Work Text:
Stanley was lying on the employee lounge sofa, he was trying his best to get comfy, even though the sofa felt like a rock.
-"Stanley, come on, there's a story to follow"-
Stanley waved negatively toward the voice. At this point, he found the right position and didn't want to get up.
-"Stop being lazy and let's go. We still have a lot to do and ... "-
The Narrator stopped his sentence once he noticed the man he was talking to was asleep.
-"STANLEY, do you find me that boring?"-
Stanley woke up from the yelling and responded to the question by shaking his head in disapproval.
-"And then what's the problem?"-
The voice spoke with a calmer tone.
Stanley gestures that he is sleepy.
-"I didn't know that was possible for you to get sleepy, but I think that old sofa must be uncomfortable let me see if I can get somewhere more comfortable so you can sleep better"-
The Narrator during his search started humming a tune and Stanley felt his eyes getting heavy.
Stanley was in a dark room, he looked around to understand where he was, Then some blue lights lit up all around Stanley.
-"Oh, it’s beautiful, isn’t it?"-
Stanley looked in the direction where the voice came from.
There was a figure in shadow that was looking at the pretty lights that slowly moved around the two of them.
-"If we just stay here, right in this moment, with this place.."-
-"Stanley wake up"-
Stanley jumped to a sitting position when the man called to him.
-" I found something better you can sleep on. This way"-
Stanley, all grumpy, gets up from the sofa and follows the instructions of the Narrator, he brings him through doors that he swore were never there and some weird corridor that seems never to end, and after a long confusing walk, they stop.
-"Here we are"-
The door in front of Stanley opens and reveals a style of room that was unfamiliar to him didn't look like it belonged in an office like he was used to but was a cozy room with a king bed, a fireplace with a sofa in front of it, the wall was covered by bookshelves full of books and two big windows that didn't face the white void like at the office, but a beautiful landscape full of lushes plants and trees.
-"Stanley, do you like it?"-
Stanley nodded in approval at the question and immediately threw himself on the bed.
The bed was so soft it felt like a cloud, Stanley could already feel himself daze off to sleep.
-"I'm glad you like it. I thought of everything, after this, you could give it a score so next time …."
Stanley was fast asleep from how comfy the bed was and how tired he was.
-"Stanley I think if feel… happy"-
Stanley looked at the figure in the shadow beside him, he smiled at them, he just wanted to see the other one happy.
Stanley wasn’t interested in the lights, he just looked at the figure.
-"Stanley, are they beautiful?"-
The figure spoke looking at him, Stanley responded by nodding his head, and then he got closer to them and started holding their hand, Stanley's heart was beating really hard and his face was red.
-"I could stay here for hours standing here, especially because you are here"-
Stanley got a bit redder at that statement and then thought now was the best moment to tell the figure how he felt toward them.
Stanley took a deep breath and got closer to them, he started clearing his throat, and then, even to his surprise, he spoke.
-"..I ..wanted to tell you.. this for a long time, Narrator…"-
Some more light shone, and now the figure wasn't in the shadow anymore.
The figure in front of him was the Narrator, Stanley knew that the figure was the Narrator even though there was a blank figure in front of him with no features.
-"...I Love y…"-
Stanley's legs started moving on their own, headed towards the exit.
-"I don't know what is happening, my legs are moving on their own"-
Stanley was trying anything to make his legs stop, and the Narrator followed him without saying a word.
Stanley arrived at a very tall room with a staircase that led nowhere, he looked horrified knowing what would happen next.
-"Stanley, wait,... Where are you going? "-
the Narrator spoke when Stanley took his first step on the staircase.
Stanley's legs kept going up the stairs, and the Narrator was following him, trying to talk him out of it.
-"If you die, we will lose all of this… Stanley, please let go back to the other room. Can you do that for me?"-
Stanley looked at the Narrator, he was trying anything to stop.
-"I can't stop my legs they are moving on their own"-
Stanley almost screamed at him, the Narrator looked at him blankly.
-"You don't care about me, you are cruel to take away my happiness like this"-
The Narrator spoke with so much sadness in his voice that it broke Stanley's heart, but the Narrator's face was still emotionless.
-"That's untrue! I do care about you…in fact...I love you"-
Stanley was at the top of the staircase, standing on the very edge of it when he said that.
-"Maybe you're just getting a kick out of it, playing with my emotions like this, I don't know anymore... "-
Stanley jumped off.
-"Stanley"-
-"Stanley...wake up"-
-"Stanley"-
Stanley opens his eyes.
The room was dark, only a little light shone through.
Stanley sat up and looked around, trying to understand what had happened.
He felt like he had just run a marathon, he was all sweaty and his heart was beating really fast.
-"Stanley, you were having a nightmare"-
Stanley stayed still trying to calm down, his breath was unsteady.
-"Are you all right?"-
Stanley looked blankly at the room and after a bit nodded yes to the voice.
-"Are you sure?... while you were sleeping I read in a book that physical contact helps with nightmares, maybe I can find something that works"-
Stanley couldn't even respond to the Narrator that he was already searching for.
Stanley stayed still thinking about his dream, how it felt so real and yet unbelievable, he was still shaken by it.
-" I found something… I think it will work"-
In the bed next to Stanley appeared a completely white female mannequin, Stanley looked at it in disbelief and then he looked in the direction of the voice.
-"Why that face? It’s your wife after all"-
Stanley now was making a purposely exaggerated angry face.
-"All right, it will not work, but I didn't find anything else. Do you have any ideas?"-
Stanley without even thinking signed -"you"- he was definitely red in the face from his suggestion, but luckily the room was dark.
-"I don't know, let me see if I can…"-
Stanley now was impatient, he was fidgeting with his hand, this could be the first time he saw the Narrator.
-"Stanley, good news I found a way, but I can stay there only for one hour, it’s ok for you?"-
Stanley was a little sad, one hour was a short time but he could see the Narrator for the first time.
Stanley waved in approval.
One of the bookshelves opened revealing a secret door, inside the room were lights that resembled some monitors stacked on top of each other, and then a figure started walking out the door.
Stanley got out of the bed to get a closer look at the man since the room was kinda dark and he wanted to see him pretty well.
The man steps in the little light that shines through the windows and now he could see him clearly.
The Narrator was a little bit taller than Stanley, he had brown hair with some white strands, he had some chunky square glasses, and he was wearing a yellow turtleneck with a brown jacket on top, this time the Narrator had facial features, he had some thick eyebrows, Stanley couldn't see his eyes pretty well because of the glasses reflection, he had some ageing lines and he had a smile on his face.
Stanley froze after seeing the man smiling at him, his face was red and his heart was beating fast.
-"You are surprised to see me"-
The Narrator definitely saw that Stanley was red like a beet, and got closer to Stanley and gestured to give him a hug and Stanley did, they stayed hugging for a good minute.
When the hug broke, the Narrator's hand landed ever so softly on Stanley’s back and he began to lead him toward the bed.
Stanley at the touch tensed a bit, and his mind started racing just by a simple gesture.
When they arrived at the bed, the Narrator walked to the other side, removed his shoes and jacket, and sat on the bed.
-"You look so embarrassed, it was your idea"-
The Narrator stopped for a second and then said,
-"I know what it is, you are afraid that your wife will think that you cheated on her"-
Stanley again made an exaggerated angry face and climbed into bed.
Stanley sat in the bed, the Narrator got slightly closer to him and put one arm around Stanley.
-"If you want, you can rest your head on my chest"-
Stanley did that, and the Narrator with his free hand took Stanley one.
Stanley was looking at him, the Narrator noticed the stare and smiled at him.
-"I can tell something is on your mind, can I know what it is?-"
Stanley pointed to his glasses.
-"My glasses? you wanna see my eye without the glasses? Ok, you can take them off"-
This time was the Narrator who got a bit red in the face.
Stanley took off the Narrator's glasses, his eyes didn't have irises they were completely yellow and they even glowed a little.
Stanley froze and his face went red when he realized how close to the Narrator's face was.
-"I always find it cute how your face turns red from the slightest thing, sometimes even when I call you by your name"-
The Narrator brought one of his hands to Stanley's red cheek and started slowly rubbing
In circular motion.
The Narrator got a bit closer to Stanley's face, now their noses were almost touching, he brought the hand that was on Stanley's cheek to the back of Stanley’s head.
-"Can I kiss you?"-
the Narrator asked, Stanley nodded yes.
The Narrator closed the gap between their lips, to Stanley the wait felt like an eternity but it was worth waiting.
The kiss was just a quick kiss when they separated Stanley got closer again and gave him another kiss, this kiss was more passionate they only separated because they needed air.
They stayed still with their forehead resting on another one for a long time,
Stanley was the one to separate from the other one, and then he yawned.
-"Right, I was here to help you sleep"-
The Narrator helped Stanley to get in a comfy position, and then The Narrator kissed Stanley on his forehead to give him a goodnight kiss.
Stanley could hear the other person's heartbeat, which made Stanley fall asleep easily.
Stanley woke up, he slept well.
He rolled over in bed in search of the other person.
-"Did you sleep well?"-
Stanley nodded in response, he rubbed his eye to see where the voice came from, but he realized that he wasn't with him.
-"Don't worry, next time I promise you that I will spend more time with you"-
Stanley at that statement was happy and quickly got out of bed.
-"Let's go. We have a story to follow"