HAT: Sorry that it didn't come out yesterday- I did say hopefully and I was right to do so since we went to stay the weekend at a house with a nice TV, DVR, and no internet. Basically, that's why none of the stories got updated until today. *hides behind Stan* I'm sorry.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gravity Falls because if I did: 'Ford would have that couch be a pullout bed and I'd show him sleeping before last night's episode (he was just so adorable!). Anyway... I just own the plot and... I have OCs in this one, right? Yeah, and the OCs.
"S _u _o-k?" Stanford asks, tapping on his thinning brother's arm- he's lost a surprising amount of weight in the time that they've been there- after he froze.
For the past week they've been like this with Stanford keeping the earplugs in and Stanley keeping the blindfold on. They'd gotten communicating down to a science when it comes to situations that seem dire, but so far nothing dire has happened. Stanford had practiced whispering and talking like normal so now it's a whole lot better than before. Now he starts out at a whisper and then adjusts his voice to be sure it doesn't become too loud for his brother or attract anything dangerous in here.
"Thought I heard something, look around," Stanley replies quickly with one hand while mouthing the words to help his twin understand.
Stanford immediately looks around them and when he sees nothing he taps, "H-e-a-r _n-e _t-h-n-g?"
A few seconds pass before he shakes his head and signs, "No, not anymore. Keep an eye out anyway."
"O-k."
Half an hour of walking and they sit by the water and drink. Neither will admit how long it's been since they've eaten- a week and two days for Stanford and a week and four days for Stanley- and they're getting desperate for food, but not so desperate that they'll eat each other... yet.
Stanford leans too forward and falls into the water completely, going unnoticed by Stanley until he resurfaces and sputters out the water. The water- true to it's nature so far- absorbed all of the noise.
"Are you okay? What happened?" Stanley signs.
"I _f-e-l-l _i-n _t-h-e _w-a-t-e-r," Stanford taps while pounding his boot to get water out of his pants.
"'Ford, where are you?" Stanley asks frantically.
Stanford frowns in confusion. "I-m _r-i-g-h-t _n-e-x-t _t-o _y-o-u."
Stanley's signing gets desperate and clumsy. "Stop playing!... That's it, I'm taking it off-"
Stanford grabs his brother's wrist with unnecessary force and growls under his breath. "The blindfold stays on."
"What the hell, Stanford?! I couldn't hear you at all! What kind of stupid game are you playing?" Stanley signs furiously with an angry downturn of his lips.
"I wasn't playing," Stanford insists and pinches the bridge of his nose with a heavy sigh. "From what I can gather, this water has special sound absorbing properties... that could be useful..."
Stanley sighs. "You're gonna test the water aren't you?"
"Of course I am... now I'm curious if it works on our voices- we don't talk for quite some time after we drink the water."
"Fine, do what you want." Stanley signs and then runs a hand through his hair. "We should be focusing on finding food since- y'know- the only edible things we have are each other."
Stanford sighs, realizing that they can't afford to stop and have him experiment when they barely haven't eaten in a week. "You're right."
Soon the both of them are walking with Stanley holding a drenched shoulder. For several minute's all is quiet and then Stanley hears something akin to hooves on rock. At first he brushes it off as an illusion like with the ever-present whispering of voices, but then it happens again and he stops again.
"Hooves sound... that could mean food," Stanley signs. "Look around for a deer or something."
Stanford does just that and then sees something at the water's edge quite a distance. He turns and furiously taps his brother's arm, "I-m _g-o-n-n-a _s-n-e-a-k _u-p _o-n _i-t _s-t-a-y _h-e-r-e."
Only when he gets a nod does Stanford turn take out his ear plugs and stuff them into his trouser pockets and round about the animal. He pulls out the knife and gets the blade ready. Suddenly he's glad he fell in the water because the animal can't hear him. He can only hope his surprise attack will be enough because he doesn't know if he's strong enough to take on a full grown mammal.
As he gets closer the animal gets... smaller. He frowns in confusion, but decides that if it's smaller, it's easier to catch. By the time he's close enough to make his move the deer is about the size of a full-grown Golden Retriever. He leaps forward and stabs the knife into the throat as he and the animal go down when suddenly so many eyes are right in front of him in the deer's head. He lets out a cry of alarm and leaps back in fright.
For several minutes he sits there watching the multi-eyed animal bleed to death, but he's focused on the eyes. Seven... seven eyes watching him- accusing him- as the animal dies. He lets out a hysterical laugh and runs a hand through his hair. It's only when he hears footsteps that he remembers that he isn't alone and that his brother is still there. He takes the knife out and washes it in the water before placing it back in his inside jacket pocket and then picks up the rather heavy animal and goes back to where he left his brother.
"I'm here," he says when he's near and sets the deer on the ground.
"You don't have the earbuds in," Stanley deadpans, noting how his brother doesn't start at a whisper like he normally does with the earbuds in.
"I had to make sure I wasn't the only one hunting it," Stanford replies.
Several seconds later as Stanford's contemplating how to skin the small, multi-eyed deer, Stanley jars his thought process by asking, "What happened over there?"
Panic seizes his entire body and he immediately remembers the moment that all those eyes turned to look back at him.
"Nothing," he lies, trying to get his brother to drop the subject.
Luckily Stanley knows when to leave well enough alone and doesn't prod his brother on the subject anymore. "Fine, but put in the earplugs now."
Stanford complies with his brother's request and then continues to work on their meal.
This place is getting to us. We need to get outta here as soon as possible, Stanley thinks, remembering the hysterical laughter. Stanford saw something, but he wasn't going to say anything. It's only fair- Stanley supposes- since he's keeping the whispers to himself.
HAT: Sorry it's so short, I just wanted to take this chapter to put in a few more twists.
'Ford: Like the fact that the animals here use optical illusions to make themselves seem bigger than they already are and the water absorbing noise?
HAT: Yeah, like that.
Stan: You do realize that's probably not what goes on in that dimension... right?
HAT: I know, but I'm making it up as I go- it's gonna be fine.
Stan: You say that now, but I know you and I know you're gonna put us through a lot of crap.
HAT: This entire AU puts you two through a lotta crap!
'Ford: And you decided to write on it.
HAT: ... Okay, yeah... could you say it and I can go get ready for the day?
Stan'Ford (just because): Review, everyone *receives look form HAT*- uh- please!
