Crazier things have happened - Stanford X reader

Chapter 30

I watched as they began walking towards the shack again. Seemingly stuck, I was behind. So many thoughts ran through my mind. And looking at Ford's bruised up body didn't make it any easier. He hobbled forward, hissing slightly with every step.
Dipper looked up at him for a brief moment, but quickly looked forward again with his head bowed.

I felt sorry. For everything that had happened today. I couldn't help Stanford a tiny bit.
He just took everything on himself and now he seems to be in an absolutely critical condition.
If I look at him, I'm not even sure if he'll make it back home fine.

Someone bumping into me from behind brought me back to reality. At first I was frightened, the pictures of all the monsters were flashing right in front of my eyes. ...but in the end I was relieved.
"Freedom!", the guy yelled and ran away. I looked at him puzzled.

"Are you coming, Y/N?", Mabel asked in a louder voice, since they were pretty far away by now.
"Oh, sorry!", I replied and sprinted towards them.
She smiled at me.
But her smile no longer looked the same as before. She looked hurt. I mean, in a way, I can understand her. Mabel had hoped that this would be the perfect day on which we would all get a little closer. And now that Frank has developed into a cheater, her fantasies have literally burst, so to speak.

I wonder if I might be to blame after all. I know, actually, this is complete nonsense. ...right? But why do I feel so guilty then? I think I should have supported Ford somehow.

We were always there for each other, weren't we? What went wrong today, then? Normally everyone was always in a good mood and happy when we spanked a few bad guys or monsters. What is different today? Is it really because there was nothing I could do? That I was powerless, or is it something else? ... Was I powerless after all?

I looked up at Stanford again, who grimaced to try to suppress the pain. Again, there was this feeling of guilt. A sharp pain straight into my heart. A ringing in my ears spread and before I even noticed it, we were back at the shack.

Stanley opened the door for us. His unbothered expression changed into a worried one as he saw his brother.
"What happened out there? You said you were going to a circus!", he hissed at Mabel.
I held out my arm in front of her.
"It's not her fault, Stanley.", I said with a stern voice and look on my face.
"In fact, it's no one's fault. Mabel couldn't know what this... circus... was up to.", Stanford spoke up.
His look traced from Mabel, towards me, and now back to his brother. "Neither was it Y/N's or Dipper's fault."

Stanley sighed. "Lay down, brother. I'll get ya some ice bags for your eye. ...and everything else."

I helped Ford into the living room, where he sat in the armchair with a painful sounding tone. I jerked my hands in his direction, but quickly pulled them back to my chest. I looked down at the floor in shame.

"I'm alright, Y/N. Really, there's nothing you need to worry about.", he smiled tiredly.
"You always say that... You know, most times when people say they're alright, they're not."
He looked at me in astonishment before smiling at me again.
"I can assure you that I am absolutely fine this time. I'll just need a hand of sleep after that day, that's all."

"Then why do I feel so bad when I see you like that?", it slipped out of my mouth.
"Because you're a good person.", Stanford answered me with no hesitation at all.
I looked up confused.
"It is completely normal to feel guilty. What do you think I felt when I found you in the forest back then?"

The expression on my face changed abruptly. After all that he has done for us, how could this man still show so much compassion?
"You amaze me, do you know that?", I mumbled, still looking at him.
He chuckled, a few coughs following after.