Stanley parable one shots [requests]

Back to reality P.1 (Slow, lingering angst)

Short summary : The Narrator admits that he doesn't need Stanley around anymore and abandons him, forcing him back into the real world.
Stanley wakes up to his miserable life and longs for the Narrator and parable again.

—

(This is the first one that I was really sure about. The entire idea came from the song "Let me down slowly" by Alex Benjamin. I found it years ago but went back to it and relived it.

Enjoy this two parter. )

—————————————————————

Stanley had been in the parable for at least 6 months now. It felt so natural, as if he had been there his entire life. He could barely remember anything else besides it.

The Narrator could have been considered a friend that Stanley always had, someone that he'd always been with, no matter the circumstances. And sure, they'd been through bad terms but none of that seemed to matter now. Everything that had happened had already passed and none of it bothered either of them.

The both of them would laugh down the halls of the office, listening to corny jokes the Narrator would blurt out of nowhere, or narration mistakes that would be made. Stanley was content with that.
He could only communicate subtly, but it was enough for him.
He found himself fully entertained by the Narrator's words, sharing his joy, smiling at the sound of happiness displayed in the Narrator's voice.

And yet,

"Well, I suppose I'll take care of myself now. I don't need you anymore."

Did Stanley hear that right?
He turned around, eyes staring into the black void above him. Below him, the model of his own body stood, as motionless as he currently felt. Fluorescent square lights floated just below his feet, supported by the invisible ceiling he was positioned on.
His stomach sank.

"I've had enough, and I'm sure you've had too."

No no no no no no, no, no.
No, this couldn't be happening.

Stanley's eyes widened, yet his limbs wouldn't move - they couldn't move. Plastered right in the position he was at, he felt them turn to stone, too heavy to move, too hard to bend.
No, no no no no.
NO!

You're joking, please be joking.
He yanked himself out of the chokehold shock had on him, jumping hard onto the barrier separating him and the parable. Tight fists slammed into the ceiling until his knuckles turned white and his hands felt crushed by the force of his own hits.
And yet, nothing happened. There were no cracks, no dents - he was completely powerless.

"I'm sorry, Stanley."

What do you mean?! You're sorry?! What the  fuck!??
His teeth could almost penetrate back into his jaw with how hard he clenched them, his lips snarled back aggressively.
Let me back in. Please. Please!

"The time with you was well spent though, that's for sure."

You're not allowed to just say that, you can't be saying that. Just get me back into the office, we can talk this through, we can fix this.
His wrists felt ready to break off and his flesh felt like mush against his bone. He stopped and took a few breaths.
Looking towards the two doors he was so familiar with, he could remember all the times he was stood in front of them. But this time, he wasn't, and he would never be again.

His breath hitched pathetically.
Don't let me go. Keep me here.
Please.

"Look, Stanley, I'm sorry. I think it'll just be best for both of us. Afterall, I'm sure you don't want to be here any longer, do you?"

No- god, I do! Please. Just let me stay..
His fists started again, softly this time, feeling the weak flesh on his hand push painfully onto the surface.
He couldn't do anything about it, could he?

"Goodbye Stanley."

Wait, wait, wait. Just give me a few more seconds.
Just a split second more, please, I just-

—

He felt himself fall.
Deeper and deeper into the void.
The wind gushed through his jacket, held up his limbs, established him helpless.
He could feel the parable slip out of his grasp, no matter how hard he held on, sliding just past his fingertips.

The faint smell of paperwork, dust and ink became empty air, and the yellow white fluorescent lights grew further and further from him, disappearing slowly into the darkness.
He couldn't breathe.
As his own tears floated above him, he shut his eyes, let himself get consumed by the void, and his body go limp : allowing everything to escape, severing the ties between them.

And when the speed of his fall accelerated tremendously, he finally gasped a breath of air.

—

He sat up, breath shallow and quick, heartbeat rapid in his head.
Fabric supported him and covers lay comfortably over his legs, as golden rays beamed in from behind his curtains.
No, that wasn't a dream. He was not going to believe it was a dream. He lived through that. He spent 6 entire months in that parable. He could remember every part of it.
He would not let himself consider it a dream.
He just couldn't.

Because that was real. It was real. He was sure of it. He wasn't just going to forget about it and rule it off. He needed to go back.

The clock read 7:15.
He had work that morning.
He shuffled off the bed, feeling the cold air on his exposed skin. Walking through his hall, the wooden planks beneath him creaked hollowly. He felt... alone.
The house was devoid of people besides himself and it had been for a while now.

His disheveled reflection stared at him in the mirror. He looked empty. Hair stuck out ; stubble dotted his chin- he may as well have been better off in the parable.

The sun nestled into his hair as he walked to work. Didn't his work place resemble the parable? A few months ago he would've said that the parable resembled his work place, and yet, now, his own office seemed less recognisable than the parable.

Maybe it was that the parable cured his boredom, or provided him a life worth living.
He could see it now.

Maybe the Narrator was right.
The parable was an escape from this meaningless reality he lived in. Where he could make choices and create stories, and go through every possible path.

And yet, they truth was too painful to admit.

———————————————————

(Hope that was alright. I'm not too proud of this part but I assure you the next one is absolute gold, trust me.
I'm looking forward to presenting it to you. )