Pointdexter: A Swooning Over Stan-fiction

Chapter Twenty-Four

The dates continued, to Alice's delight.

From a quiet alcove in the Gravity Falls Library to the roof of the Shack, simple in comparison to Mabel's planned date, but Ford seemed far more comfortable with it that way. In reality, so was Alice.

And yet, it felt like he was holding something back.

Alice had gotten to learn more about him, but it felt less like he'd spent a year away sailing, and more like he spent half his life in a different universe. Only a day before he'd attempted to print three decades' worth of physics academics, and Alice had to remind him that he couldn't upload them all to the same USB.

Alice wasn't sure if she'd ever find out what he was hiding. 

The magic Stan worked on her car had rendered it nearly operational again, meaning her time in Gravity Falls was coming to a close. Today would be the last date she'd ever have with Ford. It hurt to think about, so she tried not to dwell on it.

Alice slipped through the front gate of the Gravity Falls community pool, thanks to Dipper, and sidled inside. Pink, orange, and yellow streaked across the sky, like a tall glass of Mabel juice, and Alice took in the various abandoned floaties and the one Sev'ral Timez special edition towel on the ground.

Alice spread her towel over a chair, a quiet curse alerting her to Ford's arrival.

"Don't worry," Alice smiled at him as he adjusted his coat. "I nearly slipped on it too."

"Someone must've left it behind-" Ford scowled at the towel. "Perhaps for good reason."

He lifted the towel between forefinger and thumb, and something dripped off one of the faces of the boys. Ford shuddered, dropping the towel again.

"Children and their boy bands-" He muttered.

"Make sure Mabel's not around to hear you," Alice warned with a laugh, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm pretty sure she'd disown you."

"At least BABBA had some good songs back in their day," Ford argued, turning toward her. Alice smiled, watching his curious expression soften as she stared at him. He made his way to her, avoiding the towel, and tilting his head in her direction. Damn you, Ford Pines- Alice found herself thinking. You and your tallness. And cuteness- And-

"Ford?" Alice's gaze landed on a magnet stuck to his head.

"Yes?"

"You have a California magnet stuck to your forehead-" Alice giggled as he flushed, eyes wide.

"Really?" He asked as Alice reached out, pulling the magnet from his head and tapping his nose with it. Somehow, he managed to get cuter, grinning bashfully and somehow deeper pink.

"Yes-" She chuckled, tossing it on the pool chair. Ford moved, rolling up his pants and settling himself on the edge of the pool, his feet dangling in the water. 

"May I-" Alice started almost bashfully, playing with the hem of her shirt. "Do... that thing?"

Ford managed to stutter his way through a 'YES you can get undressed and whatnot" and turned to give her privacy. She noticed, however, that he peeked, just once. She didn't dare comment on it, but she felt her entire body heat. She slipped into the spot next to Ford on the edge of the pool, her legs swinging back and forth in the water.

"Do you go swimming a lot?" She asked, tipping her gaze toward him.

"Me? Ah, no." Ford answered with a chuckle. "I used to swim a lot as a child since we lived so close to the ocean, but now... Not really."