This would have been out a week ago, but first I lost writing motivation and then my little siblings caught colds. But it's here now!
Also, the device I use when writing on mobile isn't usable anymore. So, I have to write all on computer again. It's not a problem, as I used to only write on computer until I got the app, in which I ended up writing more on. Oh well, I won't let that stop me- xD
Here's chapter 53 of "Welcome Home"!
It had been a long day. for most of the afternoon, Ford and Stan had been putting up the tents (With the help of Fiddleford) and setting up the camping area. There wasn't a sunset, though the sun was beginning to set slightly. Bill had yet to return to camp, which at first they had hardly worried about, assuming the demon was having a hard time finding wood. They shrugged off most of the worry for a while and had then proceeded to work on the tent.
Bill had left around noon. It was now close to reaching six o'clock. Stan and McGucket were wrestling around, but Ford was away from where they were on the ground. He looked around from where he stood, looking to see if Bill was returning from any angle. He saw no sign of Bill, and his worry continued to grow.
"It shouldn't be taking this long." Ford finally said aloud, his brows showing his concern.
Stan shoved Fidds off of him and said, "Maybe he's gettin' more wood than he's supposed ta'." With a shrug.
Ford hummed. "I suppose I never specified how much wood he should have gotten." He muttered to himself, a hint of regret bonking him on the head.
McGucket pounced on Stan and gave him a punch in the stomach before looking at Ford. "Maybe ye' should go looking for 'im." He suggested.
Stan grunted and smacked Fidds in the head before looking over at his brother. "No, don't go. You need to lay back, remember? That injury ain't gonna heal if ya' don't let it."
Ford frowned. "But this is more important than some dumb injury." He pointed out.
McGucket bit Stan's shoulder, causing the other to exclaim in pain. He growled and flipped Fiddleford over, the smaller man's back smacking against the grass. Fidds struggled to get out of the hold Stan had on his shoulders and smacked his forehead against his. Stan cried out and fell on top of Fiddleford. The shorter man furrowed his brows and struggled to push Stan off him. He wiggled out of Stan's hold and stood up, brushing off his knees.
"I could go look for him, Stanford." McGucket offered. "That way ye' won't have to get hurt when lookin'." He said.
Ford put his hands in his coat pockets. "I'm not so sure," He muttered. "What if there's something going on and he's looking for me?"
"Then I'll tell im' you're waitin' here." McGucket reasoned.
Ford looked down at the ground. He knew that Stan would practically prevent him from going, so he was considering the man's offer. Then again though, he worried there was something going on.
"Stanford?" Fiddleford questioned, snapping Ford out of his train of thought.
"I-I um, well... yes," Ford said, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "If you insist." He agreed with a nervous chuckle.
Fiddleford nodded and was quick to rush away. The Stan twins watched the man leave. Once he was gone, Stan stood up and put his hands in his black pockets.
"Ya' think he's gettin' into trouble?" Stan wondered.
Ford turned to look at his brother. "Trouble?" He questioned.
Stanley shrugged. "Eh, ya' know, runnin' off to meet up somewhere with some random powerful bozos." He said.
Ford frowned, his worry growing. "I sure hope not." He replied in a mutter. He hoped wherever Bill was, regardless of the situation, that he was at the very least safe and away from anything too dangerous.
"Yeah, if he got into trouble like that, it'd be a mess." Stan said.
"Lets... try not to think on that." Ford suggested, taking a seat at a fold-up chair and leaning back. He sighed and let his eyes shut for a moment, opening them up again to see the faint sight of the faded clouds and a few hardly noticeable stars.
Fiddleford hummed a tune to himself as he walked through the forest, his hands in his pockets. He had yet to find sight of Bill, even though McGucket had only been out looking for a few minutes. A part of him began to wonder where in the world Bill had run off to if he wasn't out getting wood like he had been told to do.
I'm sure he can't be far. Fiddleford thought to himself. Then again, Bill was supposed to have been collecting firewood and Fidds could hardly find any of the specific items such as sticks or wood around him. McGucket assumed Bill had already discovered the wood around the area he was searching. He wondered just how much of the forest Bill had searched. If there was very few sticks, what was it that Bill had been doing out there all alone?
It's too early in the search fer' im' ta tell. McGucket reasoned. He looked around as he descended into the forest, still no sign of Bill. He just hoped that the demon would turn up soon.
Twenty minutes had gone by, and Fiddleford still had yet to find Bill's location in the forest. The old man fidgeted with his fingers, looking around nervously as the sunlight had dimmed a bit over the time he had begun searching. He accidentally stepped on a dried up leaf, one that made a crunch sound when his shoe made contact with it. Fiddleford exclaimed in fear and jumped back at the sudden sound that played through the silence of the forest.
McGucket looked down at the ground with wide eyes until realizing the sound had come merely from a leaf. He sighed and put a hand over his heart. "Gave me a fright there, leafy." The man said, as if he were speaking to the dried leaf. He chuckled and proceeded to walk, looking behind him at the leaf for a short moment before turning his head back forward.
Fiddleford turned to his right and was surprised to see a blonde man laying down on his side atop the ground, his back facing McGucket. In a matter of moments he assumed the figure to be Bill based on the hair style and clothing.
"Um..." Fiddleford began. "Are ye' alright, there?" He called out, raising an eyebrow slightly.
No response.
Fiddleford cautiously walked up to the blonde. "Stanford's been worryin' about ye'." He said.
The man shrugged before rolling himself onto his stomach, his head face planting into the ground.
McGucket looked at Bills odd behavior and hummed. "Are ye' feeling sick?" He questioned, wondering if that was the cause of the man's behavior.
The supposed Bill shook his head, getting dirt on his nose as he did so.
McGucket frowned. "Well come on, ye' should get back to Ford now." He stated. The man shook his head once more, causing Fiddleford to put his hands on his hips.
"Yer' actin' real immature," Fiddleford commented in a firm tone. "Stanford's worryin' about you, and ye' act like ye' don't care." He stated.
This guy's got a life. Chris observed. If I step too far out of character, they'll know.
The supposed Bill groaned and stood up at this fact, hanging his head and putting his hands in his pockets. He wasn't exactly sure where he was going, but he hoped that he would be able to pull off posing as Bill.
Fiddleford and the other man began walking back to the camp. Neither of them spoke, and there was merely the slow sounds of the wind blowing, as well as their shallow breaths. A couple times McGucket took a glance over at Bill, though the man seemed to be unsure of himself with every step he took. Fiddleford wanted to question the behavior, but knew not to pester too much about it. Perhaps Bill was just trying to adjust to the challenge of staying outdoors for the next couple days.
"Erm... so," Fiddleford began hesitantly. "Is everythin' alright?" He asked. He heard the man sigh and saw him shrug his shoulders. McGucket hummed at this. "Ye've been awful quiet lately." He pointed out. The supposed Bill did not respond. He folded his arms and turned his head away from the man with a small frown. McGucket noticed this expression and felt a pinch of guilt.
"I-I din' mean nothin' by it," McGucket said. "Jus' concerned is all."
Chris gave a faint nod and put his hands back into his pockets. Neither of them spoke for the rest of the walk back to camp. The environment went back to silence just as it had been before.
After a few minutes, they reached the area where the others were. The two emerged from the trees and walked towards the recently set up tents. They noticed the Stan twins beside each other, chatting. And while they couldn't hear what was being said, Fiddleford assumed it was just some mindless chatter. Fiddleford and Chris walked over towards them. Stan gave a chuckle at something Ford had said and turned to look at the two when he noticed them approach. Ford noticed the changed glance and looked in the same direction. His eyes lit up with relief to see that Fiddleford had found the man he had worried about. He noticed that Bill looked a bit uneasy as he avoided eye contact, and that he hadn't brought back anything. He didn't mind the second bit for now though, as he was more concerned for him.
Ford took a few steps towards the blonde and placed his hands on his shoulders. "Bill, where were you?" He asked.
The man turned his head and pointed over at where he had come to this area of the forest from before looking back forward and gazing away from the scientist.
"Are you injured?" Ford questioned.
"Mm-mm," The blonde replied, shaking his head.
Ford gave a sigh of relief. "Good," He said, pulling the man closer and wrapping his arms around his back, pulling him into a hug. Chris was confused at the odd gesture, and for a moment felt as though he were in danger. Then again though, the air was getting cold and Chris wasn't exactly warm with the T-shirt he wore when he was so used to wearing a jacket. The stranger was warm, so he decided not to pull away.
"You had me worried." Ford murmured, resting his chin atop the other man's head.
Fiddleford and Stan glanced at each other for a moment before awkwardly drawing their eyes away. Stan scratched the back of his neck and McGucket adjusted his glasses. After a moment Stan looked back and cleared his throat. Chris shifted at the sudden grumbled noise and broke away from the strangers hold. He looked over at Stan with wide eyes. Stan noticed that there was something a bit off about the blonde. He rubbed his eyes, only to see that the man was looking away once more.
"It's startin' to get dark out here, Pointdexter." Stan pointed out.
Ford gave a nod and placed his hands behind his back. "Yes, I suppose so." He agreed. "The sun should be set within the next twenty or so minutes." He said.
Chris slipped away from the group, walking away and looking t the tents. His curiosity grew at the unfamiliar objects. He saw the zipper at the bottom and reached out to it. He tried tugging it sideways which only made a wrinkle in the fabric. He hummed and then tugged the zipper up, his eyes widening slightly as the front of the tent opened. He looked inside and smiled at seeing comfortable looking blankets and pillows inside of the tent. Hesitantly, he crawled inside and inspected further.
"Alright," Stan began. "Who's gettin' in with who in which tents?" He asked.
Ford shrugged. "Any would work for myself, really." He answered, even though the true, obvious answer was clear to him.
Stan looked over beside him to see the supposed Bill eagerly crawling into the tent Ford had set up. He laughed and said, "Well, looks like blondie's made up his mind."
"Yes, it seems so." Ford agreed, looking over to see the man throw a blanket out of the tent. He raised an eyebrow and looked on in confusion as he crawled out, grabbing the blanket and wrapping it around his torso to shield himself from the breeze.
"Can't Bill just make a fire with his weird magic?" Stan asked, grabbing two sticks from the ground and holding them up.
Chris cringed at this. He didn't obtain magic abilities, save for the malfunctions he had been born with that were sealed away because of the metal bars Bratsman had used for their cage. Now the other three were going to expect him to light a fire with magic, when he had no idea what kind of potential power he actually possessed. He held the blanket closer around himself and ducked his head inside a bit, as if to hide himself. If he hid, perhaps they wouldn't expect him to make fire. Oh, why now?
"No, Stanley." Ford chided. "We're doing things the traditional way." He stated.
"But that'd be faster." Stan argued.
Chris was quick to shake his head, not wanting to have to create a fire out of any type of magic. Ford noticed him shaking his head, and pointed his arm over at the blonde.
"Well Bill clearly doesn't wish to make the fire." Ford pointed out. "So we can make an ordinary one, or you can freeze." He stated.
"How cruel, Pointdexter." Stan replied. He grinned. "But I sure ain't complainin'."
"I vol'nteer te' go get the wood Bill left behind." Fiddleford offered. Ford agreed to this, and McGucket quickly rushed back over to where he had entered the previous time.
Stan watched the man walk away before shrugging. "Well, I'll just go get my tent lookin' how I want it." He announced before turning around, walking off and entering his tent.
Chris saw this as his cue to leave and quickly took off, rushing into the other tent.
Within a couple hours, Bratsman had been able to find the hiding members of Sev'ral Timez. The four and Bill (Who was dressed as Deep Chris) were all squished together in one side of the back seat. Bill cringed in disgust as the side of his face was pressed against the glass of the limo's window. While the five boys were all squished together, Bratsman sat comfortably in the other side of vehicle, scolding the blondes and barking at them to quit squirming.
"You boys had a lot of nerve tryin' to weasel your way out of returning to the studio." Bratsman scolded. "I'll have you know that it ain't gonna happen again." He spat, shooting the pile of others a glare. He snapped at the limo driver and demanded he drive back to the studio.
Bill, whos cheek was still up against the glass, looked out the window of the limo to watch the trees as they drove by. Every tree they passed was like a mocking reminder of the sudden, foolish mistake he had made. Had he not been so selfish towards Chris, he wouldn't have gotten himself into this mess in the first place. Instead he would be back at the camping spot they were staying at with the others. He would be back with the others, and wouldn't have to improvise on how to annoy these strangers when he knew perfectly well how to do it to the others.
After a few short moments went by, they began to pass by a part of the woods that was a bit more familiar to him as of today. He looked over and saw that the others were outside with the tents set up. Bill's eyes widened, and he pressed his face and hands against the glass. He tapped on it in hopes that the others would see or hear him. Of course it was of no use, as they were far away and merely a partial blur in the distance. One of the Sev'ral Timez members looked at him strangely.
The only one of the four at camp who happened to notice the fancy vehicle drive by was Deep Chris. He saw the familiar vehicle and shrunk in his blanket slightly. He watched from the opening of the tent as the limo drove past and through the trees. He gave a slightly relieved sigh at the fact that he would be safe for the time being. On the other hand, his brothers could be in danger. He also felt a wave of guilt at knowing that he had tricked someone else into taking his place, where he would have to face being locked up in a cage with four other strangers to him. He hoped that at the very least the stranger wouldn't mess up and face being killed and replaced. Chris frowned as the guilt began to swell inside him and looked away, glancing down at the tent's flooring.
Ford knelt down and entered the tent with two cups in his hands. "I got some lemonade," He said, holding a cup towards Chris. "Would you like some?"
Chris glanced at the cup and hesitantly held his arm out, grabbing the cup and pulling it back towards him. He sniffed the liquid substance before taking a drink, bringing his legs closer up towards his chest and holding the cup with both hands. And while the blanket covered his arms and part of the rest of him, he still shivered slightly before shutting his eyes. He couldn't tell if it was from the cool beverage or the guilt he felt, though he assumed it was a mix of both.
Ford noticed the odd behavior and tilted his head. "Are you feeling alright?" He questioned.
Chris gave a faint shrug, looking away from the man.
"You don't look too good." Stanford observed. "You're not ill, are you? Do you have a fever?"
"Hm?" Chris murmured, not understanding the words. Ford raised an eyebrow at the reaction to his question, all before remembering that Bill had (Surprisingly,) never been sick before.
"Ah yes," Ford began. "I've forgotten that you've never experienced physical sickness." He muttered to himself. Without warning, he crawled over towards Chris, on his knees as he removed his lab coat and black satchel strap, rolling up a sleeve of his turtleneck. Chris gasped and flinched when Ford brought his wrist up towards his head. The unusual human contact from others recently was all very confusing. Ford saw the supposed Bill pull away in fear and frowned.
"I'm not going to hurt you." Ford assured. "I'm just checking your temperature."
Chris kept his gaze away from the scientist for a moment before eventually shutting his eyes. Ford saw this as a sign to proceed and placed the back of his wrist atop the blonde's forehead.
"Hm," Ford observed with focused eyes. "You don't seem to be running a fever, but then again your still going to get cold tonight." He informed.
Chris groaned and face planted into his knees, his head being hidden slightly with the first blanket that was around his knees. He then sighed and toppled on his side, colliding with the tent's floor. Ford watched this happen and gave a look of sympathy.
"Oh, come now," Ford began. "I know it's not the best to think about, but it's just a part of the camping experience." He reasoned. "Do you think you can handle it?" He asked.
Chris wasn't sure what to do. He assumed that the person he was posing as would give some sort of snarky comment at this moment. Then again though, their voices were different and he was sure that the scientist would immediately realize that something was off. Surely he couldn't say anything, or give the man any looks involving eye contact. It would be very awkward to explain what was going on, and who he truly was. He looked back on the question Ford had asked him, about if he could handle the situation or not. Hoping he was making a smart choice, he shook his head.
Ford looked down at his supposed boyfriend who was laying beside him as he sat on his knees. He moved his arm towards the other, gently brushing his fingers through the blondes hair in a caring manner. Chris opened his eyes and brought his head up slightly to where he could just barely see Ford. He placed his chin atop the scientists thigh and nuzzled into the warmth of the human.
"There we go." Ford murmured, continuing to brush his fingers through the other's hair. He looked down at the other, who looked as though he could fall asleep. "If you're not feeling well, we don't have to stay here." He proposed. "I don't want your health to be effected negatively because of this silly trip." He stated. Chris gave a meaningless hum, shutting his eyes as comfort surrounded him. "Would you prefer that? To return back to The Mystery shack?" He questioned in a gentle tone.
Chris's attention was brought back when he was asked this question. Of course staying out here in the woods gave him more of a chance of being caught by Bratsman. If he were to go elsewhere with the Pines, it would be much harder for Bratsman to find him in case he didn't fall for the switch he had made with the real Bill. Going to the Mystery Shack seemed like a beneficial idea. He would be cared for there, and this man seemed to welcome him. Chris decided after a moment of pondering that he would take up the chance to go to the Mystery Shack. He had been there once before last summer, so he knew where a few of the rooms were. There would be good places to hide there. New places. One's that Bratsman would never suspect.
"...Mhm." Chris responded shyly, shivering slightly at the warm hand kneading through his hair.
"Well, then that's what we'll do." Ford replied. "We can try doing this some other time. I'm sure the others won't mind the change of plans too much. It's for the greater good that we leave, after all." He reasoned. Chris nodded, even though he knew in his heart that what he was doing was wrong.
Stan walked towards the tent with a Pitt cola in hand. He poked his head inside and asked, "Hey Pointdexter, are campfires around here supposed to engulf the entire pile of wood?" He asked. Before Ford could answer, Stan then looked at the blonde's head resting in his brothers lap and asked, "What's wrong with him?"
"He's not feeling too well," Ford replied sympathetically, combing his fingers gently through the man's hair once more. He then looked up at Stan and said. "Put that horribly alarming, obnoxious fire out and help me pack up the supplies."
Stan looked at Ford with a raised eyebrow and wide eyes. "We're leaving?" He asked, surprised by the sudden change of plans.
"I don't want his health to be jeopardized because of this trip if we were to stay," Ford answered. "I think it's better that we do this another day."
Stan stood there for a moment before responding. He sighed and slouched before taking a step back. "Alright." He grumbled, walking away.
Ford looked down at the other and gave a faint smile. "That went surprisingly well." He commented. "Stanley's seemed to open up and care for you a bit more recently, wouldn't you say?" He questioned. Chris wasn't sure how to respond, so he merely nodded.
Ford then furrowed his brows slightly. "So what is it that's been bothering you, Bill?" He asked, turning the man on his back so that he could look down at his face. "You don't seem to be running a fever. Is there anything giving you pain?" He questioned.
Chris had to think about this for a short moment. His throat had started to bother him earlier in the day when he was yelling in the forest, hoping someone would hear him and free him from the tree. He knew that he would need an excuse. Hesitantly, he lifted his hand and placed it atop his neck.
"Ah, I see." Ford said. He then asked, "But are you sure that's something you want to go back to the shack for?"
Chris's eyes widened and he nodded frantically, looking away to avoid his cover being blown. Ford saw the hurried response and gave a faint smile once more. "Alright, alright." He said with a short chuckle. "Well if it was caused by some form of vocal chord strain, it won't be contagious." He assured. "We can go back, and I'll make some tea to help calm the muscles. Does that sound alright?" Ford asked.
Chris hadn't heard of tea before, but it didn't seem bad. He gave a nod at the offer and sighed inaudibly.
The doors to the studio opened, and the four Sev'ral Timez boys entered in unison, looking around to see the cream-colored walls that were in the entrance. Bill lagged behind slightly as he took in the appearance of the unusual place. Bratsman narrowed his eyes at the odd stalling and pushed Bill forward with his cane, causing the blonde to crash into another one of the boys. He mumbled his annoyance under his breath and adjusted the white fedora hat on his head.
"This whole thing, everything about it is dumb." Bill grumbled to himself, fists clenched by his sides. "What do these idiots do all day?"
Leggy P heard Bill mutter something to himself, though he hadn't exactly caught what it is that he had said. He turned to look at the demon, assuming the man felt as though he had failed the group as the one the others looked up to, and gave a frown.
"Hey, you did the best you could, Chris." Leggy P tried, placing a hand atop the others shoulders in hopes of being somewhat reassuring. Bill looked down at the hand on his shoulder before shrugging it off with a snarl. The other frowned and looked back forward, proceeding to walk with the rest of the group.
The boys all walked forward through the entrance of the building. After a moment of walking they turned the corner on the right, the hall that would lead to their cage room. Bratsman's office was on the left side, though he took the right turn to make sure the members of Sev'ral Timez were all put back in their cages. He couldn't risk any of them breaking free. That wouldn't look too good on his reputation.
"I've got some weird nostalgia goin' on, dawg." One member muttered.
"Me too, and I don't like it." Another quietly agreed.
One more member piped in and huskily asked, "Do you think there's a way out of this?" With a slightly raised eyebrow.
"Shut up!" Bratsman barked, glaring over at the others. The three who had spoken all turned their heads to meet their managers cold glare. They shivered and turned back around, not daring to utter another word.
Bratsman unlocked and opened the door to the room with the cage the blondes would all be staying in, watching each member walk into the room with furrowed brows. He narrowed his eyes as Bill walked hesitantly behind the others. He snarled when Bill glanced at him and grabbed the blondes shoulder, glaring down at him.
"Don't think about trying to get yourself or your brothers out of this like you used to." Bratsman spat with a sneer. Bill furrowed his brows and shoved away from his grasp, walking towards the others with his fists clenched. He had no intentions of getting the others out, so the producer had no need to worry about that. Bill just hoped he could find a way out of this odd place and back to the others soon. If he were to break out within the next couple of days, surely they would still be where they were when he had left earlier in the day. Besides, he had his magic. He could easily let all hell break loose on the manager. But he played along with what seemed like his little game for the time being.
Ergman walked through the door and saw the others all stop at the cage in the room. He opened the cage door and looked at the others, nodding to the side to get them inside. The five all just looked at him, none of them moving. Bratsman glared and pushed the first four into the cage. Bill looked at the four brothers fall to the floor in unison. He folded his arms and looked over at the others in the cage with pursed lips.
"So, you keep your music slaves all in a depressing cage, only letting them out when you find them to be useful?" Bill asked, looking up at Bratsman. His tone almost sounded as though he were disgusted in Bratsman's perspective. Bill looked back at the members and shrugged, his facial features turning neutral. "I respect that." He said.
Bratsman glared at the the supposed clone. "Get in there, ya' numbskull." He commanded, pushing Bill and shoving him into the cage with the others. Bill landed with a groan, sitting up slightly with the support of his arms. He looked up to see Bratsman slam the door in a harsh manner that made the five all cringe in unison. The lock on the cage latched, and Bratsman turned away to walk away, headed back towards his office as he shut the door to the room.
Bill stood up, brushing the potential dirt off his legs. He looked around and gave a look of unease. "I've gotta find a way out of here." He muttered. With his magic, surely it wouldn't be too difficult.
The others had made their way back to the shack after being informed that Bill wasn't feeling well. Chris had a small feeling of relief the closer they had grown to the house. That just meant that he was further away from Bratsman. The further, the better, and the less of a chance that Bratsman would find out that he had tricked another person into taking his spot.
Ford had suggested the blonde stay on the couch, which Chris was unopposed to. He had been able to relax with a blanket wrapped around him as he watched a television program that he was unfamiliar with. He didn't quite understand the plot in general, but there had been a few jokes made throughout that had made him chuckle. He sighed and let the warmth of the blanket surround himself as he rest his back against the couch.
After a bit of time, Ford had finished up with the tea he had made for the other's throat. He had poured the warm drink into a mug that he had set on the counter, and grasped the handle. He put the tea pot back on the stove and walked out of the kitchen.
Just before Ford was about to take his first step into the living room, his eyes gazed over to the blonde who was curled up in a warm blanket on the couch. He wasn't sure if he should feel sympathetic for the man, or touched to see his admittedly cute position. He cleared his throat and leaned over slightly on on the doorframe, giving a little knock to alert the other that he was there as to not disturb the Television program.
Chris looked over at the other across the room for a moment, confused. The scientist had an unusual object in his hand, though his features didn't seem threatening.
"I made some of the tea I had mentioned." Ford calmly informed, approaching the other man. Chris lit up slightly at this. He had never tried this beverage before, though from what he had picked up from Ford it seemed that Bill enjoyed tea. He leaned back slightly when Ford approached him. Ford didn't notice and held the mug in front of the blonde.
Chris looked at the mug for a moment, seeing some steam coming from the top. He hesitated before reaching his hands out. He got a smell of the sweet tea and his eyes brightened. Chris smiled and eagerly grasped the sides of the hot mug in attempt to take the cup from Ford's hands. Ford let go when the other grasped it, only for the blonde to exclaim in sudden pain at the hot feeling on his hands. The mug went flying out of his hands as he drew them back closer to himself. Ford raised an eyebrow and looked back at the man, the tea flying his way and getting on his sweater, a few drops getting on the blanket Chris had around himself.
Chris' eyes glanced at the man who looked down at his chest, giving a look of unease. His eyes went half lidded, and he sighed down at his now soaked sweater. "Oh..." He muttered to himself. Chris wasn't sure if the man was upset, or confused, or annoyed, or what his expression was. He sunk into his blanket slightly and wrapped it tighter around himself, standing up from the couch and speed walking away from the other. Chris headed through the Employee's only door in a rush.
This is bad... Chris thought to himself, shivering slightly. He looked around frantically, and saw an odd machine that was attached to the wall. He raised an eyebrow and looked at it, seeing a small crack in it. He looked behind him for a moment before walking towards the crack in the machine. There seemed to be a lantern hanging on the wall, and stairs that led down somewhere. Chris hummed and grabbed the sides of what seemed to act as a door, and pushed it open. He walked inside, turning around to close it again. He held onto the railing and descended the stairs.
Ford stood in the living room, still looking down at his sweater, putting his arms back by his sides. Stan had walked towards the room when he had heard the scream, and was confused as to why his brother's sweater was all wet.
"What happened to you?" Stan asked, walking up to the other.
"Oh, just a little tea spill is all." Ford replied in an attempt to brush off the question.
Stan looked at the tea cup on the rug, then back at Ford. "Uh... huh." He muttered. A moment of silence went by. Stan looked one way, then the other, before looking at his brother. "So... is the Tv free?"
"I believe so." Ford replied. He took a couple steps back, nearly tripping on one of the table legs that held the television up. He caught his balance once more and gave an awkward chuckle, turning around and walking out of the living room and into the gift shop.
Meanwhile, (After a good few minutes of struggle involving stairs and the elevator) Chris had finally found his way down in Ford's laboratory. His eyes widened as he took in the appearance, stepping out of the elevator. He held the blanket wrapped around himself close, observing the odd machines, pens occasionally scattered, file cabinets, and a little desk area. Chris' curiosity got the best of him, and he opted to take a look around further. He saw a door up ahead of him which sparked his curiosity. He opted to walk over to the door, twisting the knob and poking his head inside. The inside of the room had a bunch of broken objects and gadgets, broken wires and burnt wood. The blonde squinted his eyes and walked backwards, closing the door to the odd room.
This place is weird. Chris thought to himself. But I don't mind it, either.
Chris looked to his right and saw another door. His curiosity quickly got the best of him, and he decided to check that room as well. He hesitantly opened the door, looking inside to see a smaller room than the first. That room was completely dark, and he was hardly able to see what was inside. Chris looked on the wall and saw a light switch, flicking it on and looking again. His eyes lit up at the sight of a comfortable-looking mattress and warm sheets ahead of him. He grinned and was quick to rush in the direction of the comfortable cushion, running over and jumping onto it, nearly hitting his head on the top of the canopy bed's corner. The blonde slung forward and face planted into a pillow, smiling. Chris looked beside him to see that the blanket had left him. He reached over beside him and grabbed the corner of said blanket, bringing it back close to him once more and wrapping it around his torso.
Chris sighed and brought his knees up closer to his chest, curling himself up into a ball as the blanket surrounded him. He felt warm like this, and comforted. Even though the man whom he had split tea on would likely come to find him, he figured he would enjoy the peace while it lasted.
The blonde shifted when he heard the door creak slightly. He poked his head up from his blanket and saw Ford walk into the room. Stanford moved over towards the dresser and opened a drawer, getting a fresh sweater that was identical to his current one. He made quick work of switching sweaters as to not draw attention to himself. Chris saw the man stand up and shrunk in the blanket slightly, shivering as the old man who now wore a dry sweater walked closer.
Ford stood by his nightstand and took off his glasses, cleaning them before folding them and setting them down. He removed his boots and looked over at the man curled up in the blanket facing away from him. Ford frowned and rolled up his sweater sleeves slightly.
"You know that I'm not upset, don't you?" Ford asked. Chris didn't answer. Ford noticed the man shaking slightly and frowned. He got on the mattress and grabbed the sheets, pulling them overtop the shaking blonde.
"You're going to freeze down here if you depend on that one blanket." Ford stated. Chris peered over his shoulder to see the other adjusting the comforter overtop him. Chris gave a nearly inaudible sigh, admitting to himself that the sheets were much warmer. He didn't resist when Ford grabbed the blanket and took it from him, folding it up and placing it down on the floor to discard of in the morning. Ford noticed that the other hadn't been making much interaction, and felt as though he still felt guilty about what had happened.
"I'm not upset at you, Bill." Ford assured, his voice calm. He laid back against his pillow a bit and put the covers over himself. He looked over at the other before continuing, saying, "I know that it was an accident. It's alright." In a hushed tone. The blonde gave a faint nod, but did nothing else, still facing away from the other man. Ford felt guilty for a reason he couldn't explain. Perhaps he had come off as upset when Bill had spilled the tea on him? He hadn't intended to, if Bill had seen his reaction be in that manner.
Ford frowned. "It's okay..." He repeated, scooting closer and draping an arm overtop the other. Normally when Bill was upset about something small, a hug or cuddle could help him. Ford found it odd for someone like Bill, but then again, the blonde had been without any form or love and affection for so, so long. Ford nuzzled his cheek into the others shoulder, muttering, "It was an accident."
Chris' eyes opened at the odd behavior. He slipped away from the others hold and sat up slightly, looking down at the other.
"Woah, man." Chris blurted out suddenly, looking at the scientist with a confused and taken aback expression.
Ford, who's eyes were half-closed from sleepiness, opened wide suddenly at the unusual voice. His sat up quickly and looked at the other. Chris gasped and put his hands over his mouth, looking at the other with wide eyes. Ford squinted his eyes for a moment before reaching behind him for his glasses. He scrambled to put them on and placed them back on his face, the glasses sitting a bit crooked at first.
"Hold on..." Ford began, his eyes squinting further. "You're not Bill." He said. It wasn't until now that he realized that the man wasn't who he thought he was. Ford's brows furrowed. Chris tried to back away after seeing the expression the scientist wore, but Ford grabbed his shoulders before the younger could escape. To think that he had mistaken this man for Bill was insane. Ford was very vigilant, how could this happen? He narrowed his eyes and pinned Chris down with a glare, holding on tight to his shoulders so that the other wouldn't dare try anything.
"Who are you?" Ford roared, his chest heaving and brows furrowing.
Well, there's that. Ford's upset and confused obviously, though he's also embarrassed in a way, getting close like that to a stranger. Oh boy- xD
This is... kind of a cliffhanger? I suppose? Well at least it's done... ';w;
Question: Would you guys prefer the next chapter focus more on Bill and what's happening with him and the Sev'ral timez mix up, or have the spotlight shine more towards Ford and Chris, and that type of thing? I haven't decided which route to take on that. I could go either way, so I'm just curious to see what your opinions are!
The next chapter will be up soon.
