Uncertainty - Stanford Pines x Reader (female)

Chapter 8

"Stanford.", I said, peeking my head around the corner to his lab. Ford was sitting at his desk, surrounded by stacks of books and papers. He looked up at the sound of my voice, his expression a mix of surprise and curiosity.
"Y/N.", he said, setting down the pen he'd been holding. "Back again so soon?"

"I can't help it.", I replied, walking further into the room and taking a seat on one of the stools near his desk. "I find your work fascinating. How can I stay away?"
Ford chuckled and pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Flattery won't get you nowhere, Y/N."

"Oh, come on.", I said, leaning back slightly. "You know I'm just kidding. I actually came by because we've got a dark situation up in the kitchen. The lightbulb's broken and it's driving me crazy."

Ford raised an eyebrow, a small smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "A broken lightbulb, huh? Why not ask Soos to replace it for you?"

"I thought of that.", I replied, crossing my arms as well. "But after rummaging through the junk drawer, I realized we don't have any spare bulbs lying around."
Ford chuckled, shaking his head. "You guys really need to work on your organizational skills."
"We sure like to keep things interesting.", I retorted. "Chaos adds character."
Ford chuckled again, clearly amused. "And what exactly do you expect me to do about a broken lightbulb in the kitchen?"
I rolled my eyes, feigning disbelief. "Well, I was hoping you could use your genius brain to whip up some kind of invention that can turn darkness into light."

Ford let out a bark of laughter, a genuine smile slipping onto his face. "Turn darkness into light? Sounds more like a job for the Wizard of Oz."
He pushed his chair back from his desk, leaning forward with a glint of challenge in his eyes. "But since I'm the closest thing to a genius around here, I suppose I could whip something up for you."

"I knew we could count on you.", I said, a victorious grin spreading across my face.
Ford rolled his eyes, but his smile betrayed his amusement. "I'm your go-to guy for all things weird and brilliant, after all."
He stood from his chair, stretching his arms above his head. I tried to ignore the flutter of my heart at the sight.

"What would we do without you?", I asked. "Probably sit in the dark and stumble around like blind mice."
Ford chuckled and ruffled my hair. "Well, we can't have that. It would mess up your already questionable sense of fashion."
"Excuse me?", I said, pretending to be offended. "My fashion sense is impeccable, thank you very much."

"Oh, absolutely.", Ford agreed, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "That sweater you're wearing is truly a work of art."
He chuckled as I tried to glare at him, my expression of faux-offense crumbling under his teasing.
"For your information, this sweater is a custom piece.", I replied, smoothing out the soft fabric. "Mabel made it herself."
Ford raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "Well, that explains a lot."

"Hey! Don't you dare insult Mabel's craftsmanship. It's a beautiful sweater, and you should be grateful because she's definitely going to make you one too."
Ford just chuckled, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. I stand corrected. Your sweater is a masterpiece, clearly."
I nodded, satisfied. "Damn right it is."
Ford chuckled again and headed towards the back of the lab, rummaging through a pile of parts and gadgets. "Alright, I suppose I better get started on this light-bringer."

I watched as he worked, his skilled hands quickly assembling a small device. It looked like a cross between a lightbulb and a flashlight, with various wires and circuits connecting the parts together.
"Impressive.", I said, impressed. "How does it work?"
Ford looked up from his work, a hint of pride on his face. "It's simple, really. This little gadget uses the concept of bioluminescence, harnessing the energy from the surrounding objects to create light."