A Friend (Stanford Pines x Reader)

Suffocation

It had been two months since you and Ford had met. Throughout that span of time, your friendship grew stronger. Outside of classes, you and him were practically inseparable, whether you were in the library studying, in one another's dorms, or going out for coffee at Serenity's Cafe. You have had best friends in the past, but no one like Ford, who was always there, no matter the time or day. Ford, who was just as eager to see you as you were to see him. Ford, who made your smile a little wider, your laugh a little louder, and everyday a little easier.

As your friendship continued to blossom, your feelings had as well, and pushing them away with a simple 'we just met' had faded away. You weren't going to deny it anymore. You had feelings for your best friend, and they only seemed to grow stronger with each passing day. The way his eyes lit up as he discovered something new, or how adorably excited he got when he was explaining a concept to you. His hearty laugh that was so, so contagious.

But you couldn't tell him.

Well, not exactly that you couldn't. You most certainly possessed the capability, and you frequently toy with the idea in your mind. You wouldn't tell him. As enticing as it was, the possibility that he would reciprocate the feelings, the possibility that he wouldn't lurks like an ominous shadow. The idea was terrifying, losing what you had with him. The thing that kept you pushing through everyday was something you couldn't imagine shattering apart. You weren't going to risk it.

Today, Ford was dressed in a blue shirt and a brown sweater vest. He stared down at the book he held in his six-fingered hands. It was cute, seeing him so lost in the words the author had woven into the pages. You watched him from the top of your book, smiling a little, before turning back to your own. You stared down at the words, but they didn't register as you mindlessly flipped the page. You loved Ford, but you absolutely hated the way he made you feel.

Well, no. That's not entirely true. You reminded yourself. You appreciated the jolt of thrill it gave you. You hadn't had a crush in so long that you had forgotten how exhilarating it was. The rush, the giddiness, the excitement was enjoyable. But then you remembered that it couldn't happen, and that sucked all of the euphoria out of it.
"You're not actually reading, are you?"

Your (E/C) orbs moved up to Ford. He didn't meet your eyes, but he had a smug smile on his face. You closed the book. "Huh?"

"Well, the average person reads at roughly two-hundred words per minute, and given how often you were flipping the page, I can only assume you weren't reading."

"What if I was speed reading?" You asked with a smirk.

"You didn't put a bookmark in to hold your spot. Would you do that if you were reading?" Ford's eyes met yours, and your smirk faded into a thin line. You pushed the book to the side. "You've got me there."

"What're you thinking about?" He asked, closing his book and leaning forward, showing you that you had his undivided attention.

"It's... nothing. Just can't seem to focus today." You dodged the question. "If I'm distracting you, I can head back to my dorm. I know how dedicated you are to studying." "No!" Ford said. "No, of course not! I want you here!" Relief flooded over you that he didn't send you away. You noticed his cheeks redden, and he cleared his throat. "I mean, unless you want to leave. I won't stop you." He had intended to seem nonchalant, but the save was weak at best. You chuckled. "There's nowhere I would rather be than here."

Ford thought for a minute. "Would that be a no to walking around campus, then?" You eyed him. "Normally you don't leave the library this early." Ford shrugged at the statement. "I can't focus."

You feigned shock. "What? You? Unable to focus? You're joking, surely." Ford rolled his eyes. "Come on, (Y/N). It's not like we're accomplishing much here anyways." You couldn't deny that, nor could you deny a request from Ford. You collected your things and followed him out of the library.

"Tell me, what's on your mind?" You turned to face him, and he caught your gaze. "It's nothing, Ford, really." You tried to reassure him. He frowned, not quite believing you. "I won't force anything out of you, but you've been helping me so much these past two months, and I want to return the favor. Whatever burden you're carrying, let me take some of the weight off your shoulders. You don't have to be afraid. You can tell me anything."

You gave him a soft smile, then asked, "Ford? What do you do when there's something you truly, truly want to do, but are too afraid to?"

"Well," Ford paused, "I suppose that would depend on the circumstances."

"If I go through with it, I'll either wind up elated or rejected." You elaborated. Ford hummed in response. "Well, you can recover from rejection. If you're just pushing something away because you're afraid, you could be keeping yourself from being truly, truly happy. Sometimes we have to overcome our fears to get what we want." Ford chuckled, confusing you. "Phew, I should really listen to my own advice."

"What do you mean?"

Ford sighed and placed his hands over his eyes, rubbing his face. "(Y/N), I can't restrain my feelings anymore. I'm suffocating." His eyes flicked down. "May I... may I hold your hand, please?"

"You don't have to ask for permission," You extended your hand to him, and he clasped it, fingers intertwining, happiness running through your veins. His voice was barely above a whisper, but he was so close. You heard every word. "I think I have feelings for you."

Your heart skipped a beat. Your brain stopped functioning for a few seconds, trying to comprehend the seven magical words. You placed a hand on his chest and tilted your head to meet his eyes. His brown eyes were tainted with anxiousness. "I think I do, too." You admitted. Ford's mouth opened in shock, but he quickly regained composure.

"What... what do we do now?" He asked.

"Well, now that I feel like I can finally breathe again, I feel like we'll figure it out in time."

Ford nodded. "I wouldn't want it any other way.