#vs ford and bill being the few who calls stan stanley

[nenoname]

the fanon "ford needs a special nickname for stan to show that theyre close!!!" was kinda funny to me cos like. the show is pretty blatant with dipper not having a nickname for mabel and we all know that she's the most important person to him

[cravingpepsimax]

hs reference like a flashbang aside, choosing a dave and rose excerpt activated something in my brain. (stan voice) it’s just like them. in a way

one is a certified journal writer mastering the arts of the horrors and homosexuality, while the other’s a comic drawing “”cool”” twin with a touch of big brother worship. ford a constant knowledge (light) seeker. stan and the motif of fire. the similarities obviously stop at the surface level traits but thats actually so funny

actually, i wouldn’t say the similarities are surface-level at all!

both ford and rose deal with the Horrors, yes, but there’s more to that. the reason they deal with them is for the same endgoal — obtaining knowledge. this even results in them both being taken advantage of a nigh-omniscient, devil figure (doc scratch vs bill). like you mentioned, she journals, but i’d also like to point out her walkthrough. kanaya reads her walkthrough, not knowing the identity of rose, creating an idea of her in her head, using it as a reference for her own journey… hey, doesn’t that sound familiar?

also, like, horrorterrors aside, you’re out of your mind if you don’t think ford would have a book called “grimoire for summoning the zoologically dubious”. like, title alone, that’s a ford thing.

like ford, rose thinks of herself as a character in a story, rather than just… a person (light player moment). she’s surprisingly calm about sacrificing herself to create the Green Sun, like how ford had resigned himself to being trapped in various hell dimensions, as long as that meant his dimension being safe from bill. also, they’re both nerds that are terrifyingly good at combat.

the rose-ford parallels aren’t shit compared to the dave-stan parallels, though.

they’ve both got a father that isn’t easily impressed, that pushes them to learn how to fight and how to fight well, who wears sunglasses 24/7. they both seem to have complicated feelings about their father, despite their father being shitty & abusive.

despite their detached appearances, both stan and save genuinely care for those close to them, and will do drastic things to protect them. becoming davesprite, dying for jade, actually just dying a lot in general (time player moment), and sacrificing himself for the Green Sun are just a few examples of this.

neither of them really want to do what they’re doing, either. dave doesn’t like time travel. it’s complicated. it’s scary. he’s afraid of his own mortality, and time travel involves a LOT of death. not just his own, either — if he fucks it up, he could end up killing literally everyone. but he does it anyways, because he has to.

stan hates science and math. growing up, he struggled in school, even with the smartest kid in school being his brother. but he still taught himself everything he needed to know to get the portal up and running — with only a third of the instructions. he did shit he hated, complicated shit he hated, for 30 years, because he had to. despite ford criticizing his recklessness, there’s not a single timeline where ford gets sucked into the portal and stan DOESN’T try to save him. and, just like how dave sacrifices himself for the Green Sun, stan’s willing to have his memory wiped for the sake of beating bill. sure, the Green Sun might’ve led to dave god tiering, but dave didn’t know that — just like how stan didn’t know his memory would come back.

they’ve also got the whole “i’m not a hero” thing, despite regularly doing heroic things.

(also, couldn’t find a gif of it, but ford calling stanley a hero both in the show after his sacrifice & in the journal)

also, just… read the aspect descriptions for light and time and tell me that isn’t ford and stan. especially time for stan.

…also, erm, fitting the themes of this blog, dave has… some stuff going on

also apparently davesprite and his rose may have gotten together according to the hs book commentary but i don’t own those and i can’t find an actual like. image or anything so don’t quote me on that lmao

[detectivejigsawpines]

Ford vs. His Family-part 4 (Welcome home)

Everything hurt.

Yelling everything out like that left Stan feeling torn apart inside, like he’d ripped himself open down the middle and pulled his heart out, laying it on the table in front of him for all to see-and it not only hurt...he was terrified.

Specifically, he was terrified about what his brother would do next.

Probably not laugh at him, he wasn’t that much of a bas...ketcase.

...But maybe say something scornful to trample Stan’s heart, bared and laid out for him as it was, into the dust.  Or walk away and go hide in the basement-that was certainly Ford’s style, just run away from things he didn’t want to deal with and try to pretend they hadn’t happened-

He definitely didn’t expect Ford to finally let out a long exhale, reach into his coat, and pull out an old, crumpled photograph, which he set on the table between them.

Even though it was faded and torn and stained, it was obvious who was in it, and what boat they were standing on.  And it hadn’t been in the house for the last thirty years; Stan would have seen it if it was.

Stan stared at it for a few seconds...and then gave Ford a disbelieving look.

“You just happened to be carrying this in your pocket when I came here?”

His brother shrugged, and a few spots of color rose in his cheeks.  “I didn’t realize it at first either.”

He let the implication ‘but I kept it all this time’ hang in the air between them unsaid.

So.  Ford had missed Stan enough to keep one of their old photos, even when he got sent to another dimension.

It wasn’t much...but it was something.  It was maybe enough to make Stan’s heart-treacherous, optimistic piece of crap that it was-jump a little in his chest, and stir with the beginnings of hope.  But he tried to push it down again just as quickly, because every time he did that with Ford it just meant fresh disappointment, betrayal and hurt.

Maybe this photo meant Ford wasn’t completely indifferent to him-but it didn’t get rid of the possibility that he hated him instead.  And Stan wasn’t too clear on which one was worse, because while arguably someone hating you meant you were still important to them, as opposed to their not caring about you at all, in his experience that also meant they were more likely to actively try to hurt you.

*********

Stan didn’t look convinced.

He at least didn’t seem ready to start throwing punches again, but his expression hadn’t relaxed either.  There was still visible tension in his shoulders and his eyes. Not to mention, Ford realized, pain.

It wasn’t something he’d allowed himself to think about too hard, but Stan was in just as much pain and fear of being hurt again as he was.

Somehow, even though he still wasn’t sure what to say, that made wanting to say the right thing to help fix this a little bit easier.

Ford sighed, running a hand through his hair.  “I may have been...a little too hasty in my initial decision about the house.”

Stan looked surprised...but then he asked sarcastically, “May have been?”

“...You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?”

He smirked a little.  “Nope.”

Again, Ford swallowed his pride.  “I was too hasty in my decision.”

“That’s better.”

Ford rolled his eyes, but continued, “I had convinced myself that the solution to my problems with Bill, and to finding out that I was back in my own home but no longer in the time that I left, was to bring things as close to how I remembered them as possible.  Which...was not realistic or viable. And it was unfair. So. I am willing to discuss other options.”

Stan sighed, releasing even more of his tension.  “...Thanks.”

“I maintain my stance that what you did was incredibly reckless.”

It seemed only fair to be honest about what he felt.  Stan bristled again, but Ford hurried on, “If you know about Bill, and what he wants to do if he finds a way into this dimension, then you should understand why.  No one person is worth risking the fate of the world, and you had no way of knowing if I was even alive.”

The glare lessened.  But Stan shook his head stubbornly.

“I’d still do it again.  If it meant there was any chance I could find you and bring you back, I’d do it.  Maybe you wouldn’t have had a problem leaving me there, but I couldn’t have lived with myself.”

Ford gulped.  Put like that, it did sound...a little more than a little extremely heartless.

And therefore not something he should ever have expected from Stanley, for all his faults.

At last, he swallowed and said hoarsely, “Your stubborn loyalty defies logic sometimes.”

“It does not-it defies logic all the time!”

He rolled his eyes again, and let out a croaky kind of laugh.  “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re a knucklehead.”  The retort came out in what seemed like a knee-jerk response; as soon as it did, though, Stan’s eyes widened nervously, and he shrunk back in on himself, looking like he was ready for Ford to lash out at him again or say something full of icy hostility-

Ford just laughed again, even more genuinely.  When he finished he admitted, voice soft, “...I don’t think I could have left you there either.  Believe it or not.”

Stan clenched his teeth down on his lower lip, eyes shining behind his glasses, before he twisted to the side, burying his face in his hand.

For the first time in forever, Ford reached out to his brother, gently touching his shoulder.  To his relief, Stan leaned into his touch; he squeezed the muscle, while rubbing a circle in his back with his thumb.

********

It wasn’t hugging it out like Mabel had ordered them to, and there was still a lot of old crap they had to dig up and talk about even though it would hurt...but hearing that Ford would have done the same thing if he’d been the one sucked into the portal was still something.  It was like there’d been an old, rusty razor blade stabbing him in the heart all this time, getting twisted and digging in further every time Ford gave him a cold stare or made a cutting remark about his business or the size of his gut or how he spent his time with the kids-and at last, it had been removed.  The area was still very sore and probably infected, but maybe now there was a chance for it to heal.

“‘M sorry,” he whispered, without looking at Ford.  “I’m so, so sorry, I-”

His shoulder was squeezed again.  “I know. I am too.”

********

From the doorway, Dipper pulled his sister away before she could squeal with excitement and spoil the moment.

“They need privacy, Mabel,” he whispered as he hustled her downstairs.  “Let’s...make them a celebratory dinner or something.”

Mabel covered her mouth with her hands and released her delighted squeal into them.  “Let’s make pie! Grunkle Stan loves pie! And bacon, let’s make bacon! Oh man, I don’t know what kind of food Grunkle Ford likes!  We should have asked him what kind of food he likes!”

“We spent the last two days not talking to him, remember?  We’re just gonna have to guess.” Dipper towed her towards the kitchen, on the way grabbing Soos and Wendy.  “Do you guys know anything about cooking? They seem like they’ve made up, or at least started to, so we’re gonna celebrate.”

“Well, my grandma’s tried teaching me how ta make burritos a few times,” Soos said, chubby face lighting up happily, “and they’ve only been charred on the outside and raw on the inside, like, seven out of ten times, so those are definitely good odds!  This is a once-in-a-lifetime event, it’s gotta be an opportunity where my thirty-percent success rate will be a thing!”

Wendy shrugged.  “We don’t cook much at home, but I can open cans and things.  I can give it a shot.”

“This will be the best celebrating-our-grunkles-making-up dinner EVER!” Mabel proclaimed, giving everyone a round of high-fives.

****

Twenty minutes later

Everyone ran screaming, searching frantically for where Stan kept the fire extinguisher, as two-foot-high flames rose from the stove.

“LOOK FOR A BUCKET!” Mabel yelled, running to a cupboard and throwing it open-only to have a pile of junk fall on her.

Soos flung open a cupboard and filled every cup, bowl and tupperware he could find with water, before throwing them at the fire, which sizzled but determinedly continued to burn.

“How!”  Wendy yelled, looking under the sink for the extinguisher, “How the heck did we manage to do this using tortillas and beans?!”

Dipper scrambled onto the counter and grabbed a pitcher, which he filled to the brim before running at the stove and hurling the contents.

Water splashed everywhere...including right in the faces of their grunkles, who had just entered the kitchen to see what all the commotion was.

Everyone froze in a mosaic of horror.

Water dripped from Stan and Ford’s glasses and the tips of their noses.

Dipper’s mouth flapped helplessly.

Mabel extricated herself from the mess, and the broom clattered against the linoleum.

At last Soos coughed.

“Sorry dudes.”

Stan examined the chaos, and snorted.

“We leave you knuckleheads alone for just a little while…”

“Dare I ask what... this is?”  Ford prodded gingerly with the tip of his blaster at the twisted blackened mess on top of the stove, which resembled something out of a horror movie.

“We were trying to make celebratory burrito pies,” Mabel said, standing up.  “...It didn’t work as well as we thought it would.”

“Obviously.”

She flushed, and looked at her feet.  Ford felt his heart twinge a little.

“Who wants Chinese?” Stan asked, heading for the phone. “I’m gonna order takeout.”

****

Ten minutes later

Working together, they were able to finish cleaning up the mess just before the delivery guy got there with their food.  Then they gathered together in the living room to eat.

The only real chair was the yellow armchair, which of course Stan claimed for himself, with Dipper and Mabel perching on each of the arms.

Mabel was startled when Ford came over to her side, where the dinosaur skull was, and asked softly, “...Is this seat taken?”

Part of her wanted to say that yes, it was for either Soos or Wendy.  The fact that he’d called her relationship with Dipper suffocating, and taken it for granted that she’d be fine with having her brother unexpectedly taken away from her without even discussing it with her or their parents first, still stung.

But the nervousness in his eyes, and the fact that he was probably trying to be apologetic in his own way, were enough to make her shrug and say, “Nope.”

Ford smiled, perching on the skull with his carton of Chinese food.

Stan pulled the remote control out from between the cushions, and flipped the television on, going through a few channels before settling on some mindless game show.

And for the first time in days, things in the Pines household were comparatively peaceful.

********

There are more details that need to be dealt with, of course, but at least for now they just want to enjoy some quality time together without anger or tension or resentment or excessive hurt. Since the rift has been taken care of, Ford finds it easier to relax with his family without worrying about Bill disturbing them again. He begins watching Stan's tours more, making his brother growl that he's gonna start charging him for admission. But he doesn't seem too serious about it. Ford retorts by complaining about the silliness of some of the exhibits-the names alone are ridiculous. I mean, a Cornicorn? Really? Stan gives an understanding nod, and says that ohh, of course, he should give them more serious, scientific names, like the plaidypus, or beard cubs, or the leprecorn. Ford blushes sheepishly, and stops complaining about the quality of the exhibits.

He also tries to make things up with Mabel by letting her paint a turkey on his hand, and telling her about some of his adventures in other dimensions. He apologizes to both twins for hurting them and trying to split them up before they were ready for it, and he and Dipper agree to maybe talk about the apprenticeship again when he's at least had a chance to graduate high school.

By the time of the twins' birthday, things are relaxed enough for Stan and Ford to work together to plan a surprise party for them in the yard. And when the kids go home the next day, Stan's a little nervous about getting kicked out despite everything, and wonders if he should've taken them up on their offer after all, but when Ford makes no effort to make him leave or close down his business, he allows a little bit of his newfound optimism to stay.

If Bill had any hair, he’d probably be tearing it out by the roots, but nobody cares what he feels.

[inktheblot]

uhhhh a rough timeline of some post-finale headcanons under the cut???

Fall 2012

The Stan o’ War II embarks

Melody moves to Gravity Falls to work with Soos

Pacifica starts public school for the first time and is Utterly Baffled By Everything

Fiddleford reworks the Manor to fit his taste (and to be more welcoming), he tidies himself up and trims his beard but not so much that he loses his character in the process

Dipper & Mabel go from being complete outcasts at school to being seen as kinda mysterious and cool after rumors spread of what happened during their bizarre summer (they’re still not “popular” by any means though)

Also they totally know how to fuck a bully up now

Winter ‘12-’13

Many a video call breaches the airwaves between both pairs of Pines Twins & their loved ones

Stan & Ford have quite a few important conversations, some deep (relationships, experiences, identities) and some not-so-deep (puns, food, sibling banter)

As one might expect, Ford documents anomalies; Stan hunts “money & babes!”

Stanley teaches himself ukulele, drives Ford bonkers

Dipper gets glasses (squarish like Stan’s)

No one is concerned about the supposed 12/21/12 apocalypse because the end of the world already happened and they kicked its butt

Spring 2013

Much of the same as above

Stan & Ford visit Glass Shard Beach

They take a seat on their old swingset for the Nostalgia but it immediately breaks under their weight and its age; they lie stunned on the sand for a moment before dissolving into emotional laughter

Stan gets an anchor tattoo on his right bicep; Ford gets the Big Dipper intersected by a shooting star on his upper left back

Summer 2013

Everyone reunites! Dipper & Mabel come back up to Gravity Falls from Piedmont and Stan & Ford return from sea, lots of tears and hugs ensue

Stan & Ford get to port a few days earlier than planned and surprise their kiddos at the bus stop…again the tears and hugs are a Big Thing

Since the Shack now belongs to Soos & his family, Fiddleford invites Stan & Ford to live in the Manor (aka “the Shed”) with open arms

It’s strange to all of them at first but…good things happen I promise

Stan & Ford celebrate their first birthday together in 45-odd years, surrounded by family and friends and home

Ford returns to his old piano hobby

The first hints of Ford & Fiddleford rekindling a romantic partnership begin to show

Fall 2013

Dipper & Mabel start high school

Ford’s studies turn him to the practice of witchcraft as an art, a science, a hobby, and a faith all at once

After spending an afternoon at the lake and finding the fortune-teller’s ring wash up beside him, the stone shining blue once again, he rethinks a lot of his old views on magic

Some might argue over the validity of science vs. magic, but Ford’s view is that magic is a science and being a witch doesn’t make him any less of a scientist—just the opposite, rather

Stan & Ford find a straggly stray cat during an evening walk in the woods and can’t resist taking the weird, bitter little guy in; they name him Pinecone

Winter ‘13-’14

Everyone gets to spend the holidays together for the first time

Mabel showers everyone with sweaters, naturally

Soos & Melody are engaged

Ford forges an amulet for himself, a gold pendant (pocket watch?) in the form of the Zodiac wheel, worn on a chain over his heart to keep the energy of the bonds of his loved ones with him always

The center of the circle is, rather than Bill’s image, an upside-down black triangle silhouette, to signify victory over their demons

Spring 2014

Pacifica moves in with Fiddleford and the others in the Manor officially (she knows who her real family is now)

Wendy & co. graduate high school

Summer 2014

From here on, the younger Pines Twins stay in Gravity Falls permanently (idk man I just never got the sense that their parents were that great or that they would ever see any other place as their real home)

Soos & Melody are married and play up the “Mr. & Mrs. Mystery” shtick as much as damn well possible

*insert Proud Dad Stan tears here*

Fall 2014

Wendy, Robbie, & Tambry opt not to leave town for college

Wendy has a heavy hand in her father’s business and is tutored by Ford & Fiddleford on the side

Robbie & Tambry attend community college classes nearby but honestly they’re more focused on being Gross with each other

Mabel & Pacifica begin officially dating after many a sleepover

Winter ‘14-’15

Ford & Mabel have a number of conversations about identity and coming out; this branches to their brothers before too long as well

Ford begins to feel comfortable labeling himself as genderqueer

Mabel gets glasses (ovalish, purple frames & pink-tinted lenses)

Ford & Fiddleford are engaged

Spring 2015

I…actually don’t have anything here lmao

Summer 2015

Mabel has a natural talent for witchy things as well and becomes interested in being Ford’s apprentice (oh the irony), but it’s more like they’re teaching each other

Enchanted sweaters, the color & symbol of each reflecting the charm it bears

Also lots of dreamcatchers

Dipper & Mabel’s Sweet 16!!

Fall 2015

Ford & Fiddleford are married just as the seasons change

They both have double/two-finger rings

Winter ‘15-’16

The next generation of Mystery Twins are born, Soos & Melody’s first children, daughters Serena and (of course) Stanley Pines Ramirez

They have a number more children in the future (7 was Soos’ goal after all) but they’re all adopted from here on out because Emotional Backstory Reasons (and because Mel never wants to push a kid out of her again as long as she lives)

[nenoname]

it's kinda petty but i'm glad the new stuff we've got further reinforced ford not using nicknames and mostly calling stan 'stanley' because i never liked the hc of ford calling him 'lee'

like there's the whole added meaning to their regular nicknames where a huge part of stanley's identity is intertwined to being part of a set because he feels like he's nothing by himself so he keeps the part of the name they both share vs stanford feeling suffocated by everyone in his childhood seeing him as a twin and less of an individual so he uses the part that belongs to him alone

and idk i feel like there's more of an oomph to ford being one of the few who calls stan by his full first name that he hasn't used in decades

also i always liked the similarity of stan and bill both being nicknamers but still coming up with different ones (eg poindexter+goody nerd-shoes vs iq+brainiac) which makes bill stealing the 'sixer' nickname stand out even more