Gold Dust Woman (Stanford Pines x OC)

4.) Fast Times

these are fast times and fast nights yeah no time for rewrites

"Giraffes are not anomalies." Ford insists as Celia sits on his desk just in front of him.

"They literally are though," She laughs. "Every myth or weird mythical creature from stories is just parts of my world leaking through. Giraffes just made their way here somehow and they are horrible creatures. I hate them actually. And they hate me too so they're not even worth being in zoos but they are for some reason. You're a nerd, I'm sure you know about gryphons and shit. They're real in the Boiling Isles and-"

"Do they have spider-breath?" He asks.

"Duh." She smiles and it makes his smile widen.

The room they're in is cluttered with Ford's usual mix of scientific equipment, strange artifacts, and countless stacks of books. The space usually feels alive with the potential for discovery, but today, the most intriguing thing in the room is Celia. Ford can't help but notice the way the sunlight filters through the window, casting gold around her hair.

"Okay, I've gotta get back to work. You've distracted me enough this week." He jokes.

"Oh, come on. I could be leaving any day now." She tilts her head down at him.

"But you aren't," He chuckles. "We have some unfinished business, Cel."

"And you can finish it right now but you want to work instead." She laughs, a sound that's quickly becoming one of his favorites.

As he looks up at her, he feels a tug in his chest. Ford has always been drawn to mysteries, to things he can't quite explain, and Celia is the biggest mystery of all. There's a spark in her eyes that makes him feel alive in a way he hasn't in years. It's exhilarating and terrifying all at once.

But maybe it's because he can't figure her out. What's underneath all of that confidence and fun? He's not used to not being able to read people at first glance.

"Let me work for a little while longer and then I swear, I will run to you wherever you are." He smiles and she jokingly sighs before nodding.

"Okay," She hops off of the desk before quickly leaning down to kiss his cheek. "I'll go. But I'm not happy about it."

The door clicks shut behind her, and Ford finds himself staring at the space she just held so gracefully. From the moment she's gone, he's already counting down the seconds until he can see her again. Sleeping with her has only made him more attached—he feels like a lost puppy, trailing behind her in his mind even when she's not around. He's gotten so much more invested than he ever anticipated, and now, after having been with her two more times, his heart is practically bursting at the seams.

His heart is usually neglected because Ford has spent years nurturing his mind, focusing on his work and intellect, and pushing emotional needs aside as mere distractions. But now, it's like his heart has decided it's tired of being ignored. Every time he's with Celia, it pounds relentlessly in his chest, refusing to be silenced. He knows it might seem pathetic, this sudden infatuation, but he can't help it. He wants to run to her the moment he finishes work, to take her out to dinner, to listen to her talk about anything and everything.

For Celia, ignoring the fact that there's no label, no clear commitment between them, is becoming harder by the day. Unlike Ford, she's better at hiding her emotions. She's never really been the relationship type, preferring casual connections that don't demand too much. But Ford is different—so different that she can't help but catch herself smiling as she wanders through her house, logging miles.

Ford is something entirely different to any man she has ever met. He's been sweet and careful and kind, that's new for Celia. And their banter is so easy whereas with other people she's bored and ready to move on. But she's always had a thing for nerdier quiet types and he fits the bill perfectly. All of that plus those broad shoulders of his and his beautiful head of hair could take her out within seconds.