For those who read the first story you already know that Ford doesn't like showing PDA, and Bill loves it (somewhat just to annoy Ford). In this chapter Bill will attempt again only for Ford to show his disapproval. :)
Also in the first story Bill developed a friendly relationship with Wendy's friends save Tambry and Robbie. That friendship will be included here in this chapter as well.
There are a few minor spoilers for Journal 3 in this chapter.
Thank you to Energy witch, TheConManAndTheGhost, Blind-Eyephone, Kawaiicake22, Guest, Catgirl PA, ImpossibleJedi4, Ella Le Hissy, Nom, Firefox, and Invader Ash for your reviews on the first chapter.
True to his word, Soos let Wendy clock out at two thirty. Another ten minutes and she along with Bill and Ford were ready for their trip into town. At first she was displeased that Ford invited himself along. Not that she minded Stanford's company, but she was certain her friends would not be as willing to his inclusion.
Wendy sent a text to the group informing them that she would meet them there. In addition she added that Bill would be accompanying her, which filled her friends with excitement, then she added her boss' brother was too to which some of the enthusiasm died.
The three piled into Ford and Stan's shared car. Within seven minutes they arrived at the flea market that was due to last until the end of summer. With both Wendy's crew and the younger twins fond of the place Bill figured he would spend a good amount of time at the market over the summer.
Wendy rushed over to the group who waited for her by the front tent. She high-fived with Lee and Nate. She then hugged Robbie which earned her the evil eye from Tambry who glanced up from her phone to glare at the two.
"Cipherbomb!" Lee cheered when he caught sight of the blond.
Lee, Nate, and Thompson all fist bumped with Bill. With his arm still around Wendy, Robbie inched himself and his girlfriend out of Bill's reach.
"I haven't seen you in forever," Nate said to Bill.
"Yeah, man, where've you been?" Lee asked.
"Oh, around," Bill answered with a laugh.
With Wendy and Robbie leading the way, Bill and the other teenagers followed closely. Ford brought up the rear. Bill stopped to see his boyfriend trailing behind. Lee made a joke about having to wait up for the old man that the others laughed about and Ford pretended not to hear.
Bill skipped up to Ford and took hold of his hand. Ford glanced over at the younger crowd then looked back at Bill, slipping his hand away. Bill heavily sighed then opted to simply walk beside his boyfriend.
Once Ford was out of earshot Lee asked, "So, Wendy, why'd you bring the old nark?"
"Yeah, now if we want something we have to pay for it," Robbie groaned.
"You get like a hundred dollars a week in allowance," said Wendy.
"Not like that cheapo ever wanted to spend a dime of his own money," Tambry commented from behind her phone. She updated another status about being in the presence of an anonymous cheapskate.
Wendy rolled her eyes. "I didn't. Bill invited him."
Bill went to put his arm around Ford's shoulder when the latter stopped him. With a sigh Bill opted to walk alongside his boyfriend. The others formed around the older couple.
They walked through a few stalls, the teens indulging in the free samples, yet never intending on buying the product.
A plump woman approached Bill with a fierce blush. She held out a tray of homemade peanut cookies. Bill selected the one in the center then offered the woman a wink that made her cover her face with the tray. Seven of the cookies fell into the gravel. She shrieked and her sister approached already scolding her behavior.
"Shameless," Ford commented.
"Oh, are you jealous?" Bill asked and pinched Ford's cheek.
Ford swatted Bill's hand away. "Be serious, Bill."
Nonetheless Bill chuckled. He took Ford's hand in his then leaned his cheek against Ford's shoulder. Ford sighed, yet the sight of his boyfriend happy allowed him to forget nearby eyes would stare for longer than necessary.
Aside from Wendy, the teenagers stared in Bill and Ford's direction. Even Robbie glanced over his shoulder to scowl at the behavior of the older couple. Wendy nudged him in the ribs which returned his gaze to her. With a grin Robbie pulled the girl closer.
As they passed by a stand for homemade candles Thompson's phone chimed. He fidgeted with the device, and unaware of his friends staring he texted the mysterious person back. The teen looked up to see the others smirking at him.
"I-uh...I'm...I'm gonna-I'll meet up with you later," Thompson said and started off.
"What's the rush, dude?" Lee asked and grabbed the other boy's wrist.
Sweat poured down the brunet's face. "I...I got something-something to do. Now." He yanked himself free from his friend's hold. "I'll be back later."
"Way to be obvious," Wendy commented.
Thompson nervously chuckled then hurried off. He checked three times to make sure the others weren't following. To be on the safe side he picked up his pace.
"What's all that about?" Bill asked.
"Thompson's meeting some girl," Lee revealed. "Don't know why he's so scared to let us meet her."
"You really wonder that?" Nate asked.
Lee pretended not to hear him.
"Still hard to believe someone's interested in Thompson," said Robbie.
Wendy smacked her boyfriend in the chest with the back of her hand.
"Maybe he doesn't want her to feel overwhelmed," Ford offered.
The teenagers glared at Ford, not wanting to hear whatever advice he felt the need to share.
The group decided to let the topic pass. Once Ford was away from their social circle they would tease Thompson until he finally confessed about his mystery date. While Lee and Robbie wanted to spy on their friend, the others kept them away from ruining a possible chance for love.
The younger members of the group walked up ahead, while Ford and Bill slowed. Wendy was too enthralled with whatever Robbie said to even notice the distance gap.
"So, uh, why did you come along again?" Bill asked. He snuggled closer to his boyfriend then grinned at the slight blush on the human's face. "You know they think you're just a goody two shoes, right?"
"I'm well aware. They view me as a parent, someone to ruin their fun," said Ford.
"Maybe you should tell 'em how many dimensions you're wanted in," Bill jested.
"Or that I let a criminal demon into our dimension," Ford said with a smirk.
"Touche, Sixer," Bill replied with a laugh. He ruffled the taller man's gray hair. "Don't let anyone tell ya you don't have a quick mouth." He poked Ford's cheek. "But that's just another thing I like about you."
"Don't flatter me, Cipher," Ford said and pushed Bill's hand from his face.
They passed by a vendor selling books on the supernatural. Bill watched Ford's interest spike. As he had recently returned to researching anomalies, it wouldn't hurt to see what other experts in the field had to say.
Ford looked over at Bill who silently nodded in agreement. Bill called to the others in that he and Ford were stopping to take a peek. The male teens waved at Bill as he and Ford parted from their group. The youths continued on down to a stall that offered free samples of fruit smoothies.
Wendy glanced over to where Bill became excited over something he saw at the stall and jumped while Ford simply shook his head. Bill put his hand on Ford's shoulder and whatever he said was thrown out at a near shrill tone, and a quick speed.
"Okay. Question," said Robbie as he picked up a four ounce cup of strawberry banana smoothie. "Are they like dating?"
"Eww," Tambry stated. "He's super old."
"Oh definitely," Wendy replied. She accepted a raspberry peach smoothie sample. "And Bill likes to be vocal about it." She saw the others with mix of emotions. "And to be clear, Bill is much older than you think."
"Yes! Told you!" Nate cheered. He held out his hand to the sulking Lee. "Pay up."
Wendy shook her head. "You were betting if my co-worker and my boss' brother were dating?" she asked, not actually surprised. After all they did tend to make bets on the strangest of subjects.
Frowning Lee reached into his pocket then slapped the money in his friend's open hand. Lee then smacked the baseball cap off of Nate's head.
"Really, dude?" Nate complained. "No need to be a sore loser."
Meanwhile Ford flipped through a few books. There were several recordings of people who have encountered weird beings in several places of the world. Seeing all the various haunted places in the United States filled Ford with an urge to travel and investigate. He glanced over at Bill and figured the once demon would jump at the chance to see the country.
"Sixer! This is it!" Bill exclaimed while jumping. He picked up a book on hauntings in the southern United States and held it at Ford's face. "You can write a book on everything you've discovered."
Ford took the book from his overly excited lover. With a smile he handed the item back to the vendor.
"Hear me out, Fordsy, your inventions are failures, but if you published what you wrote in your journal, you can make a fortune," said Bill.
"Bill, you know that's not an option," Ford replied.
"Well, what if you published it as fiction?" Bill suggested.
The author glared at his boyfriend. "I'm a scientist, Bill, not a creative writer."
"Well, what if you published under a pen name," Bill suggested.
Ford halted. For a second he considered what the other man suggested. He did have three plus journals full of information. If he wrote his own adventures with each creature and anomaly in chapter form, it could sell. The money saved in his account would likely be depleted by the end of the year and he outright refused the option of relying on the money Stan made from the shack to support both him and Bill.
In a way it is what he wanted. Even if it wasn't the prestigious journal he hoped would change the course of the world, it was still his research. Besides after forty years he no longer held a grudge against the college that refused him entry-odds are they had long forgotten him. The revenge fantasies of showing up at functions to greet those who rejected him, only for them to realize their mistake would forever be lived out in his mind.
That idea vanished when he came across the stack to the right of the table. The front cover showed the water tower of their current town. He flipped the book over to read that the text inside contained stories surrounding the mysteries of Gravity Falls. The author's name sounded familiar, Ford was certain he met him sometime during his stay in the town.
Ford clenched the spine hard enough to bend it. The salesman parted his lips to speak, but the glare from the customer's profile silenced any words he could have muttered.
"Well, there can always be two," Bill suggested. He picked up the book and flipped through it. Accounts of gnomes, large vampire bats, and even the hide-behind were covered in under two hundred pages.
Ford snatched the partially damaged book from Bill's fingers then placed it back on the stack. He said a quick, curt farewell to the vendor then turned to make his leave. Bill tried to protest, but Ford's large hand found its way to the center of Bill's back and Ford led him away from the small shop.
Bill hurried back to purchase the book, but the salesman offered it to him for free. Bill flashed him a smile then hurried over to where Ford slowly put distance between himself and the book vendor.
"Sixer, there can be two," Bill repeated. He stopped in front of his boyfriend. "There are plenty of books that cover the same topics." Bill showed the table of contents. "There's plenty more you know that isn't even covered here." One hand clamped the book while the other gently gripped Ford's shoulder. "Besides, these are only legends, you've seen the real thing."
Ford shook his head. "No," he said. His frown formed into a smile. "Actually I am relieved." He glanced back over at the vendor who spoke to a new group of potential buyers. "The things I know are too dangerous. I wouldn't want anyone to come here expecting to see the creatures that nearly killed me."
"But this is what you wanted," Bill argued. He gripped Ford's jacket. "I used to live in your thoughts, Sixer. I know it. You wanted the world to see your findings. You wanted to be published, be renowned."
"That was a stupid dream," Ford retorted. "My obsession cost heavy tolls for my loved ones." As much of a blow as it was to his pride, Ford knew he made the right decision.
Besides, his blood boiled at the fact that someone else had already beat him to publisher. He wished he had taken Fiddleford's advice and published that thesis his friend and once assistant wrote for him. The young man he was, the one who wanted revenge on all those who wronged him attacked him for letting someone else take his glory.
No, it was just his youthful pride nagging again. Sure he had to sacrifice his dreams and years of hard work, but it was for the best.
He shook his head. "No, I'm happy he published first. I don't want anyone else to know. It's better this way," said Ford.
Bill frowned. He parted from Ford and crossed his arms. "So you don't think everyone else like you want to know what you discovered?" Bill asked.
"No, I don't," Ford answered harsher and louder than he intended. He pretended not to feel the stares of bystanders on him. Ford's hand brushed over the outline of the journal inside his coat pocket. As much as he loathed her, he understood why Alicia Remington chucked her life's work into the fireplace. "I'll never give anyone else a chance to repeat my mistake."
Three seconds of silence filled the air.
"You mean me?" Bill questioned.
Ford's heart jumped at the words that leaped off of his boyfriend's tongue. He looked up to see gold eyes glaring at him.
"Bill, I didn't mean-" Ford began.
"Your mistake," Bill interrupted. "Me and the portal. I am your biggest regret, correct?"
"Bill, I didn't say...you're putting words in my mouth," Ford argued.
"You didn't have to," Bill snapped. Tiny fists balled and Bill stood firmly before Ford. "Tell me the truth, Stanford, do you wish you never summoned me? We never met?"
Ford was silenced. It was true-Bill had put his family in unnecessary danger. In that absence of speech Bill received his answer.
"I see," Bill said.
He turned and nearly bumped into Wendy. The teenager steadied herself then looked from Bill to Ford.
"Is everything okay?" Wendy asked, eyeing both men, having heard the raised voices.
"Tell me, Red," Bill said with his gaze on the ground. Gold eyes stared into her green ones. "Do you wish we never met? That I never came to your town?"
The girl stepped back. Once she regained her ability to speak she replied, "No offense, Bill, you're cool now, but...well, you caused a lot of grief."
Bill grinned with a nod. "At least someone's honest," he said with a quick glimpse at Ford. He then pushed by the two and ignored the rest of the party who called for his return.
"Bill," Ford called as he hurried after his boyfriend, leaving a speechless Wendy behind.
Oh, boy. Another misunderstanding. It's only chapter two and I'm already throwing in the drama. Whatever will Ford do to fix this one?
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.