HappyHolidayeveryone! Enjoy a little soft holiday special taking place in the Beast of Gravity Falls au!
Bring tissues
Comments are always appreciated
Enjoy
On a beautiful clear winter day, Stanford was trotting through the woods, making his way along the cliffs that surrounded the valley of Gravity Falls. A huge layer of snow covered everything in white, making his own brown feathers stand out amongst the scenery. A huge brown mass moving silently through the threes.
Today, he was alone outside, looking for one of the journals he had lost nearly four years ago. He hoped that the seasonal scenery would help trigger his memory and he would be able to remember which part of the cliffs he had been exploring when he had lost them.
Unfortunately, even if he was in the right season, nothing came back to him. It all looked the same.
He sighed and glanced at the clear blue sky above him… Only for snow to fall on his face.
Yelping in surprise, he took a few steps back away from the cliffs and cleaned his face with one of his paws. Once the snow had been removed, he looked up and glared. A low growl coming up his throat.
If the gnomes think they are being clever!
His growl was cut short when he noticed something dangling from the cliffs. It was too big to belong to a gnome, even their queen, and it's colours were off. All brown and green as opposed to the red and blue commonly associated with the little mens.
The form yelped and more snow fell down, Stanford sidestepped out of the way. With his enhanced vision, he could clearly see that it was a woman literally hanging for her life. She threatened to fall at any moment if nothing was done.
"Help! Somebody help me! Anybody!"
The griffin started to panic. What could he do? Run for help? No, people were most likely to start to run at him, with pitchforks if he wasn't lucky. He snarled and started to pace. What could he do, what could he do! He caught sight of his shadow and stopped mid-stepped.
He stared at the huge blue shape resting on the white snow. More precisely, he stared at the flat spot on his back where his wings were resting against his sides. He rolled his head and growled.
He looked back at the women up the cliff. She wasn't too high, but still high enough that she would hurt herself. He will have to use them to reach her.
Bracing himself, he carefully unfolded his wings and tested them. He could feel all the muscles, he was now used to them moving on his back, stretching and extending as he opened them. He crouched low to the ground, with his wings now closed and jumped.
As soon as he was airborne, Stanford flapped his wings. He felt the strong muscles on his chest pull down his wings, moving him upward toward the women. His stiff flight feathers pushed the air, lifting him higher and higher. Instinctively, his front paws moved closer to his chest and his hind leg raised with his long tail, giving him a more slim and streamlined shape. The tail feathers he had just behind his hind legs opened like a vail and helped him steer. He quickly passed the treetops.
His flight was sloppy, what with his limbs getting tired and the fact that he hadn't flown much. Maybe if he practiced more he would become quite the flyer… he shook his head. Now was not the time to think about those things, the cliff was coming in fast… too fast!
He yelped as he crashed into the side of the cliff, just below the lady. He scrambled, kept flapping his wings and dug his claws into the hard rock wall to stabilize himself.
"What the..?" A feminine voice came above him. "Who are yo-AAAH!"
She lost her grip and fell. She quickly passed him. Stanford didn't think; he acted.
He pushed himself away from the cliff, closed his wings to gain speed and followed the women down.
As soon as he was closed enough, Ford grabbed the young woman with his front paw. He grunted, he had never flown with a load before. He opened his wings and felt the wind pushed against his feathers. He felt as if his wings would be torn off. He quickly readjusted his position, strengthened his body and dived toward the ground.
He gained speed and just before he could reach the treetops, he shifted his wings and flew straightforward. He spotted a small clearing and steered toward it.
As he was coming closer, Stanford realized that he was coming in too fast to execute a proper landing, especially with a cargo. He slowed down and dropped the women once he was closed enough to the ground. He looked behind to make sure she was alright. She seemed frazzled but in one piece. He sighed in relief and turned around.
He barely missed the tree and crashed in the bushes next to it.
I need to learn how to land, he thought bitterly as the world kept spinning around him. He was sprawled uncoordinated on his back in a snowbank. He closed his eyes and wished everything would stop moving.
"Oh my gosh! Are you all right?" A voice near him said.
Ford groaned and slowly opened his eyes.
A round shape was standing just above him. It was mostly brown but had a clear spot surrounded by something pinkish shouldering it. He blinked a couple of times and the upside down face of a young ginger woman with blue eyes came into focus. He turned his head until she was right side up and stared.
She had shoulder length straight dark strawberry blonde hair. The woman was wearing a brown coat and had a red scarf around her neck. She wore a bright green sweater with plant patterns all over and blue jeans. Her boots were grey and had some sort of skin sewed to the ankles. The word druid came to Stanford when he looked at her.
She smiled and extended a hand toward him.
It took Stanford a moment before he realized what was happening. He panicked, scrambled to his feet, stepping on one of his wings in the process, and backed away from her.
Why isn't she afraid! Plus I shouldn't be seen!
He quickly turned with the intention to run back to the house.
"Wait!" She shouted.
Despite his better judgement, he stopped mid-stride, one of his paws hanging in the air. He glanced over his shoulder warily.
"You just saved my life… You should be rewarded!" She pulled out a satchel Stanford hadn't realized she had. She searched in her bag for a moment before shouting triumphantly. "Here you can have this!"
His curiosity peaked, Stanford fully turned around and cautiously stepped back to her.
The woman was holding what appeared to be a small flower pot with an even smaller sprout in the middle. Ford looked closely and tilted his head. He didn't recognize that plant.
"It's a special small Ivy plant." She explained. "It's not much, but somehow I think it suits you." She gave him a bright smile and held the pot close to his face.
Ford frowned and looked at the women and the plant alternatively.
That's a nice thought but how does she expect me to carry this?
"Anna!" Another female voice echoed through the woods. "Anna, where are you?"
The woman turned her head. "Over here! Ria, I'm here!"
Another woman, with short ginger hair wearing a winter hat came into view and ran towards them. A huge dark brown coat floated behind her with a leather satchel and she wore a grey turtleneck. He could spot the pommel of a sword poking out of her left shoulder. Her pants were a marine blue and her boots had steel toes. She resembled a ranger from his DDnD game if Ford ever saw one, all that was missing was a quiver and a bow.
Stanford observed them both. They seemed to be close in age.
"Oh thank goodness! I thought ya'd fallen off the cliff." She was out of breath and hung her head between her shoulders for a moment. She raised her head, adjusted her own satchel and rested her hands on her hips before looking directly at Stanford. "Now, what do we have here?"
"This gentle fellow saved me from the cliff and I'm rewarding him with this ivy plant." Anna explained proudly.
The other woman, Ria Ford remembered, crossed her arms over her chest and stared at them. She wasn't fazed by Ford's presence whatsoever and simply raised an eyebrow. "And how's he supposed to carry it?"
Anna's eyes widened at the realization. "I hadn't thought of that."
"Course ya didn't, that's why you're still training and I'm the witch." She said as she searched her satchel until she found a small golden tread. She handed it to Anna. "Here, tie this around his neck and it should do the trick."
Anna took the tread and neatly tied it around the pot before stepping toward Stanford. "Could you please lower your head?" She asked politely.
Ford obeyed while trying to process what was happening. Those women were witches and weren't questioning who or what he was. Well, since they were witches he probably wasn't the weirdest thing they ever saw. What surprised him the most was the familiarity and easynes they were talking to him. They didn't see him as a monster.
Can they see my soul?
He didn't have time to process that possibility before Anna tugged at the now fastened tread around his neck. "There this should hold on tight until you get back to your home."
The two women turned around and started to walk away, going deeper into the woods. Before completely disappearing out of his sight, Anna turned around one last time. "Oh! The plant will bloom in about ten days and a flower should blossom for a day or two after that! Thought you'd want to know." She waved before vanishing behind the threes.
It took Stanford a moment for his brain to catch up to what had just happened. He scrambled to his paws and ran to where he had last seen them but when he turned the corner of the three they were gone. No traces of them whatsoever. If it wasn't for the small pot hanging around his neck, he wouldn't have believed he ever met someone.
Disappointed, he turned around and headed back to his home, his present dangling around his neck.
In ten days it'll bloom? I could give it to Stan as a Hanukkah present.
Contended, the griffin trotted through the woods.
Once he got home, Ford went to the basement to hide his little plant. He didn't know if he would move it later but it would stay there for the time being. After placing the plant in a corner where his brother rarely went and putting some boxes before completely conceiving it, he went back to the surface to the back porch and waited for his twin's return, curled up into a ball watching as snowflakes started to fall gracefully from the sky.
"Well it's official! I'm on holiday break for the next three weeks!" Stan exclaimed one night. "No more essays, reports and studies to hand out. Nope! Just sleep for me, sir."
Stanford huffed in amusement and chirped with his twin.
This means they were going to spend the next few days together and have a somewhat normal holiday celebration together. Nothing much but they had both agreed to take it easy for the next week or so and enjoy some holiday seasonal activities. At least, any activity Ford could participate in near the house. Although, ice fishing wasn't completely out of the picture since Gravity Falls lake was pretty much deserted this time of the year.
Ford was excited to give the little pot to Stan once it would have bloomed and he suspected his twin had also found something for him that he would enjoy.
Needless to say, both brothers planned on relaxing and having some small holiday celebration for just the two of them.
Ten days later
Ford woke up cold which was unusual, since for the past two years, he hadn't experienced any feeling of cold.
His feather coat had always kept him warm all year long, especially during the winter seasons. One of the few perks of being turned into a huge owl-griffin, the cold never bothered him anymore. Even when the temperature dropped near zero degrees, he didn't feel a thing, just as most days.
This morning, somehow, Stanford did feel cold. He sighed.
Odd… Maybe I left a window open?
Stanford grumbled and was surprised how it wasn't as deep as he was used to. He curled tightly on himself but instead of finding a coat of feathers, he was met with something smooth and featherless. He frowned inwardly.
What is going on?
Ford tried to test his limbs to make sure that everything was alright but when he tried to roll his wings shoulders he couldn't. His normal shoulders rolled but there weren't any more muscles and limbs attached to it. He concentrated on his tail next but couldn't feel the vertebrates that extended at the end of his spine.
What is happening?
He opened his eyes and blinked a couple of times, trying to get the world around him into focus. The sun wasn't even up but the sky seemed to be clearing up. He could vaguely see a lighter blue peeking out of his window. Which was odd, he should be able to see clearly what was surrounding him. Instead all he managed to see were fuzzy dark shapes and a lighter distorted one where his paws should be.
He scowled and brought the appendages closer to his face to have a better look. It was only a few inches from his eyes when he managed to see clearly what it was.
His eyes opened wide in bewilderment.
Staring back at him wasn't a huge clawed furry paw but a six fingered human hand with normal fingers and pink nails.
Entranced, Stanford turned his hand over and marveled at the sight. He clenched it and wiggled his fingers, excitement growing in his chest.
He could feel a smile tugging up on his lips, actual human lips. His eyes became watery and a wet laugh escaped him. He cupped his hand over his mouth, running his tongue over round human teeth, and tried to calm down, scrunching his eyes and letting tears stream down his face.
Let not this be a dream.
His breathing had started to come quicker as the realization of what happened to him sunk in.
He was human, by some miracle he was human again.
He curled tighter on himself, hugging his sides with his arms and sobbed happily on the floor for a few minutes before composing himself enough to stand on two legs.
Two wobbly human legs that managed to get him up the stairs to his twin's room.
For his first school holiday break in years, Stanley Pines expected to be able to have a lazy morning and wake up near noon.
But apparently the world had other plans.
Stan was sleeping peacefully, snoring loudly and sprawled hazardously on his bed with his covers only resting on his ankles when something jumped on his bed and pulled him up tightly.
"What… What's happening!" Stan stirred awake, his fist already up, he had been apprehended too many times when he was homeless, old habits die hard. He blinked a couple of times when he realized that the person on him wasn't restraining him but only giving him a very strong hug.
He froze. This was definitely a person hugging him. He felt arms wrapped around him and hands clutching the back of his head. Stan heard soft sobs coming from the person's face, which was hidden in his chest where wet spots were forming. A soft tuft of brown hair was brushing his chin. Yes, that was a human hugging him.
That's impossible, everything is locked. There's only me and Ford in the house and Ford is…
Stan gulped and gently pried the person away from him to get a better look at it's face.
"Stan… Stanford?" He whispered as he got a good look at the person in front of him.
He couldn't believe it. He must have been dreaming.
Staring back at him was a face similar to his but with red rimmed eyes and tears and smiling broadly at him. Brown curly hair encircled his features, if it wasn't for the fact that it was slightly longer than Stan's at the moment, it was a perfect copy of his face. The only difference is that he had a cleft chin.
Staring back at him was his brother. His human brother.
Stanford laughed. It was deep and uncertain but it was the most beautiful sound Stan could ever hope to hear. He lunged forward and hugged his brother tightly. His twin returned the hug immediately.
They broke apart a few minutes later.
"Ford.. How..? What? How are ya human?" Stan managed to get out before his throat completely closed up and he felt a lump form in it. He blinked the wetness that threatened to stream on his face quickly from the corner of his eyes.
Ford shrugged and smiled. "I-I don't kn-know. I-I woke u-up like th-this." He stuttered. The words came out slowly and awkwardly from his mouth.
I guess going from grunts and hoots to words and sentences must be difficult.
"There must've be something ya did recently that resulted in…" Stan motioned to his twin's whole appearance. "This."
Stanford frowned and thought for a moment. Staring blankly in front of him. Stan chuckled.
He's still thinking like an owl.
Stan let him sort his thoughts out and admire his brother's form sitting in front of him. His hair was long, almost looking like a mane resting over his shoulders. He looked a bit thin, maybe giving him a meal every few days wasn't a good idea, but not underweight. Ford was bare chested and shivering a little. Stanley frowned, glanced downward and immediately looked away. His cheeks are already turning pink.
Sweet Moses.
He turned back to his brother and opened his mouth to say something but before any sound could escape his lips, Stanford jumped off the bed and started to stride out of the room.
"The-the plant! The-the flower! A-a few da-day ago a wo-woman gave it to-to me!" His brother started to ramble to himself.
Stan shook his head, speaking might not come easily to him but rambling sure came back fast. Before he could pass the door's threshold, he called out to him.
"Stanford!" His brother turned his head toward him, an inquiring look on his face. Stan chuckled. "Put on some clothes first."
Ford glanced downward and his cheeks turned tomato red in an instant.
After both twins got dressed, two years of not wearing any clothes Ford found them a tad restraining, they walked down to the basement.
Stan laughed when his brother went up to the back door and opened it.
"Hey, Big Bird, you fit in the elevator now." Stan teased.
Ford hunched his shoulders for a moment before closing the door and walking back to his twin. His cheeks turned red.
"I-I didn't think ab-about that." He said while following Stan to the stairs leading to the basement. He pouted and glanced sideways at his brother. "I-I am no lon-longer a bird, St-Stanley."
Stan just smiled and rested a hand over Ford's shoulder. "Physically no, but I get the feeling you and your big brain hadn't caught up to that yet." He answered while poking Ford on the forehead making him go cross eyed.
His twin waved his hand away and adjusted the pair of glasses still intact they had been lucky to find and keep two years ago. It was a good thing too that some of his old clothes were still around and that they still fit him. Although, they did seem to be a bit tight around his shoulders but they will have to do it for the time being. It looked like even in bird shape, Stanford had grown a bit. Until they figured out why this happened, they were good enough.
They were now waiting in the elevator, both of them standing up. Stan couldn't help but marvel at the fact that his twin was human again. It was something he thought he wouldn't see for a long time. He felt a bit sad. He was back in school to help him but if his problem was already fixed, what was the point? What would happen to him? Would Ford want him to stick around or would he have to leave?
His worry must have shown on his face, because Stanford looked worriedly at him. "Is-is something o-on your mi-mind?"
Stan rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah… Hum… if you are cured, where does that leave me?" He looked down at his feet, he felt defeated. "What are my efforts worth?"
Stanford made a little whining noise with his throat before stepping closer to his twin, resting his head on his shoulders. "I-I don't want yo-you to leave, if tha-that what's your won-wondering. Be-being apart for to-to long." He raised his head and smiled sadly at Stan. "Be-beside, I do-don't think thi-this is a per-permanent thing."
Stanley raised an eyebrow. "How so?" He asked while they reached the bottom floor.
The door opened and Stanford stepped outside the elevator. He strode directly to a darker corner of the basement, as if he knew what he was looking for. He crouched down, moved some boxes and stood back up with a little potted plant in his hands that had a golden thread around it's vase. He presented the start to Stan who carefully took it in his hands.
The plant looked like the hanging type, Stan wasn't sure which one precisely, he was studying biology but not plants at the moment. It seemed in pretty good shape, considering it was in a basement with poor lighting. It's leaves were all green and in good health overall. It had even sprouted a flower. A single bloom with five golden petals in the middle of the leaves. Stan arched an eyebrow.
"I ain't no expert but… that's an unusual color for a flower, isn't it?"
Ford nodded. "I-I got it a coup-couple of days ago. As a-a reward for sa-saving someone."
"You saved someone?" He said with a hint of doubt in his voice.
He nodded enthusiastically. "She-she was hanging off a-a cliff, she fell-fell and I cau-caught her. Thi-this is for than-thanking me." He motioned to the plant. He frowned for a moment before his whole face illuminated. "She sa-said it wou-would bloom in te-ten days and the flo-flower would last a da-day or two afterward. She ad-added that it-it was a special Iv-ivy plant."
Stan arched an eyebrow. "Special how?"
Stanford motioned to his body with an excited smile. " I-I think this plant is why I-I am like this. It mu-must be magical. She-she seemed to be a wit-witch."
"So ya took in a flower from a strange witch because she said so?"
The ex-griffin blinked just as the owl he used to look like, confused. "It wa-was a gift. You do-don't turn down one. And sh-she tied it to-to my neck." He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I-I thought I'd give it to yo-you once it bloo-bloomed."
"A day or two..?"
Stan stared at the plant between his hands. It was a lovely sight, that's for sure but he didn't know what to do with it. Well, he did have some idea where to start with it. He turned around and started to walk to the counter where some of Ford's equipment had been salvaged after his whole incident. Before he could get too far, a warm hand tentatively grabbed his shirt and gently pulled. He turned to see Ford looking worriedly at him.
"What's the matter, Sixer?" He asked.
"Wh-what do you pl-plan on doing?" Ford said slowly and pointed to the plant with his chin. He let go of his shirt and played with his fingers.
Stanley raised an eyebrow. "Run some tests on it. This plant could help in finding a permanent cure for your… um, situation. You said it'll bloom for two days tops. I guess it's safe to assume that's how long you're gonna stay like this." He stared at his brother who avoided his gaze. "You don't want to run tests?" He whispered.
Stanford looked down and deflated. His head hung low between his shoulders. His arms were limp by his sides. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes tightly, but Stan could still see something shining in the corner of them behind Ford's longer than usual bangs. He inhaled sharply before locking eyes with Stan.
Stan's heart could have shattered in that moment.
"I-I don't know… if-if I want to waste ti-time… down he-here running te-tests." He said between shaky breaths. "I-I know it could be a-a… a huge step for-forward to help me-me… but if-if it's only for two…"
Ford didn't finish his sentence before his legs gave way and he fell to the ground. He covered his face with his hands and sobbed loudly. His cries echoing one the walls around them.
Stanley rushed back to him, placed the plant on the ground and brought his brother into a tight hug. Ford didn't waste time and burrowed into his chest, getting his clean shirt all wet again but Stan didn't care. It's just stuff, it can always be changed and cleaned. He cupped the back of Stanford's head into his own and gently stroked his long brown hair; they did have the foresight of tying them into a ponytail for the time being. Stan also rubbed circles into his distressed brother's back to soothe him. The only thing he could do until his brother calmed down.
After a few minutes, Ford's breath became more steady and he managed to extract himself from Stan's chest without being pried out of it. He rubbed the heel of his hands into his eyes, removing any remaining traces of tears on his face. He sniffed a couple of times before taking a deep breath.
"I-I'm okay. I'm okay fo-for now." He said quietly. He blinked and looked at Stan. "I-I don't want to st-stay cooped up in-in the house. If-if I have only two da-days as a human, I wa-want to spend them wi-with you. Out there." He looked down embarrassed by his confession. "It-it's stupid" He added barely above a whisper.
Stan sighed. "It's not stupid if it's what you want to do." He grabbed the plant in one hand and helped his brother up with the other.
It's not what he would have hoped to do but if his brother wanted to enjoy this… this gift that had been given by some sort of kind soul who was he to stop them. He will not look a gifted horse, or ivy plant, in the teeth or fern.
They both walked to the closest counter where Stanley rested the plant before herding his brother back to the elevator.
"It's okay if you don't want to spend the day in here or around the house." Stan reassured him. "Will you still stick around for breakfast at least?" He teased with a mischievous grin.
Ford raised his head with a hopeful smile on his lips. "Do yo-you think i could ha-have coffee?"
Stanley laughed and ruffled his hair. "Anything ya want Stanford. Anything ya want."
Turns out all Stanford wanted was a warm cup of coffee and some bland toast. Chewing and savoring each as slowly as he could, ignoring the confused look Stanley was giving him for his poor choice of breakfast.
"Ya could have had anything, I could've cooked you anything with what we have and you choose coffee and toast?" He said with grand dramaticity. "My cooking is not that bad, is it?" Stan added with just a hint of worry in his voice.
Ford just laughed and smiled reassuringly at him. "Fa-far from it. I just re-really didn't want anything to-too strong for a fi-first real breakfast af-after two years on red meat on-only." He explained while looking at his cup of coffee. "I mis-missed coffee so mu-much."
Stan patted his shoulder. "I bet ya did."
They ate the rest of their breakfast in silence. Happy to only be in the presence of each other. It had been so long since the last time they did something as such.
Stanford recalled that it was probably when they were in high school, in their senior year since they sat at the same table. And even at that time, it wasn't everyday. They both had obligations and other stuff to think about or do. He missed it. He hadn't realized how much he missed it until he was in college alone, at least until his roommate and him became friends. But even then, it wasn't the same.
Ford smiled as he stared at his brother, his gaze slowly moving to his scarred arm. The electrocution scars are still pretty red, even after two years. He cleared his throat to get his twin's attention. Stan raised his head from his bowl of cereal and frowned quizzically at him.
"I want to say, I-I'm sorry. For everything." He said. He pointed to his right arm with his chin. "I-I know you don't ho-hold it against me but I still want to sa-say it, now that I ha-have a voice."
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and looked straight at Stan.
I hope I don't stutter.
"I'm sorry about your arm. I'm sorry I closed the curtain on you… That night. I'm sorry for all you have been put through. You didn't deserve it. A-And I'm sorry it took us this incident to finally talk to one an-another." Stanford grunted and slammed his fist on the table.
So close… I almost didn't stutter…
He crossed his arms on the table and rested his head on them, pouting shamelessly and glaring at the empty dirty plates in front of him. Even if he didn't have his wings anymore, he could still feel the phantom limbs on his back. He knew they weren't there anymore but he still imagined them tightening around his back and his head. It gave him comfort.
Stanford jumped when he felt Stan's hand on his shoulder. He glanced at him and blinked. He was used to his brother patting or petting him but somehow in this form, it felt different. He wasn't sure why.
"Okay, I… I'm not really sure I deserve any of this…" He started. Ford opened his mouth to protest but Stan kept going, cutting him off. "But I'll take it. If you only have two days to talk, I won't waste it arguing with you." He smiled.
It reassured Ford. His twin was humoring him and it felt good. A warm feeling crept up in his chest and a soft rumbling noise came shortly after. Stanford didn't bother to stop it. Stanley just laughed.
"Sounds like ya can still purr, Big Bird. You're sure you're all turned?" His brother teased as he stood up to the sink with their dirty dishes.
Stanford waved him away chuckling, before glancing sideways at Stan. "Yo-you don't mind it-it? Do-do you?" He asked worriedly.
Stan raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? You've been purring for the past four years and now it should be weird?" He laughed.
Ford chuckled. "Ev-even without fe-feathers?"
His brother stared at him. Not moving a muscle, only looking at him for a while before moving his chair forward and seizing his hand. Ford froze at the contact, unsure of what to do. It didn't have physical contact like this for so long, he didn't know how to react. So he didn't move and let his twin go on.
Stanley took a deep breath. "Stanford, I want you to listen and I want you to listen carefully." Ford nodded. "What you went through, what you are still going through, is very traumatic. I'm surprised you aren't more freaked out. But there is nothing wrong with you. I'll still be there for you. Wherever we go, we go together."
For the second time that morning, the ex-griffin found himself choked by his emotion. Part of his brain wanted to whine but he lacked the vocal cords to do so. His throat had tightened up and he could feel his eyes filling up with tears. He bit his bottom lips and fought hard to keep the tears from streaming down.
He must've made a strangled noise because Stan grabbed his shoulder and brought him into his arms. Stanford reciprocated the embrace and buried his head in his twin's shirt, not retaining his tears anymore. He was safe, his brother was here and everything was alright.
After some time, he managed to get control of his emotions and broke the hug. He looked at Stanley with a grateful smile.
"Tha-thank you." He whispered. "For everything."
"Anytime Sixer. Anytime." Stan stood up, grabbed their dirty dishes and brought them to the counter to clean them. Not even turning around, he asked "So what do ya wanna do for the next two days? Wanna freak the town's people and pretend we're just one person?"
Stanford chuckled. It sounded fun but something else caught his attention in the small pile of letters. A small advertising pamphlet from the town over. He examined it and read it's short description before answering his brother.
"I have so-something else in mi-mind."
And so they packed Stan's car shortly after and drove to the next town over.
That town didn't have anything special. It was barely bigger than Gravity Falls and as far as the twins were concerned, devoid of anything supernatural. But it was where Stanford had wanted to go and Stan wasn't going to argue with him.
They had two days of winter fun ahead of them and in the thirty minutes it took them to pack, Stanford had already created a tight schedule of activities for them to do.
The drive there was quiet and relaxed. Stanford had his face stuck to the passenger window and was naming everything his eyes landed on in alphabetical order. It was endearing and made Stan laugh and jumped into the game soon enough they were at the gate of the town next door.
This town had nothing in common with Gravity Falls. It wasn't a sleepy lumber town but still a pretty active town nonetheless. It was bigger but didn't have skyscrapers, the highest building Stan spotted was five story high. This town seemed to be a pit stop for most truckers passing through here and offered a lot of what looked to be comfortable and affordable motels rooms and restaurants. Definitely a step up from anything Stan had ever lived in but not too much of a luxury for them to feel out of place.
They settled on a motel just on the outskirts of town. A simple room with a bathroom and two twin beds. The whole place wasn't brand new but nothing was leaking and the wall paper was holding up. At least it was clean and free of bugs.
"Bet it's better than the pseudo nest of blanket ya built in your room." Stan teased as Ford sat happily on one of the beds to claim it as his own. The comment earned Stan a pillow to the face in retaliation.
They dropped their small luggage and set out to explore the town and crossed out some of the activities Stanford had planned. Now that his brother had two legs he wanted to walk anywhere they would take him, no matter the distance.
They stumbled upon a small playground with swings and promised to stop by later. The day was still early and there was much to be done. Stan hoped two days would be enough to get through Ford's now expanding list of things he wanted to do.
Their first stop was at a simple coffee shop called Sal's Brewerie. It offered all sorts of drinks and pastries. Apparently it was a coffee shop in the day, but after hours is when they brought the beers brewed here out. Stanford made a point of honor to order the most expensive coffee they had to offer. It was some sort of Candy Cane mocha blend with whipped cream and cookie sprinkles on top, apparently very festive at the moment. Stan settled for an ordinary two shots with a little bit of caramel drops in it, he'll leave the more festive stuff to his brother. He did purchase a bottle of their homemade local beer,
"You can't say no to the good stuff, Sixer!" He claimed with a proud smile.
Stan still had to stop his brother from ordering more than one, but did promise to come back for another one the next day. The shop did make some good coffee.
Their next stop was an outside ice and snow sculpture competition. Stanford jumped from one creation to the other, marveling at the designs, colours reflecting in some of them and ingenuity in the choice of subject. Stan wouldn't have thought Ford would be so much into that but it did put a bright smile on his face, and a smile that was hard to get off. Everything excited him.
They took a short break to get themselves a nice warm meal at a food truck parked near the exhibit. It wasn't anything special, it was a small sandwich truck but according to the featherless nerd, it was the damn best thing he had eaten in a while. Stan had to admit that it wasn't half bad, his turkey, bacon and salad was pretty good. Ford opted for a simple chicken sandwich and ate it quick, making Stan wonder if he had forgotten to chew before eating.
They talked for a while and after their lunch, Stanford completely abandoned his list and they both decided to just wander the streets and stopped anytime they saw something of interest.
So they wandered downtown for the rest of the day. Stopping at some antique shops, Stan did find a blue bow tie he insisted Ford should wear. His brother happily obliged and kept it on. His eyes might have got a tad misty in the process but neither of them commented on it. They didn't need nor have to.
They kept walking and talking for the rest of the day. Their cheeks turned bright red from the cold temperature but they didn't care. They would enter a small shop from time to time to warm up and check the local craftsmanship. Stanford marveled at a fresh baked chocolate croissant and Stan didn't have the heart to say no.
"If it's all it takes ta make ya happy, I'll buy the whole shop!" Stan laughed and settled on buying half a dozen.
That had been the first time they spent the whole day together and were having normal conversations. As normal as a conversation between a freshmen biologist and a twelve time PhD could be. It was still a lot of fun and the sort of thing Stan never thought he would be discussing with his brother.
As the time passed, their stomach started to grumble again and they set out on a metaphorical hunt for some food. Neither of them had anything particular in mind, Ford just wanted to eat anything that was cooked and not raw.
They settled on a family diner that offered a variety of meals and yet Stanford settled for some traditional spaghetti with meatballs and some root beer. Stan ordered the burger of the day, a cheeseburger with extra bacon and side of fries. Granted even his own meal had nothing extraordinary but it didn't matter because he was sharing it with his brother.
Both brothers stayed until closing hours, discussing, laughing and ordering soft drinks. They had a good time, something neither of them ever thought of having with the order if nothing had changed the years prior to their reunion. It saddened both of them, but they were happy those dark times were behind them.
Stanley and Stanford stumbled their way back to the motel. They weren't drunk but Ford had overestimated his capacity to walk all day. His legs were tired from everything they had done, even if it was mostly walking around a colourful and festive town. Neither of them cared and managed to get back to their room in one piece.
They placed their new purchases in the little kitchen and changed into their evening attire. Stan had his practically trademark tank top and boxers and they had found one of Ford's plaid pajamas in the boxes they stored in the attic, where the rest of Ford's belongings was relegated. It's not as if his feathered form needed them.
Stanford seemed uncertain about the bed at first. Testing it, and turning over it until he thought he found a comfortable position, only to move again a few seconds later. He wasn't used to sleeping without being curled on himself and wrapped in all his limbs. Ford did manage to find a position in which he felt safe and comfortable. As soon as his eyes were closed and his head rested on the pillows, sleep overtook him and he seeped into peaceful dreams.
Stan had observed him from his bed, an endearing smile on his face. Only once he was sure his brother would not wake up did he too seeped into his own bed and closed his eyes, a smile still present on his face.
As soon as he woke up, Stanford knew his time was running out. He could feel a low pressure at the back of his head and some of his joints were starting to throb. If he concentrated enough, he could feel his smallest bones slowly shift and realign the way they had been two days ago.
I wish I had more time…
He sighed and closed his eyes, swallowing a sob. His time might be running out but he still had time. Yesterday had been wonderful, even if all they ended up doing was walking around, talking and the occasional shopping.
It was simple but great. He hadn't realized how he would miss the mundane activities he could do as a human after being turned into a griffin for two years.
He stayed in bed for some time, staring at his hands and listening to his brother's snores. This was nothing he hadn't done before, even in griffin form he would stare at his paws for a while, fascinated by the process that had turned him and how much it had weakened his dexterity. The five inches claws and pads that had replaced his nails and the palm of his hands… they had been foreign at first but he had soon realized they were now part of him. Was he missing them?
As he concentrated on the regions of his body that were throbbing the most, he realized he could subdue the effect and slow down the process of transforming back. He just had to concentrate and keep smiling up the appearance with his brother. Easy.
He sighed and spotted a single feather on his hand and managed to make it disappear without a trace.
Ford took a shuddering breath.
Those emotions and conflicted thoughts were haunting him and it was too early to think about those. He was glad to have a normal day and dare he say it…. Holiday with his twin. He shook his head to chase them away, a habit he still had from his more feathered form.
He could do this! He could hold the changes at bay and spend time with his brother as if nothing was wrong!
Today, he still had six blurry human fingers even if he could feel the tips of them becoming stiff and sore again. As if a million ants were crawling under his skin. He clenched his hands and curled tighter on himself. The sensations soon faded away. He would not let this ruin it for him and Stanley.
I still have time! I'll make the best of it.
His mind made up, he shoved the sheet away and stood up, putting his glasses on and his hands resting on his hips. He glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table between their beds. It was barely over 8 o'clock. He nodded and decided they had enough sleep and needed to head out if they wanted to make the best of this day.
He shuffled to his sleeping twin and reached a hand toward his shoulder. He stopped a few inches away, staring at the scar on Stan's arms. He had apologized countless times but every time he saw them, his heart would clench.
Stan hadn't deserved this… nor any hardship that he had stumbled upon after being kicked out of the household. A whine escaped involuntarily his lips and his brother stirred in his sleep before opening one tired eye at Stanford who gave him a lopsided smile.
"Come on Stanley! It's time to start the day… I've waited enough already." He said cheerfully as he started to remove his pajamas to put on some clean clothes for the day.
His twin grumbled and hid his head under his pillow before reluctantly extracting himself from the bed. He shot him a stink eye, calling him an early bird no matter his form as he lumped toward the bathroom. Ford just laughed, there was no spite in his words.
As his brother got cleaned up in the bathroom, Stanford stared at the bow tie Stan had bought for him the day prior. He passed a thumb over the seams and smiled before passing it around his neck. This was too beautiful a gift not to wear.
He was smiling proudly at the distorted reflection the tv was giving him when Stan got out of the bathroom fully dressed. They left shortly after, not bothering to make their beds.
That morning Stan brought him to an old bookstore. He had spotted it the day before but didn't walk near it in their exploration of the town. Ford ecstatic and paced the isles three times before he even found some books that interested him. After an hour of searching, he settled on four books for himself and Stan bought two. His brother got one adventure book and one his teacher had apparently suggested. Stanford settled on a mythology, two adventure books and one about astrophysics.
After their first shopping they went to a small coffee shop for breakfast. This time, the feathered nerd went all out and ordered a complete breakfast with a great cup of coffee. It startled Stan at first but he brushed his worries away.
"I think my stomach is strong enough to eat anything now." Ford reassured him with a bright smile before stuffing a mouthful of eggs. He managed to hide a grunt of discomfort as he felt one tooth sharpening against his tongue.
They wandered for a while before Stanford caught the aroma of something sweet baking in the air. He hadn't realized how truly bad his sense of smell had turned until he could really smell anything.
His nose guided him to a small part of town where the road had been blocked off to allow little handcraft shops to sell their goods to anyone around. Stanford had caught a whiff of some freshly ground cocoa beans by an old lady who also sold hand crafted tea mixtes to enjoy. They bought small samples of each, Stan even suggested diluting some of the more fruity mixes for him, when he would be covered in feathers again.
"It's not going to be for some time, I know it!" He laughed as he rubbed the back of his neck where he felt his hair turned into small feathers under his fingers.
He shuddered for a moment and blamed it on the cold weather. Stan still worried about it and they stopped next at a knitting stand. They bought assorted hats, a blue navy one for Ford and a burgundy one for Stan, both with the same snowflakes designs. The feathered nerd also took a pair of warm mittens for his hands, six fingered gloves weren't really a common thing.
It was a good thing too, he could feel the crawling sensation of his nails growing sharper and tougher. His brother didn't see anything and Ford made it a point of honor to hide his discomfort. Even as it was growing by the hours.
By lunch time, Ford was pretty certain most of his hair had reverted into feathers but he was lucky they were eating outside so he kept his hat on, hiding his shift. He had felt his hair stand on end and tickle for a brief moment before everything settled. It made his heart clenched but he kept his smile as bright as ever.
He couldn't bring himself to tell Stan the truth. Knowing his twin, he would take him back to the motel and shove him in the car and head back to Gravity Falls as fast as his car would go.
Stanford didn't want that. As much as he knew it was the right thing to do, he still wanted to spend as much time as he could in this little town with his brother enjoying all the little things it had to offer. Ford would just have to hold on for a while, he could do it.
"What should we do next?" He said while guiding Stan away from the bench they had just sat where he was certain to have dropped a few feathers.
Swallowing his nervousness and burying his worries deep down he kept tagging along his brother, following him like a baby chick all afternoon.
When they got back to their motel after another long day of activities, Stanford felt drained. His limbs were sore and numb, even throbbing in some places. He sensed that his time was up.
He had averted the inevitable for far too long.
His brother excused himself in the bathroom and left Stanford alone for a moment.
Ford brought one of his hands hidden under the hand knit piece of clothing to his face, it was shaking even if he wasn't cold. He closed his eyes and clenched it before releasing it.
I can't hide it anymore…
His body had restrained the changes all day and was exhausted. He had reached his limits.
Ford's hand dropped to his where they tickled, as if thousands ants were running on them, stiffened for a moment and he heard a soft Whoosh before everything settled down. He closed his eyes for a moment to collect himself. He knew his hands weren't normal anymore.
He sighed and rested his glasses on the bedside table before he exited the room and headed for the small swing set in the park next to their room. He knew his brother would join him soon once he figured he wasn't inside anymore.
He wobbled on unsteady legs, his knees shaking as the bones changed sizes and bent back the way they were a few days ago. He could feel his boots and mittens getting too cramped. He reached the swing and sat down, his hands holding the ropes tightly to steady himself.
Stanford knew it would end as such. The woman had said to him that the flower would only bloom for a day or two. Part of him wished it would last longer, but his more rational side told him otherwise. His heart clenched inside his slowly expanding thorax.
He was sad that it was over but also… He had enjoyed those two days spent with his brother. Talking at normal level without any tiles or scribbles, eating all sorts of things that weren't just raw and interacting with strangers and discussing all sorts of silly things. He closed his eyes and smiled. He would cherish those days and keep them alive as long as he lived.
He heard the sound of footsteps coming closer as his brother took a seat on the swing next to him.
Both brothers stayed silent for a while until Stan cleared his throat and started to swing slightly.
"You okay, Sixer?" He asked. "You… You left the room without your glasses… I thought we were just making a quick stop before heading out again."
Stanford looked up at the night sky. The stars were glowing brightly and most constellations were visible. He spotted the Big Dipper, Orion, Gemini, Cassiopeia and many more. It was a beautiful evening and not a cloud was present.
"Did you know that if you follow the northern star, you'll be able to head back toward Gravity Falls. Even if you are in the middle of the woods." Ford said quietly, not taking his eyes off the stars.
He sensed Stan in the corner of his eyes shifting his weight on his swing and glancing up at the sky before giving him a quizzical look.
"What's that? Y'a want us to wander in the woods tonight?" He tried to laugh but it died down quickly. He frowned and stared seriously at Stanford. "What's that about?"
Ford sniffed before turning to look at him.
"Thank you, Stanley… For sticking with me and… Going along with my silly demands, but… I don't think I'll be able to go to the restaurant," he managed to get out before his throat closed up.
Stanford closed his eyes and tried to will the tears away, but they started to stream down his face. Two warm strikes against his cold cheeks. He made no movements to stop them, instead his hands clutched the rope of the swing even harder. He felt his newly formed claws dig into his palms through his mittens.
Beside him Stan was silent, observing his brother warily. "Stanford, you're scaring me. What's going on?" He asked quietly.
Ford opened his eyes and gave him a sad smile before removing his mittens showing him his hands. They had doubled in size, were covered with feathers and had claws at their extremities.
Stan gasped and brought a hand to his mouth, his own eyes becoming misty.
"Stanford…" he whispered.
"I ran out of time." Ford sobbed, a sad smile still on his lips.
He removed the winter hat he was wearing, showing his hair now turned into feathers. Stanford stood up and gave Stan the hat. His twin took it and passed his thumbs over the seams. He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw.
"You were happy all day long… you knew, of course you did… Why didn't you say anything? We could have gone home sooner and… and…" Stan pleaded.
Stanford just raised a hand to silence him. He kept on smiling and crouched in front of his twin to rest his own hand over Stan's and squeezed them gently.
"I didn't want to waste time going back home when I could have spent it with you having fun." He confessed.
Stan sniffed and blinked a couple of times trying to make his tears disappear. It didn't work and soon two fresh tracks went down his cheeks, mirroring the ones already present on Stanford's.
Abruptly, Stan surged to his feet and tugged him into a bone crushing hug, burying his face in Ford's shoulder. It took a second for the feathered nerd to realize what was happening and he soon responded with a hug of the same strength.
Stanford closed his eyes and tried to keep his breathing under control. Between the sobs and his shoulders shaking, he could feel his bones shifting rapidly and some of his body hair reverting back into feathers. It felt as if a thousand ants were running over his skin. His joints popped as pressure was starting to build up.
The two grown men stayed put for some time, until Ford broke the contact to look Stan in the eyes.
"Stanley, I-I don't know how much time I have left. I'll… Cut through the forest and head home." He said while letting his brother go and taking a few steps toward the woods. He could already feel the tears coming back. It was ending too soon.
"Wait, Stanford! You don't have to…"
"I'll meet you back at the house!" Stanford shouted before breaking into a frantic run toward the woods.
Stanley shouted something but he didn't hear it. His own ears were buzzing and everything was starting to feel wrong all around him.
He ran as fast as his throbbing legs would let him and never looked back. The cold winter air hit his cheeks and made his lungs scream in agony and yet, Stanford pushed on. He would go as far as his limbs would carry him.
The trees passed by him in a blurry mixture of dark brown and white. As he got deeper into the woods, so did the darkness of the night, and yet he could still see pretty well. He closed his eyes and kept running, sobbing and clenching his now throbbing teeth.
His feet caught into some roots, sending him toppling into the snow. It sent jolts of pain throughout his body and he stayed on the cold ground, sobbing loudly and hugging his sides.
"This is so not fair!" He yelled as he felt his teeth becoming sharper.
He forced himself to stand back on his feet and wobbled for a couple of steps before realizing he couldn't go on.
The clothes he was wearing began to be too cramped. He started to remove them before they could get torn to pieces by his now progressively rapid change.
He only had time to take his coat off when he collapsed on all fours, his spine cracking and expanding. His chest turned barrel shape and expanded with each breath he was taking. The feathers growing everywhere ripped through his shirt at the seams.
Stanford clutched the snow under his hands but he soon had to open them as they reshaped as paws. His palms bulged as pads formed and hardened to replace the soft skin. Soon enough, he wasn't able to bend his fingers and his thumbs settled next to his other digits. His nails got longer and reverted back to big dark claws. He had lost his dexterity.
He stiffened and let out a small yelp of surprise when his tail sprouted from his rear. A slim naked thing that whipped behind him. The newly formed nerves went haywire as the cold bit down on the freshly formed skin until a myriad of feathers covered it.
Soon after, it was the time for his back legs to shift. His knees stopped bending to a certain point and he felt his heels rise as his feet adopted a more digitigrade shape. But at this point… they weren't feet anymore, they were paws. He gasped as they burst out of his boots, ripping the material to shreds with their sharp claws and size. Brown feathers covered them and hid any residual traces of skin.
Ford bent his back as he felt the muscles and bones of his wings trying to get out. They bulged under his shirt until the poor thing ripped to shreds. Just as his tail, they were naked at first before the feathers sprouted and covered them. The two new appendages flapping uncoordinatedly as they try to fit on his ever expanding sides.
At this point, most of Stanford's clothes were shreds, unrecoverable pieces of ruined cloth scattered around him. It's not as if he needed them anymore. His feathers were covering him all over. He slumped on his side, defeated.
He wailed loudly and let his heart cry and bleed. His tears streaming profusely on his cheek, hot tracks that were soon covered by a layer of feathers. The last ones he knew he would shed for a while. Even his cries turned into whines as he lost his lips to a dark sharp beak. He sobbed and curled on himself as a cat would, hiding his face under his paws and wings.
Ford didn't feel the cold anymore, his feather coat keeping him warm and dry at the same time. He stayed on the forest floor for some time, until the last of his shudder quieted down.
After some time, Stanford found the strength to stand back on his feet, all four of them. He felt bigger and heavier, a sensation he was now used to. He checked the stars and once he got his bearings, headed toward Gravity falls, toward his home.
His head hung low between his shoulders and he dragged his feet. His special holiday was over… He was a griffin once more.
Despite his sadness at the fact that it was over, he couldn't bring himself to get mad or angry. This had been a gift given to him by a stranger and yes, it did have a bittersweet end to a somewhat enjoyable week-end but it's not as if he and his brother had anything planned to begin with. Or didn't know it would happen.
He was the one who insisted on not running any tests on the flower and just spent the days outside. He had no one to blame but himself. He sighed through his nostrils.
And yet…
When the images of the past few days passed before his eyes, his heart warmed up at the memories. It had been twelve years since he and Stanley had spent some quality time together. They hadn't done anything special but… In hindsight, it was still the best time Ford had experienced in a long long time.
As he walked through the forest, his paws became lighter and soft cooing noises came out of his throat. He raised his head and pressed forward.
After some time, the griffin managed to make his way to the clearing of his home in the dead of the night. His brother was sitting on the back porch with something between his hands. Stan raised his head when he got close enough and shot him a lopsided smile. He walked up to him and presented him the now withered ivy plant that had started it all.
The griffin stared at it for a moment as a realization dawned on him. One he himself had made a point to explain to his brother before this whole thing started.
"I'm sorry Sixer… You were right…" He said while presenting the pot to Stanford. He could hear how his throat was getting choked up. "I wish I could've given you more…"
Stanford grabbed the plant in his beak and tossed it aside before his twin could finish his sentence.
His brother stared at him, wide-eyed and his jaw slacked. He passed a hand over his eyes to remove the moisture that had formed and opened his mouth a couple of times before he could find his voice.
"I-I don't understand… I-I thought ya wanted…" He sighed and passed a hand in his hair. "What was the point?" He laughed nervously.
The griffin rolled his head and unfolded one of his wings to bring Stan closer to him. He tilted his head and butted his forehead against his brother's. He let a soft purr rolled up his throat and tightened his hold.
The point was to spend time with you knucklehead… not to be human…
Of course, Stanley didn't hear that but after being dragged into a fluffy hug from a bear size owl-griffin, he raised his arms and returned the awkward hug.
After some time, Stan started to shake against Ford's feathers. Worried, the griffin broke the embrace and stepped backward to look at his twin.
"Wrooo Hooo?" He hooted, tilting his head one way.
His brother raised his head and Stanford was met with his brother… laughing. A soft smile was plastered on his face. The griffin blinked a couple of times, he did not understand what was making his twin laugh.
When Stan saw the confused look on his face, his laugh just got louder. Ford felt his call raised but before he could growl warningly at him, his brother pointed a finger toward him and smiled.
"You're still wearing it. It-it didn't get damaged during your change."
Stanford tried to dip his head to look at his feathered chest but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. He raised a paw to his neck and tried to awkwardly search for what was making his twin laugh. He did manage to sense something that wasn't usually there. He frowned and pulled at it.
Stan grabbed his paw to stop him.
"It's the bow tie!" He exclaimed. "It's still tied to your neck."
The griffin froze. He thought all his clothes had turned to shreds when he reverted back. He glanced around him, searching for a reflective surface. He wanted to see this for himself.
His brother seemed to read his mind and strode to the car where he adjusted one of the mirrors. Stanford crept closer to him and glanced at his reflection. It wasn't the best way to look at him but it would suffice. His breath caught in his throat once he glimpsed at himself.
There, right under his chin, was the blue bow tie Stan had purchased for him on an impulse. It sat there amidst his feather coat, bright and undamaged by all that had happened. It even seemed bigger than he remembered but it might have been due to the fact that he was having a hard time focusing. His eyes were blurrier than he remembered.
In one movement, Stanford sidestepped away from the car and grabbed Stanley into a griffin hug with his front legs. His twin disappeared into his coat and Ford curled protectively around him. Deep purrs erupted from his throat and he sensed Stan returning the hug.
He was so happy the small gift his twin had given him was intact. He might not ever take it off from now on. This was just perfect.
"Happy Hanukkah Stanford." Stan whispered.
As an answer Ford held his brother tighter and purred louder. They stayed next to one another for a while before breaking apart and stepping into the house.
Stan had warmed some water for both of them. A hot cocoa mixture from the little stand they had visited and a very diluted tea for Stanford. They both sat in the living room in front of the television set and read the adventure books they had purchased at the bookstore. They both fell asleep resting on one another.
Both had a warm smile on their features and were happy to be in the presence of one another. It's true the plant had given them a chance to actually talk to one another, but the true gift was to spend time with each other without any sort of worries.
Truly, it had been a miracle for the both of them.