Chapter Text
Stanley always liked snakes.
He didn't know why, exactly. They always just seemed to.. call out to him.
He vaguely remembered being bit by a garden snake when he was a child because he tried to hold it.
...And that was the last time he was allowed in the yard unsupervised.
His affection towards snakes only grew as he got older. He recalled having once owned one when he was about.. 17? 20? He couldn't remember.
Didn't matter now, of course. The only "living" things in the Parable were himself and the Narrator; neither of which he was fully certain were alive.
And to be fair, for the longest time Stanley didn't think the Narrator even had a physical body.
That was until he found a large, golden snake in the memory zone one day.
It had been sleeping..
So he approached it.
However, when Stanley touched it's back it was surprised when it's head rose to reveal a pair of piercing yellow eyes hidden behind tinted rectangular glasses.
..Why was the snake wearing glasses?
"That's a very rude thing to ask, Stanley."
A familiar British voice rang in his head.
Oh.
Oh no.
'Narrator??'
Stanley stared in disbelief, his thoughts racing wild.
The snake's eyes seemed to widen before it shrunk back in on itself.
"Uhm.. yes, well.. hello there, Stanley. How- how did you even get out here by yourself? That shouldn't be possible-"
'I think I should be asking the questions here. You're a snake?? That's... less surprising than it should be, actually.'
Stanley rubbed his chin as he thought about it. Sure, he wasn't all that concerned by it- in fact, he was quite enjoying this new found fact about his Narrator. He did love snakes.
If the Narrator could blush in this form, his face would be shaded in crimson.
"Yes- well- I'm not exactly just a snake. I have many forms.. this is just the most comfortable one to nap in.."
He muttered the last part under his breath, his tail coiling in.
'Interesting.. interesting.. can I touch you?'
The Narrator's tail flicked as his eyes widened again.
"I.. suppose there wouldn't be any harm in that.. yes."
Stanley cautiously approached the Narrator and gently stroked his scales, admiring how they sparkled in the light of the sun. He soon found himself getting lost in his exploration. It had been so long since he touch anything that was alive.. and sure, the Narrator didn't seem to be human.. but he was alive, was he not?
Without so much as a second thought, Stanley wrapped his arms around the Narrator and hugged him, enjoying how the scales felt on his skin.
The Narrator was warm... truly warm..
It was nice..
The Narrator soon wrapped his tail around Stanley, holding him close.
This was new for the Narrator.. and he enjoyed it more than he would ever like to admit.
But at the same time.. he didn't want it to end.
The two stayed there for a long while.. simply enjoying eachothers presence.. company..
Warmth.