylum Ford AU.

Does Ford ever at all go into an emotional breakdown down or on the verge of tears whenever he sees Fiddleford?

Does he get extremely sad and depressed seeing Fidds a broken man?

I want you to know I had a whole ass answer written out last night. Then tumblr died on me and deleted it. I have lovingly recreated it, you all best be thankful.

Fiddauthor angst time. Ford is constantly having a bad time. Poor baby.

———

Fiddleford testified against Ford in the trial. He wasn’t entirely sane at that point, he just received the divorce papers and was building his killer robot. But the testimony wasn’t good for Ford. He knew he ruined Fiddleford’s life, that he should’ve listened the whole time. But Ford was angry regardless. It felt like a betrayal. Fiddleford claimed that Ford was “Workin’ with the devil” (not entirely untrue) and that he was “building a device that would END THE WORLD” (true, but he stopped when he realised it would! Surely that counts for something!). Fiddleford was distressed the whole trial, and ended up running out and doing a little jig as he did.

needless to say, it did not help with the satanic cannibal cultist accusations.

That was the last time Ford saw Fiddleford. Scurrying out the courtroom, like he couldn’t bear to be in the same room as him. It hurt, burned like betrayal. Why did everyone he cared about end up betraying him?

over the years, Ford was angry, then sad. He couldn’t help but feel like Fiddleford doomed him to the asylums. Not that he didn’t deserve it, Ford was just angry. But some nights in solitude, when Ford had a particularly hard day, he’d think about his old friend. About how close they had been, about how good it had felt that day Fiddleford arrived and Ford wasn’t alone anymore. Ford hated silence. He missed his friend’s constant chattering and banjo playing. The way he’d hum to himself as he worked. Or how he would accuse Ford of scrambling his Cubix Cube.

he liked to imagine Fiddleford managed to move on with his life. That he went home to his wife and son. That they had a good life. That he made his computer thing work and was now reaping the benefits. Ford expected to find his name in science journals or the newspapers. He never did.

then, 30 years later, Ford met his old friend in the town that destroyed it all. Living in a dump, dressed like an old Appalachian stereotype. Fiddleford didn’t recognise him, not at first. He saw Ford staring and invited him for some “rat stew with my raccoon wife!”

Ford sat in the shabby little hut, looking at Fiddleford with such unbareable sadness.

“Fidds… do you remember me?”

Fiddleford looked at Ford for a long time, almost as if something was there. Then he smiled, his demeanour changed, and he started playing the spoons.

“nope! I ain’t ever seen yous in ma’ life!”

“come on, Fidds Please!” Ford begged, “I know you’re mad at me, you have every right! I should have listened to you, I know!”

Fiddleford looked around nervously, taking off his hat. Ford noticed the pink, star shaped scar on the side of his head.

“no… Fiddleford you didn’t! I thought you destroyed it!” Ford took a step towards Fiddleford. He flinched, but Ford didn’t care. He was full of righteous fury. “You erased your memories! You told me you destroyed the memory gun, and now you don’t even remember me! Did you really want to forget me that bad!?”

Fiddleford seemed to become lucid for a moment. Then, panicked.

“the eyes!” He whispered, before shouting again louder, “the EYES THE EYES! The beast it coming, don’t let him in! He’s watching’ ya, Stanferd, ya shoulda listened! You doomed us all! Git it, Stanferd! I don’t wanna be seein’ ya!”

“Fidds?” Ford said, wary. But the moment has passed, and Fiddleford was back at his rat stew. He looked up at Ford.

“Do I know you?”

Ford left with a heavy heart. He snuck into the basement without seeing Shermie, something he’d probably regret later. But he didn’t want his family to hear him screaming in frustration and rage. It was his fault, he knew. He should’ve made sure the memory gun was destroyed, he should have not let Fiddleford fall through the portal. Tears stung his eyes as he took out his anger on the desk. Until all that was left was a sobbing mess, hidden under a table with his turtleneck pulled over his face.

he missed Stanley. Somehow, Ford felt that if Stan were there, everything would be easier. He felt like that a lot, especially recently. Especially staying in his house from 30 years ago, where the walls were stained with his blood and drenched in regret. He ruined Fiddleford’s life. And he had no idea how to make it right.

[mychapel-004]

something i've been thinking about post-portal fiddauthor

this could entirely be something i've just missed people discussing, but i haven't seen anyone mention before how this motel:

(presumably the place fiddleford relocates to after being kicked from the blind eye and having his memories taken)

is incredibly similar to the only other motel we see mentioned in the journal:

arguably twin bed motel is just a reference to twin peaks, or back to the future, or just the twins themselves, but honestly? the two seem like they could be the same motel. they're both out in the woods, surrounded by forest (presumably near route 14 and the truck stop ford has been frequenting) with pine tree motifs, and they're both out there in the snow. ford stays there for one night multiple weeks after the portal incident, sometime at the end of january or start of february, and fiddleford is there somewhere between day 189 and day 273.

that might seem like it puts a bit of a wrench in it, because it seems like fiddleford couldn't have been there at the same time if it has been 273 days since the portal incident, but this just adds to the theory that fiddleford is lying in his initial video diary and is filming the first four entries while still working with ford (which i want to make a post about if anyone is interested, i have a lot of evidence). so, with that theory, it is plausible that they are at this same motel at the same time, especially when you consider that neither ford nor fidd have a car at this point. ford's was destroyed shortly after he moved to GF by steve, and he seems to travel solely on foot since then, and fiddleford assumedly stops driving after day 189 when he accidentally hits another car on the road and breaks his arm. how many motels are accessible on foot in this area in the snow?

so two men, both tormented and driven to their limit by the same creature, the same project, unable to escape very far without transport end up in the same motel for one night weeks after their partnership fell apart. ford doesn't even make it inside, he collapses in the parking lot staring at the sign, thinking of the only person in the world who he could trust anymore. he says it himself, "F is nowhere to be found", "if only i had listened to him when i had the chance", but in reality fiddleford was metres away, holed up in a dingy room he rented with the last of his money, driving himself mad with paranoia.

the worst part is arguably that the video diary that takes place in the motel is the first one where we see the start of mcgucket vs fiddleford. his voice is pitchy and anxious, he's rambling about seeing something he didn't understand, he's hunched and scared and tearing out his own hair. he's stopped using the gun, most likely having been thrown out of the blind eye by now, but his mind is gone for good and he's continuing to decline without even using it. if ford had known F was there, just behind a door, and tried to see him, he wouldn't have seen the man he knew. at this point, fiddleford was gone either way. he would have been completely unrecognisable.

in another universe did he find him? did fiddleford see him through the window and try to place where he knew this man's face from, why his chest hurt so badly looking at him slumped over outside his window? did they figure it out instead of slipping past eachother again?

just like the few moments he spent with stanley before the accident, he fumbles and blanks the people around him without even trying, and fails to see past his own goals into how they affect others. he doesn't understand stan's anger at being sent away again, doesn't see fiddleford's collapse even though he's seemingly become known in the community for his very public deterioration, destroys the possibility of anyone "understanding what he's up against" because time and time again he doesn't tell them.

he believes that he needs to keep this information to himself, save the research even though its dangerous, stop others from knowing or they might steal it, but at the same time he needs help so badly and he needs stan and fidd to finish his plans, both to build the portal and to stop bill. but he lets them walk in blind every time, refusing to share what he knows, all under the name of that sly piece of advice bill gave him, "trust no-one." even though, what bill really meant is "trust no-one but me".

arguably it's the same habit which leads to weirdmaggeddon, he doesn't tell anyone but dipper, the child he sees himself in, about the rift or about the truth of his relationship with bill. if mabel knew, she would never have given bill the rift, or felt left out enough to run and be vulnerable, which lends so much more to his character post-BOB, where he's finally opening up to the people around him. he's reunited with his family and fidd, they all know his embarrassing secrets and the things he tried to hide about himself, about him and bill. and it's okay. if anything it makes him more human, more flawed but more relatable. and at the end of it all, F is there, as forgiving and kind and understanding as he always has been, with no door in the way this time.

[lovemesomeagnst]

What’s fiddleford and Stans relationship like in your au??

Fiddleford and Stanley sort of embody the roles of Julia and Carmen in this au!

Since Fiddleford is Ford’s partner, I thought it’d make super sense for him to be the one doubtful over Stan’s “misdeeds” because he believes there’s more to it while Ford is so adamant that his brother is wrong and needs to be caught. I figured Stan would find Fiddleford charming and amusing just like how Carmen was always open to seeing Julia.

Depending on the stage of the au, there would be moments where Fiddleford first attempts to capture Stanley because it’s what he believes he should do but as time goes on it grows into more ‘lowkey trying to stop him but actually just wants to see him cause curious by motives and intrigued’.

Stan definitely views Fiddleford as the fun part of any chase because he’s less rash like Ford and more open to try and understand Stan’s perspective. Plus he takes the opportunity to toss a flirting pick-up line or gesture whenever. I feel like Fiddleford knowing about Stan from Ford would want to try and understand both twins and so he approaches Stan a bit friendlier when he realises that Stan isn’t a bad person like his brother claims.

Also Stan trusts Fiddleford enough to hand him over the things he steals for safekeeping and also trusts him enough to involve him in some of his capers should he needs so.

There was also an instance where Stan accidentally breaks into Fiddleford’s home in Palo Alto, California and he runs into Emma-May and Tate. (Like that one scene where Carmen accidentally runs into a family’s home in Rio). When he looks at the pictures hanging on the walls he realises he’s in Fiddleford’s house and apologised profusely and positively influences Tate and adores the short interaction he has with the boy. They don’t really know who he is though. Later, Tate would tell his father about it and Fiddleford would be surprised but pleased that Stanley treated his family well. Stan knowing Fiddleford has a wife would lead to him backing off his flirting advances on Fiddleford the next time they encounter each other.

Also like in the show there’s this brief period where Fiddleford leaves his job to pursue a more peaceful one to cope with the Memory Gun incident with Emma-May (I have lore for this). His relationship with her has already been strained but the incident really broke things and he needed time off to process everything. Stan visits him sometimes to check up on him. Stan also checks in on Tate occasionally and dotes on him after the divorce between Fiddleford and Emma-May. I believe around this stage they get closer since Fiddleford isn’t actively trying to catch him anymore and Stan starts to know more about Fiddleford’s personal life while Fiddleford gets to know more about Stan outside his capers. Stan obviously has a soft spot for Fiddleford so he is gentle and charming and sweet towards him, respecting Fiddleford’s boundaries after the divorce.

Around that stage Fiddleford starts realising that he likes Stan a lot and could possibly want to be more than a friend (because they’re basically friends at that point) and Stan starts flirting back and after like Fiddleford gets more comfortable obviously. Stan has always sorta knew he liked Fiddleford because how could he not but he never really addresses it cause he doesn’t really know if there’s ever a proper time to. They sorta know they both like the other because it’s so obvious so then I guess they’re in a mutual I like you phase but haven’t acted on it yet.

Then everything goes bad when Stan gets brainwashed like how Carmen got brainwashed to become evil. In my au this happens through the use of the Memory Gun that had fallen into the wrong hands (much like how Stan lost his memory in canon but this ain’t some sacrifice against a triangle demon unfortunately). Fiddleford would be devastated and at that point really comes to terms that he does, really, superbly, loves Stan and works with Ford and Team Red and the others to bring him back obviously.

Once that whole debacle ends Stan and Fiddleford would talk things out together and work it out!!

Then they kiss!!

Some fiddlestan art I already posted here

[darius-shack]

horribly angsty stancest au under the cut idea under the cut (i had to scrap it from a fic) where Weirdmageddon goes differently and stan ends up not sailing with him

During Weirdmageddon, Ford successfully used the Quantum Destabilizer on Bill, sending him to Hell where he belongs. Ford had already been looked up to so heavily by the kids, his ego had flared up significantly after as the town celebrated not being attacked. Dipper had been right there to see him do it, then told his sister after, then the whole town knew what a 'big hero' Stanford Pines was.

So, Stan was right to keep the RV.

Ford had asked at the kids' birthday party to go sailing the ocean. No one else would be the perfect enough fit for him and he knew it. Stan balanced him out.

Yet Stan laughed in his face and said, 'Not a chance. After we send the kids off, I'm out of here like you wanted.'

It haunted him, because now he was alone and left to his own devices. Ford won, but at the cost of losing who he was defending the universe for. Something felt like it ripped in half inside of him for the third time in his life, something purely caused by cursed emotions alone. All he could respond with is, "Oh," instead of, 'Please, please change your mind. I want need you.'

Stan was blunt, 'Yeah, 'oh'. Guess your glad I'll finally be outta your hair once and for all,' and Ford had let him walk away. He was so stunned at what had occurred he couldn't even think straight.

And now, a week without anyone left him feeling the weight of his choices that much stronger. It was early and dark, his biological clock had adjusted but that didn't stop him from having nightmares.

He thinks about how differently Weirdmageddon could have gone. Perhaps there's a reality where Ford was inaccurate, missed his one shot and got captured, leaving his family to fair against the monster that was once his muse. The only other powerful tools that he knew of within the bounds of the natural law of weirdness magnetism around Gravity Falls was the memory gun. Maybe if someone were possessed by Bill, they could erase their own mind and banish him out of it. What a cruel fate that would be. The only way Bill would have fallen for that trick is if he thought it was Ford, but in reality it was Stan. Would that have been better? To have an empty slate of a brother compared to the one he told to leave, twice, and was still mad at him for not saying 'thank you' for opening a portal for him?

Maybe. Something ran across his mind, the kids mentioned that Fiddleford had been slowly regaining his memories. Exposure to their scientific work on the portal had helped.

Now he knows. It would have been better.

And now he doesn't know what to do. Because that's not him, and he really can't undo kicking Stanley out of his house. He mentally kicked himself for not just asking him to stay! What was wrong with him?! The presence and bustling of the Shack's functions had been missing from his ears for a week.

A crazy, outlandish idea entered his psyche.

[greenbunny7]

How to accidentally kill a god, for the wip asks?

It's a oneshot I wrote in the middle of the night when I was dead sick

How to Accidentally Kill a God

Fiddleford was in a room in the museum (that everyone seemed to forget existed) punching letters of a name into the memory gun

Fiddleford hesitated for a second. Was he really going to go through with this? Yes. it's too late for second-guessing. Besides, he had already made up his mind to pull the trigger

He finished typing in the name and held the bulb of the memory gun up to his head, but before he had the chance, Fiddleford heard it echoing through the empty halls of the museum

that oh so familiar but strange voice, from that oh so familiar yet strange man

But something was very, very wrong, the voice was laughing, a high-pitched shrill laugh that made Fiddleford's head throb

He was right across the room. When did he get there? Fiddleford supposed It only made sense that he'd be here at the end

But this wasn't Fiddleford's used to be friend, or whatever he wanted to call him.

This was something else

The gaze staring at him from across the room wasn't Stanford's soft brown eyes. No, these eyes were glowing a putrid radioactive shade of yellow

These were the eyes of a monster

"You look terrible specs," the thing forced out of his once friend's month

A million thoughts raced through Fiddleford head, what had happened to Ford since they last parted ways? Why was it puppeteering Ford's body? Why did it have...so many bandages...

He could see something too dark to be tears running down one of the monster's cheeks

"How did you find me?" Fiddleford spat out

"Oh, you're not nearly as unseen as you'd like to believe, I have eyes everywhere. "

It lurched and contorted a bit closer,

Fiddleford backed away, not wanting that thing to get too close. "Wh what do you want?" he said with a shaky voice

"figured I'd drop by cause Mr. IQ over here has had you on the mind recently." it spoke in its stolen voice."And all tho I'd never admit it to him, I'm running out of ideas! Yet he still stubbornly refuses to comply. so I think it's time for some, drastic measures”

It was unexpectedly fast for something possessing Ford. (who had never run a day in his life) In an instant, it closed the gap between it and Fiddleford

Fiddleford panicked, adrenaline kicking in. Before he even knew what happened, there was a blue flash of light, and Ford's body fell to the floor like a puppet whose strings had been cut off

There was no way of knowing what would happen to someone who had their own name erased

I never got the dialogue to a place I was happy with, so I never posted it (still not happy with it, but oh well)

[kaiyax1]

ford defense essay I wrote a while back, it’s not great

In the world of fandoms, The Gravity Falls fandom has been known for its passionate discussions and debates, but one recurring trend has sparked much controversy: blaming character for flaws.  It is okay to blame characters as long as there is concrete evidence, however, this is not the first time the Gravity Falls fandom has blamed a character for things. For example, one of the most famous videos in the Gravity Falls fandom’s history is a video essay that I unfortunately have been unable to locate about how Mabel is to blame for weirdmageddon. There are now of course countless videos defending Mabel, however when one character gets away from the controversy, another rises. Now let us examine our new “hated” character, Ford Pines. Everyone's favorite six fingered nerd. A recent video that was made about a month ago titled “EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT FORD IS WRONG!” While this video does bring up several good points it does not conclusively demonstrate Ford’s selfishness. In this essay, I will explore common criticisms Ford faces and why many of these claims can be easily countered against with the right arguments.

Ford and stan’s relationship:

The first topic I would like to discuss is Ford neglecting to help Stan after he got kicked out. This is often one of the first things people bring up when it comes to claiming Ford as “selfish”. If you go back and rewatch “A tale of two stans” and watch the fight between Ford and Stan before Stan got kicked out you will notice one major thing. Stan never said Sorry, all he did was suggest they go treasure hunting. While I will agree that Ford should have helped Stan, he had every right to be upset at stan. Most people would be angry if their sibling ruined their future, especially if they didn’t apologize, And it is not like Ford never helped Stan. For example, in the official gravity falls book “Lost Legends” there is a comic featuring a younger Ford and Stan about the two twins trying to find out who stole their father’s gold chain. When their father pushed the blame onto Stan, Ford immediately defended Stan claiming that he had been with Ford the whole day so there was no way he could have stolen the chain. This proves that Ford was not afraid to stand up for stan but he simply could not defend stan when it came to this.

The portal and Bill Cipher’s manipulation:

Another common criticism ties Ford’s relationship with his brother with his decision to build the portal.  This decision was not made in root of selfishness but in the fact that Ford was being manipulated by Bill Cipher. Bill convinced Ford to build the portal by claiming it would benefit humanity and advance Ford's research. By preying on Ford's trust and drive, Bill turned Ford's greatest strengths into his greatest weaknesses. Making this character less of an example of a selfish one and more of a victim of manipulation. 

Restarting the portal:

My next discussion is about Ford getting mad at Stanley for restarting the portal. Ford was grateful for Stanley saving him, but he also knew how much danger it could’ve caused. I will say in Stanley’s defense he didn’t know but still Ford did have a right to be upset. This is actually one of the topics I have a harder time defending Ford on, seeing as he did write his warnings in invisible ink. However, Ford wasn’t trying to be rude; he was expressing his concern. Though as much as I hate to admit it, I just can’t defend ford when it comes to this that much. While Ford's reactions were not perfect however, his frustration came from a place of concern for everyone’s safety, not from a selfish intent. Ford wrote his warnings in invisible ink due to at the time of writing being in a place of paranoia due to Bill. 

Fiddleford’s mental state:

Next up I would like to bring up Fiddleford becoming mentally unstable. Ford did have a hand in this yes, but it was not his fault. Fiddleford made the memory gun on his own after they met the Gremoblin. Ford even told Fiddleford he didn’t like the memory gun and told him multiple times to get rid of it. Fiddleford even multiple times used the memory gun on Ford to erase memories. Ford did not cause Fiddleford to make the memory gun, Fiddleford made that decision on his own. Yes, Ford did have a hand in the reason Fiddleford made it but he was not the cause. 

Ford and Mabel’s bond: 

I would now like to mention the claim that Ford does not love Mabel as much as he does Dipper. Ford loves Dipper and Mabel equally, he spends more time with Dipper because he sees himself in him. It is natural to spend more time with certain family members due to similarities in interests. However, even if you do that doesn’t mean you love them more than another family member. Ford loves Mabel just as much as he loves Dipper, it is unfortunate we did not get a lot of Ford and Mabel interaction but that does not mean Ford does not love Mabel. While there are not as many examples of ford and mabel bonding it does exist. One example is in the episode “The Last Mabelcorn” in this episode, Ford gives Mabel the task of retrieving the unicorn hair to help protect the Mystery Shack. Once Mabel succeeds, Ford tells her he is proud of her efforts. This moment while brief highlights Ford’s respect and care for Mabel even if their interactions are less frequent than Ford and Dipper’s are. 

In conclusion, Ford Pines is a complex character whose flaws are what make him human, not villainous. Critics often ignore the actual context behind many of his actions and understanding his story requires you to do more research than just the show. 

[doodleimprovement]

"Why can't you just tell us what you know!"

"If I could I would, Dipper. Believe me... But someone else decided I needed to stay quiet"

The main mystery surrounding Nell in her Gravity Falls canon is why she knows things, but doesn't say anything about them (Dipper confronts her about this during NWHS) and eventually her backstory concerning this mysterious spell gets revealed:

Shortly after Fiddleford Mcguckett finds the Society of the Blind Eye, he goes to Nell and tries to convince her to willingly join. She refuses, and tries to argue with him but he is not swayed. He then threatens her with its use "for her own good" and in a bout of panic says she can find a spell if he's so worried about her speaking on this stuff to the townsfolk.

She found one, and with Fiddleford present, the spell was performed. Once active, she was forbidden from talking about the portal, the lab, the bunker, and even Stanford himself. The only way to break the spell was for someone that who knew her to talk about those forbidden items with her in the context - something along the lines of "Yes, Nell knows [x]" which was unlikely to ever happen with Stanford gone and Mcguckett frying his brain with the memory gun.

Her spell was broken when Dipper and Mabel learned of the spell in NWHS, and they bring her up to Ford in ATOTS, who confirms her knowledge of the lab

BTW, the spell prevents her from speaking about it by making her throat burn :) it reminds her of... bad stuff :)))))

[twoinsaneheartstoppers]

I am listening! I am invested! Please yap about your au idea!!

AHHHHHHHHHIIWJHDIEHDIANRRUFIFBFIEBF HFHDB I GET TO YAP ABOUT THIS YAYYYYYY

ok so, I honestly don’t have much of an idea as to where exactly this would go, but just for the basics (which I’m mostly coming up with on the fly, I’ll be honest) here we go:

(this ended up being quite long so everything else is under the break, sorry!)

obviously, ford and bill were not always… separated, as it were. growing up and into his teens and early twenties it was just stanford pines, no “alter egos” or masks or anything of the sort (much as he would’ve loved to be able to hide who he was).

then, when he moved up to gravity falls and began his research, he began to realize that there were so many things that he wanted to do, couldn’t do, because of his reputation. he needed to keep his record clean because if he didn’t, he could easily have his grant money revoked, and any future opportunities in the pursuit of science dashed due to one small slip up. so, he began to look into, well, changing who he was, splitting himself, so to speak, as to be not one but two at the same time.

eventually, it worked somehow (probably through a potion, as jekyll uses in the original book), and he found himself as not just one, but seemingly two people in one body. there was the stanford pines most people knew, the eccentric, odd mad scientist that lived in the woods at the edge of town, and then there was another, completely new facade. bill cipher, named for his often frustratingly vague double speak and extreme use of overly complicated metaphors (yes I’m giving bill’s name a reason, it sort of annoys me that theres no reasoning for hyde’s name in the book but thats a rant for another day).

to begin with, bill seems content with simply switching back and forth at ford’s will, being the way for ford to kick back and let loose with no fear of the repercussions. at least, until ford begins to have trouble getting back to himself. thats when he begins to doubt the true intent of his other self, of bill. its around this time he calls fiddleford. the man may have studied engineering, but in this world he also knows a little something about psychology, and paired with his brilliant mind, ford’s very precise notes of the situation (ahem the journals ahem), and the fact that hes basically ford’s only friend, it felt like the best course of action.

of course, in actual gravity falls, ford does his best to hide bill from fidds but here bill is exactly why ford called him. anyone else would’ve called him crazy, tried to experiment on him or worse, but fiddeford would never do any of that and ford knows it (just to be clear, I do think that if I ever wrote anything for this au college fiddauthor would be heavily implied here).

fidds does his best to help but when bill goes on a rampage one night, going so far as to kill the heir to the northwest family, preston northwest, he knows ford is beyond fucked (just a heads up, the person bill kills being preston may change but idk, we’ll see if I ever actually come back to this au haha). the reason fiddleford originally makes the memory gun in this au isnt for himself, its actually to try and erase the memories of what bill has down from the townspeople’s minds. the only problem is that the next time they see bill all of the memories return and everyone is back at square one. its just too much for fidds, and he begins to turn the memory gun on himself in an attempt to get rid of the fear, pain, failure, and regret that helping his friend brought him.

ford on the hand is mortified by what hes done. I highly doubt that there would be a confrontation type scene, it would be closer to how the book goes, where ford quickly begins to be unable to switch between stanford pines and bill cipher. the au would probably “end” (as in if I turned this into a fanfic/comic/whatever the story would end there) with ford figuring out where stan is, calling and begging him to come up to gravity falls and help him, before ultimately turning the memory gun on himself and ridding himself of “bill” once and for all.

the only problem is that in order to remove bill, he has to remove stanford pines and all that he is as well. now, we all know how this goes in both the show and most aus; stan or ford or whoever it is that is possessed by bill erases themselves/has someone erase them, is weirdly blank for a bit but ultimately regains their memories. well here it… wouldnt work like that. bill(/hyde) is an integral part of ford(/jekyll), to remove bill(hyde) is to remove stanford pines (jekyll), theres no way around that. so, ford sort of ends up in that “blank slate” state for the rest of his life. he called stan prior to erasing himself because he knew stan would take care of him no matter what, and he was right. for the rest of their lives, stan takes care of his brother to the best of his abilities, and while they never get to sail the seas together, and some nights bring unimaginable sorrow for stan, knowing he’ll never speak to his brother again, despite the fact that very man sleeps just a few doors down the hall, they make it work. ford (or, well, whats left behind when you remove everything that makes a person who they are) sees that his blankness hurt stan but he cant do anything about it, and to begin with almost avoids stan, at least before they finally have a talk in which stan reassures “ford” that he’s sure whatever reason ford may have had for erasing himself, it was worth it.

as for fidds, well it mostly works out in a similar way to canon, he does eventually regain most memories but of course some bits are still fuzzy. the fuzzy bits are never fully recovered, as the one person who may have been able to fill in the blanks no longer exists, but fidds is still mostly alright.

the journals… sort of exist? but not in the way that they do in the show, and what does exist stan had from the very beginning. ofc the twins still have to deal with monsters and spooks and whatnot in gravity falls, just not anything that has to do with bill (which means that, of course, weirdmageddon physically cannot happen). at some point, dipper begins to insinuate that the weirdness of gravity falls might have something to do with “ford’s”… situation, which is when stan finally fully comes clean with all he knows about the situation. its not until fiddleford begins to regain his memory, however, that any of them learn the truth of what was going on.

oh yikes, I wrote a lot more for this than I meant to, whoops!

oh yeah, I’m naming this au the “Dr. Pines/Mr. Cipher” au for now, but if anyone has any better ideas or if thats already been used for something else, please let me know!

also, @aaabatteryy I LOVE MARINEFLAMES’ CONFRONTATION ANIMATIC, THAT WAS ACTUALLY WHAT I WAS REFERENCING WHEN I MENTIONED OTHER ANIMATIONS USING A SIMILAR CONCEPT TO THIS AU

oh, and I just want to say that I’ve never watched the musical so thats why this doesnt (intentionally) incorporate any elements of that.

[rat-rambles]

I want to uses gravity falls to talk about how/why I ship ships becuase I don't see people over analyzing there own behavior enough.

For context the 2 ships I'm foaming at the mouth for rn is Billford and Fiddlestan two seemingly opisit ships.

The thing they have incommon is there both well intresting ok I'll be more spefic than that. Both relationships are ones where both participates gain something form the relationship besides just some one to kiss. I think a lot of time romance is used as a bandade on story's when there isn't enough stakes for example in gravity falls the writes kept truning back to dipper haveing a crush on Wendy becuse it's a easy conflict. Boy wants girl Bing bang book plot and that's ok some times but there's not any real drama or tention espicaly in that case when everyone knew it wasn't going to go anywhere. Even in cases where tenicaly it could go some where like Wendy and robbie it still feels hallow becuse it feels like the only reason there dating is to have someone to kiss and hold hands with witch is basically true. Dipper thinking Wendy is hot tells us nothing meaningful about him it dosnt tell us how he vibes the world or him self it dosnt even really tell us how he viwes Wendy besides her being "cool".

Now Billford tells us a lot about both charters involved. There are both in the relationship to fill a need, a void created by childhood trauma. Bill needs to be told he's the best, most special, and strongest boy in the galaxy because if he's not that he's just some monster who destroyed his whole dimension for no reason. Ford needs someone to tell him he's the most special, smartest, cleverest boy becuse if he's not he's just some freak form the lead district of new jersey who threw away his relationship with his brother for nothing. See that's intresting and even better is that they both get this thing they've craved there whole life and they both chose something else over there relationship Bill chooses world conquering and Ford choses well the world. That's conflict that's drama that's juicy.

Now fiddlestan speficaly au where they get together after Ford falls into the portal is also conflict filled. This is the most insecure money version of both Stanley and Fiddleford. Fiddleford has just lost his best friend and porbaly crush also money bag man to a god dam triangle, he's lost his wife and kid, probably his house, and basically all job opertunitys what is Ford going to be his refence, and worse he's loseing his mind to magic gun addiction. Stanley is at rock bottom he's makeing the mystery shack sure but he's feeling INCREDIBLY guilty for pushing his brother though the portal, he'd pretty poor still, he has a lot new reponciblitys, and he has no one.

Bonus points becuse you know fiddleford and stan are going to get into fights about the portal, and Ford, and the mystery shack, and the memory gun situations. So there's alot of conflict there but there's also alot of solutions the characters have. Stan wouldn't let fiddleford destory his mind. Fiddleford wouldn't let Stanley self isolate. They would be good for eachouther healthy even but not conflictless.

Conflict is the back bone of a good story. Shipping is just likeing a type of story.

[tiredandferal]

toxic yaoi fiddleford/stanford/bill

fiddleford using the memory gun on himself to forget ford’s rejection after he confessed

ford did not intend on returning his feelings but it was bill who knew that and possessed him to do a whole frozen “if only somebody loved u :)” style rejection in his place since he figured ford was too much of a coward and “good guy” to do it himself even tho him avoiding it was ending up with him stringing fiddleford along

its the heartbreak that caused him to create the memory gun

bill thinks he actually did fiddleford a favor because he thinks what ford is doing with his ignorance/avoidance of fiddleford’s feelings for the sake of the portal is cruel, even if unintentional

while ofc, being a hypocrite bc he did the opposite, accepting ford’s confession FOR the sake of the portal

realizing too late himself that a part of him actually did enjoy the love they had for each other while he pretended it was for the machine (too bad the memory gun wont work on HIM bc boy he’s sure like to forget his big far mistake of developing feelings and then getting dumped)

too bad ford doesn’t see it that way now after the betrayal, completely finding it impossible to love him now (or telling himself that) bc of the absolute embarrassment he feels at being strung along

not realizing that the feeling of shame and embarrassment of such a rejection is what he unintentionally inflicted on fiddleford

something something what goes around comes around and no one ends up happy bc no one was honest about their feelings bc of toxic masculinity and just plain bone headedness. and by the time they realize what to do and how they feel, its already way too late to fix anything

[steveguyhi1243]

Summer Triangle Chapter 13

“Fiddleford really didn’t want anyone but me finding this,” Grunkle Ford sighed, “Each line is in a different code. First atbash, then Caesar. It keeps switching. It’s going to take me a long time to crack this.”

“What about the journal?” Dipper asked.

“Oh, that. Yes. Give me a moment!”

Grunkle Ford pulled the journal from its resting place at the end of the table and slid it across the wood to Dipper. Dipper carefully reached out and held the journal in his hand. A five-fingered gold handprint covered the front with a large “four” written in the center with black ink. It smelled vaguely of chemicals. 

“What’s with the smell?” Dipper asked.

Grunkle Ford chuckled, “Fiddleford and I invented an adhesive back in the seventies. Only one solution in the world can undo it, and he knew that I had it. A little bit of chemistry was all we needed.”

“Why would he seal up his own journal?”

“He probably sealed it when he felt himself getting sick. This was the research he had promised me.”

Dipper opened the cover of the book and took a look at the aged yellow pages. Frantic scribbles filled the front pages, mostly mathematical equations. The words “weirdness magnetism” appeared time and time again.

“It looked like he was trying to come up with a new theorem for our law of weirdness magnetism. Nothing he wrote on that page made sense to me. I think he started using the memory gun again. I should have kept a closer eye on it. You can tell that his mind was starting to go.”

Further into the book, diagrams and descriptions similar to those in journal three filled the pages. He skimmed the first few sections, finding pages on vampire bats that were actual vampires, sentient trees that would swat any anyone that dared to cut them down, and even a section on the behavior of gnomes during solar eclipses .

Dipper soaked up the knowledge like a sponge. The words crawled off of the pages and into his brain. Not even the off-putting chemical odor could keep him from soaking in McGucket’s observations. It pulled back the curtain on Gravity Falls even further, exposing small bits of weirdness that had slipped under the radar during their first visit. 

AO3 Link

[aceofstars16]

Oh look, another Gravity Falls fic! I started this one a while ago but finally got around to finishing and editing it! Title is from the song "It's Alright" by Mother Mother

And hey it actually kind of fits Week 4 of @forduary cause it is older Ford *jazz hands*

You can read on AO3 but I will put the fic under the cut here as well!

Summary: Weirdmageddon is over, everything should be fine, right? But Mabel and Ford find themselves confronted with feelings they'd rather forget, and find comfort from each other. (Aka, Mabel has nightmares and Ford is there to comfort her because we love fluff and Mabel and Ford bonding)

It was late. Ford wasn’t exactly sure what time it was, but the kids had gone to bed hours ago, and he had sent Stan off to get some sleep, what? An hour, two hours ago? Something like that. His body was drained and he knew he should sleep. But he knew what awaited him if he did. Sure, Bill was gone, but nightmares would still come, he knew it. Especially after all that had happened. Even in the waking hours, he couldn’t get rid of the image of him pointing the memory gun at Stan, no matter how hard he wished it would leave him. After all, despite Stan remembering more and more, there were still holes in his memory. Which is why Ford was still up, rifling through boxes he had long forgotten about, looking for anything that might help his brother fill in those holes.

Pulling out another photobook, Ford started flipping through it. He had already put a few aside to show Stan when he woke up, but this one was mostly pictures from college. He put it in the useless pile – though he supposed he might share it with Fiddleford at some point. Ford wasn’t sure if it was irony or a sign of his poor life choices that two of his closest friends had lost their memories because of his decisions.

With a sigh, Ford picked up a frame from the box, only to freeze when he heard a floorboard creak.

Quickly looking up, he was expecting to see Stan – it hadn’t been uncommon the last day or so to find his brother up and about at any hour of the day or night. However, this time, it wasn’t his brother who was up. Instead, he saw his great niece walking past the doorway.

“Mabel?” Setting down the frame, Ford stood up, trying his best to ignore how hard the movement was. Maybe he should try to get some sleep…

Mabel had already walked past the room, but a second later, her head poked into the doorway. “Oh, Grunkle Ford! I…didn’t know you were up.” She fiddled with her nightgown, her eyes flickering to and fro much faster than normal.

“I was just looking through some old boxes.” Ford gestured to the box he had been perusing. “What are you doing up at this hour?”

Mabel glanced at the box, then the floor, then at Ford, then at the wall, before looking at the ground once again. “I uh…” She swallowed, then said in a quiet voice, “…nightmare…”

Sadness pierced Ford���s heart. He was used to nightmares, and in a sense, he knew it was his fault that he had so many. But Mabel? She was far too young and innocent to be dealing with such troubles. He took a step forward, but stopped. He didn’t want to make anything worse. “Would you like to talk about it?”

Looking at him, Mabel opened her mouth, then closed it and bit her lip before shaking her head, which only made Ford more worried about her.

Glancing at the box by the couch, Ford decided a different tactic might be helpful – one that he used quite often with himself – distraction. “Would you like to help me look through my old things?”

Mabel perked up at that. “Really?”

Ford nodded and gave her his best smile before motioning her to come closer. “Of course. There is a lot to look through and I could use the help.”

A smile slowly grew on Mabel’s face and she made her way to the box and picked up an old framed certificate – his diploma. For a moment, she just looked at it, then she spoke. “Wow, the seventies! You really are old!”

A chuckle escaped Ford before he could stop it. He reached down and took the frame from her, shaking his head as he placed it in the useless pile. “I suppose I am getting a little old.” He reached down and picked up another photo album then sat down, patting the space beside him.

Mabel grinned and plopped herself down next to him, leaning her head against his arm as he opened the book, only to straighten up.

“Oh my gosh is that you and Stan as teenagers?!?” Her smile was contagious.

“It is…” Ford said quietly, trying not to think too much about the lump that grew in his throat as he was faced with the memories the pictures brought to the surface. Hopefully that was a good sign that they would help Stan remember. Even if they only served to remind him of all the things he wished he could change.

 “Ooo who is that?” Mabel pointed to another picture.

And so, the night continued, Mabel asking questions and Ford telling her stories of when he was younger. Ford was in the middle of talking about one of his favorite classes at a summer camp when he glanced down and realized that Mabel was fast asleep, using his arm as a pillow.

A soft smile grew on his face, and he carefully set the book they had been looking through to the side. He knew he should simply take Mabel back to her bed and continue his work. There was still so much left to go through. But then, in her sleep, Mabel curled up closer to him. He supposed he could rest his eyes. Just for a few hours…

------

The sky split open, turning the world red. Laughter filled the air.

“Thanks Shooting Star!”

Bill’s voice echoed around Mabel.

“I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Bill’s voice sound behind her. Spinning around, Mabel shrunk back as the demon grew bigger and bigger. Screams surrounded her, growing louder and louder until she couldn’t hear herself think anymore. Chaos reigned. Then suddenly the noise died and she only heard one voice.

“Who you talkin' to?”

She was looking at Stan again, confused, lost, not knowing who he was, or who she was. He turned and looked at her, then a chorus of her family’s voices spoke all together.

“It’s all your fault.”

“I didn’t mean to!” Mabel cried out, tears growing in her eyes.

“Your fault, your fault, your fault!”

The voices grew louder and louder, no matter how hard she pleaded, tried to apologize, they wouldn’t stop. She was drowning in guilt, it was pressing down on her chest, heavier and heavier until she couldn’t breathe.

Gasping, Mabel started awake. The voices were gone. The only sounds were Dipper’s quiet breathing and the occasional bug hitting the window in the attic. But her heart was still racing, and the guilt from her dream was still pressing down on her. Waking up hadn’t freed her from the reality of her actions.

She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t haunted by Weirdmageddon, and all of the events of the last week. And she hadn’t even lived in the apocalyptic world that long, not compared to the townsfolk or Dipper - there were times when she had heard him muttering in his sleep. And then yesterday she had once again stood face to face with her mistakes, when she had found herself lost with thousands of versions of herself.

Holding out her hand, Mabel saw her entire arm shaking. She felt cold despite the humidity of the attic. Swallowing hard, she looked at Dipper. For a split second, she considered waking him. She knew he wouldn’t mind, not that much at least, but…he didn’t know the whole truth. About how Weirdmageddon had really started.

Forcing herself to move, Mabel got out of bed and shakily made her way to the door, then down the stairs. She didn’t quite know where she was going. Maybe to find Stan… he always make her feel better. Or…Mabel didn’t realize where her feet were taking her until she was standing in the doorway to the secret room her and Dipper had fought over what seemed like ages ago.

It was Ford’s room now. Though there still wasn’t a bed in it, just a couch where Ford was conked out…had he really been sleeping on the couch for weeks? How had she never realized that until now? Just another reason she was selfish. The guilt in her chest grew.

“Mabel?”

Ford’s voice made her jump. She thought he'd been asleep. But he was sitting up now, one hand resting on his hip and the other straightening his glasses.

The guilt monster pressed down on her more. Ford needed sleep. Only a few days ago, he had been staying up till all ends of the night. He was finally resting and she had ruined it. Swallowing, she opened her mouth, trying to make herself apologize and tell him she was just going to get a drink, but the words wouldn’t come.

“Nightmare?” He asked quietly, concern lining his voice.

Hugging herself, Mabel tried blinking back the tears that were growing in her eyes, she shook her head. Her performance must not have been very convincing however, because Ford patted the couch next to him.

“Come here.” It was a gentle invitation, and despite knowing she didn’t deserve it, Mabel couldn’t stop herself. She rushed forward and sat down on the couch, curling up in on herself as she did.

A gentle hand rested on her shoulder and pulled her into a small side hug.

“It’s alright…it…everything is okay now.” Ford spoke quietly as his hand moved up and down in a comforting motion.

However, they had the opposite effect on Mabel. Tears blurred her vision as the guilt and regret pressed in on her.

“No it’s not!” A sob shook her body and she curled in on herself even more.

For a moment, there was no response, then Ford spoke again, his voice heavy with remorse. “I’m so sorry, Mabel…”

She froze at the unexpected words and slowly looked up at him. He was staring at the ground, his face downcast. “Wh…what?”

He turned to look at her. “Weirdmageddon…everything that happened. It…it’s all my fault. I let Bill into our universe, I couldn’t stop him before…” He shook his head. “I’m sorry my mistakes hurt you…”

Each word weighed down on her more and more. “Grunkle Ford it’s not…it’s not your fault it…” her throat tightened and she closed her eyes tight, resulting in a tear rolling down her cheek. “…it’s mine…”

Even with her eyes closed, Mabel could feel Ford straighten up. “Mabel, it is not your-”

“Yes it is!” Mabel opened her eyes and looked right at Ford, not even trying to stop her crying. “I-I gave B-Bill the rift! I…if it wasn’t for me W-Weirdmageddon never would’ve happened! Stan wouldn’t have-” Her voice broke as sobs overtook her whole body, guilt pulling her down, down…

Arms wrapped around her, pulling her into a warm embrace.

“It’s not your fault, Mabel.” Ford’s voice was soft and kind, not the angry disbelief she had been expecting every time she had thought about telling anyone what had happened.

“Bill is a master manipulator…he’d do anything, say anything to get what he wants…wanted.”

Hiding her face in his sweater, Mabel was tempted to just let it go at that. Bill was awful…But… “I know…but I…I still didn’t want summer to end. I…I was scared and selfish and…I want to be better but what if I mess up again?!? What if I keep being selfish?” Anti-Mabel’s words echoed around in her head as Mabel curled in on herself.

Ford’s arms tightened around her and after a moment, he sighed and spoke softly.

“I know how you feel.”

Mabel froze. “You…you do?”

“I do.” Ford said, regret lining his voice. “When I was younger, I was so focused on what I wanted, that I hurt the person that meant the most to me. And then I ignored all of the warnings I saw about Bill because I wanted to make a name for myself…Even now…I…I was so…caught up in my frustration and desire to make things right that I didn’t even…think about how my distrust could backfire…I didn’t want to admit my mistakes and…by the time I did…it was too late…and Stanley paid the price for my pride.”

Looking up, Mabel saw Ford staring at the wall, tears pooling in his eyes.

He seemed to sense her gaze and turned attention to her, but not before quickly wiping his eyes and clearing this throat. Then he gave her a gentle smile.

“You’re a better person than I am, Mabel. I…the fact that you want to change now, at your age, shows more maturity than I’ve had for most of my life.”

Mabel saw the sadness lingering under his smile, and she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. “You’re not a bad person, Grunkle Ford.”

Ford was silent for a moment, then he sighed. “I…I’m glad you think that, Mabel.”

Sitting back a little, Mabel met his gaze. “I don’t think so. I know so! Maybe…maybe we both have some things to work on but you aren’t a bad person. You are just the right amount of nerdy for Dipper, and you’ve done everything to get Stan’s memory back and you’ve sat with me and helped me feel better after I’ve had a nightmares. I wouldn’t want any other person to have come out of the portal.”

The smallest laugh escaped Ford. "I…okay, Mabel…I…thank you.”

Mabel smiled at him. “I can remind you any time you need it!”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Any time?”

“Cell phones!”

“Oh, right…I’m not the best at using them but…”

“Stan can help! At least…” Mabel hummed in thought. “Well, he can kind of use one, and you can learn!”

Ford laughed lightly and smiled. “I’ll do my best.”

“Promise?” Mabel held out her pinkie. For a moment, Ford just stared at it, then he interlocked his pinkie with hers.

“Promise.”

[anidiotwithfanfiction]

Has my fic been on hiatus for almost a month? Perhaps, maybe, possibly, sorta kinda.

Is there a good reason? Absolutely.

Anyways, heres a blip from the next chapter.

T.w. for vomit and addiction

Fiddleford jolts upright, sweat drenching his clothes. Unruly bedhead clinging to his face, he can feel his heart pounding out of his chest.

His whole body alight with the familiar. Addreniline kicking into high drive. His stomach churning as he looks around the room.

The cool metal of the memory gun still clenched tight in his fist.

He can't bare to look at whatever he's typed in, not when the snoring across the room is smothering his thoughts.

He bolts from the floor, slams the bathroom door open. The contents of his stomach spilling out.

What on Earth happened last night?

He can't think too hard - there's a reason he wanted to forget, right?

A reason... he was in the den when he awoke.

It wouldn't be the first time he'd used the gun on Ford.

Chunks turning to bile as he lets it all out.

His head is so foggy, so unfocused and removed from himself.

He can't bear to imagine what horrors they'd ran into. What encounter could have occured to make him...

Oh Stanford.

"... 'm sorry" He mumbles, wiping the vomit from his mouth.

Tears pricking at his eyes.

Guilt washing over him like a tidal wave.

Greedy and hungry and so desperate to consume every little ache within it's whimsy.

He was wretched.

He did what was necessary.

The sharp clang of metallic dropping to tile rings throughout his head in the most hideous of ways.

Body trembling as fingers claw at porcelain, begging for his horrors to be rid of.

He should know better.

He- he just wanted to help.

Contradicting every bit of guilt or justification that begged him.

Body heaving, unable to spill any more distraction from his burning chest.

Streams of vomit and foam and saline dripping from his face.

Heart jumping with every little sound.

Terrified to awake him.

Confront him after stripping choice and reason and evocation from within.

Ripping free will so passionately, so willfully-

He was a monster.

He couldn't live with those memories.

By the time his heart stills, the soft edges of the memory gun have found themselves in fidgeting fingers.

He can not bear to see what he's set in.

Fiddles with it, screen turned away.

Dials all the notches needed back to their place.

Turns it around, the scratched bulb playing to an itchy hand.

Thinks about all the things he could put in there.

All the things to make him forget every horrid thing hes done.

Wonders what he's chosen to forget already.

College was a blur.

Any time with Ford was.

Save those few rare moments.

When an ache he'd always known would swallow him whole.

Yes, being here, he was remembering more.

Remembering trembling hands brushing against one another.

Lingering eyes and quiet truths that would never pass soft lips again.

He was so... so different then.

It was like he was a whole new person.

Free spirited and gruff and awkward.

He lacked the bravado the Ford he knew possessed.

Maybe it was for the better.

When calloused hands gripped the small of his back, steadying him on the dance floor.

Or the taste of harsh liquor on his lips as they slammed back shot after shot.

Eyes kind to a stranger in the snow.

He had known Ford as the timid know it all in college.

The caffinated madman in their studies.

But this... innate vulnerability barreling toward defensive that seemed hardwired within-

This was a Ford he'd never known.

Hands, toying with his aggressor.

His savior.

Bulb pressed against his head just to elicit some semblance of control.

He wouldn't pull the trigger.

But to know he could.

Oh God, to know he could.