Another weird little idea that might be better in theory than in practice, but what the heck, I'm gonna try it out on you folks anyway and hope for the best.
"Flippin' through the movies, doodly-doo, lookin' for somethin' good to watch, doodly-doo…"
Stan Pines thumbed lazily through the pile of movies he'd scrounged up for the evening, singing to himself under his breath. It was a habit he knew annoyed the heck out of Ford, but he was still in the kitchen getting snacks with the kids, so he could get away with it a little longer.
And then a title finally caught his interest, and he put it into the player, quickly using the remote to skip through the previews to the name of the film appearing on the screen in ominous letters.
Just then Dipper entered the living room, and saw it too. Out of the corner of his eye, Stan saw the boy freeze up, and his hand twitch nervously.
"Um, Grunkle Stan," he said softly, "you might not want to pick this one."
Stan turned so he was looking at him full-on, gave him a quizzical stare. "Why not?"
Dipper struggled for a moment for the right words, before asking, "Have you ever watched Jumanji before?"
"Nope, but I know what happens. Some dumb kids play with a board game that turns out to be magical." As Mabel and Ford entered the living room, bearing popcorn and drinks, he accepted a Pitt and his own bowl. "Doesn't sound like anything to worry about. Besides, it's PG-you little gremlins are old enough for that, right?"
The kids rolled their eyes at him and made themselves comfortable against his legs, while Ford sat down in the chair next to Stan.
"I've actually visited a dimension with something like that," he began, before Stan shushed him because something interesting was finally happening.
This might have been a mistake.
It wasn't too bad at first; sure, the main kid's problems with bullies and his father brought back a few bad memories, but Stan thought he was handling it okay.
Then the boy and his father got in a fight, the argument ending with the boy saying that he was never talking to him again. The front door slammed, and for a second a different door was floating in front of him and he was on the sidewalk in front of the pawnshop-but then he tightened his grip on the soda can in his hand, grounding him back in reality.
Deep breath, Stan. Deep breath. Everything's fine.
Nobody seemed to have noticed, so he focused his attention back on the movie.
When the kids started playing the game, Ford's stomach started churning. Especially when he heard the stupid little rhyme: "In the jungle you must wait/Till the dice read five or eight." And then he saw the consequences of the boy's roll.
"Stanley! Help me!"
Floating up up up out of all control into the hellhole he'd built no no NO
"SHE JUST LET HIM GO?!"
Ford jumped almost a foot in the air at his brother's enraged exclamation, jerked out of the horrid memory at once. He whipped his head around to see Stanley pointing an accusing finger at the screen, still ranting, oblivious to the alarmed looks the rest of his family were giving him. "She didn't even try to grab him, she just watched him get sucked in-didn't she care about him at all?!"
"Stanley." Ford managed to reach over and grab his arm. "Hey, ssh, it's okay."
His twin blinked a few times, and then lowered his hand. "Sorry."
"...Do you want us to turn it off?" Mabel asked, twisting around and reaching for the remote-but Stan brought his hand down on it hard, pulling it out of reach.
"I'm fine."
I'm not, Ford thought, but he couldn't get the words out. He just squeezed Stan's arm once before releasing it. And both children gave them slightly worried looks, but turned back to the screen.
The movie got a little better again, until the boy-a man now, played by Robin Williams (Ford had not been very invested in the world of film in the years pre-portal, but Fiddleford had enjoyed them, and he'd been a big fan of the comedian), returned to this world to find out that everything he'd known and loved was gone.
Ford felt a lump rising in his throat, and his vision started to blur; it took him a few rapid blinks to clear it, and he discreetly wiped his eyes on his sweater sleeve. And then he heard a loud sniffle-coming from right next to him, instead of from him.
Ford glanced over at his brother, and blinked in surprise. As bad as he probably looked, Stan was a mess. I mean, he was being quiet about it, but his eyes were running like a faucet, and his shoulders and mouth trembled with pent-up emotion.
Ford cleared his throat, but still sounded hoarse when he whispered, "Stanley, let's just watch something else."
"You don't have to watch if it's bugging you," Stan growled, voice sounding even gruffer than usual.
Ford decided it was time to pull the 'authoritative older twin' card. "Stanley-"
"I'm not gonna spend the rest of my life avoiding everything that gives me bad memories!" Stan snarled, whirling to glare at him through angry, tearful eyes. "I do that, I'll never do anything again!"
For a moment, despite the show still playing, the room felt hushed, as everyone (even Waddles, who was lying next to Mabel) turned to stare at him. He glared defiantly back. Then, quick as a wink, Ford grabbed the remote-and hit the pause button.
"Ford!" Stan lunged for the remote, but Ford held it out of reach.
"There's no shame in at least taking a break from the thing that gives you bad memories!" he said quickly.
Stan lowered his arms after a second, and began to rub his face on a corner of his undershirt before Dipper preemptively pushed some tissues into his hand. Mabel, looking far less than her usual exuberant self, climbed up into her grunkle's lap, hugging him around the middle. After a hesitant moment, since he probably thought they were both teenagers now and maybe getting a little old/big to do this, Dipper followed suit except with Ford.
After a few minutes of just being comforted by their niece and nephew, Stan looked over at Ford.
"Sorry, I shoulda thought about what this is like for you. You wanna watch something else?"
Ford was tempted to say yes...but finally shook his head.
"No, you're right. It's not healthy to just avoid triggering things, because that will make them all the worse when they do show up."
Stan wiped his eyes again. "Whatever, smarty-pants." Since neither kid seemed inclined to move, he just picked up the remote again and hit play.
Quite a few moments still stung-namely the part where Robin Williams found out his careless action had cost his former friend his job at the shoe factory (Ford had to squeeze Stan's shoulder during most of the scene), and even the happy ending where father and son were able to reconcile their differences (because both older Pines twins knew such things were not as simple in real life). By the end when the game washed up on an obscure shore, they were almost out of tissues, and Stan was sure he and Ford looked like they'd just been at a funeral (and possibly the kids looked a little like that too). But even though he felt raw inside from all the old pain and hurt that had been dredged up, he also felt oddly cleansed. And a little triumphant inside for not letting his memories control his decision to watch this thing. Of course, he couldn't say he'd enjoyed the movie, exactly...but he told himself stubbornly that it had been worth it.
"Next time," Ford said aloud, "I get to pick the movie." He pulled off his tear-stained glasses and began cleaning them on his sweater.
"...Yeah, that's fair," Stan agreed.
If only Ford had thought to look into the actual plot of Secondhand Lions...
I realize that this approach to dealing with bad memories might not necessarily be the most healthy option for everyone. But it seems to me that Stan would be too stubborn to try anything else, and besides, it's like a kind of exposure therapy.
Also, if you haven't seen the original Jumanji (the new one is kind of funny, but I didn't like it as much, sorry) or Secondhand Lions (with Michael Caine, Robert Duvall and Haley Joel Osmont), you are a poor, deprived person who should.
Well, hope you enjoyed the emotional upheaval I cooked up.