Uncertainty - Stanford Pines x Reader (female)

Chapter 54

The morning light filtered through the kitchen window, casting a warm glow over the mess that was the Shack. I cradled my mug of coffee in my hands, savoring the rich aroma and the comforting warmth against my fingers. The chaos from last night's cookie-baking adventure still lingered, evident in the flour-dusted counters and the faint smell of burnt sugar that clung to the air. Mabel had been so enthusiastic, but the oven had quickly turned against us, and now it lay in Soos's capable hands.

"Okay, so the food sauna's definitely seen better days...", Soos said, crouched down in front of it with a tool in one hand and a slightly bewildered expression on his face. His trademark smile was still there, but I could tell something was bothering him just beneath the surface.

"Yeah, it was a valiant attempt at baking.", I replied, attempting to keep my tone light. "Maybe Mabel should stick to her art projects for a while." I took a sip of my coffee, trying to shake off the remnants of last night's awkwardness with Ford.

Soos chuckled, shaking his head as he turned a screw. "Nah, man! Mabel's got a knack for making things interesting, even if it involves some, uh, unintentional explosions. Remember that time she tried to make a giant cupcake and it literally blew up? Like—BOOM! Frosting everywhere." He glanced over at me, his eyes bright with the memory.

"Yeah, that was something else.", I replied, forcing a smile. "But, uh, speaking of explosions, how are you holding up?" I watched as he focused on the oven, the cheerful expression on his face not quite reaching his eyes.

Soos paused for a moment, the tool clinking against the metal of the oven. "You know, I'm good! Just, you know, fixing stuff and hangin' out with my favorite people!" He glanced at me sideways, his smile faltering just a bit. "But you seem a little... off, Y/N. Everything cool?"

My heart sank at his observation. Soos had always been perceptive, and I couldn't hide my feelings from him. "I'm fine.", I lied, even to myself. "Just tired, I guess. Last night was... a lot."

He leaned back on his heels, regarding me with an intensity that made it hard to maintain my facade. "You sure, dude? 'Cause, like, I'm always here if you need to talk, even if it's about... you know, feelings and stuff." He grinned, trying to lighten the mood, but there was a seriousness behind his words that cut deeper.

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "It's just... Ford. Again.", I admitted, feeling the weight of the conversation pressing down on me. "I thought things were getting better between us. But then last night... it felt like we were back to square one. He's just so distant, like he's shutting me out. I don't know how to reach him anymore."

Soos nodded, his expression shifting from playful to concerned. "Yeah, Ford's kinda got that whole mad scientist vibe goin'. Gets all wrapped up in his, like, brainy stuff. But he's got a big ol' heart in there somewhere. He just shows it in, uh... mysterious ways." He continued fiddling with the oven, but his eyes never left me.

"Does he?", I asked, a hint of bitterness creeping into my voice. "Because it doesn't feel that way. It's like he's got this wall up, and I'm on the outside, no matter how hard I try to break through."

Soos shifted, his brow furrowed. "Oh, dude, I totally get it. Trust me—I'm, like, the go-to guy for fixin' stuff, but that doesn't mean I got it all together, you know? Sometimes, people just gotta deal with their own life-mess first. Doesn't mean they don't care. Just means they're tryin' to keep their own gears from, like, fallin' off."

I stared into my coffee, swirling the liquid around as I contemplated his words. "But what if that space turns into a chasm? What if I end up losing him? I can't help but feel like I'm losing grip on everything that matters."