Fly

Chapter 2: Getting to Know You More

You were woken up by sunlight streaming through your window, and with that, you're ready to start your day. The first thing you do is make a list of things to accomplish: find an apartment, buy some candies and snacks, and clean your car. As you're making your list, your stomach grumbles, reminding you it's time to eat.

Heading downstairs, you hear laughter coming from the kitchen. You immediately recognize that laugh—Stanley. You quickly freshen up before entering and see Soos, his wife, and Stanley already enjoying breakfast.

"Good morning, kid!" Stanley greets you with a grin, coffee cup in hand. You nod back and help yourself to some toast, a mug of coffee, and a stack of pancakes. You take a seat across from Stanley, who's seated on the other side of the table. As you eat, you reach for the sugar to sweeten your coffee. You don't notice at first, but Stanley keeps sneaking glances at you. Every time you look up, he quickly averts his gaze.

After breakfast, you head back upstairs to get ready. You choose a black long sleeve shirt, white pants, and black combat boots. As you come back down, you mention to Soos that you'll be out looking for an apartment. When you step outside, you see Stanley sitting on the porch, wearing his usual red polo shirt, black pants, and red shoes. His gold chain dangles over his chest hair, which you find oddly attractive.

"Hey, kid, where are you going?" he asks.

"Out to find an apartment," you reply.

"Oh really? You don't like staying here?"

"I do, but I'd prefer to have my own place."

"Mmm, if you want, I can join you. I've got nothing better to do," he offers.

You hesitate for a moment, overthinking. If he comes along, you might get to know him better, and he could help you find a good place. Plus, it would make the trip less boring. But what if you're the one who makes it boring? What if he regrets coming with you? What if he realizes you're indecisive? Your thoughts are interrupted when Stanley adds, "Hey, if you don't want me to, it's okay." He's watching you, probably noticing how long you've taken to respond. You push the doubts aside and agree. His face lights up with excitement.

The two of you head to your car, and he whistles. "A 1940 Bentley, huh? Nice classic. Are you sure you're not older than me?" he jokes, grinning.

"Thanks. I just have this thing called taste," you reply with a smirk as you get inside the car. "It was a gift from my grandfather. He has a collection of vintage cars and gave me this one on my birthday."
"You've got a rich grandpa, huh? Lucky you. You must be pretty close if he gave you something like this."

"Yeah, we are. I'm really good with older folks. I could even call you 'Grandpa' if you want since you seem, hmm, older than him," you tease.

Stanley laughs, and you can't help but join in. "You're a funny kid, I'll give you that."
"Oh, I'm flattered," you say, starting the car.

Riding with Stanley is never boring. He tells stories about his cons, his nieces and nephews, his brother, and all the crazy things they've done on their travels. His jokes aren't always funny, but his contagious laughter always gets you. "You know, my wife still misses me... but her aim is getting better!" he quips, making you laugh out loud. He also gives practical advice on apartment hunting, pointing out which neighborhoods to avoid—like the one that's too noisy with constant parties or another that's too close to a cemetery. It's clear Stanley knows the area well, and you're grateful for his insights.

After some searching, you find a neat little apartment just around the corner from the Mystery Shack, making it convenient to walk and save on gas. Since Stanley helped you out, you offer to buy him lunch. He agrees, though you suspect it's more about saving money than the company. You choose a greasy diner and find a vacant table.

A waitress comes over to take your order. "I'll have double pork carnitas, please."

"And you, sir?"

"I'll have the same," Stanley replies.

As you wait for the food, Stanley starts asking about you—where you're from, what you studied, and how you ended up in Gravity Falls.

"I don't really know," you admit. "I've been traveling for a while, and I just stumbled upon this place. It felt like something was pulling me to stay here, and I liked it. It's kind of mysterious, and the people here have been really good to me. Plus, all the creepy stuff? I'm into that," you say with a smile.

But your smile falters as memories of why you left your hometown creep back—those sleepless nights, the hysteria, the memories you want to forget. Stanley seems to notice the change in your expression. "Gravity Falls is definitely quiet and mysterious. That's why I came back here, to enjoy the rest of my life," he says, watching you.

You hope he doesn't catch on to your inner turmoil. "Yeah, I might even stay here permanently," you chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.

"Then stay, kiddo," he says, looking you straight in the eyes. For a moment, you think you see something in them—admiration, maybe? But before you can dwell on it, the waitress arrives with your food and coffee.

You're relieved to see sugar on the table and heap it into your coffee. "You sure like sugar, huh, sweetie?" Stanley teases.

"Hey, I just have a sweet tooth, okay? Sorry if you can't have more sugar because of your old age and the risk of a heart attack."

"Hey, I'm not that old, you know."

"Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that," you laugh as you continue eating.

After lunch, you head back to the Mystery Shack. As you both step inside, you stop Stanley by the arm and say, "Hey, thanks for coming along and helping me out. It means a lot."

"Nah, I was just bored, so why not? But hey, if you ever want more advice, you can always come to me. Just don't ask me for conning tips—that's a con artist's secret," he winks.

You laugh. "Okay, I'll keep that in mind," you say as you head upstairs.

You can still feel the muscles in his arm—so strong and firm. You wonder what it would be like to cuddle with him. But you quickly dismiss the thought, reminding yourself he's much older and likely not interested. Little do you know, Stanley is downstairs, thinking the exact same thing.