Chapter Text
Stanley was lonely. When was the last time he saw another person? He had lost track of how long he had been in the parable. Weeks? Months? Years? It was impossible to tell how much time had passed. All he knew was the story and the Narrator.
The Narrator. His Narrator. Stanley didn’t know when he started calling him his Narrator. It made sense after all. For all he knew, Stanley was the only living thing in this world. Was the Narrator alive? He didn’t even know. He had tried asking him multiple times, but the Narrator would always brush off the question and push him to get back to the story.
Stanley was sitting in his office. He didn’t want to start the next run through of the story. He was tired. The loneliness had really been getting to him lately. And the Narrator had noticed.
“Stanley,” the Narrator had asked as Stanley stepped out of his office last run. “Are you alright? You seem…I don’t know. You seem like you’re off in another world.”
[I’m fine.] Stanley had signed. [Everything’s totally fine, no need to worry.] He even attempted a smile and gave a thumbs up.
“Well…alright if you say so,” the Narrator said doubtfully. The Narrator cleared his throat. “All of his coworkers were gone…” Stanley continued sitting at his desk, until The Narrator’s voice jolted Stanley out of his reminiscing.
“Well? Are you just going to sit there all day? Or are you going to continue with the story?” he grumbled.
[Do you have a body?] Stanley signed quickly, before even realizing he was doing it. He felt himself blush and cursed himself internally. “ Stupid Stanley,” he thought. “ Now he’s going to know that something’s up.”
“Wh-what?” the Narrator stammered. “What made you ask that?” Stanley shrugged, his face continuing to heat up. He was desperately hoping that the Narrator wouldn’t notice.
[Just curious.] There was a pause between the two of them.
Stanley thought for a minute. Then he decided he might as well tell his Narrator what was going on. He would figure it out sooner or later. And it was better Stanley admit it himself than the Narrator figuring it out by looking into his thoughts, which Stanley figured out the Narrator could do when he was thinking about how boring the story was getting. Stanley had used some very choice signs when he found out, and the Narrator promised that he wouldn’t do it again without permission, that he respected Stanley’s privacy. Well, the little privacy he did have.
[I’m lonely,] he admitted.
“Lonely?” the Narrator asked. “Now why on Earth would you be lonely? You have me!” Stanley sighed. He knew the Narrator wouldn’t get it.
[Not really] Stanley signed, looking up at the ceiling. He had no idea where the Narrator was, but he tended to look up when addressing him. It just felt right for some reason. [All I have is your voice. I haven’t seen another person in….I don’t even know how long]. His hands dropped, and tears pricked his eyes. He looked down at his lap. He was beginning to feel overwhelmed. He was so lonely. He needed his Narrator now more than ever.
He continued to look down at his lap as he signed. [I need…touch]. He could practically hear the Narrator raise his eyebrows, but thankfully, he stayed quiet. “Why are you telling him all of this?!” Stanley thought angrily. But he couldn’t stop. [I’m so lonely down here, Narrator. Please. I need someone]. Stanley felt tears roll down his cheeks. He quickly wiped them away. He didn’t want his Narrator to know that he was crying.
“Stanley…” the Narrator said quietly. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Stanley shrugged. If he was being completely honest, Stanley thought that the Narrator wouldn’t have cared. Stanley’s only purpose was to move the story along, why would the Narrator care about some stupid feelings that probably weren’t even supposed to be there in the first place?
“Would…would you like me to come down there?” Stanley looked up in surprise, forgetting that he was trying to hide his tears.
[I thought you said that you didn’t have a body?]
“Well, technically, I never did say that. I never actually answered your question.” Stanley just stared. The Narrator sighed. “I don’t need a physical form in order to exist, but I find it quite fun, actually. So I made myself a body a while back, and I’ll use it every once in a while, just for fun,” the Narrator explained. “I’m quite proud of the design, if I do say so myself,” he said smugly.
[I want to see] Stanley signed quickly. His Narrator actually had a body? What did he look like? Would his Narrator actually honor his request? His heart began to pound.
The Narrator let out a soft chuckle. “Okay, Stanley. Give me just a moment.” The Narrator went quiet. Stanley sat at his desk anxiously and began tapping his fingers together. His worried mind began racing. What if the Narrator had left him? What if he thought Stanley was stupid for confessing that he was lonely? What if-
Stanley’s frantic thoughts were cut short by a soft knock on his door. It creaked as it opened, and a man stepped through. Stanley’s breath caught as he saw the Narrator, his Narrator, for the first time.
He was slightly taller than Stanley, which Stanley normally would have complained about, but right now, he couldn’t care less. His hair was gray, with a bright yellow streak running through it. He wore a light yellow turtleneck, with a brown jacket over it, as well as some very nice looking slacks and shoes. Stanley was shocked to see that he adorned an earring on one ear; it was a yellow arrow dangling from a chain. Square-rimmed glasses framed his brilliant, amber eyes.
“Hello, Stanley,” the Narrator smiled. Stanley jumped to his feet and all but ran over to the Narrator.
“Stanley, wh-” but he was cut short by Stanley crashing into him and throwing his arms around his shoulders, pulling him into a bone crushing hug. “Oh,” the Narrator breathed. “ So this is what touch is like”, he thought. He wrapped his arms around Stanley and pulled him closer. The smaller man was trembling.
“Stanley, are you okay?” he asked softly. Stanley didn’t answer. He just buried his head in the Narrator’s shoulder and wrapped his arms tighter. Small sobs began to shake his body.
The Narrator was stunned. He understood the fact that Stanley was lonely. In fact, when Stanley was telling him, he felt quite bad that he hadn’t realized himself. He knew that humans were severely impacted if they went too long without companionship. That was one of the reasons why he had invented The Bucket. But a metal object isn’t the same as another person, he figured.
“Shhhhh. Stanley, it’s okay. I’m here. You’re okay. I’ve got you.” Stanley just sobbed harder. The Narrator didn’t know what to do. “Stanley…” The Narrator hesitated. “May I…may I read your thoughts? So I can better understand how you’re feeling?” He felt Stanley nod against his shoulder. He let himself enter Stanley’s mind, and was immediately bombarded with everything going through the sobbing man’s racing mind.
Need you. Need to be closer. Need to be closer. Need touch. Need the Narrator. Need Narrator. Need my Narrator. Need my Narrator need my Narrator need my narrator.
The Narrator let out a soft gasp. Stanley was calling him his Narrator. He felt a warm feeling wash over him. How long had Stanley been calling him his Narrator? How long had Stanley been feeling like this? Now the Narrator felt a pang of guilt as he realized he had truly left Stanley completely alone, with no company other than a disembodied voice and a bucket. Stanley continued sobbing into his shoulder.
“Stanley, you’re okay. I’m here. I’m not leaving.” Stanley hugged him impossibly tighter. “Can you take some deep breaths for me please?” The Narrator loudly breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth., desperate to do anything to calm Stanley down. Stanley did the same, his shaky exhale interrupted by another sob. “Good,” the Narrator praised. “Let’s do another. In.” They breathed in together. “And out.” They breathed out. The Narrator could feel Stanley start to relax. But he still had a death grip on him. They continued breathing together for a few moments, until Stanley’s sobs had subsided.
“Stanley, can you look at me please?” the Narrator said softly. Stanley let out a shaky breath and pulled back from the Narrator just enough to look at him. His arms remained wrapped tight, like the Narrator was a life preserver in the middle of the ocean and Stanley would drown the instant he let go. Stanley’s face was covered in dried tears, and his eyes were red and puffy. He looked exhausted.
“Narrator…” Stanley thought. He was too tired to sign, and was scared to remove just one of his hands from the Narrator, worried he would disappear if he did so. “I’m sorry.”
“What on Earth are you sorry for?” the Narrator questioned, confused. Stanley shrugged, now looking a little embarrassed.
“I shouldn’t have broken down like that. And I got your jacket all wet.” Stanley blushed. Indeed, that was a large wet patch on the Narrator’s jacket where Stanley had been burying his face.
The Narrator just laughed. “It’s really quite all right, Stanley.” Stanley gave him a small smile.
“It was overwhelming. Seeing another person. Seeing YOU. It’s just been me and your voice for so long and I just-” Stanley’s thought cut off and tears began welling in his eyes again.
“Shhh,” hushed the Narrator. He cupped Stanley’s cheek with his hand and wiped away his fresh tears. Stanley moved one of his hands that was gripping the back of the Narrator’s jacket to the hand that was cupping his cheek and held it closer to his face. He closed his eyes and let out a small whimper. The sound made the Narrator’s heart swell with… something. All he wanted was for Stanley, his Stanley, to be okay.
“ Narrator,” Stanley thought. The Narrator rubbed his thumb over Stanley’s cheek. He didn’t know what he was doing. But it felt so…right. All he cared about right now was making sure that his Stanley, was okay.
“My Stanley,” the Narrator whispered. He pulled Stanley into another hug. “I’m so sorry I left you alone for so long.”
“ My Stanley…MY Stanley,” Stanley thought as he buried his head into the Narrator’s shoulder once again.
The Narrator chucked. “Yes, my Stanley.” Without even thinking, he placed a kiss on the top of Stanley’s head. He felt Stanley smile against his shoulder. Stanley pulled back and looked at the Narrator.
“I love you,” Stanley said.