Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Stanley!" Narrator called to his protagonist in the distance, this time Stanley did not run or resist knowing Narrator would catch up anyway.

"Ah there you are Stanley! I have an idea!" Narrator always had a new idea, but Stanley wasn't opposed to most of them. Especially if it meant new content.

"Now I know Ultra Deluxe came out a little over a year ago and you've completed it and I have.. attempted to retire you-" Yes yes, Stanley thought. Retired.

"So I have decided, why not make my own run! My own decisions! Just like swore to do." Stanley nodded, no longer fully invested or caring.

In fact, Stanley tuned out Narrator completely after a while of detail and explanation.

"Does that sound alright to you Stanley?" Oh no. Stanley had tuned out a bit too much. Narrator's tone was caring and genuinely curious rather than his typical excitement and head on attitude.

Stanley nodded in acceptance. Feeling bad of he had asked Narrator to repeat.

"Great! Now I'll just reset. Hold tight!" After quick blimp, Stanley expected to send the usual. The end is never the end ringing in his ears before appearing at his desk. Instead Stanley was convinced he was having an out of body experience. He couldn't quite explain what Narrator had done until he saw his body get up and move, waiting at his office door. Out of his mouth was Narrator's voice.

"Stanley? That's your cue." 

[Sigh.] 

Stanley really should have paid more attention.

"Ah there you are! Now Stanley, I'm sure you know the story by now." Narrator continued to wait. How did he know what Stanley was attempting to say?

[This is the story of a man named Stanley?]

"Atta boy!" Stanley still sat, confused. He didn't feel physical, he continued to wonder as his mouth kept going, like a pre-recorded script.

[When Stanley came to a set of two open doors, he entered the door on his left.] His body stood still. Waiting for Stanley to notice. 

"Stanley?"

[What? I did your script. What else do I need to do?] 

Stanley's eyes looked a bit above his waistline and towards the floor. Stanley realized that's where he was physically located, yet he was mentally located above, almost like a camera.

[What are you looking at?]

Stanley's body reacted and smiled in time with Narrator's voice.

"You silly! I may be experiencing this all from your view now but-"

[You stole my body?!]

"Not stolen. Borrowed. You agreed to let me do this Stanley."

[Right..]

"I wanted to check in on you. You can't change or manipulate anything right?" Stanley tried his best to. He really did. From resetting to blowing Narrator up on the spot nothing worked.

[No. Unfortunately.]

"Good!" Narrator continued, through the halls, up the stairs, and to the freedom end. The end is never the end, and he sat at his desk once more.

"Well! This was a truly special experience Stanley! Now to return back to normal." With a snap of Narrator's new found physical cage, nothing happened.

"Uh." Narrator continued to attempt to use his power to switch them back. Snap, clap, pat. Nothing worked.

"Stanley you.. don't have any power?" Narrator asked, nervous tones taking over his voice, his heart pumping, his face becoming sweaty. Whatever was happening, he hated it. The world was still but empty and his eye sight watered.

[No. I don't. You didn't get us stuck, did you?] Stanley reeled himself back realizing Narrator was undergoing something, something Stanley couldn't feel anymore.

"I- you um.. I think I did get us stuck! Ha-" his laughter was panicked and his mind and heart were racing. His tears became more as a wave of panic attacked him.

The caption box containing Stanleys words were blurry, Narrator wasn't able to make out Stanley's pleads before shutting the door and hiding under Stanley's desk. He waited for the reset to wash over him.

Chapter Text

Under Narrator's eyes, something brewed. An entity he could barely see, asking for the time.

"The time?"

Yes, it said. Enter the time.

Reaching in front of him, Narrator felt switches. He didn't know the time, no one did! So he put the first thing that came to mind. 4:27pm.

4:27? How funny of you. Maybe that's your favorite time. 

"Maybe. I did pick it for a reason after all!"

Good to know. I like getting to know you. Talk again soon?

"Yes."

The Narrator woke up, being gently stabbed by a caption box.

[Narrator? Narrator are you okay?]

"What? Oh- yes! Yes I'm.. okay I think."

[Good.]

"Who was that-?"

[Who was..? Oh. The Timekeeper.]

"Timekeeper?! Stanley why didn't you tell me there was other people here!"

[I couldn't just tell you!]

"Why not!?"

[I'll show you why later. Right now we need to find a way to switch back.]

"Right. Hmm." Narrator thought through a new plan but didn't date say a word as he stormed forward.

[Narrator?]

No response.

[Narrator answer me please!]

"The Not Stanley ending!"

[What? No you aren't actually going to just leave me are you?]

"Of course not! I just need to get back to where I was before!"

Secretly, Stanley knew it wouldn't work but he had to let Narrator try. A quick pull of a plug and Narrator began reenacting what Stanley had done millions of times over.

Eventually the time came, and Stanley sat next to the empty shell of his former body. He couldn't hear or see Narrator. All he could do was confirm that Narrator was indeed located above him all this time, and that The Narrator must have been incredibly lonely during all his waits for Stanley, just like this one. 

Stanley still lacked a voice, so instead of sad rambling there was just heavy and dead scilence. Stanley dreaded what Narrator may do next. Would he blow himself up? Maybe fall off the edge of the platform in the shipping room? Maybe he'd subject Stanley to that terrible yellow button that drive the two to abandon each other?

Either way Stanley was not thrilled, and did not recite Narrator's script as the reset flooded the entire office.

Chapter Text

Narrator walked out of Stanley's office, his plan didn't seem to work. Amazingly, before he could even think, Stanley somehow interupted him.

[How did you even become the Narrator anyway? Maybe if we make you the Narrator again, you can fix this.]

"As easy as you made that sound Stanley, I'm not exactly comfortable sharing that information with you." Narrator held himself, not out of comfort but because of the rising nervousness. He knew Stanley would question this further, and he was right. What he didn't expect was Stanley to pull out every stop he had.

[Uncomfortable?]

"Stanley please-"

[What about all the times you forced me into endings I wanted out of? I didn't ask to die...]

...or to hurt you, Stanley wanted to continue but he bit his tounge to get an upper hand.

"I understand Stanley but, this world is different." Narrator was already giving away too much. It caused Stanley to pause, and then pry further.

[You haven't even felt a fraction of all the things you've done to me. I'll disable everything but that ON button-]

"Stanley I-"

[Or maybe I'll force you up those stairs myself-] That comment even hurt Stanley a bit.

"Fine!" Narrator walked to a nearby desk and slid into the chair and flopped onto the desk. The florcesnt lights buzzed into his ears, and began to tap the table.

"It's a long story Stanley, but if you really must know.. I'm not quite human."

Stanley pointed out his current body, which was a caption box. His Narrator laughed.

"Yes I know you know that much but, I used to be one I think. A long time ago. Must be, ten years now? Oh I used to be quite the artist too! I suppose I still am but as any artist gets, I had a severe case of art block. I couldn't make a single thing! This color, not this one! Maybe this canvas, or this glob of clay. Eventually I began giving up.

After two while years of bad, wrong, and lack of important choices, this strange company reached out to me. Apparently I wasn't the first, but then they kept reaching out. They gave me an isolation! It was full of buttons and booths! People came flocking in, and-" Narrator began to tear up as he struggled to find words. Clearly something bad had happened that Narrator was trying to skip over. Already feeling horrible about his outright threats, Stanley didn't mention it.

"I met you there, I met many people there! 600 people.. and now they're all gone. I don't quite remember what was in my contract but, now all that's left is the parable." 

Stanley brewed. Someone or something of higher power made Narrator who he was.

[Stay here.]

"Alright. Please come back soon Stanley."