Uncertainty - Stanford Pines x Reader (female)

Chapter 63

I woke to the faint sound of metallic clinks and quiet mutters of frustration. Disoriented, I blinked, my vision blurred and unfocused as I tried to make sense of the dim shapes around me. The faint blue glow from Stanford's makeshift lab equipment cast a soft light across the room, and I caught sight of him hunched over a machine, tools in hand.

My mind was still hazy with sleep, but I could make out Stanford's silhouette, tense and intent, his hands deftly fiddling with a cluster of wires. He flinched slightly as one of them sparked, a small hiss escaping his lips.

It was clear he hadn't meant to wake me, but the distant whirr and occasional click had pulled me from sleep. I shivered a little under the thin blanket I'd curled up with. Even in the summer heat, the air down here was cooler, and the faint draft that blew through only added to the chill.

I pushed myself up on my elbows, blinking sleepily as I watched him work. Even in the dim light, I could see the exhaustion on his face. His shoulders were hunched, his eyes were narrowed in concentration, and his usually neat hair was disheveled. It was clear that he'd been at it for a while.

Pulling the blanket around my shoulders, I rose slowly and padded toward him, each step quieter than the last as I approached. He was too absorbed to notice me, his brow furrowed, and the faintest smudge of grease on his cheek. I could see the intensity in his expression—the determination that made him stubbornly work through the night, ignoring every sign of exhaustion. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, yet the weight of that barely showed beneath the resolve in his eyes.

Without saying a word, I stepped up behind him and slid my arms around his waist, pressing my forehead against his back, still half-asleep but comforted by his warmth. He stiffened briefly, surprised, before he relaxed, letting out a soft exhale as if he hadn't even realized how tense he'd been.

He paused, his hands stilling for a moment as I wrapped my arms around him. I could hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, a little fast but gradually slowing as he leaned back against me.

"Hey...", I mumbled, my voice muffled against the fabric of his shirt. "What're you still doing up...?"

Stanford's chuckle was low and quiet, his hand dropping from the machine's wiring as he leaned into the embrace slightly. "I didn't mean to wake you.", he said softly. "I was trying to keep it quiet."

I smiled into his back, my eyes half-closed, enjoying the feeling of his body against mine. "You should be asleep.", I chided gently, though my voice was still thick with sleep.

He chuckled again, turning slightly so that he could look at me, though he didn't pull out of my grasp. I could see the tiredness in his eyes now, the slight shadows under them, and the small lines of tension at the corners.

"I was going to come to.", he said, his voice still soft. "But I just... got caught up in this."

I lifted my head, my eyes drifting over the tangle of wires and metal parts scattered across the work table. I knew what Stanford had been working on—the machine designed to shield my mind from Bill's influence.

I studied the contraption, taking in the details of its construction and the modifications he had made. It looked more complex than when I'd last seen it, the wires more intricate, the pieces fitting together with a more refined precision.

"It looks... different now.", I said, my voice still thick with sleep. "I thought you said it was almost finished."

Stanford let out a soft, tired sigh. He reached out and ran a hand over the machine, his fingers tracing the lines of wiring. "I did.", he admitted. "But I'm still testing a few things. Just to be sure. I want to make sure it works exactly as it should."