Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A parable, by definition, is a simple story meant to illustrate a moral lesson. To Stanley, it was anything but. Stanley remembered the countless amount of years- more likely decades- that he was stuck in a parable that was meant for him. He was meant to be the protagonist of his story, a story he did not even want to be a part of.

But when did anything ever go his way?

He wasn’t meant to get stuck in an ever-repeating story that looped again, and again, and again. He wasn’t meant to have his every action be narrated by an obnoxious- albeit, beautifully low and accented- disembodied voice. He wasn’t meant to become friends with the aforementioned voice. He wasn’t meant to develop a friendship with this god-like entity to the point they decided to build a body for themselves to join Stanley’s side.

He wasn’t meant to lose the Narrator when they finally escaped the parable together.

He remembered that day more than anything else. It started as a normal day in the parable- well, what was considered normal to him and the Narrator at this point.

They were resting in the employee’s lounge, the Narrator writing scripts at a desk he had set up for himself in the lounge while Stanley rested on the comfortable couch with his arms wrapped around his bucket.

He remembered how the Narrator chastised him for developing such a connection with an inanimate object and how he should’ve never given Stanley the damned thing.

Stanley just simply grinned and accused the Narrator of being jealous. The older man replied with a huff as he returned to writing.

After a bit, the two ran around the parable for a while, the Narrator returning to his state as a disembodied voice so he could properly narrate Stanley while the man chose to disagree with the Narrator half of the time through his new script.

“Stanley, I need you to stop being incompetent for just a few minutes and help me go through this script with me before you find another way to break the game again. Please?”

Stanley only listened to him for a solid of two minutes until he went off course again. However, this led the office worker to find an elevator that left both him and the Narrator perplexed.

“I don’t remember putting that elevator there… I don’t even see any file or texture or… anything! This elevator seems to be existing in the parable of its own accord, Stanley.”

Stanley wasn’t listening as the Narrator mused, however. He was more distracted at studying the elevator with a blank stare.

Just where did he recognize this elevator from?

It was… well, it was an elevator. Though, it seemed more like an elevator that you would find in an office like the one the parable attempted to imitate. The inside walls were made out of polished spruce panels with the ceiling having four light fixtures settled in to provide light.

Stanley was sure that he had been in this exact elevator before. But not in the parable. No, he would remember if he did.

Just when was he in this elevator?

“Stanley, are you alright, dear boy? You seem to have dazed off for a moment.”

Stanley hesitated, looking at the ceiling as if the Narrator was there- a habit he acquired whenever the Narrator was not in his physical form. He hesitated, exchanging glances upwards at the ceiling, and the little screen above the elevator door. Floor: Parable.

Those words scrawling across caused a feeling Stanley couldn’t quite understand to settle in his gut.

He raised his shaky hands, hesitating once more before he signed, ‘I think this is the way out.’

“The way out? What do you mean, Stanley?”

‘I mean out of the parable.’ Stanley signed, taking a deep breath, ‘I… recognize this elevator.’

The Narrator’s breath hitched. What could Stanley possibly mean? A way out? Out of the parable? 

He paused for a moment to think over the current situation before mumbling, “One moment, please.”

It didn’t take much longer for him to appear in his physical form mid-air, his light brunette, slightly graying, hair swept neatly, his square-framed glasses adjusted just over those golden eyes, and that neat, brown suit coat and boldly yellow tie over his black turtleneck.

His feet gracefully landed on the ground as he appeared at Stanley’s side, adjusting his glasses over the crook of his nose as he studied the elevator.

He shook his head as he looked back at Stanley, “Are you truly sure this is this way out? That’s quite the statement after everything we’ve been through.”

Stanley agreed. While there were many times he believed he had found an exit in the parable, each time he was proven to be a hopeful fool. The Narrator used to berate him for believing in any exit sign so easily, but has let up quite a lot now that he and Stanley realized they were in the same boat.

They were stuck here together.

‘It’s worth a try… right?’ Stanley asked, casting a nervous glance towards the taller man.

He took in a shaky breath before nodding. Even if it ended up being just another cruel trick, this was the closest they ever have come to an exit. Stanley was right.

He extended his hand, interlacing his fingers with Stanley as he guided him into the elevator.

Stanley didn’t even hesitate to follow the Narrator, standing right beside him as they stood in the center of the elevator. There were no buttons, however the doors closed and the elevator whirred to life as it went… up? Maybe down. Stanley couldn’t tell.

What Stanley could tell was that it was getting faster and bumpier as time went on. He looked at the Narrator once more, who returned the look with a small, yet sweet, smile. 

It wasn’t until the elevator reached a worrisomely fast speed to the point the gears began to squeal that things truly escalated. The lightbulbs above the two began to brighten and flicker as the elevator jostled them from side to side.

It was hard to keep standing with how violently the elevator was rocking, yet the two kept their hold on each others’ hands firm. The lights only seemed to brighten more and more until it became blinding.

Stanley remembered the last time he saw his Narrator’s face. He remembered the last time he heard his Narrator’s voice whisper, “It’s going to be ok, Stanley.” And most of all, he remembered the last time he felt his Narrator’s touch from holding his hand before everything crashed down and suddenly that hand was ripped away from him. 

Stanley would later find himself waking up in a calm field in the middle of nowhere. He would look at the sky as his eyes opened, squinting from the sun’s light becoming overbearing for his poor eyes. He would take in the scent of the world around him as flowers bloomed. He would cry tears of joy as he realized that he had done it. He had escaped the parable. And then, he would sit up and look around for his companion, only to find himself sitting alone in a field.

And from then on, the tears he cried were not of joy.

Chapter Text

When thinking back to that moment he stood in front of the elevator, Stanley should’ve thought more about what would happen if it truly was the exit.

He should’ve thought about what would happen when the elevator began moving and how they would end up in the real world. He should’ve thought of what would happen to his Narrator. He should’ve even thought of looking around the field a little longer before he began walking away, trying to find any clue as to where he was.

It didn’t take long for Stanley to realize the elevator dropped him off at the edge of England. That sounded right. He was sure he lived somewhere in England before the parable. And the Narrator did have a British accent. Maybe he was here, he was just dropped off in another place!

It took Stanley only a few days before he broke down, realizing he couldn’t do this forever.

He needed to settle down. He was in no means prepared to search for the Narrator if he didn’t even have a place to sleep or food to eat.

He was back in the real world now, and that meant he had to resume taking care of himself. He had needs once more.

So, he settled down. Through the years, he was able to get new documents by claiming he had lost his birth certificate and any proof of identification in a house fire. It was quite the hassle, as he could not remember anything of who he was before, but the employees he was working with were rather nice and he was able to obtain new documents, even if all his information wasn’t exactly correct. He didn’t remember when his birthday was, so he put the day he escaped the parable.

Once he got his proof of identification, he moved into a quaint little apartment on the edge of Manchester and found a job as an office worker, which was rather fitting. He worked under a news outlet that specialized in writing articles on books and all sorts of stories. With Stanley’s remarkable ability to properly criticize and give proper feedback while also showing a unique perspective on the story, the company did not think twice about hiring him and promoting him over time to a lead editor.

Sure, it wasn’t just pushing buttons, but it was going over stories. Wonderful stories that showed the world through unique perspectives. Stories with messages. Parables. 

His job was definitely his coping mechanism.

It was an excruciatingly slow process and took five years before he truly settled in the real world. But, through those five years, Stanley came to a rather sad conclusion.

He was never going to see the Narrator again.

When he first began his search, Stanley was unaware of just how large the world he now lived in was. Sure, he had an inkling in the parable as to how big it may be, but it did not even compare to the actuality of Earth’s size. And he had only seen a bit of what England had to offer! It felt so huge to him!

If you told him a few years back that England was only a small fraction of what the world had to offer, he would’ve laughed. But seeing as just England was an extremely large place on its own- and that Stanley didn’t even know for sure if the Narrator was in England- Stanley decided that his time with the Narrator had come to its conclusion.

Yes, he did cry a lot that day. He sobbed until his eyes were puffy, his throat scratchy, and his nose clogged. He was a miserable mess that day. Because the day that Stanley gave up his search was the day he lost the Narrator.

He felt like he betrayed him, giving up so soon and so easily.

He had to be out there still, Stanley was sure of it. He wondered how he was adjusting to this new world. Did he have a real name now? Was he doing alright?

Stanley frowned as several thoughts passed through his head at once of the Narrator struggling to get by. There were so many things that could go wrong for him. And Stanley wasn’t there to help him.

“Hey, Stan, you alright, bud? You’re sort of zoning out.”

Stanley startled as the voice beside him spoke, he looked up to see his workmate and cubicle neighbor, Tom, peeking up from behind his cubicle’s walls. He looked at Stanley with a concerned expression, chuckling when the man jumped.

“Ah, sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”

‘No, it’s alright. I think I just didn’t get enough sleep last night,’ Stanley signed. Thankfully, everyone at the office knew British sign language. They didn’t at first, but after Stanley’s promotion to lead editor, everyone made an effort to learn sign language for the “nice man always in the button up.”

Another factor that led Stanley to his position was that he was just plain nice. A wonderful listener, and very stubborn when it came to respecting principles and common decency. All little traits he developed during his time in the parable with the Narrator.

“Well, that’s good. Well- not good. You looked rather sad and it had me worried. Be sure to get some sleep tonight, ok? Don’t want you passing out.”

Stanley nodded as Tom disappeared before popping back up again with a gasp, startling Stanley once more, “Oh! I almost forgot! There’s a book that many of our readers as of late have been talking about. It came out of nowhere, but it’s really on the rise right now. It also seems like it would be right up your alley since it talks about being stuck in another world, time loops, and paradoxes.”

Stanley perked up at that, he did love books that went over paradoxes. It was rather fun to see what other people could come up with while he had personal experience himself. He tilted his head, as if to tell Tom to continue.

Tom held up his index finger to signal Stanley to give him a moment as he disappeared once more. His laptop rang out a little ding as he saw a text message from Tom appeared and opened it. 

Stanley pushed his blue-light glasses up his nose as he clicked the link that was sent to him. Tom appeared once more, leaning his arms against the top of the cubicle’s walls.

“It’s called ‘Stuck In the Parable.’ I read it last week. Really good book. Goes over these different people that get stuck in these stories called parables which reflect their stereotypical lives. One goes over a starving artist, another goes over an Ivy League college student, and… well, you get the gist. They all go through the ordinary lives we picture these people having, but now they’re stuck in a story with their every action and choice being narrated. Coolest thing is that the narrator is characterized and ends up being a part of the book. This author really thinks outside the box with how point of views work in writing.”

Stanley blankly stared at the website, specifically at the picture of the book’s cover as he listened to Tom. Now this was quite the coincidence. This sounded very similar to his story. A narrator the protagonist was aware of, being stuck in a parable. 

Of course, people were invested in writing about the unusual, so something like this was bound to be written. Stanley was just surprised it had found its way to him.

“Would you possibly give it a read? I think you’d make a wonderful article on it. You really like stories with messages hidden in between unusual paradoxical situations. This book is pretty much the definition of that.”

Stanley nodded, giving Tom a small smile, ‘Thank you, it does look interesting. I’ll read it as soon as I can get my hands on a copy.’

“Well then you can start tonight because I have the book! I’ll give you my copy after work if you’re willing to come to my apartment. I’ll be sure to brew a pot of tea.”

Stanley clapped his hands together as his smile widened, ‘Wonderful. Thanks so much, Tom. I’ll look forward to it after work.’

  Tom gave a big grin and a thumbs up before disappearing once more. Stanley chuckled fondly. Tom was a bit of a saving grace for the office worker. When he first came to this job, he was still a bit sullen, simply just going through the motions of life while not entirely being there, he was still suffering the loss of his only friend, after all.

Tom, however, was like a ray of sunshine. A sweet man, recently graduated from college and got the job a few months before Stanley. When Stanley first came into his cubicle, Tom popped up from the spot behind the wall, welcoming Stanley with his bright blue eyes, freckles, and dirty blonde hair along with a smile so wide, Stanley could see he had dimples. He helped train Stanley and introduce him to the entire staff.

He was even the one in charge of making sure everyone in the office knew basic BSL so they all could properly communicate with Stanley.

Stanley didn’t know what mental state he would be in if it weren’t for Tom, but he knew it would not be great.

He sighed as he looked at his computer, which had opened one of his coworkers articles he was reviewing before it was to be sent out. 

Well, back to work for him.

~

“Well here it is! I’ll say, I’m rather excited for you to read this work. It reminds me a lot of you for some reason. This book feels like it was written just for you!” Tom laughed as he placed the black, leather covered book. It had the title listed over a simple door in gold leaf. On the side, also written in gold leaf, was the author’s name. Nigel M. Salt.

Stanley smiled as he took the book in his hands, signing a quick, ‘Thank you,’ before he opened the cover to look at the synopsis. He skimmed over the long paragraph and nodded, it was just as Tom had described it to be.

“Of course! Be sure to tell me if I was right about it being down your alley. I’m just really curious.”

Stanley chuckled, nodding his head before taking a sip of his tea. He usually only drank tea when he was out of instant-brew coffee. He never had time to make a proper drink in the morning, but needed his caffeine. Even when he drank tea, he just drank it plain without any milk or sugar.

Yet Tom offered and he decided to treat himself to two cubes of sugar in his drink. It was actually rather pleasant. Stanley did have a bit of a sweet tooth, but he never found the taste of tea to be anything spectacular, so he never even bothered previously.

‘Thank you for inviting me over and offering up some tea. I’m finding myself more at ease.’

Tom beamed, his lips curling up into a smile as he spoke, “That’s great! This is a chamomile blend, so it should help you with getting to sleep tonight. Also, you don’t have to thank me! You’re welcome over anytime, Stan.”

Stanley smiled at his reflection in the clear liquid. Tom was far too kind.

He had not felt this at ease since… Well, since the zen room. Yet, that was something Stanley pushed out of his mind quickly as it was connected to some rather bad memories. There was no need to remember that right now. Not when he was finally at peace for the first time in the real world.

‘Still, I thought I’d express my gratitude. Truly, thanks Tom.’

Tom responded with a huff of laughter, gushing as he responded, “Oh, stop it Stanley! You’re making me blush with your formalities.”

Stanley huffed out a laugh himself. This truly is what it’s like to have peace of mind. Stanley just wished he could share it with a certain someone.

~

As soon as Stanley entered through his apartment’s door, he threw his glasses and jacket on the dining table, carefully placing his satchel as it had his laptop stored inside- something he did not want to destroy for sure.

He sat on his sofa across from the television, pulling a pillow up so he could comfortably rest his head on one armrest while he had his feet dangle off the opposite.

In his hands was ‘Stuck In the Parable.’ The book was quite heavy, he flipped to the back and saw that it was over six-hundred pages long. Stanley whistled, it was a pretty long book. If Tom was so sure that Stanley would love this book, he sure did have a lot to enjoy.

He flipped to the first page, rubbing his eyes as the effects of the chamomile tea seemed to be settling in. He couldn’t fall asleep so soon! He had a book to start reading.

He powered through the sudden heaviness of his eyelids as he read through the first sentence. Immediately, Stanley found himself falling in love with this book and how at home it made him feel.

Chapter Text

There were many main characters. There was Astrid the starving artist, Braxton the genius college student, Delilah the gardener, Jason the troubled young adult, Augustine the CEO, and more. There were so many characters, yet the author found a perfect way to tie each of their storylines together without overwhelming the entire story.

However, the book seemed to take a liking towards Jim the office worker. Out of all these characters, Stanley assumed that Jim would be the most boring of them all, and yet he seemed to be the most well-developed and centered character.

When Stanley kept reading the parts that focused on the office worker, he couldn’t help but be reminded of the name button in the parable. It made him chuckle to himself. 

Each chapter showed a different perspective. Each person went through their usual story that the narrator guided them through until they reached the end, and when that happened, their story reset and the chapter ended. What was interesting, however, was that Jason broke away from what was meant to be his story in his introductory chapter.

While the other characters were scared and frightened into following what the narrator guided them to do, Jason was angry and stubborn, quickly going off the path. It got even more interesting when, at the end of Jason’s chapter, he found Jim, who hadn’t even been introduced yet.

Jim was introduced after Jason’s chapter, which ended with an abrupt restart that was forced by the narrator. 

The office worker seemed to have already been accustomed to the situation at hand, interacting with the narrator directly and going off course rather casually, which the narrator didn’t seem as frustrated with, just moreover a “here we go again” reaction.

Jim was silent, only communicating by signing when he felt like talking. Yet, he was also stubborn like Jason and had a childlike wonder to him.

Jim was used to being stuck in the world that the narrator now referred to as “The Parable.” And he was just around to have a good time at that point.

Most of Jim’s chapter was him teasing the narrator, refusing to follow any directions and making fun of the narrator in some silly ways.

Stanley laughed throughout Jim’s chapter. He was a funny guy that Stanley could relate with a lot. What a fun character!

The chapter ended with the narrator “getting sick of Jim’s shenanigans” and deciding to leave Jim to go check on the others.

After finishing the chapter, Stanley looked up at his clock to see it was half past midnight. He shook his head in disbelief. He was so captivated by the story that he didn’t even realize how long he had been reading, or how late it was. Tom wasn’t going to be happy when he came into work with eyebags tomorrow.

Oh well.

Stanley closed the book and set it on his coffee table before standing up from the couch, stretching his arms as he yawned. He headed into his bedroom, kicking off his slacks and shrugging off his button up as he got into bed, not even bothering to put any sweats or pajamas on. He was too tired now.

Stanley tucked himself under the covers of his bed before turning off the lamp at his bedside table, sighing happily as he fell asleep.

That night, Stanley dreamed of old memories in a familiar office.

~

“You know, I would be mad at you for staying up so late if I wasn’t impressed with how much you read in one night. I thought you would like the story, but I wasn’t expecting to this level,” Tom laughed as he patted Stanley’s back.

The office worker shrugged, holding the book close to his chest as he sat down in his chair. Stanley woke up this morning feeling refreshed even though he fell asleep late. Last night had to be one of the deepest sleeps he has had in a while.

So, yes he may have eyebags, but he was in a great mood. Better than great, if anything. He had found his new favorite book and he was rarin’ to go with the article he was going to write on it. 

“Now hold on a moment, bud,” Tom said as he saw Stanley going to open a new document, “I know you’re excited, but have you even thought about how you’re going to write this article? You haven’t even finished the book yet. Wouldn’t it be best to do that first and then get going?”

This caused Stanley to pause, his hand hovering over the mousepad of his laptop. He thought for a moment before huffing and slumping in his chair. He wanted to write an article on this book! But he wasn’t even finished with reading the book. That meant he had to do other work today as he couldn’t read his book at work. 

He was already looking forward to his lunch break so he could continue on to the next chapter.

“Oh, don’t be like that. You just can’t focus on your book for a few hours, it’s not the end of the world,” Tom said, patting Stanley on the head and ruffling his hair a bit.

Stanley groaned, swatting Tom’s hand away and attempting to fix the damage the taller man did to his hair.

Tom acted like he was his father all the time, telling him to knock it off when he was up to his playful antics and trying to push him to do his best. He even called Stanley “Old Sport” one time.

“Look, it’s just one work day. Once you get started, it’ll suddenly fly by and you’ll have the entire night to read your book! Ok?”

Stanley glared at Tom, looking quite annoyed. He shook his head as he signed, ‘BS.’

“Stanley!” Tom gasped, slapping Stanley’s hand. Ow.

“You know better than to use that language in the office! Would you kiss your mother with that mou- er… Hands? Wait, no- That sounds weird. Um…”

Tom fumbled over his words as he tried to save himself, but it was obviously way too late for that. Stanley could only snicker as Tom brought his hands up to face, a bit of red hinting at his ears as he hid his face behind his hands.

“You know what? Nevermind, you know what I mean. Just please work.”

And with that said, Tom scuffled off to his cubicle, muttering annoyedly at himself. Alright, maybe this day wasn’t as bad anymore to Stanley, who had now bursted out laughing.

Once he collected his bearings, he turned around in his swivel chair, facing his laptop. What was he to do?

There were a few articles that needed editing and another article Stanley needed to write within the next week. So, he didn’t have an overwhelming schedule for the time being.

Stanley opened one of the articles that he had to edit and looked over it, fixing any grammar errors he caught and rewording some of the sections to help it be more captivating for readers. The article was pretty good as is, so he didn’t have to do that much.

Nancy was always one of the best writers the company had to offer. She was previously an author herself before she decided to get out more and get a job as a news writer near where she lived to be more social. She focused on romance novellas. The current one she was writing was quite interesting. It looked like the main male lead accidentally sent a business email to the wrong person, the female lead, and it got spicy from there.

Pretty cliche, but Nancy made it sound like it was something you would read if you wanted to kick your feet and giggle like a middle school girl over the adorably cheesy scenes that happen between the protagonists.

Stanley smiled. He loved reading Nancy’s articles. Not only did he have the easiest time with them because he never had to edit much for them, but Nancy also had such a way with putting romance into words. It made Stanley feel like a middle school girl himself as he kicked his feet and giggled over one book he found thanks to Nancy a few months ago. He was in his bed all that weekend just reading the cheesy, fluffy story.

It was safe to say that Stanley liked romance.

He was looking over one paragraph Nancy had written when one word kept repeating itself in the back of his head. Email.

Well, yes, that was what the story was about, but why was that word almost ringing out in his mind?

Email, email, email. Was he forgetting something? Was there an email he missed or one that he accidentally marked as spam? What was it?

Email… Email! Stanley should email Nigel Salt!

Of course, why didn’t he think of this sooner? Salt seemed to know what he was doing when breaking the boundaries of what makes a story. Stanley’s article would do great if he had the author discussing what makes a story and how you can stretch it like Salt did with the narrator.

This would be the best article ever written if Stanley was able to get a hold of Salt! He closed the tab he was working on to open up his email application, looking up Nigel M. Salt on his browser. The man had his own website and Stanley found his business email listed at the top as soon as he clicked on the link.

This shouldn’t be too hard , Stanley thought. All he needed to do was email the guy and ask if he was willing to answer some questions. Maybe he could add a few compliments and spice it up a bit so the author felt more compelled to talk to him?

What was the author like anyway… Did he have any socials? Maybe Stanley could find what he liked so he could attempt to start a conversation with him.

Stanley spent the next three hours researching and attempting to write an email to Nigel, yet he found no information as to who this man was. How strange.

“Hey Stanley, are you coming? We’re all going on our lunch break,” one of Stanley’s coworkers asked. He shook his head. He still had an email to write and had made little to no progress. He needed to get somewhere. He wasn’t that hungry anyways.

‘Tell the others I’m going to skip lunch for today. I just have some stuff I need to get finished.’

The coworker gave Stanley a thumbs up, waving before they left through the door.

Stanley cracked his knuckles as he looked at the blank email he had been trying to start for the past few hours. It was time to get started.

~

“You actually found a way to do work while also focusing on that darn book,” Tom shook his head with a grin plastered on his face, “You are an absolute smartass, you know that?”

Stanley didn’t even try to hide his smile, he had finally done it. By the time Tom had come back from his lunch break, Stanley had an email written and ready to be sent out. He had grabbed Tom the second he walked through the elevator to look over it.

“I will say, it is a little more professional than the usual tone you use, but it’s also very complimentary towards his work. He’ll most likely respond.”

Stanley pumped his fist into the air, hitting send as quickly as possible.

“However, I can’t say for sure if Mr. Salt will agree to have an interview with you. All authors are relatively different when it comes to the media. Mr. Salt could very much be a private man. Just don’t get your hopes too high.”

Stanley nodded. He knew that there was a chance that Nigel Salt would decline the interview, but he had to try. 

He felt very antsy now that the email had been sent.

To be quite frank, Stanley wasn’t just hyperfixating on this book just because he really loved the story. It also reminded him a lot of when he was in the parable. He wanted to know more behind Salt’s thought process when making ‘Stuck In the Parable.’ He wanted to know how this author made it feel as if Stanley was back in his parable again. So, to simplify, Stanley wanted a reply from Nigel Salt right now. He was impatient.

However, all Stanley could do now was wait.

Chapter Text

When people say Nigel is perfect to a tee, a man who dots all his i’s and crosses all his t’s, they are not exaggerating. Whenever the man was seen, he was the picture of elegance and refinement. 

While no one knew the man’s true age, everyone guessed him to be around his thirties or forties- some even said his twenties, it truly was a perplexing mystery. He was also quite the talk around town due to how attractive the author was, adding on to his already wondrous mystique. 

He had spectacular porcelain skin that seemed like it had not seen a single pimple in its entire life. This skin was complimented by his neatly combed and fashioned bright brunette hair with grey streaks and golden, honey brown eyes. 

He was always seen in the coffee shop down the street wearing his silver framed glasses and a neat turtleneck or button down. He never wore any bright colors, always favoring neutrals to easily blend into the background and not gain much attention.

While Nigel was a man everyone was enamored by, Nigel was enamored by no one. While he was polite and kind- yet curt- to any person he spoke with, he did not have much interest in making any friends or getting into the messy business of relationships. Not after he experienced such a heavy loss.

He didn’t think he’d ever be ready to learn to love again. He was far too heartbroken. 

So, the community of Hampstead found Nigel Salt to be quite the peculiar, yet alluring man. 

With his book, ‘Stuck In the Parable,’ being sold in just about every bookshop in England now, he was trying his best to keep to himself and have a normal life, yet people seemed to recognize him with each corner he turned.

One day, he all but ran into the coffee shop he goes to every morning when three separate people recognized him within twenty minutes. Three people! In twenty minutes!

Well, if anything, this was getting quite ridiculous for Nigel. He wrote that book to cope with his loss and dive in more to the other world, not to suddenly become famous! Sure, he published it, but it was more for the sense of accomplishment he would receive rather than hoping for people to pick his book out of the many on the shelves of a bookstore.

Oh what a complete and utter mess he has gotten himself into. Curse his need to feel something else other than the unbearable loneliness he always felt in this social world.

“You look frazzled,” the teenage girl at the cash register, Lauren, said. She began working at the coffee shop earlier this Summer, working the usual shift while she waits for school to start up again. Nigel had to admit he quite liked her as she didn’t try to get into his business. Though, it was by no means a friendship. She didn’t care, and nor did he.

“I just need to be out of the public eye for right now,” Nigel mumbled as he smoothed out his jacket, making sure his hair was not windswept. That made Lauren snort.

“Got recognized one too many times again, eh? You really don’t like attention. Anyways, the usual?”

“Yes please, that would be wonderful. And I don’t dislike attention, I just prefer not to have strangers coming up to me knowing who I am while I have no bloody idea who they are.”

“That’s called attention, Nigel,” Lauren said as she began setting up to brew Nigel’s coffee, “And don’t swear, you know Rhiannon would be swatting you over the head right now if she was here.”

Nigel scoffed, rolling his eyes at Lauren’s retort, “On the subject of Rhiannon, where is she? Doesn’t she have a coffee shop to run?”

“She’s gone this week,” Lauren shrugged, “Went on a vacation to America with her family. She has a coffee shop to run, but she also has a family to take care of.”

That comment hit Nigel in the gut. Right, Rhiannon didn’t live a lonely life like he did. He grumbled to himself. Lauren didn’t even bother trying to figure out what he said.

“Alright, you old curmudgeon, here’s your order,” Lauren said a few minutes later, placing his cup of coffee and a honey bran muffin down on the counter near the cash register.

“Thank you, and I’m not a curmudgeon,” Nigel snapped as he handed Lauren his credit card. She swiped it through the card reader on the side of the register, the corner of her mouth curving upward just a slight bit.

“Oh you absolutely are. If I were to look up the definition of curmudgeon in a dictionary, it’d just be your name.”

“I am not a curmudgeon,” Nigel curtly repeated. Lauren rolled her eyes.

“Fine, if you’re not a curmudgeon, you’re an old geezer.”

Nigel pursed his lips, narrowing his eyes at the teen as she simply smirked at the man with her arms crossed. The nerve of this girl.

“Good afternoon, Lauren,” Nigel said as he picked up his muffin and coffee, walking out the door within just a few swift steps.

“See you later, old geezer.”

The nerve . Nigel just wanted to go home and write more of his book now that his day had been properly ruined by not three, but now four people.

~

Everyday, Nigel went through the same schedule from morning to night, and he would follow it to a tee. He would wake up half past six, take twenty minutes to get ready, would reach the coffee shop by eight, and then would stay there until two writing. He would take a walk around town for an hour, then go back to his flat, write for the rest of the night until he had dinner, and fell asleep at ten.

Today, it was all off. After getting recognized so many times, Nigel thought he could cool off by writing in the coffee shop as usual. However, Lauren was more teasing than usual and Nigel was not in the mood for it.

He wasn’t mad he was off schedule. In fact, he didn’t care. He wasn’t in the mood to care. Soon it would be his anniversary of what was meant to be a happy occurrence, something that should’ve been celebrated.

Yet, it became a day of mourning for his lost one instead.

So, Nigel did not care that he was off schedule. If anything, it gave him time to think because he didn’t think he could write right now anyways.

And now here he was. In his flat, reading a random book he picked off his shelf, half paying attention to what he was reading while he thought.

The book was meant to be a classic. ‘The Great Gatsby.’ However, Nigel seemed to glower at the book as if he purely despised it.

While he absolutely didn’t understand the female love interest’s, Daisy, perspective on the world, he did understand the relationship between her and Gatsby. This Tom fellow, however, was the most ridiculous man he had ever read about. How could he be angry with Daisy for having an affair when he had several affairs with other women?

He was angry because Daisy wasn’t being loyal to him when he was not loyal to her either? Hmph , how entitled. 

Daisy would’ve stayed loyal if it weren’t for Tom turning into such a nasty excuse of a gentleman. She truly did love him, and he loved her until he decided to treat her like she was just a maiden for his pleasure.

To take advantage of such feelings and cast away the most important thing in your life because you think it’s not enough. Daisy should’ve been enough for Tom. If not, they could’ve worked around it.

Daisy did not deserve what Tom did to her or Gatsby, even if she was an absolutely unbearable character.

Just even thinking about Tom now drove him mad as he now shakily held the book with clenched fists. Just how could anyone treat love in such a hideous way?!

Nigel slammed the book shut, realizing just how erratic and loud his breathing had become. Was that tears welling up in the corners of his eyes?

He yelled out before throwing the book across the room. It landed with a thump and opened up as it slid across the floor.

Nigel stared at where the book had landed in shock, he never got this angry. The last time he was this mad was-

Nigel’s breath hitched and he couldn’t help but bring his face to his hands as he curled up into a ball. He couldn’t help but let the tears fall as he sobbed.

Lauren was wrong.

Nigel wasn’t an old geezer, he was a pathetic old geezer.

~

Nigel didn’t know what to do with himself. After he had calmed down from his embarrassing little meltdown, he cleaned himself up, put that damned book back on the top shelf- pushing it a little further back so he wouldn’t see it- and made himself a cup of tea. 

Now he was sitting here, at his kitchen island, wondering what the hell could he do now to distract himself from his thoughts.

He couldn’t write, because his writing always led back to one thought- especially right now- he couldn’t read for obvious reasons, he wasn’t going back to that coffee shop because Lauren was going to be the death of him. Just what could he do?

His only option left now seemed to be taking a walk. There were only a few more hours of daylight left before it was going to get dark, and he could probably do with some fresh air.

So off he went, throwing on his jacket and fedora right before he left through the front door. Was it cold? No. Nigel just preferred to wear layers and long sleeves no matter what the weather was like. He couldn’t imagine even showing his forearms out in public. The thought almost seemed scandalous.

The trees were in full bloom at this time of year, decorating the sidewalks with white and pink petals that fell onto the sidewalk after gracefully being swept away from their branches by the wind. 

It was a wonderful sight in the neighborhood of Hampstead, and Nigel immediately found the buzzing in his head fading away as he watched the blue sky and breathed in the aromas that the flowers and shrubbery here had to offer.

Hampstead was a wonderful neighborhood in Camden, London. While the neighborhood was usually preferred by artists to live in, Nigel felt right at home. The quaint little neighborhood gave him much to think about peacefully and helped him whenever he was in a writer’s block.

“Hey Nigel, are you off for a walk?” Nigel heard one voice say beside him as he passed the bookstore. He turned to see Mr. Featherway, or who kept telling Nigel to call him Clarence, and the man who owned the bookstore.

“Yes, it appears I am,” Nigel said, tipping his hat towards the man as a small, greeting gesture.

The man chuckled, shaking his head, “You’re a bit off schedule I see. Just trying something new?”

Nigel nodded, pressing his lips into a thin line. He didn’t need anyone knowing he was just looking for an excuse to escape his mind right now.

“Well, I won’t force you to come in, but be sure to come by sometime! You’re my best customer and seller. Seriously, that book of yours has gone flying off the shelves.”

“You do know I am not the one who sells you the books, right Mr. Featherway?”

Mr. Featherway huffed out a sigh, obviously not pleased with Nigel’s formalities, “Yes, I’m aware. But if it weren’t for you publishing that fantastic book of yours, I probably wouldn’t have half the business I do nowadays.”

Nigel nodded, now a bit bored of the conversation, “I’ll be sure to come by sometime within the next week. Have a good day Mr. Featherway.”

As Nigel walked off, he heard another sigh from the bookstore owner before he yelled out, “Someday I’ll get you to call me Clarence!”

Not a chance.

Nigel was recognized by several other shop owners throughout the neighborhood and then decided to go back to his flat. He just wanted to be left alone for now. Why did he think a walk would be a good idea? Was he just that indecisive right now?

So back to his flat he went. It was getting dark anyways, and Nigel needed to prepare supper. Maybe then he could write. His mind seemed to have calmed down a bit while he was walking, so it wasn’t a fruitless activity.

He walked in through the front door, turning on the lights and sighing as he hung his jacket and fedora back on the coat rack. He adjusted his glasses and rolled the sleeves of his black turtleneck up to his elbows.

Time to get dinner ready.

~

The chicken tonight was thankfully not as dry as the last time Nigel prepared chicken tikka masala. While he was not the greatest cook, he should know how to properly prepare and cook a bloody chicken.

Tonight he thankfully reconciled himself. It was actually a rather pleasant dinner, if he did say so himself.

But, the silence was getting quite overwhelming. Nigel left his meal for a moment to grab his laptop and opened it up. He opened his music application and classical music began playing throughout the room as Nigel played his usual playlist.

Chopin truly knew what he was doing during his time, truly a master of the art of music and composing. Nigel had to admit his favorite piece was Nocturne in E-Flat Major.

Nigel began humming the familiar tunes as he chewed his meal, kicking his feet slightly as he became a bit antsy. He needed some more action. Something to do.

He decided to open his mail and see if there were any readers who decided to leave him any comments about his book. They sure did fuel his ego, even if Nigel never admitted it.

However, when Nigel opened his mailbox, his eyes fixated on one email that was sent to him that seemed a bit more professional.

Was this sent from a company? 

He opened it hesitantly and decided to give the email a read.

Dear Nigel Salt,

Hello! I hope you are doing well. I am a writer and lead editor at Goldleaf Books Weekly , a news article publisher centered in Manchester, England that focuses on writing articles about books our readers may or have already taken interest in. I had recently been recommended to read your book, Stuck In the Parable , and out of the many books I have read while at my job, yours has definitely taken the top. You break the bounds of what is a story and how to write it with your narrator and Jim. I am absolutely in awe of the narrative you have created and the way you challenge the limits of what makes a story.

I plan on writing an article for your book to recommend to other readers, yet I believe it would be beneficial if I were able to have some insight from the author on what exactly makes a story. Would it be alright if I were to interview you? I understand that you may not feel comfortable as some authors have more private lives from others, so it can be simply done through a call or email. 

If you are not open to an interview, that is absolutely alright. I simply wanted to let you know how amazing your book truly is. Reading it has helped me a lot as it has given me a feeling of nostalgia. I hope you have a wonderful day.

Nigel paused. While this email seemed like the usual suck up trying to get something out of him, there was something else to it. It felt rather… genuine. He had heard of the publisher previously. He even read a few articles from them which led him to some great books.

An interview. Hm.

Nigel had never been asked to be interviewed on his book before, even with its current success. While he definitely did not like the attention, it may do him some good right now to distract him from any other thoughts that may try to slip into his mind over the next few weeks.

He looked back down at his laptop and was about to type a response to the email when he saw the signature at the bottom. His breath hitched. 

As he looked over the name, he was brought to another time, another world, and another name he used to call himself as he croaked out one word.

“Stanley?”

Chapter Text

The Narrator ran a quivering hand through his hair. No… this couldn’t be Stanley. There were many, many, many people named Stanley. It was just bizarre that the man who wants to interview him on his book shares the name of the reason the Narrator wrote the book in the first place. There were many people named Stanley in this world. This was Stanley Beket, a lead editor at a news publisher. He was just another guy living out his life and working at his job.

The Narrator decided to shut the laptop before he lost it, suddenly losing his appetite and pushing his dinner to the side. Maybe now would be the best time to go to sleep.

So the Narrator left the kitchen, not even bothering to put his leftovers in the fridge as he trudged off to his bedroom, changed into his nightwear, and all but slumped onto his bed as he slowly fell asleep.

All night, the Narrator was bothered by the memories of his oldest and closest friend.

~

Over the next few days, Nigel avoided the email, even though it was always on his mind. Was it because of the man being named Stanley? Oh absolutely. If he wasn’t named Stanley, the Narrator probably would’ve said yes right then and there. He just couldn’t bring himself to hit the reply button, so he kept leaving it open on his laptop. However, he was sitting in the coffee shop one day staring at the email on his laptop as Lauren came behind him.

“Ooo, an interview? That would be good for your book.”

Nigel spun around and glared at Lauren, “Do you not know to mind your own business?”

Lauren rolled her eyes, placing a hand on her hip as she held a coffee in the other, “Can you really blame me? You’ve been staring at your laptop so intensely all this morning, I thought you might get an aneurysm. Are you alright?”

“I am perfectly fine, Lauren. Now if you’ll excuse me-”

“Well tell me you’re at least going to accept the interview. The man’s obviously a fan of your work and this could be great for you. Aren’t you writing a sequel too? You could hint at it in the article, make a little promotion for it.”

“I am not going to do that, I don’t get my success off of shameless promotions.”

Lauren snorted, placing the coffee on his table as she sat opposite of him. Whoever the poor person was that had ordered that coffee would have to wait.

“Look, why are you being so hesitant, Nigel? You don’t need to do the shameless promotion, but I think it would be pretty cool if you had an article written on your book that also gave a bit of background on your experience in writing. I read your book and it is actually pretty amazing, what you do.”

Nigel paused, looking up at Lauren with his mouth slightly agape, “You read my book?”

“Yep.”

“And you’re complimenting my book?”

“That’s what I’m doing,” Lauren said with a shrug, “Look, I know I purposely get on your nerves, but I can recognize a good work when I see it. You definitely know how to write a damn good book.”

“Oh, so I don’t get to swear but you do?” Nigel scoffed.

Lauren huffed out a small laugh, leaning her face against her hand as she propped her elbow up onto the table, “Rhiannon is not here right now, so I’m the boss.”

“Oh you are just an incorrigible tease, you know that?”

Lauren nodded, “Use all the fancy words you want, writer boy, but we both know who wins every argument that happens between us.”

Nigel grumbled as he tried to ignore Lauren by returning to work on his laptop, but then he remembered the work he had been doing was staring, conflicted, at that bloody email. Lauren seemed to notice his sudden shift in emotions as she dropped her teasing smile and replaced it with a concerned expression, “Look, is there something going on? I thought you would’ve loved a chance to gloat about your story.”

Nigel sighed, bringing his hand up to pinch his nose and causing his glasses to become askew on his face, “I don’t know it’s just…”

“Just what?”

Nigel pursed his lips before looking at Lauren. While she was a tease, she was realistic. She would understand his plight.

“The man who wrote this email… the man trying to interview me, he shares the name of an old friend of mine who I had lost.”

“Oh… I’m sorry. That must’ve brought back some memories.”

Nigel chuckled, “It did… But the funny thing is, I wrote this book because of that friend. So I just feel very… Oh, I don’t know- perplexed?”

Lauren nodded, pondering for a moment before she spoke up, “I understand where you’re coming from. But, you know what I say? Suck it up.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Nigel spluttered before Lauren held her index finger up to silence him.

“I get that him sharing the name of your old friend may bring back some memories, but that isn’t his fault. This is an opportunity for you, and skipping out on it just because of a name would be a very stupid thing for you to do. You hear me?”

“Well, yes I-”

“So go for it,” Lauren said, cutting him off once more, “And, while I may not know your friend, I would say he would want you to go for it as well, yes?”

Well, now that Lauren said it, Nigel felt quite silly. Of course Stanley would want him to do it. It was just a name, nothing more, nothing less. Why was Nigel making such a fuss over it?

That’s it. Nigel decided. He wasn’t going to let some name hold him back from having an interview that could help change his career for the better. He is a writer now! He wouldn’t be a coward, it was time for him to own up to the fact he had written this story and he had not done it just for Stanley, but for himself as well!

“Would you mind helping me type out a reply?” Nigel asked Lauren.

The teenager smirked, “Just give me a minute to wrap up before my lunch break.”

Lauren walked away, giving the coffee she had forgotten to the customer who ordered it along with a free cookie to apologize for the wait. They thankfully didn’t seem to be in any sort of rush.

Nigel sighed, shaking his head fondly before clicking on the reply button.

Chapter Text

Stanley frowned as he looked at his mailbox, which was slightly hidden right behind the current article he was editing. Still no new messages. It had been at least a few days and still no response. Maybe it was because he sent it so close to the weekend?

Whatever the reason, Stanley was becoming rather worried. Nigel wasn’t responding to his email and all Stanley could do was think the worst.

Did he find Stanley’s email annoying? Was Nigel Salt sick of being asked for interviews? Did Nigel Salt die ?!

“Hey Stanley, are you ready for lunch? I brought some extra sushi today if you- Oh my god, you’re still looking at that email?” Tom asked as he peered over Stanley’s shoulder, taking his mouse and selecting on the mailbox so it came to the front of his screen.

“Look, I get it, you want an interview with the author of your favorite book. But I told you not to get your hopes too high. How about we go out to a nice lunch with our coworkers, I give you some of my extra california roll, and we forget about the email?”

Stanley sullenly nodded. Well, at least he tried. And Tom always finds the best sushi rolls. He could forget about Nigel for now.

“There we go. Now come on, everyone else is waiting for us.”

Stanley laughed as Tom pulled at his hand, forcing him out of his seat and nearly making the taller man fall over. 

~

“Aw Stan, honey, what’s the matter? You look so sad!” Nancy said, patting Stanley’s hand with her own delicate one to get his attention. Her nails were painted a rather vibrant yellow which certainly did match her sunny personality.

“You know that book I was talking about? ‘Stuck in the Parable?’” Tom asked, and Nancy replied with a nod.

“Well, Stanley read it and he’s now obsessed with the book. He wanted to write an article on it and interview the author, but the author never responded to his email.”

Nancy sighed, taking Stanley’s hand in her own, “Oh dear, I’m sorry hon. Is this your first time getting ghosted by an author?”

Stanley nodded, avoiding eye contact with his motherly coworker.

“Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us. I remember the first time I got ghosted. I was in love with this one novella where a girl fell in love with a man who had accidentally broken into her house. I tried to contact the author and never got a response. I forgot about it within a few weeks.”

‘But this is something else,’ Stanley signed, ‘This book… It's so reminiscent for me. It reminds me of a time before I lived in Manchester. It almost feels like it’s narrating a part of my life.’

Nancy and Tom exchanged a worried glance, seeming unsure how to respond.

“Look, we can all relate to books at different levels. But I say don’t get too stuck in fiction. It’s not healthy for you, Stan.”

Stanley sighed, of course they wouldn’t understand. He couldn’t blame them. They hadn’t gone through what he did, they hadn’t seen what he did. They would never be able to know. So why was he wasting time trying to explain this feeling?

‘I think I’m going to head back now.’

Nancy puckered her lips, her expression becoming more concerned, “Alright, honey, but be sure to talk to us if you need to, ok?”

Stanley nodded as he stood up, slinging his satchel across his shoulder and waving goodbye as he walked back to his work building.

~

How come everything sounded so loud? Stanley could hear every little sound ringing throughout the office and disturbing the usual silence that fell over the building during lunch. He could hear the ticking of the clock, the ringing of notifications from laptops his coworkers had left open, the creaking of the building.

He could hear everything.

Especially the tapping of keys as he subconsciously edited the article opened on his laptop. It was like torture.

Why did everything have to be so silent yet so loud at the same time? Why was Stanley so bothered by it? Just what did he want?

The noises only seemed to become more loud and obnoxious as he typed, beginning to get on his nerves. He almost lost it when a loud ding rang out, only to realize it had come from his laptop. And there it was.

A response from Nigel Salt.

A response? Stanley nearly fell over in his seat when he scrambled to get a closer look. It was a response! Nigel had responded to him!

A small part of Stanley thanked whatever higher being was out there that he wasn’t dead.

He opened the email with shaky hands and read the entire response so fast, he had to read it a second time to truly understand what it was saying.

Dear Stanley Beket,

I would like to begin this email saying I am quite flattered you found my book to be one of your favorite reads, it was pleasing to hear you enjoyed it so much. I would also like to apologize for my late response, I have been quite indecisive over the last few days on how I wanted to approach your request. I am open to having an interview on my book and I believe it would best be done over email. Please note this is my first interview, so I may need a little guidance on how to go through the process. Again, thank you for reaching out and I look forward to our interview.

Thank you,

Nigel Salt

Stanley pumped a fist into the air, excitedly jumping up out of his seat as he read through the email again.

He accepted! Stanley was going to be interviewing Nigel Salt on his book! Him! Stanley!

He was pacing back and forth, thinking of all the possible outcomes that would result from this. How would Nigel respond? Would they become pen pals? Friends even?

Stanley’s train of thought was interrupted when Nancy and Tom came in through the office’s door, Nancy holding a tray of cookies.

“Hey, Stan. We brought some cookies to cheer you- Oh, what’s got you so excited, honey?” Nancy said, a smile spreading across her rosy lips as she saw the happy office worker.

Stanley excitedly pointed at his laptop, ushering the two to come over. Tom read the email aloud as Stanley pointed at it, letting out an excited laugh.

“Holy cow, bud! You got an interview with Nigel Salt! Congratulations!” Tom said, slapping Stanley’s back.

Nancy chuckled, “Well I guess these ‘cheer up’ cookies are now celebratory cookies. Here, take one Stan! You deserve a reward.”

Stanley grabbed one after signing, ‘Thank you,’ and happily munched the cookie as the three happily conversed with each other, more coworkers joining in as they came back from lunch and heard the news.

Throughout the building, news spread that Stanley got an interview with the author of ‘Stuck In the Parable.’ Stanley would never admit how much his back hurt from how many congratulatory slaps on the back he received that day.

But what he would admit was how he was a bit of a dunce as he rushed back home after work. He realized he had not even continued the book since the first night, too anxious for Nigel’s response. He now had an interview with the man, but hadn’t even finished reading the book he would be interviewing Nigel on!

As Stanley entered his apartment, he threw his coat off and ran into his room, changing so fast he didn’t even realize he had left his glasses on, becoming askew as he threw a cream sweater over his head.

He cursed as he bumped into the wall in a poor attempt to put the article of clothing on. Stanley hoped whoever lived below him wasn’t home right now so he wouldn’t be disturbing them.

Finally in his comfortable clothes for the night, Stanley took a deep breath before he came out to the living room and picked up ‘Stuck In the Parable,’ which was still on his coffee table.

Stanley would stay up all night if he had to. He had to finish this book before work tomorrow.

~

“We have to do something! We can’t be stuck here forever!” Delilah cried out, looking frantically around the room. 

“We’re so close! But… I’m not seeing any exit and that door isn’t budging. Guys, I think we’re stuck,” Braxton concludes as the entire crew frantically rushed around the endless tower of stairs, nearly bumping into each other.

Braxton was, in fact, correct. There would be no way out, and they would be stuck. For there is no way to escape the Parable, and no matter how much they try, they will always be here. No more resets, no more time loops. Just stuck in a meaningless room, never to escape their paths again.

“Oh cut it out, won’t you?!” Jason spat, “We’re actually trying to do something. You know that story you’ve been wanting soooo much?! Well here it is! We’re trying to escape and we can’t find an exit while some unseen god nags at us! You’re pathetic!”

“Jason, I don’t think that’s very-”

“No, Delilah! I won’t have it anymore! Who does this guy-person- thing think he is?!”

Delilah and Jason bickered back and forth, not realizing the “god” they were referencing was beginning to lose interest in their annoying little spat. However, Jim seemed to be a bit dazed as he stared straight down the never ending stairwell from the bannister.

“Jim?” Augustine asked, a little concerned from the familiar thoughtful look in Jim’s eyes. Astrid seemed to catch on as she stood beside the CEO, matching his expression.

“What are you thinking about? You have that expression again,” Astrid asked, in which she was returned with a blank look from Jim.

Jim looked up this time, as if seemingly trying to communicate with a higher being. ‘You said we can’t reset, correct?’ the office worker signed.

Well, yes. Here none of you can not reset. You have nowhere to go and can’t progress any further now that you’re stuck in the looping stairwell. Everyone will be here forever.

‘But what about dying?’

The entire group flinched and Astrid gasped as everyone realized what Jim was saying.

What?

‘Everytime we die, our story restarts. And, since we’re all here together, only one of us has to die to disturb the balance of the Parable and force a restart.’

“Jim, no!” Delilah yelled, “Why would you do such a thing? H-Have you died before?”

Jim’s look said everything. He wasn’t afraid of death. At this point, he was friends with it. But Jim wouldn’t do it. He had died before, but not on purpose. He wasn’t going to do it.

As Jim lifted one of his legs over the banister he paused to think about what he was doing, how insane it was. He couldn’t go back! No one could go back! Just how selfish was he being? Jim wouldn’t throw himself off that staircase.

Jim brought his other foot over the banister. Why was he doing it? Just to spite everyone? To spite us? 

This was just going to make things go back to how they were. Jim couldn’t do it. And yet Jim leaned forward on the banister as the stubborn incorrigible man wouldn’t listen .

Jim! JIM!

Please, no, no! Oh, how far does it go? Can’t you hear your friends scream?!

Why did you do it Jim? Was it for some false sense of continuity? Do you really hate me that much? Or… Oh Jim… we’re really going back.

You really do hate me, don’t you?

Stanley had never been more silent than he was in that moment. Sure, he was selectively mute, which meant he never really talked, but he still made soft hums and grunts every now and then to express himself. 

Now, he was absolutely silent as he stared at the book, dumbfounded.

That felt… way too familiar. Stanley was getting a huge sense of deja vu from the zen room as he read through the chapter. All it could do was make him think about when he had first done it. When he had first gone through that ending.

You really do hate me, don’t you?

Now that was a line specifically from the book, but Stanley couldn’t help but hear the Narrator say it, and it made something inside of him stir.

He hoped the Narrator knew that Stanley never hated him, he was just too curious for his own good to the point he would do anything just to see something new.

Stanley sighed, flipping the page to the next chapter. He needed to finish this book, even with this feeling of guilt building inside of him.

Chapter Text

“You don’t look too great, bud. Are you sure you don’t want to take a day off?”

Stanley smiled at Tom, shaking his head. Sure, his skin was far too pale and his eye bags so dark it looked like someone gave him two black eyes, but he had done it. 

He finished the book and he loved it more than ever.

Now, all he could think about was the interview. He was planning on beginning today, and nothing, not even him passing out from exhaustion, could stop him from emailing Nigel Salt.

It looked like Nigel had beaten him to it though. As Stanley sat in his chair with Tom’s concerned eyes still following him, he opened his laptop to see a new email from the author.

Good morning,

I hope you are doing well. I know we never settled on a certain date to begin the interview, so I am emailing you to let you know I will be available anytime this next week. Email me whenever you’re ready to begin and I will respond as soon as I get the chance, which shouldn’t be long.

Stanley huffed out a small laugh. Right, he never set a time to interview Nigel. He was obviously new to this, so he may need to ask Tom and Nancy for some tips. He looked up to see Tom looking over from his usual spot on top of the cubicle’s wall, still with that concerned look.

‘Are you just going to stare at me all day? You’re creeping me out.’

Tom startled, shuffling as he sheepishly rubbed his neck, “I’m sorry Stanley, it’s just… Ever since you got this book, you’ve been so intent on trying to find a… Oh, I don’t know, a deeper message? Understanding? Stanley, I’ve been worried. Why are you so connected to this book?”

Stanley hummed, combing a hand through his hair as he thought. Tom would never believe Stanley if he tried to tell him about the parable. Just how would he even explain that? 

Oh, well you see, I used to be stuck in an entirely different world that had me stuck in a time loop with someone narrating me as if I was the protagonist of a story.  

Would that even make sense?

Yet this book does it. It describes what the parable was. It reminds him of who he was and what role he played in the parable. And, most of all, it reminded him of the person he had lost. Maybe he could begin with that.

‘You know how I have previously told you I lost a friend?’

Tom nodded, pursing his lips a little as he seemed to look even more concerned. It was not a good look for Tom. That motherly look of worry.

‘Well, it’s just this book reminds me of him. In a lot of ways. He was a writer. He loved parables, loved reading his stories out loud, and I was always there to help him out. I would sometimes change the story, give new ideas, take different paths. He didn’t always like it, but he was adaptive and enjoyed it at times. We only had each other back then, after all. So, this book just reminds me of him.’

As Stanley dropped his hands to his sides, Tom let out a sigh. He shook his head as he brought his hand up to cover his mouth. He looked at Stanley, and then out into the distance. Finally, he seemed to come to a conclusion as a smile spread across his face.

“That’s actually really sweet. I’m sorry you lost your friend. If this is what will give you closure, I won’t hold you back.”

They exchanged a smile before Nancy came over, handing the two office workers a cookie.

“You two looked so sad so I brought over some leftover cookies from yesterday. Is everything alright?”

Tom laughed, patting Nancy’s shoulder as he took the cookie, “Don’t worry, Nancy. I was just prying as usual. Stanley spent all night reading that book and I was being a worry-wart. But he’s doing fine.”

Nancy nodded, handing the other cookie to Stanley, “Well that’s good. But please don’t stress yourself out, dear. I know this interview is a big deal for you, but you shouldn’t be sacrificing your health for it, ok?”

Stanley chuckled, ‘I won’t. Thank you Nancy.’

“Actually, I have another question for ya, bud,” Tom asked after Nancy left to write one of her articles, “How do you plan on interviewing Nigel?”

Stanley shrugged, ‘I told Nigel I was fine with whatever he wished, whether it be call or email. That was the right way to do it, right?’

“Um,” Tom mumbled out, “How would you call, exactly? I don’t mean to be rude but… Stan, you’re mute.”

Oh.

Stanley didn’t think about that.

He must’ve had quite the expression on his face because Tom quickly added, “It’s alright! Just tell him it would be best to do it over email, I bet he won’t mind!”

‘I’m an idiot, Tom,’ Stanley signed with a sigh, ‘An absolute idiot.’

“You’re not an idiot,” Tom said, swatting at his head, “You’ve obviously been overwhelmed lately, you didn’t think about it.”

Tom continued to console Stanley until the man felt better about his little mistake, which by then, the two returned to working and Stanley was left to begin his interview with Nigel.

Good morning!

That is my fault for never clarifying an interview time, I apologize. I was wondering if we could do this interview over email through the next few days? I have quite a lot I wish to ask and emailing would generally be easier for myself. And you don’t have to answer all my questions, you can decline some. Lastly, I believe it would benefit if we go on until either one of us wishes to finish. Will that be a suitable arrangement?

It didn’t even take ten minutes before Stanley received a notification as he worked, seeing Nigel Salt’s name listed on the top. He wasn’t kidding when he said he wouldn’t take long to respond.

That sounds like a suitable arrangement to me. Very well, feel free to begin at any time.

Stanley grinned. And so it begins.

Alright! I would like to begin this interview by asking the question that everyone seems to be asking. Just how did you come up with the idea of characterizing the narrator, a role in a story that usually has no purpose other than to narrate, and make them a part of the story?

The two exchanged emails all throughout the day. Sometimes there would be long periods of silence as they obviously each had their own matters to attend to- but after that, it was interview time. 

Stanley was finding Nigel to be more and more of an interesting individual as he continued to answer his questions. This man was obviously not someone to be trifled with. He knew what he was talking about and liked to have his way. Not to mention he knew how great his book was. He didn’t flaunt it, but when Stanley complimented his work, Nigel’s tone was more like he knew how great it was. He knew the influence his book had, and he wasn’t afraid to show it.

Stanley could respect that. In fact, it made Nigel seem even more impressive to him. 

He asked many questions, and Nigel always answered in a way that surprised him a little, but also gave him a strange sense of deja vu. This man was so foreign yet so familiar to him.

There was only one question he did not answer. 

What led you to write Stuck In the Parable?

Stanley was left without a response for nearly an hour. He was a little worried about what may have happened to Nigel, but couldn’t really do much. After all, Stanley knew little to nothing about the man to help him if anything happened. He was just a collection of words on the pages of his book and on the screen. He was just a disembodied voice. So, Stanley left for a bit to get some coffee in the break room that tasted absolutely terrible, but when he came back, Nigel had finally responded.

Could I possibly not answer this question? It’s a little too personal.

Stanley hummed, a little confused. According to Tom, usually most authors are always ready to respond to that question, going into the full depth of how and why they wrote their book. There’s always some reason, but Stanley never knew it could really be super personal. Before he could respond, he received another email from Nigel.

Would it be alright if I were to ask you some questions as well? 

Stanley smiled. Nigel asking him questions? He never thought that would happen. He shrugged, already forgetting about Nigel’s previous email before responding.

It only seems fair. What questions do you have?

From there, the interview seemed to lose a bit of its professional tension. Nigel’s responses were less rigid and showed a little more emotion while Stanley would sometimes make conversation instead of just asking questions.

So how did you become a lead editor? You don’t seem exactly like the man to write articles about books, seeing as you said you don’t really like books. Well- other than mine.

Stanley laughed as he took a swig of the horrible coffee- he really should bring some sugar packets with him to cover the disgusting taste. He was rather enjoying himself and Tom seemed to have noticed as he packed up for the day.

“You having fun? Looks like you have a new little friend.”

Stanley rolled his eyes and shrugged as Tom slung his bag over his shoulder, walking into Stanley’s cubicle to get a look of the email conversation.

“He seems to be quite nice actually. I was expecting him to maybe be an old grump.”

‘An old grump? And I thought you have those stupid quotes hung around your apartment that say stuff like ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover,’’ Stanley said with a dramatic wave of his hands to add onto his teasing remark. It was actually pretty funny. Tom used way too many quotes and had his entire apartment decorated with them- sort of like some Facebook mom. He even brought coffee mugs into work sometimes with those god awful inspirational quotes plastered on the side in wavy fonts.

“You’re right,” Tom replied with a sigh, glancing back at his cubicle at what probably was the framed quote he had on his desk, “Well I’m heading out. It’s getting pretty late so I say you should too. You can still email Nigel Salt at your apartment.”

He turned to head to the office’s exit, “Have fun with your pen pal.”

Stanley tilted his head, a little confused. It was getting late? Now that he was looking around, Stanley noticed the office was actually dead quiet. Looking at the clock on his desk, Stanley realized it was half past nine!

How did he go for that long? Especially after having no sleep last night.

He turned towards his computer and typed a quick reply out to Nigel before closing his laptop and gathering all of his items. Stanley had never been at work this late. If anything, he always left a little early.

Oh well , Stanley thought as he exited his office, at least I’ll get paid for overtime .

Chapter Text

“An hour ?!” Nigel squawked, gaining some glances from other customers in the coffee shop. He was absolutely dumbfounded at the email he had received from Stanley Beket. He had read the entire second half of his book the day before the interview which only left him with an hour to sleep. 

Yet the man had been emailing him the entire day! He even found out later that Stanley’s quick email last night was after the man realized he had stayed at work three hours late. 

The lead editor admitted it earlier today and Nigel could almost hear the sheepishness in the email. It seemed like Stanley was a man who quite often lost track of time. Yet staying at work for over twelve hours after only getting one hour of sleep; Just how did that man survive?

You either have an absurd amount of energy or you are just insane. Half a day working while only on a single hour of sleep? Am I getting that right?

Stanley didn’t even take a minute to respond. The two were sending emails back and forth so quickly that they may as well be texting.

Yep! I don’t know how I did it either, believe me. I guess I just lost track of time.Then again, I was also in a situation a few years ago where I didn’t really need a lot of sleep to keep going, so maybe that was a factor.

What in the bloody hell does that mean?

Oh, well alright. Just don’t do that again. It can't be great for your health.

“So my advice worked. See? All you had to do was suck it up and get on with it.” Lauren said, placing Nigel’s usual order of a honey bran muffin and a cappuccino down beside his laptop. Nigel nodded in acknowledgement towards her as she continued talking to the man while going back around the table to get other orders ready.

No one was at the cash register, so she could freely talk to Nigel while she worked.

“It seems this interviewer has turned more into a pen pal, though. For being so hesitant to talk to the man, you two really do seem to be getting along quite well.”

Nigel hummed, “Well, you were right. It’s not his fault he shares the name of my past friend. And, I guess you could say we’re becoming acquainted with one another. He’s been interviewing me and asking me many questions for my book, but sometimes it breaks off into a conversation.”

Lauren hid her smile behind the espresso machine as she attached the portafilter to the grouphead to brew the espresso, “I’m always right, Nigel. I’m a girl, I know things.”

“And you’re obviously very humble too,” Nigel butted in, earning a laugh from the teenage barista. 

“Touché. I guess I’m just trying to say I’m glad to see you get out there and talk to other people. You can’t constantly be talking to a teenager like me, y’know. It’ll make you look like a creep.”

“I’m not a creep,” Nigel deadpanned, not even bothering with Lauren’s astonishing remarks today. He was in too good of a mood for it to be ruined. 

“I know,” Lauren said, “Sorry, it’s just in my nature to tease you.”

Taking a sip, Nigel just shrugged, “Don’t worry about it. There’s no harm in your teasing.”

That got Lauren to pause, even as the espresso finished brewing, she didn’t make a grab for it. She tilted her head as she smirked at the author, gaining his attention once more.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing. It’s just that on a normal day, you can barely handle my teasing,” Lauren leaned against the countertop, her long brunette hair coming over her shoulder as she rested her head on her palms, scrutinizing Nigel.

“Does Nigel Salt have a new friend?”

Nigel spat out his coffee, throwing himself into a coughing fit as Lauren smugly grinned at him, “Oh my God, you do.”

“I don’t make friends ,” Nigel choked out, “Only acquaintances.”

“Oh, c’mon you lonely grump. If he were an acquaintance, you wouldn’t be jumping every single time you heard a notification and darting to open your email.”

She noticed that? Nigel shook his head as he scowled, trying to hold back any more coughs. Lauren may seem like some ignorant teenager who loved nothing more than to prioritize giving him a hard time, but he would admit the girl was clever.

As if on cue, a notification rang out and Nigel’s eyes darted to his laptop before he could stop himself. Oh, darn it. He could see the grin on Lauren growing more smug. If anything, he was just giving her ammo at this point. He sighed.

“Look, I’m… unsure what my standing with Stanley is, but I don’t think it’s exactly a friendship. We’ve only talked to each other with the intention of him interviewing me and it’s only been a day. Either way, I don’t think I’m ready for anything more than an acquaintanceship yet.”

Lauren’s grin fell, replacing it with a frown. She nodded grimly as she took care of the forgotten espresso and left to go give it to a customer waiting outside. Nigel looked at his computer, a sorrowful expression planted on his face as he read through Stanley’s email.

“Even if I want it to be.”

~

You know, I find this whole interaction very interesting. I idolized you and made a picture of you as some sort of godly being in the short time between reading your book and interviewing you. It’s sort of cathartic to see you respond in such a human way. Am I making sense?

Nigel chuckled. Stanley thought of him as some sort of godly being? Well that’s hilarious. Well, Nigel did guess he was sort of godly when he was the Narrator, but that godly being was still just him. Even if the Narrator simply felt like a ghost to Nigel, an entirely different person.

He hummed as he typed out a response, hearing the clicking of his keys resonate throughout his flat. It was a rather comforting sound for him.

Do not worry, you are making sense. I am not a social person, so my writing may differ greatly from how I interact over email. And I guess that I have done the same to those I idolize. We believe them to not be human because they have accomplished something we could not see ourselves doing, so when they do relate to us, it’s like a transition from infatuation to adoration.

Nigel sent the email, sitting in his seat for a few moments before deciding to quickly type a second response.

Not that I’m saying you adore me. Sorry, went on a rant and forgot the reason as to why I was ranting.

With a groan, Nigel slumped a little in his seat, running a hand through his hair and leaving it slightly messy as the slicked back locks now fell across his forehead. Well that was embarrassing. He probably sounded like some arrogant ass. How delightful.

A ding rang out throughout the flat and Nigel looked down at the screen lighting up his face.

Haha, I mean you have a point. I sort of have a newfound respect for you now that you feel so human to me. Isn’t that weird? We come to like people the more we see how human they are compared to the grand picture we put in our mind. It’s like you said, we can relate to them.

Nigel exhaled a shuddering breath, not even realizing he had held his breath when reading through Stanley’s email. Stanley respected him. That made a giddy feeling rise in his chest. Why did it matter so much to him?

He never talked to people with the intent to impress before, nor did he publish a book for the same reason. He was just an introvert who needed to get his story out into the world. His and Stanley’s story. 

Was he truly looking for a new friend?

Oh, no, he couldn’t do that! Because the second he makes a new friend, the second he has a new friend to continue on with life, his old Stanley would fade away. It would be a betrayal- a coldhearted, horrible betrayal. He couldn’t do that to his only friend. 

You weren’t his friend. You toyed with him like a puppeteer pulling the strings of his little marionette, a thought crossed his mind. It felt like a knife twisting in his gut. Nigel exhaled loudly through his nose, grumbling at himself as he quickly typed another email.

Thank you. And yes, you are correct. However, I believe it is getting quite late and I should probably head in to rest for the night. Goodnight.

Nigel was going to shut his computer before a ding quickly rang out just seconds after he sent his email.

Wait! I need to ask you something.

Nigel paused, deciding to open his laptop once more and wait for Stanley to elaborate. He took a very long time.

Would you be willing to exchange phone numbers? I get that we’ve only talked for a couple of days, but you’ve been very kind and nice to chat with. Could we possibly be pen pals?

Nigel paused. Phone numbers? Well, yes, he did have a phone. But only because so many places required to be called or texted in advance to place appointments and his documents were backed up on his phone when he needed them. It wasn’t anything of personal use.

Also, it has only been two days, Nigel doesn’t know this man!

Nigel set his laptop on the coffee table, pacing back and forth as he thought. Was he really thinking about this? The answer should be clear! This man was here to interview him, and that was that. So why was he thinking ?

Nigel sighed as he sat back down, staring at his laptop and the open email. Stanley was probably waiting for his response. All he could think about right now was his old Stanley. What would he do? What would he want Nigel to do?

“Fine!” Nigel groaned, shouting at the ceiling. 

Against his better judgment, Nigel responded with his number.

Text me when you can.

Chapter Text

Stanley stared at the screen with such an intensity, he thought the glass would break. He had all but jumped out of his seat when Nigel’s reply came, letting out a small squeak. What felt like hours was only a few minutes, but Stanley had never been more on edge. 

Nigel was nice, and he was kind. But, more than anything, he was the person who seemed to understand Stanley’s situation the most. While he was not aware of Stanley’s situation, and probably would never be, Stanley felt like a hole had been filled in his heart when he read that book, and then it got even better as he interviewed the author.

He was very adept with his writing. Knowledgeable, skilled. He may as well have been writing for centuries. Even his emails felt like pieces of literature at moments.

Not to mention there was some sort of connection there. Stanley couldn’t put his finger on it, but there was something that made him feel like he and Nigel were experiencing very similar situations. Or, well, feelings towards a situation.

Nigel would likely be a great pen pal to have. Someone he could rely on to more deeply talk about his situation, even if just under the illusion of wanting to talk about Nigel’s book. This was probably the closest he was going to get.

And there it was. Nigel’s number.

The man, to Stanley’s utter delight, had given him his personal phone number. While he seemed dismissive and a little annoyed in his last email for whatever reason, he still gave Stanley his number.

He closed his laptop and grabbed his phone, an older model with cracks all over the glass screen that Nancy insisted he either got fixed or just get a new one. Getting the thing fixed would cost more than just getting a new one, so Stanley was waiting for his next paycheck to get a newer model and some screen protectors, since he didn’t trust his clumsy self.

Stanley opened his contacts list and hastily added Nigel’s number, jabbing at the buttons like an impatient child. It almost felt surreal, putting in the number of his idol-quickly-turned-pen-pal. Was Stanley dreaming? He hoped he wasn’t.

Finishing on setting up the contact, Stanley quickly sent over a message. Well, quickly was a huge exaggeration.

He spent the next half an hour attempting to write a reply. He kept typing out different texts and deleted them as quickly as they were typed. He groaned frustratedly as he tried to figure out what to say, listing off different reasons for each text he deleted. No, that is too upfront. That sounds desperate. Too clingy. Hm, decent, but not good enough. Oh, dear god, no! What, is he trying to seduce Nigel Salt?

In the end, Stanley ended up sending a three word response.    

Stanley: Hey, it’s Stanley

It was simple enough. Just a greeting. Nothing he could embarrass himself with. In all honesty, the situation felt very similar to how he felt when he had first seeked out Nigel Salt. God, he was a wreck, wasn’t he?

Stanley’s question was only proven correct as his phone sounded with a notification, startling him as he yelped out. Yeah, he was an absolute wreck. 

Looking at his phone, Stanley saw Nigel’s name pop up. He had immediately responded. That was embarrassing. Stanley took half an hour to figure out what to say and Nigel responds easily the next second? Maybe he was overthinking things.

Nigel: Hello Stanley. It’s Nigel. Glad to see I sent the right number. I was unsure as I rarely use my phone, which means you’ll have to excuse my lack of knowledge when it comes to “texting.” I apologize for trying to leave so abruptly earlier. I have not been getting the proper amount of sleep as of late, so I’ve been a little agitated. Well, I am glad that you asked if we could be pen pals, but I should probably get off for tonight and get some rest. Goodnight.

-Nigel

Stanley stared dumbfoundedly at the whole paragraph Nigel had sent him. Did he… sign his text message?

While Stanley felt like squealing into a pillow, he also couldn’t help but laugh. Stanley did use the term “pen pals”, but he wasn’t expecting Nigel to take it so seriously! Not only did the man practically send him a whole essay, he signed his text message.

That got a kick out of Stanley as he curled up on his couch, his chest hurting as he full on belly-laughed. This should not be that funny, and yet it was for Stanley. It was so in character for Nigel! He loved the little quirks the man had. How he always got on Stanley for not using proper grammar or annotations, how he needed to be on a schedule and expect everything that was happening to the point he was practically interviewing himself, how once Stanley got through his cynical exterior Nigel would go on huge rants and happily joke with Stanley. They were all fun little gimmicks to this man. Gimmicks that Stanley admired. Gimmicks that reminded Stanley of-

Stanley felt his breath hitch in his throat as his thoughts came to a full stop, eyes widening. He grasped at his chest as he flopped to his side, laying down on the couch. Looking wide-eyed at his reflection in the dark screen of his television, he slowly gathered and pieced his thoughts together.

Nigel reminded Stanley of the Narrator. 

That’s what he was feeling from this whole experience. He was feeling some sort of twisted form of nostalgia. Gritting his teeth, Stanley cursed at himself. Of course. After all those years of trying to move on and build a new life for himself, Stanley ended up back in the place he began on this dreaded planet.

Yearning for his old friend.

Stanley thought he had made it clear to himself, the Narrator was gone . He was dead and was unable to come to the otherside with Stanley. Isn’t that what he said to himself all those years ago? When he cried himself to sleep as he finally gave up on his fruitless venture?

How did he end up here, then? 

Stanley felt disgusted at himself. Just what was he doing? Now that he had come to terms with the loss of his friend, was he just trying to find the next best thing?

No! He couldn’t just do that!

Stanley is the reason the Narrator was gone, and he had to pay the price for it. He couldn’t just go around, looking for a new friend to bother and annoy.

Friend .

No, that isn’t whatever this is with Nigel. He said pen pals. Also, they were still in the middle of an interview which Stanley had practically begged the universe to give him. It would be highly unprofessional to become friends with the man he is interviewing. He sighed, he just had to get himself into another messy situation, didn’t he?

He missed the old days where he could mess up, play around, do whatever he wanted, and just have things reset. There were no conflicting feelings, no leftover traces of his previous actions, no consequences, just… a start over. Except for when it came to the Narrator.

But that was the thing. The Narrator was a constant for Stanley. He was always there when Stanley did or did not need him, guiding him through the parable or just squabbling with Stanley when the office worker decided to have some fun.

Stanley shook his head, wiping the tears that were welling up in his eyes. He needed to get a grip on himself and get out of this mess. He’s done it before and he could do it again.

He’ll just have to figure out how tomorrow. It was getting pretty late, and Stanley could feel fatigue taking its hold on him. He got up from the couch, stretching out his muscles before heading to his room, throwing his shirt to the side as he slumped onto his bed, sleep taking its hold on him fairly quick as he nestled himself under the blankets.

~

“What would I look like if I were… a human?”

Stanley nodded at the ceiling, his grin spreading wider across his face as he heard the Narrator hum in amusement at the thought. The man took a long moment to ponder over it, making little noises every now and then to let Stanley know he was still there. The both of them had a bit of separation anxiety- both agreed to never talk, or even go near , the skip button again.

“Well… I have seen some modern men’s fashion trends and I will say I like the more… professional looks. Not the really stuffy, stiff suits but more like the… comfortable formal look.”

Stanley nodded. That seemed to check out. While the Narrator was a professional guy, he liked practicality. He would definitely value comfortable wear that at least looked nice over a suit.

‘What about your face? Your hair? Give me the specifics!’

“Hm, good question. I’d say brown eyes, but a little golden. I do like yellow a lot, so the closest natural shade you could get to that. Slightly tanned skin, since I don’t want to look like a vampire like you do-” Stanley rolled his eyes, “And brunette hair swept to the side. Oh, and maybe it would be slightly gray as I see myself as an older gentleman. But… an attractive type of old.”

Stanley snorted, lifting an eyebrow, ‘ Attractive type of old? Yeah, sure buddy.’

The Narrator let out a rather exaggerated scoff, making Stanley smirk, “Men can be old and attractive Stanley. Don’t be rude.”

‘Sure, sure. If you’re so insistent on it, why don’t you prove me wrong?’

“You know what? Maybe I will!” The Narrator said, emphasizing his words with the sound of hands slamming on a desk. Oh, he just can’t help but be extra .

Wait-

‘What do you mean? How are you going to prove me wrong?’

The Narrator chuckled, a low and dangerous thing that reminded Stanley of a certain ending he probably visited more than he should, “Oh, you’ll see. I’ll prove you so wrong that you will have to admit I’m right! I’ll have you on your knees apologizing to me and all the old men out there you called unattractive!”

While the Narrator had left it at that for that reset, refusing to elaborate any further, Stanley could tell that the Narrator was working on something over who knows how many resets. The Narrator would leave Stanley for long periods of time, saying he needed to do something of “the utmost importance.” 

It got to the point where the Narrator would tell Stanley to go through the door on the right and stay in the employee’s lounge before he left, which was something Stanley never thought he would hear the Narrator say. 

However, when the Narrator would leave, Stanley was left with his separation anxiety. It wasn’t fair! The Narrator had something he was busily working on, so he could distract himself from any worrisome thoughts. Stanley, however, could only sit around and wait.

In an attempt to quell his racing thoughts during one of these occurrences, Stanley rested on the couch, staring at the ceiling as he tried to think of anything but leaving the Narrator behind.

That was quite a terrifying thought, wasn’t it? Losing the Narrator.

Stanley didn't even think it was possible to live his life anymore without him. For as long as he could remember, the Narrator had always been there. Always narrating him, always making a story for him, always fighting with him, always discovering new things with him. 

If he really thought of it, Stanley and the Narrator were two parts of a whole. Stanley was the man who played life’s events out, while the Narrator was the voice of reason, the voice who made up for Stanley’s silence, the one who gave Stanley’s life in this meaningless loop purpose.

And that purpose?

It was to figure out where he and the Narrator stood in the universe. To figure out who the Narrator was and why he had come to narrate Stanley. To figure out why Stanley had come to be the man who played out the Narrator’s narration.

Two parts of a whole.

Could Stanley even live without the Narrator?

“Stanley?”

Stanley was pulled out of his train of thoughts as the Narrator came back. He looked up at the ceiling and waved, earning an amused hum from the Narrator.

“Thank you for being so patient with me over the past few times I’ve had to leave you alone. I know there’s not much to do in the parable when I’m not around, so I truly do appreciate it.”

Stanley shrugged, ignoring the urge to correct the Narrator saying it was only a few times. Seriously, what was the guy doing? It sure took a lot of his time.

“Well, I promise you that all of this waiting has been worth it. I have a surprise for you. Would you mind if I reset? I need to get everything properly set up.”

Stanley shook his head. Of course he wouldn’t mind. If he was expecting the reset, he was fine. It was just when the Narrator did it without any warning, Stanley’s consciousness being ripped out of his body before suddenly being brought back into the office. A very “delightful” sensation.

The Narrator wasted no time, quickly resetting as soon as Stanley shook his head, everything going black. When Stanley had come back to his senses, he was back in his office as usual. Nothing seemed different. 

Well, nothing except for the fact that the Narrator was dead silent.

‘Narrator?’ Stanley signed towards the ceiling, only being replied by even more silence.

Panic began to bubble in Stanley’s stomach as he stood up from his chair. Did something go wrong? The Narrator was always there. Why was he not responding? Where was he? What happened?

Stanley tried bolting out of the room, but barely stopped before he could collide face first into the door. It was closed.

It was never closed at the beginning of resets.

Steeling himself as much as he could, Stanley grasped at the doorknob, nervously gulping as he turned it. When he opened the door, he was met with a sight that instantly melted away any fear he had, and placed it with utter surprise and awe.

It was the freedom ending, but it was altered to look as if the sun was setting behind the mountains, cascading colors of warm pink and cooler purples and blues across the almost clear sky.

In the distance, on a nearby hill, stood a figure staring at the sunset.

Stanley took in the sight for a moment, taking a deep breath before he all but ran towards the figure, an excited smile spreading across his face as he felt the air flow through his hair. Was this really what he thought it was? Was this truly happening?

As Stanley reached the hill, coming only a few yards behind the man, he noticed how tall he was. He held back a snort, of course he would make himself tall. He had to be at least half a foot taller than Stanley.

When he heard Stanley come close enough, the figure turned around, and Stanley was met with an even more beautiful sight than the sunset. Brown eyes, that were so golden they may as well be shining, met his chestnut ones.

The man smiled, a soft thing that spread across his lips before he chuckled. Oh and what a beautiful chuckle it was. So filled with emotion, pride, and happiness that Stanley might as well melt where he stood. Such a pretty sound.

“Hello Stanley”

Stanley nervously waved, fidgeting as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. He never thought he would be so nervous in front of the Narrator. But the Narrator didn’t seem to mind as he closed the gap between them, only walking in a few graceful strides to meet his Stanley.

When he stood just a mere foot away from the other, Stanley could see he was only eye level to his neck . The man practically towered over him- not to mention his broad shoulders. Stanley felt tiny for once in his life.

“So… how do I look?” The Narrator asked, a sheepish smile spreading across his face.

Stanley smiled back as he studied the Narrator’s face, giving an enthusiastic nod, ‘You proved me wrong. Old men can be attractive. Though… you don’t look that old to be honest.’

The Narrator laughed, his chest rising and falling as he did so. Man, he really paid attention to detail when making this body. Stanley should not find just the motions of his chest to be attractive .

“Thank you. And I guess I look a little younger since I wanted to be a little more like… you? I mean, I didn’t really have many other close examples to go off of, so here we are.”

Stanley nodded, walking around the Narrator to get the full look. He posed a little, crossing his arms in the way Stanley always imagined he did whenever he would go on one of his rants.

‘Alright, yeah. You look amazing. I think this is the best surprise I’ve ever had. Now… where do we go from here?’

The Narrator clasped his hands together in a rather elegant gesture as Stanley came back around, a grin spreading across his face before he reached one hand out, “Hello, I’m the Narrator. I narrate everything you do and I would rather enjoy it if we could be friends.”

Stanley chuckled, taking his hand in a firm shake before pulling away to sign, ‘Hello, I’m Stanley. I’m your protagonist, but you don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for you to ask that.’

“I think I do,” the Narrator replied. And before Stanley could question his response, the Narrator pulled Stanley into a hug.

Stanley gasped, eyes widening as he processed what was happening. It felt so… warm. He was encompassed by the Narrator, feeling the man’s arms wrap around him and their bodies press together. Stanley was surrounded by the Narrator, but this time physically. And it was nice.

Happily sighing, Stanley brought his arms around the Narrator, nuzzling into the crook between the Narrator’s shoulder and neck, earning a soft chuckle from the man.

“It will take me some time to learn how to normally function as a human, but I have come to learn what a hug is. I know you’ve wanted one for a very long time. How is this?”

Stanley stayed there for another moment, relishing in the warmth, the scent, the feeling of the Narrator hugging him, being there with him. How was it? It was everything Stanley had been yearning for since he woke up in the parable. At this point, the bucket couldn’t even compare to the feeling Stanley was getting from being with the Narrator. The physical, very real Narrator.

“I love it,” Stanley whispered as he nuzzled further into the crook of the Narrator’s neck. “Please don’t let go.”

The Narrator chuckled once more, rubbing soothing circles into Stanley’s back that made the shorter man hum, “Oh, Stanley. I don’t think I could ever let you go.”

But then they were in an elevator, standing hand in hand as it went who knows where. There was a sudden crash, harshly throwing both men in separate directions. And the Narrator’s hand was gone. The Narrator had let go.

Stanley had let go.

~

Stanley woke up with a gasp, quickly sitting up from his sleeping position as he tried to gather his thoughts. He looked around the area, eventually processing he was in his room. He was on earth, in Manchester, in his apartment.

He brought two arms around him, hugging himself as he shakily breathed. Tears were welling up in his eyes, the saltiness of them already causing his eyes to sting. 

A sob wracked through his body as he tried to process everything that had just happened. He hadn’t had that dream in so long. He was doing so well. Yet here he was again.

He was relapsing.

Oh, why did it have to be such a wonderful dream? That moment was supposed to be one he cherished, not one that led him to mourn whenever he remembered it. His brain was messed up.

Stanley patted around his nightstand until he found where he had placed his phone, grabbing for it. He hastily opened up his contacts list, tapping on the top number of his recents to call Tom. He needed someone to talk to, and Tom was the only one he was comfortable with to confide in with these nightmares. However, it hit him as soon as he pressed call that the last person he had messaged was not Tom, but Nigel.

Stanley tried to hang up, but before he could press the button, Nigel had accepted the call. Stanley jumped, bringing his phone up to his ear to quickly apologize to Nigel for calling him out of the blue, but was stopped when he heard an all too familiar voice that had haunted his dreams for the past five years.

“Stanley?”

And Stanley’s world fell apart for a second time.

Chapter Text

While Stanley had been selectively mute for as long as he could remember, he had never once felt like he was forced into not speaking with his condition. Yes, there were times where he simply felt he could just not speak because he was uncomfortable, nervous, or just didn’t know the person he was communicating with enough.

But this - this was different.

Stanley opened his mouth, brain begging him to say something, anything . Yet, nothing would come out. It felt like his voice was trapped within his throat, a physical strain pulling at it as he tried to force even a sound out. Yet nothing.

Brushing his free hand against his throat, Stanley could feel it twitching as he tried to make it work against its will. It felt like he couldn’t breath- like he was being pulled underwater and any attempt to scream just caused water to force its way through his mouth and down his windpipe, making him choke.

“Stanley? Are you there? What is that noise? Is… everything ok?”

That voice… that damn voice . It couldn’t be. But it was. Stanley knew all too well it was. This was the only way he had experienced and come to know his friend for many, many years. Ironic that he’s finally found him once more in this way- being only a voice, and not someone he could physically see.

It felt so nostalgic that it hurt.

That was the problem Stanley was having right now. Why did it hurt? Shouldn’t he be overjoyed?

Why couldn’t he just yell out as he cried tears of joy, “Yes, Narrator! It’s me! It’s your Stanley! I want to see you again!”

Did he… not want to see the Narrator?

Stanley was brought out of his muddled train of thought as he heard the Narrator saying something, worry flowing through the low timbre of his voice.

Stanley brought his phone away from his ear, looking at the name listed on his screen. Right. The Narrator was Nigel. The man who he interviewed to get closure over losing a man he thought had died ended up being the “dead” man himself.

Stanley strangely didn’t even feel guilty as he hung up, tears beginning to fall down his cheeks and drip onto the sheets of his bed. No, instead he had a great guilt clawing at him from an even bigger realization.

He had given up on the Narrator.

The Narrator was here on earth, having a successful life as a best-selling author while Stanley had thought he was dead. It only took him a few days to come to that false conclusion, deciding it was for the best he gave up on his search so he could settle down and have a comfortable life. 

He gave up on the Narrator.

How could he be so selfish? He could have stopped for, at most, a few months to get everything he needed before he started up his search again. He could’ve tried to look for any clues, any signs that the Narrator was here. But no. He had given up within only a few days- not even a week - of searching, and gave it up for good. He told himself the Narrator was dead and made himself believe that lie for five years.

On top of that, he was embarrassingly stupid. All the signs were there that Nigel was the Narrator. To begin with, the name of the damned book that started this whole ordeal. Parable . While the word was associated with stories, it wasn’t used commonly and was a very rare word. Not to mention the story was almost the exact same situation of when Stanley was in the Parable. Those two facts alone should’ve led him to suspect something .

It was becoming more clear that Stanley should’ve realized who Nigel was sooner as the pieces began to fall together. The office worker named Jim and the fact he was just like Stanley, the many scenes that were uncannily similar to the different endings of the parable, the way it was written with a narrator guiding it all.

Stanley gritted his teeth as his thoughts moved on to Nigel. Of course, it should’ve been crystal clear. Stanley had always felt a safe sense of security and familiarity from the first email he had received from Nigel. Not to mention earlier that night he had realized that Nigel reminded him of the Narrator because of all his little quirks. Oh, maybe it’s because they’re both the same bloody man!

He wanted to laugh, he wanted to scream, he wanted to cry.

Of course. Of course Nigel was the Narrator. But why did that piss Stanley off so much? It was because he had failed the Narrator, and he was a pathetic excuse of a friend. He was there right in front of him this entire time. And he was so convinced that he was gone, that he couldn’t even see the plain obvious. Then he tried to sneak his way into the man’s life again.

Stanley was pitiful, and more than that, he was a heartless bastard .

The man jumped when he heard his phone ring out, he looked down, seeing Nigel was calling him again. No, he couldn’t answer that. That was like asking for his entire life to fall apart again.

He picked up his phone with a shaky hand and declined the call, hesitating for a moment before he opened it, and went to Nigel’s contact, finger hovering over the block button.

Was this really the best choice?

It was clear the Narrator was doing well. He had written one of the currently best-selling books in England and had settled down somewhere. He was alive, he was alright, and he didn’t need Stanley. Coming back into his life would only complicate things. And, as Stanley realized how he had practically betrayed the Narrator, Stanley came to the conclusion he didn’t deserve the Narrator.

When he had told himself the Narrator was gone five years ago, he had lost the privilege to have the Narrator in his life.

Out of tears to cry, he heaved out a dry sob. This would be for the better. This way, Stanley would never be a burden to the Narrator ever again.

Stanley pressed the block button.

~

“Ok, I have to ask because it has been a full week and yet you have not said a single thing… Well, not that you can exactly say it, but you know what I mean.”

Stanley silently groaned as he turned his head towards Tom, the man standing at the entrance of his cubicle. Instead of leaning against his usual spot, he had walked out of his cubicle to face Stanley directly, a sign that the oncoming conversation was going to be serious and uncomfortable. Stanley already knew what Tom was going to say.

“What the hell happened?!”

Stanley flinched from the volume of Tom’s voice as he yelled, frustration clear on his face. While Stanley was expecting Tom to confront him about his behavior, he wasn’t expecting Tom to be angry.

‘You’re going to have to specify, Tom,’ Stanley signed, trying his best to keep a straight face as Tom seemed to get even angrier.

“You know damn well what I mean, Stanley. What happened with the interview, and why has it gotten you so down? You’ve been miserable ,” Tom said with a huff, “Look, I know you don’t like me prying my way into your personal life, but it's obviously affecting you to the point where you can’t even care for yourself. I’m worried.”

Stanley was going to try to say he was fine, but paused at the sight of Tom’s face. While he had seen Tom look concerned before, it was nothing compared to the sheer devastation that was apparent in his expression. Stanley’s condition was affecting him almost as much as it was affecting Stanley, it seemed. It made him hesitate.

Tom sighed, breaking the silence as he looked down, “I just… it feels like you shut me out whenever anything happens to you. I want to be there for you because you’re like a brother to me, man.”

That got Stanley to break. He let out a sob as tears welled up in his eyes, making Tom panic. “Oh- Oh, hey. How about we go somewhere more private to talk about this, ok?”

Stanley nodded, allowing Tom to guide him as he placed a hand on his back and led him somewhere, saying something in an attempt to soothe Stanley. Stanley didn’t know how long it was before Tom had stopped him, but it felt like it had been hours when he was brought out of his mind, looking around to find him and Tom outside.

“Are you ok?”

Stanley looked at Tom, who had brought him out in front of the building and onto a bench near the edge of the sidewalk. Not many people were out currently, leaving Tom and Stanley mostly alone.

With a nod of his head, Stanley shakily signed, ‘Thank you.’

Tom nodded, not saying anything, but giving a look that Stanley took as an indication to begin explaining what just happened. So he did, or- he had to lie about everything. It was hard, to say the least. He conjured up a story full of half-truths, about how Stanley realized that Tom was right, how he shouldn’t get too stuck in fiction, and how he was using the interview as a way to get closure on his friend he lost.

‘I was using it as a coping mechanism, and it wasn’t healthy. I realized I had to stop the interview then, but it hurt.’

It hurt that Stanley couldn’t explain to Tom exactly what was going on, but he knew Tom would try to hunt Nigel down, get Stanley to talk with him, and then what? On top of that, there were still things Tom would never understand, the main one being the parable.

Tom took a moment to process when Stanley finished his story, sucking in a deep breath as he looked out into the distance. After a few minutes, Tom looked back, a small smile gracing his face.

“I think you made the right decision then. If it was only affecting you negatively based on your past, then it was not healthy for you, and you probably would not have received the closure you were expecting.”

Tom sighed, leaning back on the bench and glancing up at the clouds lazily drifting across the sky, “Closure is… it’s not something that just happens when we expect it to. We have to give ourselves time to reflect and then know we’re ready to let go-” Tom scrunched up his face, shaking his head, “Actually, not let go, we can never let go of the ones we love. It’s more of just understanding that what’s happened has happened and we have to accept that we can’t change it.”

Stanley looked down, nodding and allowing his guilt to show and hopefully be mistaken for him being glum.

“Hey,” Tom said with a pat on the back, “I care about you and I’m proud of you for making the right choice concerning your mental health. I understand you’re bummed about losing the interview, but we can only move forward, yeah? So let’s do that.”

With a smile, Stanley nodded. It seemed to satisfy Tom as he began to guide the both of them back into the building. Stanley had to hide the sigh of relief he gave as soon as Tom relaxed, finally in the clear from being caught.

The only thing that now bothered him was Tom’s words. Yes, what happened has happened, but Stanley now knew he could change it. Yet he wouldn’t. He wasn’t letting go because he didn’t love the Narrator, he was letting go because he loved the Narrator enough to realize the man didn’t deserve Stanley.

~

Another week had passed and Stanley was finally getting a normal amount of sleep once more. Well, what was considered normal for Stanley. Tom still chastised him for his horrible sleep schedule, but things were going back to normal.

Stanley may still have thoughts of Nigel and the Narrator bother him from time to time, but it wasn’t constant now and he could simply take a slight break to walk it off.

“Hey boys, I’m sorry but do you have any room to take on another article?” Nancy asked as she walked over to Stanley and Tom’s cubicle, a sheepish smile spread across her face.

Stanley looked up, smiling back at Nancy, ‘Well I don’t have much work seeing as I had planned for the next few weeks to be focused on my interview. What do you need?’

Nancy let out a breath she was holding, coming over to take Stanley’s hands in a grateful gesture, “Oh thank you, dear! You’re a lifesaver. I will send you the article I need you to finish up, it’s actually on the book I had you read a few weeks ago, remember that one?”

Stanley nodded as Tom peaked up from his spot at the two, “Hey Nanc’, what’s going on?”

Nancy grinned up at Tom, “Oh, hey! I’m actually trying to get all my current assignments done by the end of this week. I’m taking my two weeks off and going on vacation!”

Tom smiled back, “Hey, that’s great! I need to take my two weeks sometime soon. Where are you going? Anywhere fun?”

Nancy nodded excitedly, sitting on the edge of Stanley’s desk, “I’m going down south to London! I have an old friend of mine coming back from her vacation in America and I planned to surprise her since I haven’t seen her since I was still working as an author.”

Nancy snickered, “Oh, old Riri, she was the life of the party back when we went to private school together! She was every teacher’s worst nightmare, but now she’s a fine successful young woman. Owns a coffee shop where she lives.”

With a nod, Tom patted Nancy’s shoulder, “Well have fun then! We’ll miss you for sure, ain’t that right, Stan?”

Stanley nodded, smiling up at Nancy who gave him a softer smile in return, “Oh I’ll miss you two. Well, as much as I can, I’ll be on vacation,” the trio all laughed together, “But I’ll be sure to bring you both back some souvenirs. Stanley, you promise me you’ll take care of yourself?”

Stanley nodded, earning a satisfied laugh from Nancy, she turned to Tom, “And you, I know you’ll take care of yourself, but can you promise me something else?”

Tom nodded, tilting his head in confusion as Nancy slid off the desk and stepped closer to where Tom leaned against the cubicle’s wall. She leaned forward, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“Promise me you’ll take me on a date when I get back, ok?”

Tom stared at Nancy, speechless as his eyes widened and a full-blown blush took over his entire face. After a moment, he nodded eagerly, looking like the happiest man alive, “Was I really that obvious?”

Nancy chuckled, shaking her head, “No, but after the amount of romance I’ve read, I’ve learned to notice things.” She turned, exiting Stanley’s cubicle before turning her head towards the two, “I’ll see you guys later. Thanks Stanley!”

As she walked off, Stanley and Tom looked at each other, both shocked.

‘Did that really just happen?’ Stanley signed with a grin, holding back a chuckle from the dopey grin that was spread across Tom’s face.

“I- I think? Am I dreaming? I hope I’m not. Stanley, pinch me!”

Stanley laughed. Yeah, things were returning to normal. Tom wasn’t constantly worrying about him and was back to his goofy self, Nancy was as confident and happy as ever, and Stanley was going back to his usual schedule.

The only thing that was missing now was the Narrator, but Stanley couldn’t face that just yet. He still wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

Oh well, may as well live life to its fullest while he can.

Chapter Text

A beeping noise came through the phone, making Nigel startle from the sudden noise. He pulled his phone away from his ear, noticing Stanley had hung up on him. Did he call him on accident?

He had heard Stanley’s ragged breathing on the other side of the phone. He was definitely awake, but even more definitely panicked. It seemed like the man had tried to say something a few times, but just ended up choking out strangled sounds into the speaker.

Nigel decided to call him again, worry building in his gut as his mind began to race with thoughts of what might have led to whatever just happened.

However, he was declined after a few rings. What was going on? Couldn’t Stanley at least offer him an explanation?

Trying to call one more time, Nigel was instantly declined this time. He decided to move to texts, sending multiple messages through the course of who knows how long, but nothing. It was useless and seemed pretty clear that Stanley was not going to explain to him tonight whatever just happened. He hoped the man was alright, though. He was just worried.

Nigel decided to fall asleep after a while, believing he could ask Stanley tomorrow during their interview.

~

“So he disappeared just like that? It doesn’t seem like you did anything wrong and he was pretty eager to be ‘pen pals.’ So… I guess my main question is why he left.”

Nigel shrugged as Lauren took a sip from her own coffee she made before going on break. The girl had noticed Nigel moping and had been quite insistent this morning to know what had happened. It wasn’t like Nigel had the energy to try and fight her anyway, so he gave up pretty quickly and told her how Stanley left without a trace.

It took him a few days before he realized that Stanley instantly hanging up whenever he tried to call or not receiving his messages was a sign the man had blocked him. It took a lot of research, as he didn’t even know what blocking was, but he wished he never found out now. The realization had stung a little more than Nigel would ever admit.

“Maybe he did it on accident?”

Lauren shook her head, “On multiple different platforms? I don’t think so. Also, he was interviewing you for his job. He would’ve realized by now if that were the case. I think the guy chickened out.”

“Chickened out? Just like that?”

Lauren nodded, “People can make decisions they quickly come to change their minds on. And it seems like when Stanley called you, he got scared.”

“It was in the middle of the night, Lauren.”

Lauren seemed to take a moment to process this, blinking for a few moments before it seemed to click with a gasp.

“You didn’t tell me that!” Lauren exclaimed as she slammed her hands down on the table, startling Nigel and a few other customers. “You answered a call in the middle of the night? Just what were you doing up?”

Nigel rolled his eyes, huffing a bit, “I wasn’t up. My phone was ringing on my bedside table and I’m a light sleeper.”

Lauren groaned, “Don’t tell me you don’t know how to use do not disturb, Nigel.”

When Nigel gave Lauren a confused glance, she groaned again, shaking her head as she slouched back down into her chair, “Ok, so we really need to teach you how to use a phone. But, I’d say drop it. I’m sorry the situation happened and I know it sucks, but if Stanley doesn’t want to deal with you anymore, it’s his loss.”

Nigel chuckled, smiling at Lauren as he closed his laptop, finally taking his eyes off of his empty email for the first time in over two weeks, “Thank you, Lauren. I know you said you are aiming for visual arts as a major, but have you ever thought of being a consultant or a therapist? I believe you’d do wonderfully.”

Lauren snorted, “While I am flattered, those jobs aren’t for me. Too professional of an environment for my tastes.”

Nigel chuckled, “True, you are more of a free spirit. But do consider it for a minor possibly, could be a great job while you’re starting on your art career.”

Lauren nodded, pouting as she looked at the clock behind the counter, “Ugh, my break is over. Well, holler if you need anything else. And screw that Stanley dude, ok? You deserved better.”

As Lauren walked away, Nigel took a sip of his coffee while humming thoughtfully. Lauren was right. Stanley did disappear on him and that wasn’t fair to Nigel. The man had come to him first and, for whatever reason it was that made Stanley leave, Nigel deserved to at least be told something before Stanley went radio silent on him.

Still, he was worried.

“Well you seem pretty glum. A little more than usual even.”

Nigel perked up, spinning around in his chair as he was met with long amber curls and hazel brown eyes scrutinizing him with a smirk.

“Rhiannon. You’re back from America earlier than I expected,” Nigel said as he stood up, curving his lips into a small smile. 

Rhiannon laughed, placing a hand on her hip as she patted Nigel on the shoulder, “Hello, Nigel. Or should I say Mr. Bigshot? It’s good to see you again.”

Nigel snorted, “ Bigshot . I’m still the same person, Rhiannon. I just finally did my job and published a book.”

“Are you kidding? Nigel, your book is practically all I hear about. Even in America I heard about it almost every single day! Hun, you did a wonderful job,” Rhiannon said, pulling Nigel into a hug that the man stiffly returned. It was a slightly awkward position, as Rhiannon only reached his chest, “I’m so proud of you! And I heard you got an interview too! So why are you not over the moon?”

Nigel grimaced as Rhiannon looked up at him when breaking away from the hug, a few tendrils of hair not held back in her loose bun falling over her face. 

“Rhiannon? Is that you?” Lauren came out of the back room while tying her apron back on, grinning as Rhiannon headed towards her and gave her a hug as well, “There you are, honey! Oh, thank you so much for keeping the shop running while I was away. You truly are a miracle!”

Lauren rolled her eyes, huffing out a laugh as she returned Rhiannon’s hug, “Like I could ever not help you while you’re away. Though I will say I appreciate the opportunity. I loved being boss for a few weeks. Especially if it was just being the boss of Nigel.”

Rhiannon laughed, patting Lauren on the shoulder, “Oh, please tell me you didn’t tease him too much though.”

“She’s actually been very helpful. There absolutely was teasing, but Lauren is a good kid,” Nigel said as he walked up to the counter.

Rhiannon crossed her arms looking Nigel up and down, “Am I dreaming, or is Nigel Salt actually coming up to join our conversation?”

Nigel huffed at Lauren’s snicker, “It’s been a while since I’ve had a chat with you, alright?”

Rhiannon shrugged, still scrutinizing Nigel with that same, almost-knowing stare, “It’s just that you look like hell on earth, yet you’re acting like heaven’s on earth.”

“It’s been a long few weeks,” is all Nigel is able to say, Lauren thankfully just nodding with him instead of outing him. He wasn’t in the mood to tell his story for a second time this morning. He’d rather tell her later on when it was just Rhiannon and him too. While he knew Lauren’s advice was the perfect way to handle this situation, it never hurts to have multiple perspectives. 

“I can see that,” Rhiannon said with a nod, “Well, let me go to the back and get ready. We have customers to serve!”

”What? Oh, no. You just got back from your trip and you’re not scheduled to work until Wednesday!”

”Which is in two days. Lauren, honey, you’ve done a wonderful job handling my coffee shop, but nothing will bring me more joy than to smell a freshly brewed espresso again.”

Rhiannon patted Lauren and went to go fetch her apron, but Nigel stopped her before she got too far.

“Rhiannon,” he said, catching her attention as she turned around. Nigel pointed at the jar on the back counter, filled a third of the way with quarters, a grin spread across his face, “You said the rules apply to everyone.”

Rhiannon looked back at the jar, and then back at Nigel before she groaned, “I was referencing the place, I didn’t swear!”

Lauren glanced at Nigel, smirking a little as they silently formed an alliance. Oh, it was good to have Rhiannon back. And, while most of it was so he wasn’t the only one getting teased all the time, it was also a returning sense of normalcy.

~

“What is that look you’re giving me?” Nigel said, not even batting an eye away from his laptop’s screen as he spoke to Rhiannon, who was smiling at him from behind the shop’s counter.

“Hm?”

Nigel scoffed, “Don’t play dumb, Rhiannon. I know when someone has something to say. What is it?”

Rhiannon laughed, shaking her head fondly, “You’re so good at reading people’s character, you know that? I think that’s how you wrote such an amazing book.”

Nigel rolled his eyes, but attempted to hide the little smirk of satisfaction that was spreading across his face from the comment, “Why thank you. Now, are you going to tell me or make me die of anticipation?”

“Die of anticipation?” Rhiannon snorted, “I thought you were the author here, not me.”

“Rhiannon .”

“Fine, fine,” Rhiannon relented with a huff, “I’m just glad you’re finally breaking out of that shell of yours. It seems like you respect and tolerate Lauren a little more. Not to mention you finally called Clarence by his first name. I think I saw him nearly faint from the shock of it yesterday.”

“I’m just respecting the man’s wishes,” Nigel huffed.

“That you hadn’t respected for the past four years. Seriously, Nigel, what happened while I was gone? I’m sort of afraid of how open and nice you’ve become.”

”I’m nice !” Nigel squawked, finally turning his head to face Rhiannon, who had a smug expression on her face.

“Yeah, sure . What happened? Was it something to do with that interview of yours?”

Nigel froze, eyes widening as he felt his breath hitch. Rhiannon seemed to notice as she tilted her head, crossing her arms in a concerned expression, “Ok… so something happened with that interview, just not what I was thinking. Nigel?”

Nigel knew what Rhiannon was asking. She wanted to ask about the interview, what happened, why Nigel hadn’t sent her a link of it yet. However, Nigel had been avoiding it, just feeling too drained to even begin talking about it.

Oh well, he did say he was going to tell Rhiannon. The explanation was long overdue and Nigel just had to get through it, like ripping off a bandaid that was covering a still gaping wound.

“Well you see, I-”

Before Nigel could begin, he was cut off by a shrill scream from someone just outside the opened doors of the coffee shop. The girl at the door yelled out, “Riri?!”

Rhiannon snapped her head towards the door, letting out an almost identical scream to the other girl before scrambling over the counter. She all but ran towards the girl, still incessantly screaming before she exclaimed, “Oh my God! Nancy, just what on earth are you doing here?!”

“Visiting you, honey!” The girl apparently named Nancy responded before giving Rhiannon a crushing hug.

The two girls squabbled and chatted away for a few minutes before Rhiannon led her inside, “Welcome to my coffee shop! I got it up and running just a year after you left for Manchester. By the way, how is Manchester? Is it treating you well?”

“Oh, yes!” Nancy said, “While I do miss London, I will say I love where I live right now. Manchester just feels so… homey for me.”

“Oh!” Rhiannon exclaimed as she locked eyes with Nigel, leading Nancy to look at him as well, “Nancy, I’d like you to meet my friend and most valued customer, Nigel! He’s an author just like you.”

“Oh really?” Nancy said, however her expression seemed to falter a bit before returning again, albeit a little sheepish, “Actually, I’m not an author anymore. I work as a journalist, but it’s nice to meet you!”

“Nice to meet you too, Miss Nancy,” Nigel said, taking Nancy’s outstretched hand and shaking it, “May I ask if you had any of your works published during your time as an author? I may possibly have read them or seen them.”

Nancy gushed, blushing a little as she held a hand up to her face, “Oh, so polite! But, yes, I have. Two books, both romances.”

“‘Twisted Iridescence’ and ‘Scalded Hearts’,” Rhiannon stated proudly, which earned her a flustered glare from Nancy.

Nigel nodded, “Yes, I actually do know those. I’ve read ‘Twisted Iridescence’, and have been meaning to read the other. You had liked to write romances that begin with a heartbreak.”

Nancy nodded, her cheeks becoming an even brighter shade of red as she laughed, “I loved writing about a character’s perseverance through a tough time. I do sometimes wish I had not stopped working as an author, but I felt like I was being too constricted to my house. Not that I’m saying that applies to every author.”

Nigel chuckled, nodding as he took a sip of his coffee.

“Say, Nancy, just where do you work now? You said you’re a journalist?”

Nancy nodded, a small smile spreading across her face, “Ah, I work at Goldleaf Books Weekly. ”

Nigel all but spat his coffee out.

Chapter Text

Lauren had always been a straightforward person. She never had many friends due to it, but she never minded. Lauren had always been a realist and an opportunist and everyone else she had come across to try and make friends with seemed to just want to live a superficial life, putting on a persona to make friends or grab the attention of others.

Ugh, private school.

Lauren can speak from experience that private school was not all the ritz it was glammed up to be. Yes, private schools could enforce rules that allowed for a better environment, sometimes had a better education, and just taught students to be well-presented, but the worst part was the students who went there.

Now, if there’s one thing about private schools, it’s that the social hierarchy is a total mess. Either super rich kids who have their parents buy their way through life or really smart kids trying to become some fancy engineer or whatever come to the school, so it usually is a battle of who can present their talents and qualities the best.

And Lauren didn’t care about any of that.

Lauren just wanted to get an education, graduate highschool, get into a nice college, and have a good art career. 

Yet, as of late, she found herself caring a lot more about helping others- more specifically a dumb old geezer. She watched Nigel sitting in his usual spot, her face propped on one of her hands pressed up against her cheek as Rhiannon and Nancy continued a conversation she had lost track of about ten minutes ago. It was something about a guy named Tom or whatever.

It had been a few days since Nancy showed up. She was surprisingly nice and Lauren had to admit she quickly took a liking to her. Yet, there was a problem.

Wasn’t Goldleaf Books Weekly the place that Stanley guy worked at?

Her suspicions seemed to only be confirmed from how Nigel reacted. He spat his coffee out when she said it- which, dear god Nigel, he really had a habit of doing that whenever surprised, and it grossed Lauren out. Ever since then, Nigel has been distant. Nancy seemed to notice, but whenever she tried to say something, it seemed like she was being held back.

So Lauren, being the upfront person she is, was just going to get to the point.

“Hey, Nanc’ do you know a Stanley Beket?”

Nancy and Rhiannon paused, turning towards Lauren. Thankfully Nigel was out of earshot, so he couldn’t listen in on their conversation. Either way, Lauren wasn’t worried. The man was so out of it that he wouldn’t even try to listen in.

Nancy nervously smiled as Rhiannon gave her a confused glance, “Who’s Stanley Beket?”

Lauren looked back at Nigel before turning back to Nancy, who sighed, losing the tenseness that was in her shoulders, “He’s Nigel Salt, isn’t he?”

Lauren nodded, making Nancy sigh as she mumbled, “Oh goodness, well this is quite a coincidence. I don’t know whether to call it good or bad luck.”

Both Lauren and Rhiannon looked at Nancy with a confused expression, urging her to continue.

“Yes, I do know Stanley. He’s a good friend of mine. Well, more of a friend of Tom’s, but I think I’m finally getting through his shell. I know what you are going to ask, but I promise I have no idea what happened. Stanley just seemed… sad afterwards.”

“Sad? He literally worried Nigel half to death and then left him without a single word.”

“I- Really? I didn’t know that! That- It sounds like something Stanley wouldn’t do, but I’m not sure. Stanley’s behavior has been a little… worrisome lately. Ever since he found Nigel’s book, he has been a bit different.”

“Ok, now I’m just really confused. Who is Stanley Beket? And what does this have to do with dear Nigel?” Rhiannon butted in, breaking the tension that was forming between the two.

Nancy turned towards Rhiannon, an apologetic smile spread across her face, “Ah, sorry Riri. Stanley is a friend and co-worker of mine at Goldleaf. He recently got an interview with Nigel but two weeks ago he ended it out of the blue.”

Rhiannon nodded, “Ah, thank you. You girls can continue, but let me just grab a treat. This is getting interesting.”

The two waited as Rhiannon pulled up a chair and got a muffin from this morning’s batch, munching on it while she attentively listened. 

“So you’re telling me Stanley has been expressing some odd behaviors since he had found Nigel’s book? Why would that be?”

Nancy hummed, resting her hand on her chin in a thoughtful expression, “Well, Stan kept saying he related to the book a lot. We thought he was just hyper fixating on the book and was getting a little stuck in fiction, but now I suspect it wasn’t that.”

“How so?”

“Well,” Lauren said, nervously flicking her eyes to the side to cast a quick glance at Nigel, “Stanley has had some personal events in the past that sounded a bit… scarring. He acts similarly to how he does with the book whenever he brought it up. And now that he cut off the interview with Nigel, Tom said it felt almost just like when he met him. Said something about it being just like when Stanley was still recovering and coming to terms with it.

Lauren nodded, relenting as she sighed, “Okay, I can understand that. It may have gotten a little too personal for him. But, it doesn’t excuse the fact he just left Nigel. Nigel’s been pretty messed up since Stanley ended the interview as well.”

“I understand,” Nancy murmured, looking down as she clasped her hands together.

“Sorry, I-” Lauren groaned as she pinched the bridge of her nose, “-I… Oh, fine! I care for Nigel! He’s a good guy and has been really kind towards me, so I want to return that kindness. I didn’t mean to get on you and interrogate you. I just feel like him and Stanley need to talk it out and you were my only lead.”

The whole place went deathly quiet, even Rhiannon had stopped chewing mid-bite to look at Lauren with wide eyes. Nancy took a moment to process, looking down once more. She seemed convinced as she sighed, looking up with a small smile.

“You’re a good person, hon. I will talk with Nigel. I should take accountability as well as I’ve been avoiding him. I did have my suspicions and… oh goodness, I’ve been a bit immature, haven’t I?”

Lauren shrugged, “I wouldn’t say immature? You just didn’t know the situation at hand and you didn’t know how to confront it.”

Nancy laughed, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth, “You are an impressive girl, Lauren. Straight to it and no beating around the bush. You remind me of Riri when she was your age.”

Rhiannon smiled proudly, gulping the last bite of her muffin, “That’s right! This girl is my prodigy!” Rhiannon wrapped an arm around Lauren, who stiffly accepted it as Rhiannon patted her shoulder, “She’s a true fighter, this one. Always knows exactly what to do in a situation and never one to deal with the superficial. Though, she doesn’t have my chaotic nature.”

Nancy bursted out laughing, shaking her head as she surveyed the two, “Oh no, I don’t think I can see Lauren blowing up a sink with her chemistry project.”

“ What ,” Lauren said as Rhiannon gasped beside her, Nancy’s laughter becoming more loud as it became more of a full belly-laugh, she leaned forward, cradling her stomach as she continued to laugh and giggle.

“That was only once! And everyone else used it for their projects! The concentration of my mixture’s substances was just off,” Rhiannon said with a pout, crossing her arms.”

“Yeah sure, the concentrations, ” Nancy said with a mischievous grin which Rhiannon responded with a scoff.

“Is everything alright?” A voice spoke behind the three, making them all jump.

Lauren spun around, facing Nigel who gave her a questioning expression, his eyebrow lifted as he looked at her above the rim of his glasses, “Oh, Nigel! Didn’t notice you were there, bud.”

“Bud.” Nigel deadpanned, earning a nervous smile from Lauren.

“Uh, yeah. Well, I think I have something to do in the back. Rhiannon, can you help me?”

Rhiannon looked at Lauren with a blank stare before it clicked, a light bulb lighting up above her head, “Oh, yeah! We’ll be back in a while. How about you talk to Nancy, Nigel? She’s really the sweetest, you’ll love her!”

Nigel seemed to only look more confused as Lauren ushered Rhiannon into the back room. Once the door had closed behind them, Nigel finally looked at Nancy. She seemed to flinch under his gaze, offering a small wave.

“Alright then,” Nigel slowly said, looking back at the door, “So, Nancy was it?”

~

The two were silent as they sat at the table. It had been about ten minutes since Lauren and Rhiannon had suspiciously left Nigel to talk with Nancy, and he was pretty sure he knew why.

“So-” Nigel began, only to be cut off by Nancy, who had spoken at the same time as him.

“I’m so sorry.”

Nigel tilted his head, snorting as he looked at Nancy, “Whatever for, Miss Nancy?”

Nancy looked down at her clasped hands as she began to speak, “I have been… avoiding a certain subject. I think you know which one.”

Nigel sighed, sitting a little straighter in his seat as he got straight to it, “I think I believe so. You work at Goldleaf, yes?”

Nancy nodded, she tensed as her hands clasped each other harder, knuckles turning white as she tried to make eye contact with Nigel once more, “I… I know Stanley. He’s a friend of mine.”

Nigel simply said nothing, yet didn’t show any surprise. He gestured for her to go on.

“I’ll be honest with you, I do not know why he ended the interview, but I have my suspicions. I’m sorry that I never came to you about it but-”

“Nancy, why are you apologizing?”

Nancy jolted, looking up at Nigel in surprise. He shrugged before continuing, “You didn’t do anything to hurt me. So you have a connection with Stanley, big deal. The only one who really owes me an explanation at all is Stanley. It’s not your fault he suddenly went radio silent on me.”

Nancy nodded, her shoulders relaxing as a weight was seemingly lifted from them, “Thank you… I just- I care about Stanley a lot, but I don’t know him well enough to understand what happened or why. He’s had a rough past that he’s been very vague about, and I believe he was using your book as a coping mechanism since he related to it.”

“Related to it? I’m sorry, my dear, but I don’t really think I can see how one would relate to my book,” Nigel said before murmuring under his breath, “Except for me.”

“I didn’t think so either. But I believe he relates to one of your characters. I believe it was Jim- he’s the office worker, correct?” Nigel froze for a moment, taking a moment to process before he nodded, allowing Nancy to continue, “He really liked Jim. Heard him talking about your book with Tom one day and it just seemed like he got Jim. When I was talking to Tom though, he also said something about Jim’s relationship with the narrator of your story being something he was fond of.”

Nigel looked at Nancy with wide eyes, that couldn’t be. This Stanley related a lot to Jim, a character who was directly based off of the Narrator’s Stanley, but was also fond of the relationship Jim held with the Narrator? Not to mention Nancy said he had a vague past.

“Ah,” Nigel said, trying to feign a calm smile, “Well I can understand that. He must be a very dear friend of yours, hm?”

Nancy nodded, smiling a little as she hummed, “Yes, I just hope whatever funk he’s in, he’ll get out of it. I’m really sorry about your interview though. If you want, I could try to set you up with an interview from someone else. I wish I could do it, but I focus more on romance novellas, so I believe I’m too much of a novice to deal with a book as big as yours is currently.”

Nigel smiled, shaking his head, “No, no. That’s quite alright, but thank you. I think I’ll be staying away from interviews for a while.”

Nancy sighed, seeming to slump in her chair as relief settled in, “Oh, well that’s good because I think my next best shot would be Tom. And, while I love him, I know he can be a lot to handle. I don’t want to be responsible for overwhelming the Nigel Salt.”

Nigel bursted out in laughter, hunching over to hold his stomach as he ran out of breath, “Oh dear, you’re much too kind, Nancy. And please don’t think of me like that, aren’t we well acquainted now?”

Seeming as if she was containing her excitement, Nancy tilted her head as a grin spread across her face, “I don’t know, are we?”

Nigel smirked, taking the final sip of his drink before replying, “How long do you plan on staying in Hampstead? I would love to have lunch with you sometime.”

Nancy let out an excited squeal before composing herself and continuing the conversation happily. Nigel smiled, nodding along as Nancy chatted away and Rhiannon and Lauren came back from wherever they were hiding. The two baristas beamed as they saw the other two getting along.

Maybe Nigel could afford having a few friends in this world.

~

“Oh, thank you Nigel! You didn’t have to do that!” Rhiannon said with a grin as Nigel placed one of the largest jars he had ever seen filled with espresso beans on a high shelf poor Rhiannon could only dream of reaching without a stool.

“Wow, the old geezer has some muscle. I’ll say I’m impressed, gramps,” Lauren said from the cash register, the person buying their drink trying not to laugh.

“I’m not an old geezer,” Nigel said with a huff towards Lauren, yet it was more fond than it had previously been. Another few days had passed and Nigel found himself spending more hours at the coffee shop than at his loft. He had also spent way less time on his laptop, which he patted himself on the back for because it never was good for his eyes whenever he stayed on it for long periods of time.

Nancy giggled off to the side as she took stock of everything, checking something off the checklist, “Don’t be rude, Lauren. Nigel’s a very handsome man.”

“I didn’t say he wasn’t!” Lauren snapped back, the customer at the register now barely containing their laughter as Lauren handed them back their card, giving her a quick thank you before rushing off to their table.

“Anyways, I thought you have a boyfriend, Nancy. Where’s your loyalty?” Rhiannon cut in, a sly smirk appearing on her face as Nancy gasped.

“I’m loyal! And he’s not my boyfriend… yet. I just told Tom that I wished for him to take me out on a date when I get back. It was sorta obvious he had feelings towards me.”

“Oh, that’s who Tom is!” Nigel said, the three ladies turning towards him, “I kept hearing his name, but thought he was just a friend. Actually, that makes a lot more sense now that he’s your boyfriend.”

“He’s not my!- Ugh, we’re not official yet. Can we hold off until I go on that date?”

The group laughed, Lauren leaving the register to help Rhiannon lift some of the stock as well. Rhiannon was the shortest of the entire group, just barely passing five feet, and needed a lot of help reaching the higher shelves in the shop. Hence why she always had a stool and why Nigel helped her out due to fear of her being crushed by the giant jar.

“Anyways, you haven’t even shown us this Tom fella yet, Nanc’. Do you have any photos? I want to see if he’s hot enough for you.”

Nancy blushed, grumbling as she pulled out her phone, “It’s not just about the looks, Riri. He’s a really nice guy too. But- he is very attractive. Here.”

Nancy handed Rhiannon her phone and Rhiannon whistled as she took a look at the photo on there, “Damn. Nice and attractive. He’s a keeper.”

“He also likes to cook and reads a lot of the romance novellas I recommend to him,” Nancy said proudly, as if she were showing off a prize she had won.

Lauren laughed, walking around Rhiannon to get a look, “Come on, Rhiannon, I want to see! This guy sounds awesome! Does he play any sports?”

“He did mention playing rugby back when he was in highschool and early in college.”

Lauren smiled, “Oh yeah, if you don’t keep him, can I have him?”

“Lauren!” Rhiannon scolded as the group bursted into laughter once more, Lauren barely avoiding a swat from Rhiannon, “Don’t you even dare!”

“I’m kidding! I’m kidding!” Lauren said, she looked back at Nigel, waving him over, “You want a peak, Nigel?”

Nigel paused for a moment before deciding to walk over, “I can’t deny that I am curious.”

“Hey, who’s the other guy in this photo, Nanc’?” Rhiannon asked as she showed Nigel the photo. It was a photo of three people happily smiling at the camera as they all ate cookies. There was Nancy, a blonde guy who he presumed was Tom, and- his breath hitched.

“Oh, that’s-”

“Stanley.”

The group all turned towards Nigel, who looked as if he had seen a ghost. It was silent for a moment before a gasp sounded out and Lauren said, “ Oh .”

Lauren grabbed Nigel’s hand and dragged him towards the door to the backroom, “I just realized I left the milk out of the fridge! Nigel, come help me get it all stored.”

As soon as Lauren dragged Nigel into the room, she slammed the door behind Nigel. She ran a hand through her hair before breaking the silence, “You’ve got to be kidding.”

Nigel looked up at Lauren, who looked perplexed and as if she didn’t know what to express, she gestured randomly, letting out a few confused sounds before yelling out, “There’s no way!”

Ah, it seemed to have clicked for her. Nigel nodded, “I’m just as surprised as you are Lauren.”

“So- Wait, you’re telling me that the Stanley who interviewed you, the Stanley who ditched you , is the same Stanley you lost ?”

Nigel took a moment, processing what Lauren had just said before he hesitantly nodded. Lauren let out a groan, dragging a hand down her face, “Bloody hell, Nigel.”

Nigel stayed silent for a few more minutes, Lauren offering him the small mercy of staying silent as well, standing there with her arms crossed.

With this new realization, Nigel began to think of all the moments he had with Stanley Beket, but most of all his last. That phone call. Stanley was obviously at the other end of the line. He had heard the Narrator. And if there’s one thing the Narrator knows, it’s that Stanley knows his voice. 

So why didn’t Stanley say anything? Why didn’t he try to even text the Narrator? Something, just- anything ?

Why did Stanley block the Narrator?

It had been five years! They were apart for five years with no indication of the other even being alive! And Stanley had found out that the Narrator was here, that he was safe, and that he could contact him- and he blocked him?!

“Woah, Nigel- Are you alright? You look like you’re about to faint.”

Nigel gasped out, realizing he had been holding his breath. He gripped onto the doorknob to balance himself as he slumped against the door behind him.

Another moment of silence passed before Nigel spoke again, “Do you think there’s any way I could convince Nancy to let me join her on her trip back to Manchester?”

“What? Nigel, do you really think that’s a good idea?”

Nigel tried to think, but cut his own thoughts off with an angered scoff, “I need to talk to an old friend.”

If there is one thing the Narrator knew for certain now, it was that he was pissed .

Chapter Text

“I didn’t know you had such an interest in seeing Manchester, Nigel! I mean, it’s not nearly as exciting as London is, but it is pretty great when you get to know it!”

Nigel nodded, smiling a little as Nancy closed the trunk of her car. They had both packed their luggage in, Nigel’s being just a very small suitcase as he didn’t have many other belongings and planned only to stay for a day or two before taking a bus back. He just wanted a word with Stanley and would be off. 

Stanley didn’t want anything to do with him, that much was clear. Nigel just wanted to make sure Stanley knew how much he hurt him before he did as Stanley wished and left him. 

It still stung whenever Nigel thought of it.

This was Stanley . Not just Stanley Beket, not just some journalist who was interested in his book, but also his Stanley. This was the Stanley he had spent years in the parable with, narrating him, guiding him- he built a body for the man in hopes they would be something more than just a narrator and a protagonist. 

The Narrator thought they had reached that something more. But no. Now he was stuck in the world Stanley had come from, stuck in the body he had built for Stanley, and left behind by Stanley.

Maybe he deserved it.

Before him and Stanley had developed a fondness for each other, the Narrator was just another entity looking for control over another. He tormented Stanley, teased him for being human, hurt him. Yes, he was sticking to a script, but that didn’t change the fact that he did it .

He just thought they were past that. Stanley never seemed to resent him much for when they had first met and were still getting to know each other. Nigel was just confused. And hurt. Very hurt.

“Nigel?” Nancy asked, snapping Nigel out of his train of thoughts.

He nodded, getting in the passenger’s seat of the car, “Sorry, a little lost in my thoughts. I just thought I may travel a bit while I don’t have anything to do for my book.”

That seemed to make Nancy flinch a bit, but she nodded with a slightly strained smile, “Yeah! It’s good to get out there and see the world. I quit my job as an author because I felt like I was staying at home too much and I didn’t want to become introverted. I like being out there and talking to people.”

Nigel chuckled, nodding his head, “I always thought I would be more extroverted, but I ended up being an old grump.”

Nancy snorted, shaking her head as she started the car, “An old grump? Believe me Nigel, no matter what Lauren says, you are not a grump. As long as I’ve known you you’ve been nothing short of kind. We just had the whole situation with… the interview.”

Nigel frowned, shaking his head with a sigh as Nancy began to drive down the streets of Hampstead, “I used to be. I sort of had a bit of a turn around with the interview. And I guess I just realized I wanted to live life a little.”

Nancy nodded, “Well that means you’re improving, right? I think you’re taking the right direction then. Sometimes we just need a bit of adventure and getting out there to find our path.”

Nigel’s smile fell as he turned to look out his window. He was surprised Nancy didn’t even suspect that he was going to Manchester to talk to Stanley. He knew what he was doing was slightly immature. But he would rather go and see Stanley one last time rather than think for the rest of his life what could’ve happened. But now he had wrapped poor Nancy into his problems. 

He would have to figure out how to apologize and make it up to Nancy after whatever happens in Manchester.

He cleared his throat as he felt Nancy glance towards him, “Yeah. Just finding my path.”

~

“Stanley, just what are you doing?” The Narrator asked as he appeared with his body in the lounge. The office worker was hunched over a pile of papers. Some were crumpled, others smudged, but all of them had various different drawings on them. He was extremely focused as he hadn’t even noticed the Narrator in front of him.

The Narrator called for him once more, finally catching Stanley’s attention as the man looked up, blinking a few times to clear the haziness of his eyes.

‘I’m trying to remember.’

“Remember?” The Narrator asked, kneeling down so he could grab some of the papers Stanley had drawn on. He looked through the papers, noticing they each had some sort of theme that seemed to connect them. They were all places.

‘I came from somewhere before this,’ Stanley signed, emphasizing his sentence with a gesture towards the room around them, ‘I guess I just want to remember where I came from.’

“Why is that?” The Narrator said with a chuckle. Oh, how interesting Stanley was. His constant curiosity was quite adorable at times, the Narrator had to admit. It was just annoying when it conflicted with his story. “Aren’t you happy just where you are? You always want to know what your past is and try to prepare to go somewhere for the future. Why not stay where you are comfortable? Where you’re happy?”

Stanley smiled, huffing as he sat up, ‘Because that’s not how to live a life.’

That had caught the Narrator’s attention as he sat across from Stanley, “Explain.”

‘Well, to explain, let’s start with all your different scripts,’ Stanley thankfully knew how to keep the Narrator’s attention, using the parable whenever he could to explain things. It did not fail this time, as the Narrator instantly perked up at the mention of his scripts, ‘If I had constantly done the freedom ending over and over, staying where it was comfortable and something I knew, would we be here now?’

“I think you’re going to have to explain a bit more, Stanley.”

‘Well, if I did the freedom ending over and over again, our relationship would have stayed strictly as the narrator and the protagonist. Since I decided to deviate from the usual and explore all the different possibilities the parable explained, we were able to adjust, learn, and grow. We came closer together as we experienced all the different wonders the parable stores together. Right?’

A thoughtful expression crossed the Narrator’s face. He hummed a little as he smiled, giving a slight nod towards Stanley, “I guess you’re right.”

Stanley chuckled, ‘I may not remember much from the world I come from, but what I do remember is that it was one that changed constantly. Humans have learned how to develop and grow to accommodate the world around them, and more importantly, learn who they are.

‘You decided to build a body, straying from your comfort zone of not existing physically. Tell me, Narrator, why did you do it?’

The Narrator paused for a moment, seeming a bit surprised at the question, “Well, uh, I did it because I thought it would be a nice surprise for you and…”

The Narrator trailed off, looking down at his hands, flexing them as he studied each little movement.

“And?” Stanley spoke, his voice hoarse from its lack of use. The sudden sound had startled the Narrator, making him look up again.

“Well- I… I guess I just wanted to know what it would feel like to experience the world through a human’s body.”

Stanley smiled, satisfied with the Narrator’s answer, “We stray from what we know not just to grow and adapt, but we also do it out of curiosity and exploration of oneself. You built yourself a body because you would rather risk leaving your comfort zone than never knowing what it would be like and possibly regret never doing it. I strayed from the usual path you tried to guide me down in the parable because I wanted to know what the parable had to offer, and more, who you were.”

“Me?” The Narrator asked, seemingly baffled.

Stanley nodded, switching back to signing as it seemed he couldn’t use his voice for much longer without exerting himself, ‘You’re your own person, Narry. Don’t let the comfortable hold you back.’

The Narrator looked at Stanley, eyes wide as he processed everything Stanley had just said to him. He took a moment before he huffed, shaking his head fondly, “Look at you, giving me a run for my money. I thought I was the one who was supposed to have the sappy monologues.”

Stanley bursted out laughing, not noticing the look of admiration the Narrator gave him while he wheezed and giggled. It was true, Stanley had become and developed his own person during his time in the parable. A person that the Narrator had come to call his closest friend.

If there was one thing that the Narrator would never change for the sake of leaving his comfort zone, it was who his protagonist was. 

Because there was no one he’d rather commit his life to than Stanley.

~

Nigel awoke as the car stopped, he groaned before stretching, a few of his joints loudly popping.

“Morning, sleepyhead!” Nancy chuckled as she turned off the ignition to the car, “It didn’t even take half an hour before you totally passed out! I have to say it was quite impressive. I can’t even fall asleep that quickly in a bed at night.”

Nigel nodded, wiping the sleep out of his eyes before looking out, “Where are we?”

“We are in the great city of Manchester!” Nancy sung the last word, gesturing grandly to the buildings just outside the window of the car with a wide grin, “More importantly, at my workplace. While my boss said I could have another day to get adjusted back in Manchester, I don’t want to fall behind in my work, so I’m going to get a few of my assignments real quick, alright?”

Nigel nodded, a little surprised as Nancy stepped out of the car, rolling down a window for Nigel to get some air. 

They were in front of her workplace? The workplace that was also Stanley’s workplace? While he came here for the sole purpose of hunting down Stanley, he wasn’t expecting to be so close to him right now .

Nigel could just imagine it, Stanley being just a few hundred yards away from him, inside that building Nancy was heading toward, hunched over his laptop as he continued to live his life happily without him.

The Narrator had to restrain himself from throwing himself out of the car and barging into the building. He was so close , yet to stalk Stanley and go after him at his job?

That was uncalled for. The Narrator at least had some decency.

As if things couldn’t get any worse for him, though, Nigel had to turn his head towards the entrance of the building just in time to see the doors open, and Stanley step outside the building, signing to one of his coworkers as the both had seemed to have finished their shift.

He looked much like the Stanley he had come to know but more… settled down.

He had grown his hair out, the soft tufts of hair slightly swept to the side to frame his face. His stance was also less straight and more comfortable. In fact, he looked very… comfortable. He looked happy.

“Oh, what am I doing here?” Nigel groaned, slumping in his seat as he dragged his hand across his face.

This was Stanley’s life he was intervening in! He just drove four hours, out of the neighborhood he had lived his entire life on earth in, to Manchester, where Stanley was, just so he could what? Tell him off?

The whole idea of it was now sounding absolutely absurd to Nigel.

Stanley was now living his own life without the Narrator and he seemed absolutely fine without him. So why was the Narrator so hurt? Isn’t this what he wanted? For Stanley to be happy?

His entire existence in the parable was meant only to make Stanley happy, to allow him to find an ending to his story where the man could truly feel fulfilled and find his purpose. And now here he is, happy and with a purpose. 

So why did the Narrator feel… incomplete?

Nigel tried to turn away, but noticed Stanley was walking away, waving at the man he was talking to as they both went their separate ways. This was it.

This may be the last time Nigel ever sees Stanley.

No! A voice in the back of his head screamed. Go for him! Make your own choice! You’re your own person!

That made Nigel think.

Yes, in the parable the Narrator was meant only to be someone that guided Stanley, unable to make any decisions for himself and for what he wanted to do with his life.

But now, now he was his own person. He wasn’t tied to the decisions of anyone else now. He was his own person now! He could now choose what his purpose in life was.

Stanley had decided to leave him. But what about the Narrator? Didn’t he have a say in the matter? Didn’t he have his own right as a person to decide whether or not he could have Stanley in his life? And even if Stanley still walked away, at least he would know. If Stanley wanted to leave him so badly, he had to say it to his face.

Nigel had a right to know why. The Narrator had a right to know why.

The Narrator had made his decisions to match Stanley’s for so long, but after five years of living on his own, he was now fairly comfortable with making his own path in life. And right here, right now, he had two choices to make that led down two different paths.

He could either stay where it’s comfortable and live the rest of his life not knowing what could’ve been, or he could leave his comfort zone and chase after Stanley for some proper closure.

As the Narrator watched Stanley’s figure heading down the sidewalk, he chose his own path.

“STANLEY!” Narrator yelled at the top of his lungs as he got out of the car and raced across the street to the sidewalk.

He was going to find out not just why Stanley had left him, but just who he is as a person.

Chapter Text

Stanley sighed as he stepped out the building, taking a deep breath as he smelled the earthy aroma that came after a rainstorm. It had been raining quite often the last two weeks. It seemed as if Nancy left and took the sun with her. Well, that and Tom’s heart apparently.

“I just can’t believe it! She’s coming back today, Stanley! Did she say what time? Oh- why did I not think to wear my nice shirt today. I can’t have her seeing me like this!”

Stanley inwardly groaned. While he loved Tom and was happy that he and Nancy were finally getting together, he couldn’t help but be tired after listening to Tom ramble on and on and on about Nancy for the last two weeks. He began to hope Nancy would come back almost as much as Tom did just so he would stop talking about her for a moment. He even missed him quoting those stupid facebook quotes of his- that’s how bad it was.

‘She’s seen you everyday for the last few years. You never minded you when she saw you on your worse days. Why are you worrying now?’

“You don’t get it, Stanley! While I’ve always had a bit of a crush on her, now is different! She actually likes me and I have to make sure I live up to her expectations so I can truly have a chance to start a relationship with her!” Tom said, running a hand nervously through his hair as he looked at his reflection in the windows.

‘I think you’ve already lived up to her expectations if she’s asked you out. She’s your friend, right? She already knows you. The only thing that will be changing if you get into a relationship is how you feel about each other.’

Tom stayed silent for a moment, looking down as he pondered with his arms crossed, “You… You always scare me whenever you get super profound. And I think it’s because you’re always right when you are.”

Stanley chuckled, tilting his head a bit as a smirk crossed his face, ‘So you’re saying I’m correct? You’ll stop obsessing over your appearance?’

Tom pursed his lips, looking towards Stanley with a pout, “I’ll try… but can I just get cleaned up? Nancy is returning and it will be a nice little occasion. I just want to look nice for her. Haven’t you ever felt that way towards someone, Stanley?”

Stanley paused, being caught off guard as Tom seemed to have undermined his entire argument with a single question. He coughed into his fist before signing, ‘You have a point, I guess.’

Stanley expected Tom to cheer and rub it in his face that Stanley lost the argument, Stanley only saw Tom was left shocked. “You had a crush on someone and you never told me?!”

Tom marched up to Stanley, taking him by the shoulders and shaking him, “When was this? Who was it? Why didn’t I know?! Aren’t we bros Stanley?!”

‘We are, we are!’ Stanley frantically signed, ‘What do you mean? I’ve never had a crush!’

Tom shook his head, “You just agreed with me! I asked if you’ve ever wanted to look nice for someone the same way I want to for Nancy and you practically agreed!”

Oh. It seems like Tom misunderstood.

‘Well, yes. But that doesn’t mean I had a crush on them!’

Tom stopped shaking Stanley, tilting his head as he took a moment to process once more, “What do you mean?”

‘Look… I never had a crush on this guy, but I eventually came to respect him very much. We had come a long way and… Oh, I don’t know. I guess I just wanted to live up to his expectations since I thought it would improve what we had or make it a constant? I didn’t want to mess up what he had taken so long to build up to, so I tried to make myself the best I could be to try to keep up with him. It was rather exhausting, though, and he eventually caught on. The words I just told you were the very same he told me.’

After a moment, Tom smiled, nodding a little as he laughed, “You know… whenever you do get very profound, it does seem like you’re an entirely different person. Do you… take a lot of this person’s lessons to heart?”

Stanley nods, ‘Most of them. I’ve been… trying to move on and let go of him.’

“Oh… Oh , this is your old friend?”

Stanley turns away, chuckling to himself. Just when he thought he had finally gotten over the Narrator, he comes back to haunt him through the words he had held in his heart for years.

“You don’t have to worry about changing yourself for me, Stanley. I became your friend because of who you are. You’re still you and I’m still me, the only thing that changed is how we regard each other, correct? I’m your friend, your friend. Not the “perfect” Stanley’s friend. So why are you being such a dolt and thinking you’re not good enough for me?”

Yeah… he took all but one of the Narrator’s lessons to heart.

‘Yeah… he’s in the past now, but keeps finding a way to haunt me,’ Stanley signs with a smile, ‘I should get going, I’ll see you later, Tom. Hope you get to see Nancy tonight.’

While Stanley doesn’t turn back to look at Tom, he can practically see Tom staring at him, hesitating to speak once more before he sighs and turns away, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Stan.”

Stanley fondly huffed as he waved back at Tom. How funny. He tries so hard to push the Narrator out of his life, yet he always finds a way to make an appearance again. And this time, it was through Stanley’s words. Who ever thought Stanley would repeat anything the Narrator said, nonetheless take it to heart?

Stanley doesn’t know where he came from before the parable. He doesn’t know who he was before that. But he knows who he is now. He became his own person over the time of the parable, and has further grown as one in the real world as he came to learn what loss is and how to deal with it- well, as best as he could. 

Stanley knows where he falls into other people’s lives, and he knows that his actions have consequences now. Consequences that last .

The Narrator most likely knows that now too. Stanley and the Narrator’s relationship was based entirely off of a loop. They could make mistakes and restart, leaving whatever was in the previous loop entirely be. Here, time is constantly moving. It doesn’t rewind for Stanley or the Narrator anymore. Stanley knows that he can’t fix his mistakes anymore. They’re irreversible. He knows there is consequences and that people have lasting impacts on each other. The Narrator may have come to like him for who he is, but Stanley knows that who he is is harmful to the Narrator. He’s a coward and a bad friend. Which is why he chose to cut the Narrator out of his life once and for all.

The Narrator deserves so much better than Stanley in this world where things can never stay the same. Stanley can’t even stay the same anymore, so who says the Narrator would care about him anymore?

Stanley nodded to himself, as if to make a point clear. He was going to keep the Narrator in the past because he cared about him too much to mess up the life he has now. Their relationship died the second they left the parable, and Stanley won’t be selfish for once and ruin the Narrator’s life to keep him. The Narrator was now just simply a ghost of his past. A fading memory.

Well, that’s what he was planning to do until he heard a familiar voice scream his name before someone fully body slammed into him, knocking him into the floor.

“Just what were you thinking?!”

Stanley didn’t even need to turn his face to know who it was, but he did it either way. The moment they locked eyes, Stanley could already feel tears filling his eyes as he whispered one word.

“Narrator?”

Chapter Text

While Stanley is never a man to expect much through his daily life, he was certainly not expecting to be tackled onto the ground by an attractive old man- not to mention that the attractive old man turned out to be his old friend he thought he had gotten rid of for good.

Stanley could feel a burst of adrenaline as his face hit right into the concrete of the sidewalk. He struggled to fight off the man, his body thinking it was an attacker even though his mind knew it was the Narrator. Or, apparently both as he managed to spin around to lay on his back, only to get decked right in the face by said man.

“Just what in the bloody hell were you thinking?!”

Stanley sputtered and gasped as he was able to wrestle one of his arms out of the Narrator’s hold, bringing his hand up to feel the already brushing spot that spanned almost the entirety of his cheek. That was going to leave a mark.

The Narrator tried to grab Stanley's arm again, but Stanley began to fight back, throwing his fist and colliding it right with the Narrator’s nose. A sickening cracking sound made its way to Stanley’s ears as the Narrator yelled out from a mixture of pain and surprise, losing his hold on Stanley as he brought one hand up to his now bleeding nose.

When Stanley was able to wrestle his second arm out of the Narrator’s hold, barely avoiding another throw, he was able to push the Narrator off of him.

‘What do you mean?!’

“You know what I mean!” The Narrator spat viciously, scuttling himself closer to Stanley and getting on his knees to tower over him, “You blocked me! You cut me out of your life! You didn’t even warn me or anything! You just… just left !” 

The Narrator grabbed Stanley’s shoulders and shoved him to the ground with a shocking amount of force, “Why did you leave?! You found out it was me and you left! Tell me why you left, tell me! ” The Narrator's voice was beginning to shake as tears began to well up in his eyes. The blood from Nigel’s nose began to drip on Stanley’s shirt.

Thankfully, the Narrator had thought enough to not grab Stanley’s hands to allow him to sign, albeit with a bit of struggle with the pressure the Narrator was putting on his shoulders.

‘How did you find me?’ Stanley signed, trying to avoid the question as he tried to wrestle out of the Narrator’s hold once more. Stanley could hear some yelling in the distance as he heard people running towards them.

“Stanley, stop it! Tell me you stubborn-”

The Narrator lost his hold on Stanley as a pair of arms wrapped around his chest and yanked him off of Stanley, making the Narrator cut off his sentence with a shocked yell.

“What the hell, dude?!” Tom said as he restrained the Narrator, pulling him further away from Stanley. Another set of arms came into Stanley’s view and he turned his head to see a very shocked and teary-eyed Nancy, who was assessing his injuries.

She was trying to say something, but Stanley could only focus on the Narrator’s words as Tom tried to keep a hold on him.

“Fine! You want to know how? By some miracle your friend Nancy ended up knowing my friend! If it weren’t for her showing a picture of you, I would’ve never known it was you! Do you know how little the chances of that happening is, Stanley?! If it weren’t for that- I would’ve never found you! Do you understand?! I never would’ve seen you again!”

“THAT WAS THE POINT!” Stanley bellowed suddenly, his voice hoarse and wobbly from not being used in so long, but clear enough to get the point across. Everyone froze, Nancy and Tom from the shock of Stanley speaking as they exchanged shocked expressions, and the Narrator from Stanley’s words as his face fell, a distraught expression forming itself on his face.

“W-why?” He asked, his voice frail and cracking as tears began to trail down his cheeks. He didn’t even try to fight against Tom anymore, even with Tom not even trying to restrain him anymore.

Stanley tried to use his voice again, but only managed to let out a pathetic croak, so he quickly switched to signing again, ‘Narrator, I… I left because I failed you.’ As Stanley began to sign, he felt tears well up in his own eyes, he took a shaky breath in as he continued, ‘After we escaped and I noticed you weren’t there, I went searching for you but… of course, I couldn’t do much of anything without tending to my basic needs once more. It took me days , not even a week, to convince myself you were dead and gone for good while I began to settle down.

‘I… I didn’t even try. I just made things easier for me by telling myself that you were dead. Five years. Five years I kept telling myself that to make things easier, and then there you are, a familiar voice on my phone, and I chose to hang up and leave you because I betrayed you.’

“Betrayed me, Stanley? You didn’t betray me-”

‘Yes I did!’ Stanley let out a sob, shaking his head as he squeezed his eyes shut, ‘Don’t you understand? You were the only thing that mattered to me and I didn’t even try to look for you after I lost you! I let you go, Narrator! I let you go ! I’m a pathetic friend who’s nothing but a lazy coward.’

“You’re not a pathetic friend and you’re not a coward!” The Narrator yelled back at Stanley, wrestling out of Tom’s grip. Tom tried to step forward to pull the Narrator away from Stanley once more, but Nancy stopped him as she got up and walked over to him, whispering something in his ear. The Narrator knelt down as he reached Stanley and took him by the shoulders.

“Oh, Stanley… you’re anything but. We had no idea what to expect when we stepped into that elevator. We didn’t know if we’d escape the parable, we didn’t know we’d be separated, and we certainly didn’t know we’d have to manage with human needs. That’s not your fault. It’s completely understandable you thought I was dead because… well, I’m not from here.”

The Narrator lightly brushed his fingers under Stanley’s chin, forcing the man to look up into his own watery eyes. What was filled with a burning anger and betrayal moments ago was now filled with care and familiarity. The Narrator chuckled as more tears rolled down his cheeks, “Whoever thought I’d have to reassure the stupidly brave Stanley about his feelings? Stanley, you didn’t betray me. We came into a world where everything was familiar but… different. I could never blame you for reacting the way you did. No matter what, you are still my dearest and most treasured friend, nothing will change that.”

Stanley let out another sob as he laughed, finally nodding his head. The Narrator let out a sigh of relief, slowly wrapping his arms around Stanley as he pulled the smaller man into a hug, “I missed you, you utterly incomprehensible idiot.”

“I-I missed you too,” Stanley managed to whisper out, laughing through his tears. Eventually the Narrator joined in, the two crying and laughing together on the ground as they hugged.

“Also,” the Narrator said as he pulled away, he flicked Stanley on the forehead, making the office worker flinch and rub at the spot, “Don’t you dare ever try to do something like that again, Stanley, you hear me? I get to decide who I want in my life and you don’t get to just leave me because you think you’re not good enough. I swear if you try that again, I will hunt you down .”

Stanley shook his head as a grin began to spread across his face, ‘Didn’t you already do that?’

The Narrator huffed as he rolled his eyes, not even bothering to respond to that question as he flicked Stanley on the forehead once more. The two both flinched, however, when they heard someone clear their throat behind the couple.

Stanley and the Narrator turned to see Tom and Nancy standing off to the side rather awkwardly as they held each other’s hands. They both looked entirely confused and unsure, which was fair considering what had just occurred.

“While I’m glad you two… made up?” Tom answered, though he still seemed unsure if that was what happened, “The both of you did just brawl with each other and have a few injuries that need to be taken care of. Also, I believe you owe us an explanation.”

Stanley and the Narrator both exchanged a glance before nervously laughing as the Narrator spoke for the both of them, “Ah, yes… I believe we do owe an explanation… and I, an apology to you Nancy.”

Tom and Nancy seemed to agree to that as they helped both of them up, supporting the two as they walked. 

The Narrator and Stanley looked at each other again, smiling and shaking their heads, even with the same question on their mind.

Just how were they going to explain this?

~

“I don’t even remember giving you a black eye,” the Narrator said guiltily as Nancy held up an ice pack to Stanley’s swelling eye. 

Stanley chuckled as he shrugged, ‘I don’t remember you giving me one either. Then again, the whole fight was a huge spur of the moment, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t even know what happened for half of it.’

“That’s called adrenaline,” Tom said with a sigh as he helped the Narrator with his nose. Tom was surprisingly able to realign the nose with a quick pop that made the entire group flinch, mentioning something about this always happening in rugby.

“Just be sure to check up with a doctor about that,” Tom said with a bit of bite, he did not seem at all enthused to be helping out the man that just attacked Stanley.

The Narrator smiled nervously and nodded, “I will… thank you.”

Looking back at Stanley, the Narrator’s guilty expression returned as he scrutinized all the man’s injuries. Nancy had done quick work bandaging all the cuts and scrapes Stanley got from the scuffle on the hard, concrete sidewalk, but that was only a bit of it. Stanley’s face was a mess. He was bleeding from a gash on his forehead that was most likely from when his head hit the sidewalk, he had a swelling black eye, and lastly, a huge bruise on his cheek. The Narrator looked down at his bruised hands with shame as he sighed, “I got you good, didn’t I?”

Stanley chuckled once more, ‘Don’t worry, it will heal up in no time.’

“Still doesn’t make me attacking you right,” the Narrator said, Tom adding onto it with an unamused nod. He had been keeping his eyes on the Narrator with a razor sharp glare, making sure he wouldn’t go after Stanley again even though it was clear he wouldn’t.

The Narrator pushed up his- by some miracle, not at all cracked- glasses up his nose as he slumped a little, “I told myself I was coming here just to have a civil conversation with you and  ask you why you left, but then I saw you and let my anger get the best of me. I’m sorry, Stanley. It was childish of me.”

Stanley didn’t even seem phased as he shrugged once more, ‘Hey, now we’re even.’

“Stanley-” The Narrator tried to interject, but Stanley cut him off.

‘Either way, I thought it was pretty cool. Never got to have a full on fight before. Now I have a cool story to tell!’

The other three collectively sighed at Stanley, the Narrator adding onto it with a fond laugh, however, “I see your lack of self preservation is still as strong as ever even after half a decade.”

Stanley just stuck out his tongue before Nancy swatted at him while telling him not to be rude, “Talking about half a decade, I think we’re going to need some explaining. You guys are… the long lost friends?”

Both Stanley and the Narrator nodded, sharing a fond expression as they laughed, realizing how dramatic they were when talking about the other.

“Well, this is quite the twist,” Nancy murmured as she finished patching Stanley up, standing up from her kneeling position and dusting off the bottom of her dress. Tom looked quizzically at her, obviously not as caught up as Nancy, but Nancy continued speaking, “But Stanley, why did you call Nigel the Narrator?”

Tom instantly froze as he turned to Nancy with his mouth agape, “Nigel? You don’t mean-”

Nancy nodded, leaving Tom absolutely dumbstruck while both Stanley and the Narrator groaned. Oh, there was a lot of explaining to do. Well, that and lying, of course.

Chapter Text

Stanley does not know how he and the Narrator weaseled out of trying to explain anything to Tom and Nancy, but somehow the two managed it. How would they even begin to explain that they know each other because they both came from a different plane of existence, one where Nigel was actually an omnipresent being that narrated Stanley’s life for who knows how long? The two would probably think they were delusional and way too into Nigel’s book- which how then would they explain is actually based on the real parable? 

Thankfully, the couple felt a little bad since it was the first time the two had seen each other in five years, and they were sort of keeping the two from reuniting- even if they had already reunited after quite the fight.

Nigel was going to head to the hotel room he booked afterwards, but Nancy seemed to have other ideas.

“Oh, no. I’m not leaving you unattended with all those injuries of yours.”

While Nigel seemed confused, he went along with whatever Nancy decided for him. He had deceived her afterall, so it was well deserved. However, he was not expecting Nancy to get Nigel to stay at Stanley’s place. He was going to refuse, but Nancy had a certain glint to her eyes and a mischievousness in her smile he knew better than to go against. Fortunately, Stanley didn’t seem to mind as Nancy didn’t want him to be left unattended to either- Tom just had to suck it up for Nancy’s sake, though it was obvious he was struggling not to take out Nigel right then and there.

So here they were. Stanley sighed as he opened the door to his apartment, letting the Narrator- Nigel?- inside. The Narrator nodded and mumbled his thanks. Stanley awkwardly smiled back.

This strange attitude towards each other had been present since they both left Tom’s apartment after being patched up. While they were friends and had missed each other dearly over the time they spent apart, it had been five years. Both of them changed. Their relationship with each other had been entirely developed off of the dynamic they had in the parable. And now that they were in the real world, that dynamic no longer existed. That codependency needed in the parable was no longer needed here.

At this point, Stanley and the Narrator were strangers to each other.

‘So, should I call you Nigel or the Narrator?’ Stanley began after a full minute of standing in silence in his living room.

The Narrator startled, as if he wasn’t expecting Stanley to begin a conversation, he shrugged, “Well, it would probably be best to call me Nigel in this setting. We barely escaped Nancy with you calling me the Narrator.”

Stanley sheepishly smiled as he nodded, ‘Right, sorry about that.’

Nigel shrugged, “A lot’s happening right now, you shouldn’t be sorry. If anything, I think I owe you an apology after stalking you through your coworker and attempting to beat you up.”

‘ Attempting ?’ Stanley signed while he raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile spreading across his lips as he could feel his bruised cheek stinging from the movement.

Nigel looked even more guilty as he mumbled out an apology, but Stanley waved it off. After all, they both got each other pretty good.

‘I don’t have a guest room, so you can have mine and I’ll just sleep on the couch.’

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly do that to you- I dropped by unannounced!” Nigel retorted, but Stanley wouldn’t have it. 

‘Unannounced or not, you’re still a guest. And I’m not going to have a guest- let alone, one who is a dear friend of mine who I have not seen in five years- sleep on my couch.’

Nigel tried to fight against Stanley once more, but paused, “You still see me as a friend of yours?”

Stanley snorted, ‘Of course. I mean, I definitely don’t know you much anymore, but you’re still the Narrator. And you probably didn’t come all the way from London to beat me up, did you?’

Nigel frantically shook his head, “Oh no! I just… it really has been so long. I’ll be honest, I was scared of meeting you again and you being an entirely different person from the one I remember- even with all the emails reminding me of the you I remembered.”

Right, the emails. The interview that started this whole thing. Stanley sat on the couch and laid his head on the back of it to look up at the ceiling for a moment, ‘We need to talk, don’t we?’

“Oh, certainly,” Nigel said stiffly as he sat next to Stanley on the couch, keeping a good distance between them, “There’s a lot to talk about. We could wait though, if you’re not comfortable-”

‘No, no, it’s probably best if we don’t beat around the bush,’ Stanley quickly signed. He sighed again, something he felt he had been doing all evening. He sat in the same position for a few minutes, continually staring at the ceiling and focusing on the little details to stall for a moment. Taking a deep breath, he sat up and looked at Nigel, ‘How do you feel about dinner?’

~

“So, you come here often with your friends?” Nigel said nervously as he took a sip of water from the glass the waiter had placed down for them. He looked as if he were unsure of how to act around Stanley. 

Stanley shrugged, ‘I guess? We usually come here to celebrate something that happened at work.’

Nigel nodded, taking a mental note. It seemed Stanley didn’t have any friends outside of his job. The only two he really knew were friends of Stanley was Nancy and Tom. Though, Nigel wasn’t one to judge, seeing he had pushed away the idea of having a friend for so long.

“Well, I will say it’s quite nice here. I haven’t been to Manchester before. I mainly stayed in Hampstead when I left the parable and only explored London when I was more adjusted to this world.”

‘Right. Talking about Hampstead, how did you end up living there? Didn’t you have any problems with identification?’ Stanley asked. Nigel just stared blankly for a moment before it clicked what Stanley was saying.

“Oh! No, I didn’t really have much trouble. I made a few IDs. It was rather easy after I did study a few back in the parable to make some assets.”

‘Oh, oka- Wait, WHAT?!’ Stanley signed, slamming his hands on the table afterwards to show his surprise. A few people looked their way, already adding to the concerned looks they had received when people noticed the pair’s battered states.

“What?”

‘You forged your IDs? And no one caught you?’

Nigel scoffed, looking offended as he brought a hand up to his chest in a defensive gesture, “No, Stanley, I didn’t forge anything- I didn’t copy an ID with the intent to deceive anyone. I made my own ID for the purpose of being able to live a life here, not to lie to anyone.”

Stanley groaned, placing his face in his hands. While Nigel was technically correct in the fact he didn’t forge, it still didn’t mean his IDs were fully legal . He decided to drop the subject to begrudgingly get to the real reason why they were here.

‘So… it’s been five years since we last saw each other.’

Nigel inhaled a deep breath, preparing for the subject at hand as he nodded, “Yes… it has been.”

‘And now you’re here… in the real world.’

Nigel nodded once more, the two sitting in silence for a moment before Nigel took another deep breath and began, “After leaving the parable, I was brought into a world that was completely different to me, one I wasn’t used to. I was forced into the body of a human and… well, as you can see, had none of the abilities I had in the parable. It felt so… weird . 

“I wasn’t able to stretch my consciousness beyond my body and I wasn’t able to impact the environment around me with just a simple thought or word. Was this what you felt like in the parable? Restrained into such a small space with no ability to change the world as you see fit, while unseen forces controlled your life?”

Nigel’s face dropped as he spoke, it was obvious he had thought of this quite thoroughly and quite often, “I… I remember all the things I did to you when I was the Narrator. I mean, I felt awful near the end of our time in the parable, but now that I’ve been in your shoes… Stanley, just how do you not hate me ?”

Stanley stared at Nigel with wide eyes, using every ounce of his energy to keep his jaw from dropping. Did Nigel, the Narrator , feel… guilty ?

This actually explained one question that Stanley had wandering around his head after he found out Nigel Salt was his long lost friend- why did he antagonize the narrator in his book so much? Did he really feel like he was the villain of the parable?

Stanley shook his head and cleared his throat as he said in a hushed voice, “Nigel, why should I? You didn’t know what it was like to be human.”

“Yes, but-” Nigel tried to counter, but Stanley cut him off.

“You didn’t know . And you came to realize how you treated me was wrong. Would you do it again now that you know?”

Nigel instantly shook his head, looking almost offended that Stanley would ask him such a question, “No! I would never!”

Stanley chuckled, “See? Then we’re good. And things ended up smoothing out near the end, right? Don’t antagonize your past, Narrator. Instead see it more as… a part of your character development.”

Nigel went to correct Stanley for calling him the wrong name, but paused as Stanley’s words hit him. He pondered for a long time before he nodded, seeming content, “ Character . I like that.”

Stanley smiled back at Nigel, he hadn’t even realized how those words would affect Nigel when he said them, but it made sense. Nigel was no longer the Narrator, but a character in the real world. A character just like Stanley has been all this time.

Nigel now had a purpose to live other than just following and narrating Stanley. He had become his own character, his own person . His life was no longer dependent on Stanley. And he had very clearly flourished from it.

‘I will say,’ Stanley signed as a sheepish grin spread across his lips, ‘You’ve definitely become quite the character. You can ask Tom, I was gushing over the mysterious Nigel Salt for weeks.’

Nigel laughed, a clean and crisp sound that reverberated in Stanley’s chest with a flutter, he smiled back at Stanley, “You? Gushing over me ? Oh, I could absolutely not tell through your emails.”

Stanley huffed, an embarrassed blush spreading across his cheeks from Nigel’s sarcastic comment as the other man continued to laugh, “Sorry, I mean it with much appreciation. I enjoyed our little interview, even if it was cut short. Either way, I don’t think I’ll ask Tom. He looks like he’ll kill me in an instant if I get even close to him, which I can’t really blame him for.”

Stanley snorted, the image of Tom wrestling Nigel off of Stanley coming to mind. Tom had been glaring daggers at Nigel throughout the entire time they were getting treated for their injuries. 

‘You seem fine with the idea of people disliking you. I always thought you would’ve lost it if you found out someone didn’t adore you.’

Nigel shrugged, taking another sip of his water, “After being separated from you, I became quite closed off. I didn’t trust anybody else and would usually try to avoid any social contact. However, Nancy’s friend, Rhiannon, took me under her wing when she saw me in her coffee shop one day, struggling to get food. Even though it took a while for me to warm up to her, she helped me to begin a career in writing once she noticed I had a knack for it. I owe my life to her.”

Stanley sighed, that thankfully answered the many questions that Stanley had going through his head, but he didn’t even know how to ask. The first while after Stanley had escaped the parable, clinging on to some hope that the Narrator was alive, he had always thought about how someone like the Narrator would last in the real world. If he found Rhiannon, he’d probably kiss her for how grateful he was that she helped his friend.

Through the evening, Stanley and Nigel ordered dinner, ate together, and chatted away as they began to share their stories from the past five years. Sure, they got weird looks and glances all throughout due to all the bandages and bruises they both sported, but they could care less. They were finally together again, they had found the piece that filled the hole in their heart that had been present for the last five years. Stanley found out that Nigel had learned how to cook, and he was actually pretty decent at it. Nigel found out Stanley got hired at GoldLeaf Books Weekly because of a few traits he adopted from and with the Narrator.

“I’m sorry, they specifically said they hired you because you’re a good listener ?” Nigel said, trying to hold back a laugh, “Half the time, I’d be lucky if you even went through the correct door!”

Stanley snorted, rolling his eyes, ‘They listed it as one of the reasons, yes.’

“Alright, I guess I can see that. You’ve almost mellowed out through the years. Everything about you seems just exactly like how I remember you, but… softer.”

Stanley paused for a moment to process Nigel’s words, looking up at the other man, who had a fond smile spread across his lips as he propped his face up on one of his hands. Stanley’s face heated up as he looked away, signing a quick ‘Thank you’ as he suddenly took an interest in his food.

Nigel raised an eyebrow, but didn’t question Stanley’s awkward reaction. He shrugged it off as he took a bite of his food, the two eating in silence for another moment before returning to their conversation.

~

Stanley and Nigel didn’t get back to Stanley’s apartment until late that night. It was pitch black outside as Stanley unlocked the door and opened it for Nigel, allowing the man in with a yawn. Nigel was yawning as well, the two of them barely able to keep their eyes open after the long day they had. 

Stanley couldn’t even believe that Nigel had beat him up only earlier today, it almost felt like it had been a couple days ago at least. The both of them went through their night routines and were going to head to bed when Stanley noticed Nigel trying to take the couch.

Stanley quickly rushed behind Nigel and grabbed him by the arm, surprising the man, “Stanley! Just what are you doing?!”

‘I told you that I will sleep on the couch!’ Stanley signed, releasing Nigel from his grip to use both his hands.

Nigel huffed as he rolled his eyes, “I’m not going to allow that. I intruded, therefore I should sleep on the couch.”

Nigel turned back towards the couch, leaving a frustrated Stanley. Nigel was obviously not going to listen, so it seemed he just had to make Nigel have no other choice. Stanley darted around Nigel, flopping himself onto the couch before the other man could lay on it. The action caused Nigel to lose balance and ungraciously crash on top of Stanley as he failed to catch himself.

“Stanley!”

Nigel placed both hands on either side of Stanley and lifted himself up to glower down at Stanley, who he noticed was the same shade of red as earlier. Nigel stared blankly at Stanley with a confused look before it occurred to him the position they were in. 

“Oh my-!” Nigel squawked as he scrambled off of Stanley, “Sorry! I’m sorry! I meant to catch myself I-”

Nigel was cut off as Stanley bursted out into laughter, his shoulders rising and falling with each laugh as his hair fell in front of his face, ‘Wow, Nigel, I didn’t think you missed me that bad.’

It was Nigel’s turn to blush now as he covered his face with his hands while groaning, “ Really , Stanley? I swear, it was a mistake!”

“I know,” Stanley said with a chuckle. 

The two stayed in silence for another moment before Nigel finally moved, “Fine, I’ll take the bed. I promise I won’t stay too long. Just for a few days.”

Nigel went to go to bed, but paused at the room’s door. He turned around and looked at Stanley, “I missed you. Did you know that?”

Stanley smiled softly at Nigel, “I know… I missed you too.”

Whatever thoughts were brewing in Nigel’s head at that moment seemed to have been resolved by Stanley’s comment as his shoulders relaxed. He nodded back at Stanley with a small smile of his own spreading across his lips, “Thank you… Well, night Stanley.”

“Night, Nigel,” Stanley said as Nigel closed the door to the bedroom. Stanley stared at the door for another few minutes before he sighed and threw a blanket over himself, one thought repeating itself over and over in his head.

Did everything today just happen, or was he dreaming?

Chapter Text

Did everything yesterday just happen or was Nigel just dreaming?

Nigel was not in a hurry to wake up this morning like he usually was. In fact, when he first woke up, he felt like just falling right back to sleep as soon as he felt the pounding in his head and the aching of his sore body. So he did.

This was a never seen before occurrence for Nigel, as he had always woken up at half past six- no earlier, no later. So, when Nigel woke up to the smell of toast, it was no shock that he was quite surprised when he saw that the time on the unfamiliar clock was nine. In fact, the clock wasn’t the only unfamiliar thing in the room, the entire room was unfamiliar. 

Nigel quickly went to sit up, but found his head pounding again, he groaned out in pain as he brought a hand up to his forehead, noticing the several scrapes that marked his arm.

Then it hit him.

Right, Nigel was at Stanley’s place, in Stanley’s room. He was in Manchester. He chased Stanley down after he found out that the Stanley Beket who interviewed him and ghosted him was the same Stanley he knew throughout the parable before being separated half a decade ago.

He had beaten Stanley up.

Nigel groaned again, but this time out of exasperation directed towards himself instead of pain. Some way to reunite with his old friend after five years. He was not thinking when he ran out of Nancy’s car, even though he had definitely been overthinking while he was in the car, staring at Stanley.

Nigel, you’ve hit a new low at this point .

Even though Stanley had repeatedly told him he was fine and that everything turned out alright, Nigel still couldn’t help but feel bad. If anything, he was more concerned with how fine Stanley was with the entire situation. Shouldn’t he at least be wary of Nigel?

He had a thought nag at the back of his mind that Stanley’s behavior could be due to how he treated Stanley in the parable, but quickly pushed it away as a wave of guilt overwhelmed him.

With that, Nigel decided to stop his rushing thoughts in turn for finally getting out of bed and going towards the source of the smell of toast now with an addition of sausage and frying eggs. His stomach growled out in hunger as he opened the door of Stanley’s room, the smell becoming stronger.

‘Good morning,’ Stanley signed over at the stove as he saw Nigel walk into the conjoined living room and kitchen of his apartment. He smiled up at the man, taking his focus away from the frying breakfast below him for a moment, ‘Did you sleep well?’

Nigel nodded, a little surprised to see Stanley cooking a full breakfast of beans and toast paired with fried eggs and sausages, “Um… Yes, I did. Thank you. What is all this for? I thought you told me you couldn’t cook.”

Stanley chuckled, shaking his head, as he returned to moving the sausages about on the pan, taking a moment before he put down the spatula to talk to Nigel once more, ‘I can’t cook. Nancy just taught me how to make a proper breakfast when she learned the only thing I had in the mornings before work was a cup of coffee. She wouldn’t leave me alone until I knew how to take proper care of myself.’

A fond glint appeared in Stanley’s eyes as he recalled Nancy helping him, ‘Either way, I found myself with a surprising amount of motivation this morning to get a bit done, and I don’t want to be the cause of you having an empty stomach this morning. Tea?’

Stanley gestured towards a kettle that was already filled with boiled water that had a few tea bags steeping inside and Nigel couldn’t help but laugh at the whole scene of Stanley so dedicatedly working in the kitchen to make breakfast for the both of them. 

It seemed so… domestic.

Nigel quickly stopped that thought as something about it made his brain seem to short-circuit. Of course Stanley was more domestic now, he had been settled in the real world for years now. So why did that thought make Nigel’s cheeks burn?

Stanley seemed to notice Nigel’s silence as he quickly signed, ‘You alright?’

“Oh, yes! Um, tea sounds great, thank you,” Nigel said after clearing his throat, he walked past Stanley and prepared himself a cup with a splash of milk and a few cubes of sugar.”

Stanley smirked as he began to plate all the food behind Nigel, ‘I never took you for someone who puts sugar in his tea.’

Nigel huffed as he rolled his eyes, “Oh please, Stanley, you don’t think even I have a bit of a sweet tooth?”

Stanley shrugged, finishing up with plating the food as he rested his back against the counter, ‘I don’t know, do you?’

“I’ve gone to a coffee shop nearly every day for the past five years with the owner being someone who practically mothered me. Of course I’d have a sweet tooth after she made me taste test so many of her pastries.”

Stanley smiled at Nigel happily. One thing Nigel had come to notice about Stanley was that he seemed rather happy whenever Nigel talked about his experiences in the real world and how he came to be Nigel Salt. He’d have to ask him why later, as he didn’t want to break the sudden serene silence that settled over the apartment as Stanley gestured at Nigel to take a plate and sit down at the kitchen island.

That sereneness lasted throughout breakfast, even as the silence was broken by the chatter of Nigel as Stanley signed back to him. That was another thing Nigel noticed about Stanley, that he didn’t talk as much as he did when he was comfortable with Nigel in the parable. Sure, Stanley talked to him every now and then when he needed to or felt like it was the right moment to, but he was much more silent and reserved. He even remembered seeing the pure shock from Nancy and Tom when he yelled at Nigel, but he was unsure if it was because he talked or because he yelled- both were pretty uncommon for Stanley. Stanley’s voice was also pretty hoarse from little use, so it all added up to the fact that Stanley had gone pretty silent when brought into the real world, and got used to never talking.

Nigel shook himself out of his train of thought as Stanley asked him if he was alright. He chastised himself in his mind as he responded to Stanley, he was overanalyzing each little thing about Stanley as if he were a character in one of his books. He knew better than to do that, it could be quite annoying and just look obsessive. He had already stalked Stanley down, he didn’t want anything else labeling him as creepy.

He seemed to be a complete mess when it came to Stanley. It was as if all his poised elegance and thorough thinking just melted whenever it came to his past protagonist, which was quite ironic seeing that his entire refined personality came from his time as Stanley’s narrator.

The thought got him to smile from the irony as he continued to talk with Stanley, all his worries suddenly vanishing as he took a bite of egg and talked with the man about how he came to publish his book.

“I wrote the book to originally cope with losing you, but then I saw all these people out in the world with so many unique, defining personalities and I couldn’t help but wonder what these different people would do in the parable alongside you. In the end, it became an entirely different story that was based on our time in the parable, but also inspired by me trying to understand the real world.”

Nigel chuckled as he recalled himself first writing these new characters, “I wasn’t sociable at all, as you know, so I instead analyzed and wrote them to try to understand them and see the world from different perspectives. Eventually, Rhiannon convinced me to publish it. I did it more for a sense of accomplishment though. I wasn’t really expecting it to attract so much attention.”

Stanley laughed at Nigel’s sheepish expression, taking a sip of tea as he laid back in his chair, ‘Well, I’m glad that it did. If it weren’t for it becoming so famous, Tom probably would not have recommended it to me.’

“Wait, Tom recommended my book to you?” Nigel said in absolute shock. Stanley laughed in response as he nodded, causing Nigel to laugh as well, “Oh dear, I wonder how he feels about recommending it to you now.”

Stanley snorted as he waved a hand in the air, ‘He’ll be fine. He may be mad at you now, but he doesn’t hold grudges. Once you prove to him you aren’t going to beat me up, he’ll start to get accustomed to you.’ 

Stanley paused for a moment before a second before a smirk spread across his lips again, ‘You aren’t going to beat me up again, are you?’

Nigel scoffed, “Stanley! Do you really think I would beat you up again ?! I already feel terrible for the first time!”

Stanley bursted out in laughter, hunching over the table as tears appeared in the corners of his eyes from how hard he was laughing and wheezing, ‘Sorry! Just a joke, I wasn’t expecting to see you take it so seriously!’

Nigel rolled his eyes, but was smiling now. At least Stanley still did have his sense of humor, even with him being so toned down now compared to how chaotic he was in the parable. Though, he couldn’t say much either with himself being so toned down as well. They were both much calmer than they used to be, but Nigel wouldn’t be surprised if that would change the more they hung out with each other.

Nigel perked up at that thought. They would hang out with each other more. Now that he and Stanley were reunited, they could become great friends again. He smiled at such a lovely thought, realizing how going after Stanley was the best choice he could’ve made, though the execution could’ve been way better. 

As the two finished breakfast and Nigel insisted that he washed the dishes for Stanley after all the man had done for him, the two simply chatted away as the day continued on. He looked up at the clock as he washed the soapy suds off of a plate. Lunch would be in a couple hours.

He smiled. After so long, he wanted to make sure that he and Stanley would be closer than before, never to separate again. He wanted to be Stanley’s friend again, and he would not fail. He just got him back, he wasn’t going to mess this up.

“Hey Stanley?” Nigel said as he washed the last of the dishes, putting them on a drying rack, “How about we go somewhere for lunch? I’ll be paying since I suggested it.”

Stanley perked up as Nigel spoke to him. He finished sipping the last of his tea and grinned at Nigel, ‘Yeah, sounds perfect!’

Nigel nodded, feeling as if he had just won a writing contest as pride flourished in his chest. He was so insistent on making sure Stanley liked him and wanted to hang out with him, maybe even more than he should normally, but he just brushed it off as just getting Stanley back. 

No one could really hold him accountable for just wanting to become reacquainted with his old dear friend he had missed for half a decade, right?

Chapter Text

Nigel had originally anticipated being in Manchester for only a few days, but after how things ended up, he couldn’t help but lengthen his stay. What originally was going to be only three days at Stanley’s suddenly became a week as the man became more determined to make sure he and Stanley became the greatest of friends again.

They were quite the duo, if his readers had anything to say about Jim and the narrator in his book, so of course he was going to make sure that also applied to reality.

However, he had a bit of an obstacle.

Tom glared at Nigel across from the table as Nancy and Stanley happily chatted away, lost in a conversation about some romance novella they had both read and Nancy was writing an article on. 

The four of them had met up at the nearby park while Stanley, Tom, and Nancy went on their lunch break and decided to meet there. Nigel had stayed at Stanley’s apartment for most of the day after he convinced Stanley he was fine with the man working during his stay. Either way, it gave him time to work on his sequel for ‘Stuck in the Parable.’

He tried to avoid eye contact with Tom as he stared down at his lunch, but the feeling of Tom’s eyes boring into him as he nervously ate his food made him uneasy.

Didn’t Stanley say that Tom didn’t hold a grudge? Well, Nigel could not disagree more at this moment.

Nigel knew that Tom and Stanley were pretty close, Stanley telling a story about how Tom had made the entire office learn some of the basics in British sign language to communicate with him. Nigel had to admit after learning that, he gained some respect from Tom, but it definitely didn’t go the other way.

If he wanted to make sure he stayed in Stanley’s life without any complications, he’d have to do some things he normally would prefer not to do- such as initiate a conversation.

“So, um, Tom, I heard you recommended my book to Stanley?”

Tom furrowed his brows, looking as if he were trying to figure out if Nigel was pulling him along with some trick. After a moment of scrutinizing the man, making a bead of sweat roll down Nigel’s neck, Tom nodded.

“Yes, I did. It seemed like something right down Stanley’s alley with paradoxes and that sort of stuff he likes to focus on.”

Tom’s brows furrowed even further, “It was a good book, I’ll give you that.”

Nigel nervously chuckled, suddenly realizing that it had gone quiet, he turned to see Nancy and Stanley staring at the two, quickly turning away as soon as they got caught. It seemed like Nigel wasn’t the only one wondering what Tom thought of him.

Nancy cleared her throat, “So… Tom, honey, where did you find Nigel’s book again?”

Tom’s entire personality softened the moment he began to talk to Nancy, though there was still an edge to his voice, “Well, I found it in one of the nearby bookstores. I read the synopsis and just thought it sounded pretty interesting. I actually thought of Stanley right away. You really are obsessed with the paranormal, aren’t ya, Stan?”

Stan chuckled as he shrugged, giving a quick glance towards Nigel, ‘What can I say? The worlds just feel so immersive to me.’

Nigel held back a snort to avoid any further questioning. Nancy and Tom had backed off on trying to get answers from them, thinking the past was something too traumatizing for the two to talk about- which was sort of correct, more on Stanley’s part than Nigel’s.

“It’s funny, don’t you think? If you never picked up that book, Stanley and Nigel would have never reunited.”

Tom nodded, his expression turning a little sour, “True. Who knew such a simple action would lead to such a mess?”

The entire group went silent, all staring everywhere but at each other from how uncomfortable it was. Tom noticed the awkward mood after a moment and he sighed, the tension in his shoulders relaxing a bit.

“I’m sorry, I’m acting childish. Look, I’ll be real, I don’t know what to think about you, Nigel. Yeah, you’re my friend’s old friend who he thought died for whatever reason,” Tom glanced at Stanley, who jolted under the weight of the questioning stare, “But then you come back, ending up being a guy who he interviewed for a book he loved more than anything else, then suddenly stopped because he said he was using the interview as a coping mechanism for you , and beat the bloody hell out of him! Not to mention you pretty much used my girlfriend to get to him!”

Nigel listened to Tom with his head held low, only looking up with a surprised look when he heard Stanley had used the interview as a coping mechanism. Tom was quite spot on with what happened, though. He couldn’t argue against the man when he was only stating the facts. 

Nancy tried to interject wrapping an arm around Tom’s, “Tom, come on dear, it’s not that bad-”

“Not that bad?!” Tom yelled, a few other people in the park turning their heads toward the group, “Nancy, did you not hear anything of what I just said? This man came out of nowhere and beat our friend up! And all of you, even Stanley, are acting like it’s totally fine!”

Tom slammed both his hands on the table, making everyone startle as he pointed at both Stanley and Nigel, “And you two aren’t giving us any explanation on what the hell is going on! You two have been acting so odd and obscure about your past and I’m sick of it! Everything was absolutely fine until you, Nigel, suddenly came into our lives and messed everything up!”

Well, scratch the not trying to get answers anymore. Nigel stared at Tom with his mouth agape, unsure if he should say anything. Tom sighed once more as he seemed to deflate.

“Look, I’ve really tried to keep my cool and go along with everything, but it’s so exhausting not knowing anything about what’s going on, especially with your best friend.”

Stanley curled into himself, a guilty expression spreading across his face as Tom looked at him once more, “I thought we were close enough to talk about stuff like this, was I wrong?”

Stanley quickly brought his hands up, frantically signing with shaky fingers, ‘No, Tom. It’s just… I don’t know if you and Nancy will really comprehend or understand anything if I tried to explain my past to you.’

Stanley frowned as he thought for a moment, trying to explain himself further, ‘It’s just… it was another world back then, in my past with Nigel. There’s stuff I don’t know how to explain or even know if I can explain. You really are one of my closest friends Tom, and that’s why I don’t want to burden you with the whole mess that is our past.’

Tom took a moment to process, slowly sitting down to think. The entire group sat there in complete silence as Tom seemed to assess Stanley’s response. It had to have been a few minutes before he finally spoke again, “You make your past sound really concerning.”

Stanley shrugged, still looking a little on edge as he tried to figure out what to say next, ‘It sort of was, but not anything bad that you may think it to be.’

That seemed to get Tom to relax, his shoulders finally entirely free of any tension, “Do you promise to tell me if you figure out how to?”

Stanley nodded, and that seemed to be the end of the conversation as Tom returned to his food, he looked up at Nigel, still looking a little wary of him.

Nigel cleared his throat, “I need to say that you are entirely correct. This entire situation is a mess and it is my fault. I didn’t mean to bring such chaos into yours or Nancy’s life, but I still did.”

Nigel looked down at his hands, neatly settled in his lap, “I just wanted my friend back. And after I learned he left me when he found out who I was, I got so mad . That… still doesn’t excuse my behavior. I did possibly the worst thing I could’ve in trying to get Stanley back.”

Nigel looked back up at Tom, but was surprised to see that instead of looking mad, he looked shocked, not to mention Nancy did as well.

“Ok, wait, this was something I didn’t know,” Tom said, he looked like he was getting a headache as he rubbed his temple, “Stanley, you found out Nigel was your friend and you left him ?”

Stanley sheepishly grinned as Tom and Nancy turned their attention to him, ‘I… may have blocked him when I had a nightmare one night and was trying to call you, but instead called him.’

Nancy gasped as Tom groaned, “Stanley- why did you do that?”

‘I pretty much explained it during the fight, remember?’

Tom and Nancy exchanged glances for a moment before shrugging, “Not really, we were on an adrenaline rush and just trying to get you to stop fighting. We only caught bits and pieces.”

Stanley sighed, his expression becoming even more sheepish as he began to explain. Nigel sat idly by, feeling nervous whenever Tom or Nancy glanced at him while Stanley began to explain what led to the fight, and even more nervous when Stanley got to the fight. At least Tom didn’t look like he wanted to rip Nigel to shreds anymore.

Once Stanley had finished explaining, the both of them seemed completely perplexed. Nancy was the first to gather her thoughts and make a coherent sentence, “Stanley, I don’t even know why you would think you’re a burden in the first place, honey. You’re nothing but kind and helpful.”

Tom nodded along, adding a quick, “You could’ve talked to us about this if it really bothered you that much, bud.”

Stanley looked down as he frowned, signing a quick, ‘Sorry.’

Tom reached over the table to pat Stanley’s shoulder. Once he retracted his hand, he turned towards Nigel, his expression hardened a bit, but he no longer had that cutting edge to his voice, “What you did was not entirely right, but I can understand you wanting Stanley back in your life. He’s a good man. If he trusts in you… then I do too.”

Tom nodded, a little sign of the bit of respect he now had towards Nigel. It took Nigel all he had not to break into a triumphant smile as he nodded back, “Thank you. I promise not to break it again.”

“You better,” Tom said with a smirk before going back to his lunch.

Nigel couldn’t help but inwardly cheer in his head. It felt like he had just crossed his biggest obstacle yet, gaining Tom’s respect. Even though it was probably not much, which was fair, it was a start that he was more than happy with.

~

“I think I’ve already more than overstayed my welcome,” Nigel admitted to Stanley that night over dinner at the apartment. He had convinced Stanley to let him cook dinner for the both of them and felt a swell of pride as Stanley practically slurped down his french dip soup.

Stanley said he didn’t like the dish when he found out Nigel was preparing it, but Nigel simply laughed and responded, “Then you haven’t had good french dip before, Stanley.”

Stanley instantly agreed with him after he ate his first spoonful, practically moaning from how good it was before he blushed and covered his mouth while eliciting a quiet gasp, making Nigel burst out in laughter.

After Stanley looked up from his bowl, Nigel continued his thought from earlier, “I’m planning on leaving this Saturday. You have been nothing but a great host to me, but I think you deserve your bed back. You won’t let me sleep on the couch no matter how much I insist.”

Stanley looked like he was going to chuckle, but instead frowned as Nigel’s words hit him, ‘You’re leaving already? It’s only been a week.’

Nigel chuckled, taking a sip of his soup, “A week is already quite a long time to stay at someone else’s place, Stanley.”

Stanley’s shoulders drooped as he shook his head, ‘But I don't mind. I just got you back after five years, I don’t want to leave you again.’

Nigel was going to fight back, but he looked up to see Stanley staring at him with the saddest puppy eyes. Well how could he say no when a face like that pulled at his heartstrings?

“Fine,” Nigel sighed, “But I’m staying no more than a month, you hear me?”

Stanley beamed- an instant switch from his sad expression moments before- clapping his hands together in a happy expression that Nigel couldn't help but find to be slightly adorable. Stanley sure did know how to still get his way with Nigel, that certainly had not changed.

At least that gave him more time to make sure he and Stanley became the greatest of friends again without him feeling guilty for pretty much crashing on Stanley’s bed. 

Dinner continued to be quite peaceful as the two continued to clean out their bowls- however, it was interrupted when a sudden thought popped into Nigel’s head.

“Er… Stanley, Tom mentioned earlier today something about you using the interview as a… coping mechanism?”

Stanley sucked in a breath as he paused with stirring his spoon in his bowl, he took a moment to take a deep breath in before he looked up at Nigel, ‘Well… I guess I sort of did. That was more of an excuse for Tom not to find out the whole situation of… you and I. But, I did use the book and the interview as a way to- I guess- reflect on our time in the parable and when I had you.’

Stanley looked out the window of his apartment, taking another moment before he continued, ‘I won’t lie and say I was not miserable without you.’

Nigel’s expression all but softened at Stanley’s words as he leaned forward, closer to Stanley, “I was… pretty miserable without you too. I mean, bloody hell, I wrote an entire book to keep you in my memory!”

The two of them laughed, Nigel shaking his head as he propped it up on his hand, his elbow resting on the table, “I will say, I do not regret going after you last week. While I do regret decking you in the face, nothing will change my mind that I made the right decision.”

Stanley chuckled, standing up to take both of their bowls. With neither of his hands available, he spoke in that soft but hoarse- nearly husky in a way that Nigel strangely focused on- voice, “Well I’ll have to disagree, someone had to knock some sense into me.”

“Stanley!” Nigel chided Stanley, though with a bit of mirth, “You know that saying is meant to be taken metaphorically, not physically!”

Stanley only laughed in response adding onto the reasons for Nigel to smack him across the head, “I swear, you’d allow anyone to get away with anything. You’re too damn nice for this world, Stanley. You hear me?”

The rest of the night continued like that, just the two friends enjoying each other's company. Stanley eventually went to take the dishes and go wash them, but then got into a fight with Nigel on who would do the dishes. They eventually came to an agreement that Stanley would wash while Nigel would dry.

It took the two an hour and a half to get everything washed as Stanley decided to splash Nigel with water, which turned into a full on water fight. Nigel tried to smack Stanley with his towel and use it as a shield while Stanley got more water and soap suds on himself than Nigel in an attempt to splash the taller man.

“Good night, Stanley!” Nigel sang as he began to close the bedroom door behind him, not even trying to fight with Stanley on who got the couch for once. He heard Stanley hum back a soft noise in response and closed the door, happily getting under the covers and smiling as he looked outside the window, over the horizon that was the city of Manchester. 

The place felt like a second home to him at this point, which was part of why it didn’t take much for him to cave into Stanley’s pleas of staying longer.

He sighed as he closed his eyes and got in a more comfortable position. He had three weeks left here now.

Nigel was going to make sure these were the best three weeks of his and Stanley’s lives.

Chapter Text

‘At this point you can’t deny my accusations of you trying to spoil me,’ Stanley signed with a smirk as he sipped his tea Nigel had prepared for him from the living room. His laptop was propped on his lap as he wrote an article for some book Nigel had sort of listened to, but found himself mostly distracted while Stanley talked about the synopsis.

In fact, he was becoming increasingly more distracted whenever he was around Stanley. No matter how much he scolded himself for it, he couldn’t help but overanalyze every little thing about Stanley, comparing it to the Stanley he knew during the parable, and the people he came to know in the real world. He just couldn’t help it.

Now that Stanley was out of the parable and had lived in the real world, he had become so accustomed to everything this world had to offer, even with how different the parable was from the real world. And, now that Nigel had a new perspective on life, he couldn’t help but be enamored by his friend’s transformation from being the closest thing to a person in a place as strange as the parable, to a real person in the real world.

Was it strange that Stanley now felt all the more real to Nigel now than he did back then?

Something about the Stanley that now sat before him sent his mind down a spiral of wonder and awe. Was it because he knew where Stanley came from and how he differed from everyone else here?

Or was part of his mind spiraling because Stanley, someone he used to know like the back of his hand because it was his entire purpose , was now someone he had so much to learn about?

Something about his new disconnection and old knowledge with Stanley made the man so perplexing to Nigel. Maybe it was because he used to be so dependent on Stanley to be able to do anything for himself. They didn’t get along at first- which he will admit was mostly his fault because he now realized how annoying doing the same thing over and over again can be- but they slowly developed an acquaintanceship through the years- decades? Centuries?- of going through the same stories, being stuck with no other choice but to rely on each other.

They became friends eventually, sure, but that friendship was most certainly based on their loneliness in the parable. Being the only two beings in the parable they could constantly interact with, they really had no other choice. But now here they were, no longer needing that shoulder to lean on to quell the loneliness of their hearts. 

The both of them had a choice on whether they wanted to stay with the other or not now that they were free, and they stayed. 

The corners of Nigel’s lips curved upwards as he responded to Stanley’s earlier question, “Well, I guess not… I haven’t done a good job of trying to hide it. I just see you and still see some of the little human that was sort of in my care. Old habits die hard, Stanley.”

Stanley snorted as he rolled his eyes, ‘I was in your care? You see it like that?’

Nigel chuckled as he took a sip of his own tea, shrugging at Stanley’s question, “I guess? I mean, it was just you and me in the parable and I had all of my abilities, so I may have thought you to be someone to look out for. I mean, you were my protagonist after all.”

Stanley snickered, as he set his laptop to the side, taking more interest in the conversation at hand, ‘You mean you had a god complex?’

Nigel scoffed, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms defensively, “I did not have a god complex , Stanley.”

Stanley guffawed at Nigel’s response shaking his head, ‘You liar! Did you forget about the Countdown Ending?’

“The- The Countdown Ending?! What does the Countdown Ending have to do with me-”

‘You’re only still playing instead of watching a cutscene because I want to watch you for every moment that you’re powerless, to see you made humble. This is not a challenge. It’s a tragedy. You wanted to control this world; that’s fine. But I’m going to destroy it first, so you can’t.’

Nigel went silent, surprised by Stanley signing a bit of his monologue from the ending verbatim. Just how did he remember each and every word?

Stanley smirks as he continues on, ‘Will you cling desperately to your frail life, or will you let it go peacefully? Another choice! Make it count. Or don’t. It’s all the same to me. All a part of the joke. And believe me, I will be laughing at every second of your inevitable life, from the moment we fade in until the moment I say: Happily Ever-’

“STOP!” Nigel yelled out, surprising Stanley as he looked over to see the man bent over himself, covering his ears. Stanley hadn’t even realized what he was saying was having an effect on Nigel, but it obviously did as the man seemed to be holding back tears.

Nigel recognized the words as his own, and remembered the feelings he associated with them originally. Feelings of power, feelings of sadistic glee as he watched and taunted a panicked Stanley as he told him he was going to die and how he loved to toy with the man and the different outcomes of each reset. He used to enjoy saying those words, but now as he heard them, another part of his brain that was now much more present made him curl over in guilt.

Sure, he remembered he didn’t treat Stanley right, but he forgot the extent of just how horrible he was towards Stanley.

Was he really like that in the parable? So unforgiving? So heartless ?

Of course he was, he should’ve known that. He took enjoyment in watching Stanley struggle, didn’t he?

How could he forget, but Stanley remembered? Because he traumatized him.

Now, as Nigel sat here in Stanley’s living room, he felt the guilt eat him up and suffocate him as he began to realize just how much he had hurt Stanley through the long time they existed in the parable. How could he simply forget? And why was he feeling this guilt only now?

Was it because he finally understood what it was like to be hurt? Was it because he had finally been put in the same powerless place as Stanley?

Or was it because he now knew what it was like to lose everything?

Stanley was right, he really did have a god complex.

Nigel’s train of thought was cut off as he felt two arms wrap around him, bringing him back to the real world. He turned to see Stanley with his own look of guilt as he looked up at Nigel. Nigel brought a hand up to his cheek and realized he had been crying, his eyes stung with the saltiness of his tears.

Stanley tilted his head as if to ask Nigel if he was ok and Nigel quickly nodded in response, sniffling as he did so.

“Y-yeah… I’m fine, sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just… I forgot how badly I treated you back then. I really did say all of that without an ounce of guilt.”

Nigel was surprised as Stanley shrugged, he wrestled out of Stanley’s arms and turned towards him, taking Stanley’s hands in his own, “Stanley, I know you say I’m fine because I feel wrong for my actions now and wouldn’t do it again, but it concerns me how fine you are with the way I treated you.”

Stanley chuckles, shaking his head at Nigel’s comment as he whispers, “Because it was over five years ago, Nigel. Either way, I was trying to take control from you so-”

“No! Don’t you dare say it was ok!” Nigel said sternly, startling Stanley into silence, “I told you how I enjoyed watching you be powerless, how your choices didn’t matter because it was all a part of the joke to me, it was not right! I don’t get it, just why won’t you get mad with me?! Why are you so forgiving towards me?!”

“Because I just got you back!” Stanley yelled, tears now welling up in his own eyes, “Yeah, you did all of that stuff, but we eventually became friends and- and-”

Stanley seemed to choke on his words as tears spilled from his eyes, dripping down his cheeks, he wrestled his hands out of Nigel’s hold and grasped at his throat as he gasped, trying to get the rest of the words out.

“Woah, w-wait Stanley, don’t strain yourself,” Nigel said, reaching out and taking Stanley’s hands again before he could scratch at his throat, “I’m sorry for yelling. Please, just take a moment and calm yourself.”

Stanley nodded, following Nigel’s directions as he let the tears continue to drip down his face. They sat there in silence for a few minutes, Stanley taking a few deep breaths. He eventually grunted, trying to test out his voice to see if it would allow him to speak again.

“Are you ok?” Nigel quietly asked. When Stanley finally nodded and Nigel had deemed Stanley to be telling the truth, he let go of his hands. Stanley took another gulp of air before he continued his thoughts from earlier.

“I… We obviously have a lot of history,” Stanley started, beginning slowly as if he was worried that speaking any faster would make him lose his voice again, “But… we overcame that. And you now sort of get what it’s like to be in my position. I think both you and I have been through more than enough for me to stay mad at you, right?”

Nigel thought for a moment before he sighed and nodded, “I guess.”

“So can’t we just be happy?” Stanley pleaded, “And I’m sorry for saying those words. I didn’t mean to put you in any distress.”

Nigel smiled, placing a hand on Stanley’s head and ruffling his hair, “It’s alright, I was sort of asking for it when I said I didn’t have a god complex.”

Stanley laughed and sniffled once more, lifting an eyebrow to question Nigel’s action. The man seemed oblivious as he ran his fingers through the soft, long brown locks of hair until he looked down to see Stanley looking up at him with a teasing grin. He gasped and quickly drew his hand away, his cheeks burning in embarrassment as Stanley bursted out in laughter.

“Sorry! I just… I-” Nigel groaned as he ran a hand down his face as Stanley continued to laugh at him.

‘No, it’s alright. I just wasn’t expecting it.’

“Your hair is just soft and really long now,” Nigel murmured, “It was always pretty short in the parable and now… I just wanted to know what it felt like.”

Stanley smirked before sighing and leaning against Nigel, resting his head on Nigel’s shoulder, ‘Meh, it’s fine. I don’t mind. I mean, I can’t deny you that my hair is pretty majestic.’

Nigel snorted as he looked down at Stanley, “Oh, how humble of you.”

‘I know, right? I have to be the most humble person you know!’

“Yeah, the most humble person ever. Now, are you really going to use me as a pillow?” Nigel said as he gestured towards Stanley laying against him. Stanley nodded with a chuckle.

‘What can I say? I’m tired and you’re comfy. You wouldn’t let your dear friend be uncomfortable while he sleeps, hm?’

Nigel sighs, “You are intractable.”

‘But you love me!’ Stanley signs with a crooked grin, looking up at Nigel while fluttering his lashes teasingly at the man.

“I do,” Nigel says with a groan, causing Stanley to giggle before allowing himself to slowly drift off to sleep on Nigel. Nigel sighed and decided maybe he could rest his eyes as well.

An hour or so later, however, Nigel jolted awake, becoming fully alert as their conversation replayed in his head, his mind focusing on the last few words as they looped over and over. He looked down at the sleeping figure of Stanley, who now laid on his lap as his breathing began to pick up pace.

Nigel had been questioning why he was so desperate to become Stanley’s friend again, to make sure he stayed in his life this time. He questioned why he always overanalyzed everything Stanley did. He always said it was just because he got him back after a decade. But-

But you love me!

No… it couldn’t be.

I do.

Nigel groaned, smacking himself on the forehead, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Chapter Text

Nigel flopped his head back against the top of the couch’s backrest, looking up at the ceiling as he tried to comprehend the absolutely absurd conclusion his mind had come to. There was no way. With Stanley ? No, no, no, it couldn’t be possible !

“You’ve got to be kidding me ,” Nigel said for what was probably the umpteenth time that evening. That had to be it, he was kidding himself. There was no way his mind was just coming up with this and being serious.

Maybe there was some strange part of his mind just trying to convince him he felt like that way and he was just lying to himself. 

There was no way Nigel had feelings for Stanley .

Maybe it was just some little lasting need of codependency left over from the parable? Or maybe he was just desperate to hold onto Stanley after he blocked him? There had to be some reason he was feeling like this, and it couldn’t possibly be something as insanely idiotic as a crush - Nigel was above that! He was in control of his own feelings! 

Right?

Yet here he was, three hours away from Hampstead, in Stanley’s apartment, with a sleeping Stanley in his lap- the same man who he had promised he would stay a month with after bending so easily to his begging.

Not to mention why he came here in the first place.

Oh dear lord, was he desperate ?

No! No . If he was desperate, he would have feelings for Stanley, which he does not. He doesn’t even swing that way, does he? He didn’t know he swung any way at all!

Was he really into men or was he just into Stan-

No! No! No! He is not into Stanley!

Nigel took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose and causing his glasses to go askew. Ok, deep breaths, Nigel thought to himself as he began to inhale and exhale slowly in an attempt to calm his mind and reset.

He is in Stanley’s apartment with Stanley fast asleep on his lap, and he has no feelings whatsoever for his dear old friend . Everything is completely normal, everything is completely fine, and nothing is going to be complicated by any unnecessary- and very unreal- feelings.

Either way, would they even be compatible ?

Nigel was a lonely old author who had previously been an inhuman godly entity stuck in an entirely different plane of existence, existing only for the purpose to narrate the man who now laid in his lap.

Stanley was so much more than that. He had dealt with Nigel when he was that entity- cruel, merciless, taunting. He was a horrible person to Stanley for who knows how long, something he couldn’t just forget even with all of Stanley’s pleading. Yet, Stanley still welcomed him barging into his life with open arms, even begging Nigel to stay longer than planned after he bloodied the man’s face up.

It was already a testament to Stanley’s kindness and patience that he kept Nigel around as a friend, so anything further than that just had to be outright impossible. Nigel didn’t want to burden Stanley with any of his messy feelings either way- that is to say, if he did have feelings, which he did not.

Nigel’s train of thought was cut off as Stanley mumbled something in his sleep, shifting around in Nigel’s lap to get more comfortable and causing a few long locks of his honey streaked brunette hair to fall over his eyes. Nigel, completely forgetting anything he was thinking about a second earlier, chuckled fondly as he reached down, brushing Stanley’s soft hair away from his eyes with his hand. His hand hovered just by Stanley’s cheek as he studied the features of Stanley’s face, which looked serene as he slept.

Not much had really changed other than the fact he had more stubble and long hair now. His cheeks were still full and his jawline soft. He now had quite a few freckles that dotted his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, no doubt from enjoying the sun as much as he could now that he had the real deal- much better than the fake light in the freedom ending, which was the closest they got to natural light in the parable.

His eyelashes were pretty average in length, and a nice velvety brown in color. On the subject of color, he had tanned quite well. From going to being as pale as a vampire in the parable, he now had a nice rosy beige tint to his skin that made him look more healthy.

In fact, all of Stanley looked healthier than he was in the parable. He was less rigid, more relaxed, and looked like he was doing well other than the eyebags from lack of sleep. It filled Nigel with a sense of pride that he got to see Stanley like this, beyond the character of the parable. He looked so peaceful.

Stanley sighed, leaning into Nigel’s hovering hand and snapping Nigel out of his trance as he yanked his hand away from the sleeping man.

“Oh for the love of-” Nigel cut himself off, slapping a hand on his forehead as he groaned at himself. At this point, he was just making things hard for himself.

Who was he kidding? He couldn’t even try to deny it at this point. What he felt toward Stanley was certainly not just feelings of friendship . There was something more there.

Though he was still convinced it wasn’t something as intense as love .

Maybe he just needed to rest, think this over later when he’s slept and had time to process. He could deal with whatever this was later, at another time.

~

“What did you do?” Lauren asked in her usual monotone voice as soon as she picked up the phone.

Nigel ran a hand through his hair, looking at his reflection in the bathroom mirror as he talked, “How did you know it was me? We never exchanged numbers.”

“Because I’m a girl, I know things. Now how did you get my number?”

Nigel rolled his eyes at Lauren’s usual response, she never told him how she knew anything , “Rhiannon gave it to me before I left if I couldn’t reach her.”

“And why are you calling me instead of Rhiannon? She is available.”

With a sigh, Nigel took one more look in the mirror, noting his eyebags beneath his eyes. Even though he had slept for a good few hours, he woke up even more tired somehow, the human body was strange, “Because I need someone to be frank with me right now. And, no offense to her, but Rhiannon is not as brutally frank as you are.”

Nigel could practically hear Lauren smile and the pride dripping from her words as she said, “Hm, fine. Now, what did you do?”

“Why do you think I did something?!”

“Because it’s you. Nancy already texted Rhiannon about that little fight you had with your old friend. Real classy, Nigel. Real classy.”

Nigel groaned, throwing his head back and hitting against the wall. If there is anything he does not need reminders of right now, it’s that , “Yeah, yeah, I messed up bad. But things turned out well. But, I’m not calling you because of something I did exactly. It’s more I’m calling you to help me out with a… situation of mine.”

“Are you having another mid-life crisis or something?” Lauren asked, her monotone voice turning slightly sentimental. She had sadly witnessed a few of Nigel’s hardships as he was still getting accustomed to the real world.

“Um… it’s sort of like that, sure.”

“Alright, what’s up?”

Nigel took a deep breath, stretching out the moment as long as he could before he decided he’d have to speak or Lauren would hang up, “So… what would you do if you got together with a long lost friend of yours and maybe, sort of, might of , developed feelings for them?”

Nigel got no response but complete silence. It lasted for so long that Nigel thought that Lauren actually hung up on him until she suddenly spoke, “Nigel Salt, are you telling me you developed feelings for your old friend- not to mention, who you beat up- in a week?”

“Not a week! It’s been two weeks” Nigel mumbled, “But I know what you’re thinking and it’s not exactly that , it’s just… some sort of feelings I can’t place.”

Lauren bursted out into laughter, wheezing as Nigel could hear the phone be brought away from her ear as she probably curled over. Well, he didn’t it was that funny. He didn’t think this was funny at all!

“Lauren!”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! But ‘some sort of feelings I can’t place.’ Oh, you old geezer, be real with yourself. When you say feelings, that’s obviously what you and I think it is.”

“Well I don’t know! I’ve never been… well-”

“You’ve never been in love before?” Lauren interrupted, cutting Nigel off from his own thoughts. She did that an awful lot, but Nigel found himself getting less peeved by it, especially since it seemed his thoughts were jumbled all the time these days.

“I guess so,” Nigel muttered, looking out the window and at the view of Manchester.

“Tell me, what do you feel when around him?”

Nigel took a moment, humming as he thought. What did he feel around Stanley?

“Well, I feel both comfortable and self-conscious with myself at the same time. Like, Stanley makes me feel comfortable with being myself, but I also want to be better for him. I also just feel much more light around him, like everything that had been weighing me down the past five years was lifted. It sort of feels like all my problems were solved with him being around. But that could just be because we haven’t seen each other in so long!”

“I doubt it, but keep going,” Lauren said with a snort. Oh, of course she is getting a kick out of this.

“Um… I guess things just feel so natural around him. Like, making conversation is easy, he seems to know every little thing that will make me happy, and I just feel like I can get along with him more than anyone else,” Nigel snorted, “Which is funny because we started out by hating each other’s guts. He’s just… so free and outgoing. And it makes me want to follow him wherever he goes- not just because I don’t want to lose him again, but because just being around him makes everything seem so much more… colorful.”

As Nigel finished, he could hear Lauren giggling over the phone, he huffed, “What’s so funny, Lauren?”

“Nigel Salt is in lo-ove,” Lauren said in a teasing, sing-song voice, stretching out the word love to emphasize it. Nigel groaned as he smacked his forehead, now thinking it wasn’t the greatest idea to call Lauren.

“But it’s Stanley . My long lost friend . Wouldn’t that be… weird?”

Lauren hummed, “Hmm, nah. He’s your old friend you lost for a few years, so what? Love comes as it wishes, it’s just natural. There’s no shame in falling in love with a friend of yours, especially one you have history with.”

Nigel didn’t respond, still seeming a little hesitant on the idea he was in love with Stanley. Lauren sighed, Nigel could practically see her rolling her eyes, “Look, I get it can be weird because he’s an old time friend of yours and you know a lot about him, but you love him for a reason. Take your shot, you never know what might happen if you don’t.”

“But that’s terrifying! This… this is something big , Lauren. It could entirely change the way Stanley sees me!”

“Exactly!” Lauren says with a laugh, “It will change the way he sees you! It can be good or bad or neutral. If it’s good, good for you! If it’s bad, well he’s a loser. If it’s neutral, move on and cherish your friendship with him!”

Nigel shakes his head as he lets out another sigh, “You’re really in-touch with all this love stuff.”

“Hm, I read enough stuff online to know a thing or two, but I’ve never been in a relationship. Look, I can’t say for sure if Stanley will return your feelings or not, but hiding your feelings can make what you two have much more complicated, and you might lose him again. You don’t have to rush things and say anything to him right now, but just think it over and have a good time reuniting with him. Ok?”

Well Nigel couldn’t argue with that, Lauren was being reasonable, “Alright. I’ll try to think it over. I still have two over here, so that should give me plenty of time.”

Seeming content, Lauren let off the subject and continued to talk with him for a while, asking how Manchester was and how Nancy was doing with her new boyfriend. Eventually she had to leave as her break was finishing.

“Well, I don’t have much time left, so I have to get going. But, Nigel?”

“Yes?”

Lauren chuckled, “I’m proud of you. You sound much happier now. It’s been nice seeing you take control of your life.”

Nigel stayed silent for a moment, his mouth agape as he tried to process the fact that Lauren just said she was proud of him, “I… Thank you, Lauren.”

“Now go get your boyfriend,” Lauren said with a laugh, hanging up before Nigel could shout back at her. He huffed fondly, shaking his head as he brought his phone away from his ear.

That girl.

She did leave him with a lot to think about though, and he did have a few hours until Stanley got back from his hangout with Tom. He had some time to go over how he would approach this.

There was no denying it at this point, Nigel definitely was in love with Stanley. But now that he had that answer, there came a new question.

What did Stanley feel about Nigel?

Chapter Text

“Everything is not ok!” Nigel whined over the phone to Lauren, though he heard a laugh from Rhiannon, who insisted she needed to help Nigel with his “puppy love.” He should’ve known Lauren wouldn’t have kept her mouth shut.

“Oh, c’mon Nigel!” Rhiannon said with a fond laugh, “With how Lauren said everything worked out, you two are practically perfect for each other! What is the hold up?”

Nigel went silent for a moment, sighing as he ran a hand down his face, “I… We have a lot of history. I used to be a huge asshole to him.”

Lauren snorted, “Nigel Salt started off by being cold to someone before becoming friends with them. Shocker .”

Nigel scoffed in response, rolling his eyes even though he did agree with Lauren. He was never really any good with people, even his own protagonist . He really was a useless, horrible narrator, “Well… It wasn’t something as small as being cold to him. Lauren, Rhiannon, I greatly affected his mental health before we became friends. He definitely has trauma because of how I treated him before we became friends.”

The phone went silent for a moment before Lauren spoke up, “Bloody hell, Nigel, just what did you do to this man?”

“It’s a long story,” Nigel mumbled, cringing at how vulnerable he sounded. He did not deserve to sound vulnerable .

“One you aren’t going to tell us, right?” Rhiannon spoke, though she sounded less accusatory and more… understanding?”

Nigel shook his head before he realized the two could not see him. For someone who used to rely purely on his voice to express anything, he found it ironic he was now struggling over the concept of a phone , “No… I’m sorry, I just don’t think that’s something I should share.”

Or something he could share.

“It’s alright, Nigel dear,” Rhiannon softly said through the phone, “We all have our own things. Unless you committed a serious crime, which I doubt you ever could, you aren’t obliged to tell us everything. Just know you can trust us when you need to talk about something.”

Nigel smiled, laughing softly as he rested his head on the back of the couch, “Thank you, Rhiannon. Why else do you think I’m here?”

“True,” Lauren chimed in, “Old lover man here doesn’t know how to face his feelings so he’s calling for the experts.”

“Lauren!” Rhiannon said, sounding like she was chiding Lauren before she added, “He has told you many times not to call him old. But, you are right. Nigel, when are you going to stop being a coward and just face him?”

Nigel choked from the suddenness of Rhiannon’s words, shaking his head as he responded, “I’m not a coward! I just-”

“You’re being a coward, Nigel. Don’t deny it.”

Nigel huffed, still very surprised with the motherly tone Rhiannon was using on him. Was he being mothered?

“Fine, what makes you think I’m being a coward?”

“Hm, oh maybe the fact that every time you have another one of your gay panics you either rush into the bathroom or wait until Stanley leaves for work to call us?” Lauren added, making Nigel pause for a moment.

“Gay panics? ” Nigel squawked out, “I don’t have gay panics , whatever that is, and I don’t call you every time I have one!”

Lauren snickered, “You called us three separate times yesterday, dude. It’s almost like you never left.”

Nigel was going to fight back, stumbling over his words for a solid minute before he gave up with a frustrated sigh, going silent as to not admit the others were right. Rhiannon took that as her cue to continue talking, “Look, dear, you have a lot of new feelings you're experiencing. It’s understandable you’re overwhelmed and don’t know what to do, but hiding from them will do you no good. I’m not saying to confess or outright tell Stanley yet, as it definitely is very soon after you two only reunited a few weeks ago, but just learn how to face them, alright?”

“Oh,” Lauren responded quietly, “I told him to confess soon, was that wrong?”

Rhiannon laughed in response, Nigel could imagine the woman patting Lauren on the shoulder, “I mean, not really. We all have different experiences and interpretations of love and how to approach it. The best we could do is offer Nigel what we believe will work best and allow him to take the reins, it is his love life after all.”

“What?!” Nigel yelled out, “But- I- people, feelings- I don’t know how they work!”

Rhiannon and Lauren both laughed together, making Nigel blush in embarrassment as he felt made fun of. Rhiannon sighed before adding, “None of us know how they work when we first encounter them. I know both Lauren and I have said a lot to try and teach you, but there is no better teacher than self-experience. I’m sorry, Nigel, but that’s all we can provide. You’ll just have to figure out what feels most natural for you and Stanley.”

Nigel groaned, but he knew Rhiannon was right, “Alright… sorry for calling you so much. I’ll stop bothering you guys.”

“Oh, don’t worry! And still please do call! We still want to know how you're doing.”

“Yeah, old geezer, we don’t want to miss the details of your complicated love life.”

Nigel huffed, “Miss you too, Lauren.”

So it seemed Nigel had to learn how to deal with these feelings himself, which was very terrifying for the man, but he knew it was inevitable. Now was the hard part. How was he supposed to deal with these feelings, and when was he supposed to tell Stanley?

~

Nigel woke up the next morning feeling surprisingly refreshed. When Stanley got back from work, the two decided to go out for dinner at a nearby pub with Tom, Nancy, and a few other of Stanley’s coworkers, and came back to watch a movie that night- some dystopian movie that, while Nigel wasn’t the biggest fan of, enjoyed seeing Stanley so excited over it and explaining the entire plot and his own theories. Nigel probably spent more of the night listening to Stanley instead of paying attention to the movie. It was rather nice to see him so enthusiastic over a story.

Maybe that was the thing that separated the both of them in the parable, they were both different people with a love for different genres. Nigel wanted an inspiring story of breaking free from the constraints of corruption while Stanley wanted more action and adventure. They could both agree on the adventure part, which was most-likely what brought them together, but other than that, they both disagreed on what the story should be.

Nigel swatted the thoughts away. No, he was not going to think about the parable anymore. He was here, in the real world, with the person who meant more to him than he ever realized. He did not need to think about that time, he just wanted to focus on the way Stanley waved his hands around as he happily explained his theory, using his whispery voice as he felt more comfortable using it in the quiet of the apartment, his grin growing wider whenever Nigel agreed with Stanley’s explanation, even though he had no idea what he was talking about.

He just wanted to be with Stanley right now. He just wanted to enjoy the time they had left before he had to go to Hampstead again. He just wanted to figure out what he and Stanley were now.

That night seemed to make something click in Nigel. He didn’t feel as afraid of his feelings anymore, he just needed to make sense of where that put him with Stanley.

Nigel got out of bed, feeling refreshed as he slipped his feet into his slippers and splashed some water on his face in the bathroom, running a comb quickly through his hair to make sure it looked decent enough. He entered the living room to find Stanley not there, he must’ve been getting ready in the bathroom.

Nigel smiled as he went to the kitchen, setting everything up to prepare breakfast. He had been in Stanley’s kitchen so many times now that he had no problem finding anything at this point. It was a nice Saturday morning as well so he could relax and not make a quick breakfast before Stanley had to rush out the door for his job.

Humming while he made breakfast, Nigel didn’t even hear the door to the bathroom open and the sound of footsteps until someone leaned from behind him to look at what’s cooking. Nigel chuckled and turned his head only to scream and wack Stanley square in the face with a spatula.

“Ow,” Stanley whispered after he took a moment to process what happened. 

Nigel’s eyes widened as he realized what happened, setting the spatula to the side to check on the other, “Stanley, oh dear lord, I’m so sorry! I barely recognized you, I-”

Nigel paused as he held Stanley’s face in his hands, the man looking up at him curiously to see what made Nigel pause. Stanley’s face was clear of any hair, the heavy stubble that usually graced his chin and gave him an attractive rough look was gone. Replaced with it was smooth, clean-shaven skin that gave Stanley a baby face.

It was such a small change, yet it did so much . Stanley looked so… innocent? He looked up at Nigel with his wide, round hazel eyes, his soft tufts of hair surrounding his soft, slightly pointed jawline. As Nigel held Stanley’s face, his freckled cheeks squished ever so slightly, revealing his dimples.

Just when Nigel thought he put himself together, he was on the verge of falling apart again. He wasn’t going to survive this last week.

“You shaved,” Nigel finally says after looking at the confused Stanley for more than he probably should’ve.

“Um, yeah,” Stanley said, tilting his head in Nigel’s hands, “Is that… alright?”

Nigel gasped and let go of Stanley’s face, feeling a raging heat appear in his cheeks as he took a few steps back, “Oh, yes, of course! You just look very… different. You look more put together.”

Stanley snorted, rubbing the spot on his forehead that was now turning red from where the spatula had hit him, “Well thank you. Now are we going to let breakfast burn any more?”

Nigel turned around, quickly taking the spatula and flipping the eggs overcooking in the pan with a sigh, “Goodness, I’m a mess. Are you alright? I hit you pretty hard.”

“I’ll be fine, it’s not like it’s the first time you’ve hit me.”

“Stanley!”

The only response Nigel received was a snicker as Stanley tied an apron on and went to work to help Nigel with their breakfast. The two finished quickly, as Nigel mostly had everything done before he was startled by Stanley. They ate breakfast through the silence of the morning before Stanley spoke again.

“You’re leaving in a week.”

Nigel looked up at Stanley nodding as he tried to hide how much he wished he wasn’t, “I am. Wow, three weeks go by fast, don’t they?”

Stanley chuckled as he nodded in agreement, but he frowned once more as pushed his food around on his plate with his fork, “You’ll… stay in touch, right?”

“Of course I will!” Nigel responded instantly, “Do you think I went through all the effort of getting you back just to ghost you?”

Stanley shook his head as a smile spread across his face, “No… I guess not. My mind just sometimes assumes the worst.”

The two went silent.

“I’ll miss you,” Nigel murmured, setting his fork down on his plate, making Stanley perk up as his smile grew even wider.

“I’ll miss you too, maybe I could visit Hampstead sometime.”

“Oh, please do! I’d love to show you the place! It’s a very nice neighborhood, you’d love it.”

The two continued to talk all that morning, making hopeful plans for when Stanley could visit. Eventually Stanley had to switch back to signing because he had wore out his voice too much, but Nigel was proud to see the man was comfortable enough to talk with him so much. It was quite endearing.

Rhiannon was right. Nigel didn’t need to confess right now. He was perfectly fine with figuring out his feelings for now. Afterall, why would he ruin such a perfect atmosphere right now? Nigel was in paradise with Stanley, and he wasn’t letting that go.

Chapter Text

“So… you’re leaving,” Stanley said as he handed Nigel his coat. Nigel nodded as he took the coat from Stanley’s hands and put it on, trying to offer a small smile.

“It was fun while it lasted, but I have to go home eventually. I mean, it’s wonderful to have you back, I just have a whole life in Hampstead now.”

Stanley frowned as he nodded. Nigel was right. While they were both reunited and back together, they both had made their own lives in two separate cities. Sure, they were just hours apart, but that still made it hard to visit between work and Nigel’s book and, well… everything. 

Nigel’s book!

Stanley grinned, taking Nigel’s attention away from his suitcase, “So… Now that everything is resolved, would you be willing to start the interview again?”

Nigel’s eyes widened as he paused for a moment. Looking down at Stanley, he stayed silent for a long minute before clearing his throat with an uncomfortable expression on his face, “Believe me, Stanley, while I would have loved to… I think it’s probably best we don’t continue with the interview. Since we have a personal connection, I believe it would be the cause for some possible bias and… I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Stanley’s grin faded as he realized Nigel was declining the interview. Why was Nigel declining? Stanley thought he would be enthusiastic to continue the interview. Stanley shook his head as he feigned a smile, “Ah, that’s alright! You might be right.”

Nigel frowned as he took a step towards Stanley, “Are you sure? I just don’t believe it’s best.”

Stanley waved it off, switching to signing as he felt his throat not wanting to comply with him, ‘No, no, it’s fine! I have a ton of other work to do anyway, the interview would just have been another thing to do.’

Nigel’s frown deepened, but he didn’t comment further as he went back to collect his suitcase, “Well, I have to go soon or I’ll miss the train.”

‘Oh… yeah, let me walk you out,’ Stanley signed as he opened the door for Nigel, letting the man out and helping to take his suitcase down the stairs, no matter how much Nigel insisted he could do so himself.

“Stanley, please, I’m not an old man. I can carry my own luggage-” Stanley would not let Nigel carry his suitcase.

By the time the two made it outside the apartment complex and Stanley was able to hail a taxi, Stanley finally turned towards Nigel with a sad smile, ‘Promise you’ll text me?’

Nigel smiled as he nodded, “Of course I will, Stanley. I’ll message you when I arrive home.”

Stanley nodded as Nigel put his suitcase in the trunk and got into the taxi. Before he could close the door, Stanley held it open with his hand as he looked down at Nigel, ‘We’ll see each other again… right?’

Nigel stayed silent as he looked up at Stanley, only responding with a small nod and a smile, “Goodbye, Stanley.”

Nigel closed the door, leaving Stanley to stand alone as the car drove off. He stared for a few minutes, even after the car left his sight as a light downpour of rain began, causing Stanley’s hair to become slick.

Stanley was only left with one question as he finally gathered himself and went inside. 

He and Nigel were now finally reunited after five years, Stanley thinking Nigel was dead that entire time- so why did he still feel so empty still?

~

The Narrator huffed as Stanley flopped onto the bed in the apartment ending, smothering his face right into the pillows, “Seriously, I don’t understand why you need this. It’s just sleep, which is something you don’t need. We could simply reset and you’d feel energized again. Either way, I don’t think I made it capable for you to become tired in the first place!”

Stanley rolled his eyes as he rolled himself around on the bed to face upwards and look at the Narrator, who was glaring at Stanley with his arms crossed.

‘You underestimate a human’s mental needs.’

The Narrator scoffed, looking extremely offended by Stanley’s comment, “Underestimate? Stanley, I know everything about you and how your human body works! Are you saying you're tired through your… mental needs ?”

Stanley nodded as he laughed, sitting up to better face the Narrator, ‘You don’t know what that is, do you?’

The Narrator opened his mouth to argue before he thought better of it and sighed, mumbling out, “I suppose not. Though it does sound like some excuse you’re making up.”

Stanley shook his head, smiling at the Narrator’s accusatory glare, ‘It isn’t, I promise. Sometimes we’re just mentally tired- our mind is stretched thin and it feels like none of our thoughts are coherent or make any sense. When I go through some particularly long runs, I get pretty tired and just need a moment to recollect my thoughts. But, right now, I feel like I could do with a good long nap.’

The Narrator frowns, sighing as he sits on the bed next to Stanley, trying to make sense of his explanation, “Alright… you have been going for quite a long time without any break, so it makes sense. And I guess I experience that as well? I’m just so used to following the script but it gets so repetitive and long at times that it just feels like I’m… droning on.”

Stanley snickered as he turned towards the Narrator, ‘So even the Narrator himself gets tired of his unbearably long monologues.’

Stanley only got responded by a smack to the head as he bursted out in laughter. The Narrator huffed, “Oh, come on, Stanley! I’m trying to be nice to you and allow you a… a long rest.”

Stanley lifted an eyebrow as he rubbed the spot where the Narrator smacked him ‘Why do you sound so against it? You always let me rest in the lounge when you’re writing your scripts.’

“That’s because they’re just short naps and they’re while I’m working! I don’t have anything to work on right now and you’re saying you need a good long nap. Last I remember, humans usually sleep around eight hours . Do you know how long that is?”

‘Pretty long, I know. Seriously, Narrator, we can go without the story for eight hours. You’ll be fine.’

The Narrator groaned, dragging a hand down his face and making his glasses go askew, “No, that’s not what I meant, I…”

The Narrator seemed to hesitate on the next words, his expression turning slightly sour as if he didn’t want to say them, ‘What is it, Narrator?’

The Narrator gave one more long, exasperated sigh before he forced out, “It’s just a long time where you won’t be around and I’ll be left alone, alright?!”

Oh. Right. Stanley sort of forgot about the separation anxiety. And the parable did get pretty lonely whenever the Narrator had to leave him for a bit. They never talked about the first time the Narrator left him for too long, only to return to Stanley banging on his office door and sobbing out that he would be good and listen. That was not a good run.

‘You don’t want me to leave you alone?’ Stanley signed to clarify he heard the Narrator correctly.

It only made the Narrator’s expression more sour as he grumbled out, “Yes, Stanley, I don’t want to be left alone.”

‘Then why don’t you sleep with me?’

After Stanley had signed the words, the room had gone deathly silent. Stanley felt his cheeks burn as the Narrator turned towards him with an astonished expression, he quickly raised his hands to explain himself.

‘I just mean we both sleep at the same time! Like, if we’re both asleep, then you won’t be left alone and-’

“Yes, Stanley, I knew exactly what you meant,” the Narrator said as he shook his head, making Stanley’s cheeks flush further, “I just… I’ve never fallen asleep before. I don’t even know if I can sleep.”

Stanley huffed, ‘You probably can! You’ve been able to do so many human things ever since you made your body! I finally got you to eat the other day!’

“Yes, after you forced a cookie down my throat. That was very enjoyable,” the Narrator responded sarcastically, offering Stanley another one of his signature glares.

Stanley groaned as his patience finally drew thin, he grabbed the Narrator by the lapels of his jacket and forced him to lay down on bed, ‘Just get comfortable, close your eyes, and try to fall asleep. We won’t know unless you try right?’

The Narrator squawked as Stanley manhandled him, protesting until Stanley stood to the side of the bed and took a firm hold of his shoulders, keeping him pinned to the bed. He sighed for so long Stanley thought he could practically see him deflating.

“Fine! Fine, I’ll go to sleep . But just so you know, I won’t enjoy it one bit!”

‘Alright, see you soon Narrator,’ Stanley said as he turned to leave the room, only to be stopped by someone grabbing his hand.

“Wait! Where are you going?”

‘The couch? Where else would I sleep?’ Stanley signed as he turned back towards the Narrator with a raised eyebrow.

“Well- uh…” The Narrator let out a deep exhale as he squeezed Stanley’s hand, “Stay? Please?”

When the Narrator looked up at Stanley with those desperate eyes, Stanley swore he felt his heart squeeze. He looked back towards the door before surrendering and flopping onto the bed, right next to the Narrator.

‘Fine, but we really need to talk about your separation issues.’

“I don’t have separation issues ,” the Narrator bit back. Stanley decided to relent, he was too tired to argue anymore with the man.

‘Night, Narrator,’ Stanley said as he closed his eyes. 

All he got in response with a silence that lasted so long he thought the Narrator may have already fallen asleep before he heard a surprisingly meek voice respond, “Goodnight, Stanley.”

~

Stanley woke up to the sound of his phone buzzing as a notification appeared on his screen, he groaned as he reached for it, rubbing his eyes as they tried to get accustomed to the dark. Looks like he fell asleep on the couch while waiting for Nigel to message him. 

Stanley opened his phone to find a newly sent message from Nigel.

Nigel: So sorry, I meant to send this a few hours ago when I got back. I made it back home safe to Hampstead and had no problems during my travels. Thank you for letting me stay at your place for so long after everything and I hope you’re doing well. Also, Lauren and Rhiannon say hi.

-Nigel

Stanley frowned as he read over the text message a few times, even the fact that Nigel still signed his text messages didn’t make him smile a bit. Why did he take so long to message him?

Was he busy with something when he got back? Did he get wrapped up into conversing with Lauren and Rhiannon? Or did he just forget?

Either way, it made Stanley feel a bit of a sour taste on his tongue, no matter how much he tried to push the thought away. Maybe he was just tired after waking up and was reading too much into it. Stanley sighed as he turned his phone off, stretching as he slowly stood up off the couch.

He finally had his room to himself again, and he had missed his bed a lot. He might as well sleep in it tonight.

Stanley could barely hold himself up as he lugged himself through the living room and into his bedroom, flopping onto his bed face first. Stanley only moved himself to get under the sheets when he noticed a distinct smell. He quickly scrambled to get under the sheets, bringing them up to his nose as he sniffed.

They smelled like Nigel.

Was he being weird and creepy? Probably. But Stanley felt so lonely and hollow right now that he felt like he needed this. It soothed him. His sheets smelled almost like old leather books and… something floral? It was nice and the scent remained there even as he pulled the sheets away to go to sleep.

That night, Stanley had the best night of sleep he ever had in years.

~

The office seemed quiet. Or, well, not quiet per say, but there definitely felt like there was something missing. Stanley tried to shrug it off and get some work done, he did have five articles he needed to finish editing and prepare to be posted by the end of the week, but eventually it became too overbearing for him.

Stanley kneeled on his swivel chair to reach above the wall of his cubicle and peek into Tom’s office.

Only to find Tom was not there.

That’s what it was, wasn’t it? Tom wasn’t around to lean on his cubicle’s wall and pester him about his sleep schedule or talk about the latest book. Tom was always around. Stanley doesn’t think he has ever seen Tom miss a day of work- just how did that man never get sick?

He looked around his cubicle, as if to make sure Tom wasn’t hiding somewhere in there, and then left to find Nancy. Nancy was sitting in her cubicle as usual, but so was Tom. Both of them were laughing as they both sipped from their mugs of coffee. When Stanley approached them, they both freezed as if they had been caught doing something they shouldn’t before turning towards Stanley with warm smiles.

“Oh, Stanley! It’s so nice to see you without any eyebags for once. You look great!”

Stanley smiled as Nancy took his face in her hands before hugging him. She was back to her usual motherly behavior from before he got decked in the face by Nigel, so that must’ve been a good sign.

“Yeah, you do. It’s probably because you finally got to rest in your bed last night, yeah?” Tom said with a chuckle, “Nigel left yesterday, right? Did he make it back fine?”

Stanley nodded as he turned towards Tom, ‘He did. Anyways, have you been here the entire time? I was wondering where you were.’

Tom laughed as he nodded his head in response, “Yep! Did you not realize Nancy and I have our little coffee sessions every Monday now?”

Apparently not. Now that Stanley thought about it, Tom had disappeared every Monday morning, how had he not noticed? Was he too focused on his situation with Nigel to even see the change?

Tom shrugged, “Ever since Nancy and I became a couple, we’ve just been trying to find times to hang out since we’re so busy, so we decided to make this a thing. I look forward to every Monday now because of it.”

Nancy laughed before kissing Tom on the cheek, “And I do too, dear.”

Stanley’s smile became a bit more strained as he realized what they were saying. This was a couple thing. He was intruding on their time to hang out as a couple. He made quick talk with the both of them before excusing himself to go back to work, the two barely even noticing him as he left. 

Well that was embarrassing. Stanley knew better than to third-wheel.

Why did this make him feel worse than he did yesterday, though?

Tom and Nancy were now a couple and were probably going to spend a lot more time without Stanley and Nigel left for Hampstead yesterday, now only able to talk to Stanley through text and call. But he didn’t text Stanley until a few hours after he promised yesterday.

Stanley sighed as he leaned back in his chair, switching to edit an article on a book that better fit his mood since the happy-go-lucky book he was just editing was starting to make him feel even more bitter.

He tried to work over the article, going into the zone and having no problems until he saw one line that made him pause.

The book articulately showed the main character’s  feelings of loneliness and unfulfillment that came after being left behind by everyone they knew .

Left behind. Loneliness.

Was Stanley feeling alone?

Chapter Text

“Hey, sleepy head, wake up,” Lauren said as she slammed down a coffee on the table Nigel was resting his head on, making him jolt awake.

“Huh- Lauren? Did I fall asleep?” Nigel said as he rubbed his eyes, making his already askew glasses become even more lopsided, “How long have I been asleep?”

Lauren shrugged, flipping her hair behind her shoulder as she looked down at Nigel and all the stuff he had scattered across the table, “Working hard?”

Nigel groaned as he collected his notes and books, stacking them all into organized piles to make some free space, “You could say that. Ever since I’ve come back from Manchester, I have had a lot more inspiration to write the sequel to my book. I don’t remember the last time I’ve written this much.”

Lauren nodded as she set down a muffin on the table, looking over Nigel’s shoulder to see his work, giving another small nod of approval, “Glad to see you back in action, it’s been a long minute. Anyways, how are things with you and your old friend you’re totally not crushing on?”

Nigel scoffed as he rolled his eyes. Ever since he had made it back to Hampstead, Lauren and Rhiannon had been showering him with questions about his time with Stanley and his feelings. The moment he stepped into the coffee shop, they kept him busy with all their excited, incessant chattering that Nigel couldn’t text Stanley until later that night that he had made it back home. He felt a little bad, but he was sure Stanley would understand. It wasn’t like the man was waiting at his phone for him to message, right?

“Fine, I guess? I haven’t messaged him since the night I made it home, so I wouldn’t know-”

Lauren scoffed, crossing her arms as she stuck her hip out to the side, looking upon Nigel with a disappointed expression, “Oh Nigel, Nigel, Nigel. You really do not have any classiness when it comes to flirting.”

“ Flirting? Lauren, I am not flirting with Stanley,” Nigel huffed, shaking his head exasperatedly at the girl. He was only returned with another knowing chuckle.

“Obviously not. You’re not doing anything . Come on, Nigel, when are you going to do something else but run from your problems?”

“I don’t only run from my problems,” Nigel snapped back, before adding in a hushed tone, “If I did, I probably would not have Stanley back.”

Lauren sighed, her shoulders sagging as she pulled the chair on the opposite end of the table next to Nigel and sat down, slumping in her seat. She had looked rather tired as of recent, which was surprising as her workload had been halved with Rhiannon’s return. Was something else going on?

“You have a point, but that doesn’t change the fact you’re running from one of your problems right now. I thought you were the guy who wrote books that told people to get out there and break themselves free from the constraints of society.”

“Well, yes, but that’s society . What does that have to do with my problems?”

Lauren hummed as she leaned on the table, propping her elbows on top, “Well, let’s take the meaning of your book, and replace society with you. You have your own constraints, don’t deny it. I can see how hard you are on yourself sometimes.”

Lauren pushes the muffin closer to Nigel to prompt him to eat as she continues talking, “You keep telling me you don’t deserve Stanley after all you did to him and that you’re just being selfish for having these feelings, but unless Stanley has some sort of Stockholm Syndrome, you’ve completely ignored the fact he’s stayed and has been there for you . The only time he left was because he felt like he wasn’t good enough for you. That should tell you something, Nigel.”

“That Stanley is insane?”

“No!” Lauren yelled out with a groan, “That he cares for you! You’re holding yourself back with these inner doubts and expectations of yours that you’re not allowing yourself to break free and see what may be beyond this little bubble you’ve put yourself in! That’s what I’m trying to tell you!”

Nigel glanced sideways at all the other customers in the shop that were now staring at them, but Lauren continued to glare at him no matter how much he tried to convey he did not want to continue this conversation, “Look, I know I can be closed off and have unrealistic expectations for myself, but how can I know that Stanley actually cared for me and wasn’t just being nice?”

“Because if he was being nice to you, he may as well be an angel on earth. He let you stay in his apartment and begged you to stay longer than you planned after you pretty much hunted him down and-”

“Alright, alright, you have a point,” Nigel said as he pinched the bridge of his nose, cutting Lauren off before she could remind him again of that damn fight. It felt like he got reminded of it every other day even though it had been over a month by now. Would it ever leave him be?

“Can I please take some time though? We’ve only reunited a month ago and I still think it would be way too sudden. Stanley and I have planned for him to come here sometime, it would probably be better then.”

Lauren nodded, “That sounds like a plan then. I won’t bother you about it anymore, just… at least try not to embarrass yourself or go silent on him. He’d probably enjoy talking to you every now and then. Text him tonight.”

Nigel smiled, shaking his head as he returned to his laptop, “Alright, Lauren. You should probably get back to work before Rhiannon catches you slacking off.”

“Aw, does the old geezer not want me around anymore?” Lauren said in a mock pouting tone. Nigel snorted.

“No, I just don’t want you to get fired from your job. Go work.”

Lauren rolled her eyes, but a smile spread across her face, “Fine, fine, whatever the old man wishes. I’ll get back to work. See you tomorrow, Nigel.”

“See you, Lauren.”

As Lauren left Nigel with his own thoughts, Nigel happily hummed as he continued to type away on his laptop, writing down a few ideas in his notebook for possible plot points. He was full of so much inspiration as of late that it felt like he needed to be writing at all times or he would likely lose a valuable idea.

He woke up in the middle of the night a few days ago and spent his time until morning writing all the ideas that had randomly come to him.

It was overwhelming, but it was productive, and no one loved being productive more than Nigel himself. He was going to spend all day writing if he had to, and he was going to enjoy ever moment of it.

Well, he thought he was before he was approached by a man who looked to be in his mid-thirties, he tapped on his shoulder gently to garner Nigel’s attention, “Excuse me, I don’t mean to bother you, but would you perhaps be Nigel Salt?”

Nigel mentally groaned, mustering all the strength he could to turn around and smile at the man, “Yes, that would be may. Who may be asking?”

The man grinned as he reached into his satchel, pulling out a book. His book, “A fan. May I perhaps talk with you for a moment?”

It took all Nigel had to gesture towards the seat and say, “Please, have a seat. What would you like to know?”

“Well, I read your book a few weeks ago and I have to say I am quite enamored by your writing style,” the man said as he sat down, he held out his hand and Nigel reluctantly shook it, “I’m James Trachang, by the way. But, as I was saying, I have never seen someone write in such a unique way. Most authors would find you characterizing the narrator as you did to be against the laws of writing, but who doesn’t love a good rebel, hm?”

Nigel’s smile became a little more real and relaxed as he felt the comment hit his ego, “Well, yes. Sometimes you have to break the rules to make something new.”

“You mean something better . You, sir, are an innovationist. You’re an inventor and the writing world is your canvas. I really must say your work has brought me joy unlike any other book. You really do capture the paradoxical nature of this ‘parable’ so well. Just how did you do it?”

“I had some… influences,” Nigel said as he closed his laptop with a sigh. He was done with the small talk, “Look, Mr. Trachang. I am glad you enjoy my book so much, but no one approaches me unless they want something. So, how may I help you?”

James opened his mouth to argue, but deflated after a second with a sigh, “Fine, you caught me. You see, I’m with the London Publishers and… I may have been looking for you as I wished to interview you about your book.”

James glanced at the notes on the table, looking up at Nigel with a pleading smile, “And perhaps your upcoming one? Please, Mr. Salt, you’re a well renowned writer and your work deserves to be recorded and noted. I believe an interview would be most beneficial to the both of us.”

Nigel sighed, the smile finally dropping off his face now that the man had finally admitted why he was here, “Look, I get you’re a man just trying to do his job and get some articles out, but what says this will be beneficial to me? If you’ve been looking for me, you may have found out that I’m quite the closed off man.”

James nodded, but he didn’t back down, “I get your skepticism, but it’s worth trying, right? I haven’t found a single article on your book that has directly talked to you yet and has received your insight. Just reviews. You could give your readers an inside experience of your world!”

Nigel cringed at the strange irony of that sentence, but hesitated. James was correct. He could give some great insight and show the thought process behind the parable, get his message further out there. And this time he knew the interviewer, and they weren’t a long lost friend and the reason behind his book in the first place.

James sighed after Nigel stayed silent a moment too long, “Alright, I won’t push it on you any further, but I hope you consider it.”

James placed a small card on the table next to Nigel’s notes, “Here, my business card. Email me if you are interested. Have a good day, Mr. Salt.”

“Ah, um, you too,” Nigel mumbled as James walked away. He took the card and tucked it into his notebook. He definitely had to think about it.

Especially after he refused to continue the interview with Stanley.

~

“Hey, Stanley. What’s up?- Mm, no,” Nigel mumbled to himself on his couch. He was sprawled out across it, tired after having written all day. He had so many ideas for his book and they all came out so smoothly and fluidly. So why couldn’t it be the same when texting Stanley?

“How about ‘Waddup?’- No, Stanley knows I’m not that hip. He’d probably think I’ve lost it. Or I could make a joke like… ‘This is the story of a man named’- No , dear god. Why would I think that would be funny in the first place?”

Nigel knew Stanley more than anyone else, and it most certainly did go the other way around. They’ve known the ins and outs of each other through the times they were bitter enemies to proud friends. They’ve been through just about everything! Were a few feelings seriously keeping Nigel from saying just a simple hi ?

It took Nigel much consideration and argumenting with himself, but he eventually came to a message he felt comfortable sending after more time than he would ever admit.

Nigel: Good evening, Stanley. I hope you are doing well. It’s been a few days since we’ve last talked and I will say life feels so mundane now that I’m back in Hampstead. I’ve spent most of my time so far writing. How are things back in Manchester? Is everything going smoothly? I hope they are. Well, again, I hope you are doing well and have a great night.

-Nigel

Nigel sighed as he sent it and laid his phone on the couch, only to get a text a second later from Stanley. He perked up and looked at it as quickly as he could.

Stanley: Oh my god, you’re so fancy. You know texting and emailing are two entirely separate things, right?

Nigel huffed out a laugh as he shook his head.

Nigel: No? Aren’t they both just communicating to others from far away through the use of an electronic?

-Nigel

Stanley: Well, yes, but email and texting are still very different. Emails are for more formal or business exchanges while texting is literally like if you were chatting with your friend.

Apparently Nigel didn’t know everything about the real world yet. He thought he was pretty far along with knowing most of what this world provided and all the new technology. It came as quite a shock to Nigel when he learned that the technology of the late twentieth century was pretty much long gone and forgotten, being replaced by much sleeker, and way less bulkier, pieces of technology that could handle multiple tasks. The amount of joy it brought him when Rhiannon showed him he could play music, write, and email people all in one device made her laugh to the point she was curling over and tease him for the next week.

Nigel thought he knew as much as he needed to about this digital world, but apparently not. He still had some learning to do, even five years later.

Nigel: Alright then. I believe I get what you’re saying. It does make sense to separate more formal conversations with informal ones. So, could you teach me how to properly ‘text’?

-Nigel

Stanley: Well, first off, do you see me signing every one of my messages? Look, it’s adorable you do it, but you do not need to. I can see who I’m texting.

Oh. Well that should’ve been obvious to Nigel

He felt a blush form on his cheeks in embarrassment as he looked over the message- though he could argue part of it was from Stanley saying something he did was adorable. 

Over the night, Stanley and Nigel went back and forth, Stanley teaching Nigel all there was to know about texting and Nigel going over how everything has been, how he missed Stanley, and how he hoped Stanley would visit soon. He felt his worry and tension over messaging Stanley melt away the further they spoke with each other. 

Eventually, Nigel had to say goodnight as he could feel his eyelids fighting him no matter how much he tried to keep them open. Stanley left him with the promise to show him what ‘face time’ was soon. He looked forward to it.

Nigel yawned as he sat up, looking around the dimly lit living room of his loft. He sighed as he began taking all the items he placed on the coffee table when he got home and organizing them. Out of one of his notebooks, a card slipped out and Nigel picked it up.

It was the business card James Oliver gave him.

He truly was interested in maybe giving an interview another go, he just didn’t know if he wanted to get back into it again so quickly. Though he was preparing to finish up his sequel soon, so it may do him some good to promote it.

Nigel sighed as he took the card, put away all of his other items, and dropped the card into the drawer of his nightstand before slipping into his sleepwear and dropping onto his bed. He could think more about it later.

Either way, he had more important things to think about. Or, in this case, dream.

Chapter Text

Laila sighed as she turned towards Jim, a clear frown on her face after everyone had explained what happened. Even though the middle-aged waitress was not very young to begin with, she looked a good twenty years older after hearing the entire story.

“So you’re telling me that I left for one second to check on something, and you all got trapped on the staircase, which Jim threw himself off of? ”

Everyone nervously smiled, except for Jason and Astrid. They both looked like they had seen a ghost. Which was quite amusing, especially on the “tough” Jason.

“Oh dear lord,” Laila sighed before Jason could snap back, “You never cease to give me a heart attack, Jim.”

“You never cease to give any of us a heart attack,” Delilah muttered, followed by a chorus of heads nodding. It was reasonable of everyone, seeing as what Jim did was completely and utterly foolish. 

Jim growled as he looked up at the ceiling, even though he knew the reasoning he was being given was entirely correct. Just who in their right mind thinks jumping off a staircase would be a bright idea right after they got trapped in it? Real clever , Jim.

“Ok now, boys, let's not fight right now after… whatever just happened. I think we all just need a minute to think,” Delilah butted in. However, as much as being called a boy was annoying, she had a point. 

‘I just want to know why the Narrator trapped us in the stairwell in the first place.’

Oh for goodness’ sake, of course that would be the first thing Jim would say, always trying to place the blame on someone else. Oh yes, let’s ask why I trapped you in a stairwell and not answer the question as to why you jumped off a bloody staircase to your death!

‘I wasn’t seeing any other way to get out there! Did you think we were going to stay there forever?’

No! Of course not, the story would not have progressed that way. The locking in was just a twist you were supposed to figure out how to get out of.

‘And I did.’

That wasn’t what I meant and you know it -

“Ok, that’s it,” Augustine sighed, rolling his eyes at the group, “You kids really need to take a moment, just as Delilah said.”

Augustine turned towards Jim, “Jim, what you did is incredibly stupid. Don’t do it again, and I will keep my eyes on you lest you try to do anything again,” he then turned towards the rest of the group, “Let’s not go to that ending for the next while. Everyone seems rather frazzled, so how about we head to a comforting ending, rest there for a while, and reset our minds?”

Everyone went silent before begrudgingly agreeing. While it hindered their time to look for a non-existent escape, they all very much needed to cool off.

As the entire group got up, gathered their bearings, and left, Augustine stayed behind, urging Jim to follow the group when he gave the old man a confused glance. 

The moment he was left alone he looked up at the ceiling, “You don’t have as much power as you let on.”

What?

“I can hear it in the way you speak. When we ask you why the story goes the way it does, I can hear the hesitation in your tone. You don’t have full control of the parable.”

Augustine rambled on with his absurd conclusion. For whatever reason, he thought he was someone who could see clearly through someone, when in all reality he was completely-

“Don’t you dare tell me I’m wrong,” Augustine responded curtly, “You are just as stuck as we are in here, maybe even more so. You’re just the one who allows anything to happen, but you don’t have control of what happens.”

…

“I think I can see the difference between things, Narrator. You don’t have total control of the parable because you aren’t the one who is in charge of its creation or what happens in its story. You can only control where the story goes and how you allow people to perceive it.”

So what do you mean?

Augustine narrowed his eyes, “You only have so much control as you are just a puppet of another thing, so you try to control what you can- your characters. But if what Jim did is any indication, it shows you truly have no control of what is to become of us.”

Make your point, Augustine.

“You’re a narrator. Stop acting like you’re the writer.”

“I will say, Nigel, this is my favorite part of your book. There is so much emotion in that last part and I can’t help but feel amused with how it turns out. It really feels like a turning point for this ‘Narrator’ character of yours,” Mr. Featherway said with a smile as he read through the last part of the chapter one more time. 

Nigel smiled as he shrugged, “Well, it needed to happen. The Narrator was trying to act like he was in control of the story when the narrator only has so much to do with the story. At the end of the day, the writer is in charge.”

“Very true, and you said it in such a wonderful way through this book. I felt quite a bit of annoyance towards the Narrator up to this point.”

“Then that means I wrote him correctly,” Nigel said with a smile.

The two went silent as they both went to read their books. It was a nice day and Nigel decided to stop by the book store when Mr. Feathe- Clarence - spotted him and began speaking to him. Nigel could tell Clarence was rather surprised that he had not brushed him away but instead had a proper conversation with him. 

“That you did. I really do like this Augustine character of yours, I think I relate to him the most.”

“It’s quite funny you say that, Clarence, since he is based on you.”

Nigel was responded with silence and he looked up to see Clarence staring at him with his mouth agape, “You have to be kidding.”

Nigel furrowed his brows as he shook his head, “No? You know there’s no such thing as me kidding. I take things very seriously.”

“Well, yes, I know that, but are you serious?”

“Clarence, did my previous statement just go over your head?”

That got a good laugh out of Clarence as he threw his head back on the backing of the chair he was sitting on- Clarence had a lot of very comfortable chairs nestled into a corner of his store to make a little reading nook, even Nigel couldn’t resist it.

“No, it did not. It’s just… you began writing this book when? Three or four years ago? At that time I was sure you could care less about me or possibly even hated me with how dismissive you were.”

Nigel grimaced, “Ah, well I will admit I was very… immature back then. But I can tell you Augustine is based on you. I didn’t know how to develop my characters back then as I only had Jim really fleshed out, so I did what I could do best.”

“And that is?”

“Observe.”

Clarence smiled as he turned back towards the book, flipping to one of the first few pages. Nigel didn’t doubt for a moment he was reading Augustine’s introduction.

“You know, if you think about it, you were sort of like a narrator yourself back then. You observed and told the stories of what you could find. But while I relate to Augustine and can see where you based him off me, I can see where you developed him to be his own character.”

Clarence’s smile widened, “You went from a narrator to a writer.”

Nigel went silent. While what Clarence said was very true, it was something he never really thought about or expected to hear. He used to have very minimal control over his life, though he did try to take what he could through the parable and Stanley. But, he didn’t really have a life until he found something he wanted to have other than some sort of control.

Maybe he should thank Stanley. If it weren’t for him, he wouldn’t have survived the real world in the first place and absolutely wouldn’t have become a writer.

Now, he could care less about the control he has over a story and more about what he just wants in life- his life.

“It seems like you’ve come to some sort of conclusion,” Clarence said with a nod.

Nigel nodded back. He should text Stanley, he hadn’t talked with him yet today. He went to rummage through his satchel when something fell out. He ignored it and kept looking for wherever he put his phone until Clarence spoke.
“Looks like you’re getting more interviews, hm?”

Oh .

The thing that had fallen out was the business card James Oliver gave him. That thing really couldn’t stay put, could it? Clarence was holding it and looking over it before handing it back to Nigel.

Nigel nodded as he took the card and he slipped it into a pocket he could zip up, “I’ve been deciding whether I should do it.”

“Why not? Is it whatever had happened with the last one?” Clarence said, “I heard from Rhiannon a while back the interview was canceled.”

Nigel shook his head, “It’s nothing about that. It just ended up being… messy. Anyways, I just wonder if interviewing is really my thing.”

“It can be,” Clarence shrugged, “I get it, not everyone digs being asked a ton of questions, but you seem to like talking about something when you’re passionate about it. If there’s anything to go off of the many times I see you rambling off about whatever with Rhiannon and Lauren, I think you’d be the greatest person to be interviewed.”

Nigel snorted as he rolled his eyes, “You really think so?”

Clarence shrugged, “I can’t say for sure since this is the first full conversation I’ve had with you, but I’m pretty certain.”

With a nod, Nigel finally gave in, “Very well, I’ll call him as soon as I get back home.”

Clarence hummed happily, flipping the page in his book. His lips curved slightly upwards as he seemed quite satisfied with Nigel’s answer. 

Nigel pursed his lips before closing his book, “Just how are you so sure about what you want in life, Clarence? You give such simple answers to problems that seem so big and you just seem to… get along with life.”

Clarence chuckled as he closed his book as well, placing it on the coffee table beside his chair as he turned towards Nigel, “Well… it didn’t just happen overnight. Or it could’ve, I’m not really sure. It was forever ago. But I guess being in the army has taught me to have a new appreciation for the life I get to live.”

“You were in the army?”

Clarence nodded, a distant look in his eyes as he obviously reflected over his past days, “I was… I joined when I was 15, pretended I was a year or two older so they wouldn’t turn me away. I didn’t really live in the greatest household growing up. My father, he… he was just a troubled man. It was just the two of us for as long as I can remember. There was a point where it just became too much to bear and I had to go. The army provided me with food and shelter and I made sure to make my place there. I made friends, lost some, and eventually left after… I think it was a decade?”

Clarence sighed, shaking his head, “Death is a horrifying thing, Nigel. It does things to a person to see it. I don’t think I could ever be the same after what I saw, but I’ve tried to make the most of it.”

It felt as if the entire book store went quiet as Nigel felt a chill in his blood. Clarence was stuck in a situation he couldn’t control until he found his escape. He experienced the death of those he called friends. He very much had no easy life. 

Nigel sighed as he realized what Clarence probably felt- alone, scared, a want for a freedom he felt like he could never have.

Maybe the two of them were more similar than Nigel thought. The only difference was Nigel was usually the cause for his friend’s past deaths. That and the fact he has never experienced permanent death.

“How do you go on? It obviously hasn’t been very easy for you.”

Clarence shrugged, “At first, you think you can’t. You think you’ve hit rock bottom and that you’ve seen every horror the world has to share before it will swallow you up. But you keep going- because if you don’t, who will keep their memory alive?”

Their memory. What an interesting thing- to live by the memory of another. A memory is just an image in the mind, a little piece of remembrance of what had been. A memory is just, well, a memory . But it was also so much more than Nigel had originally anticipated. It can bring sadness, but it could also bring so much more.

It was something that took Nigel so long to become used to. He was not someone who had previously been aware of loss. He had hated it.

But isn’t that why he wrote his book?

Nigel slumped in his chair as he looked up at the ceiling, “You are something else, Clarence. You know that?”

“I am just an old man,” Clarence chuckled, “I can’t do as much as when I was a young chap, so I make the best of it.”

When Nigel didn’t respond, seeming to be too lost in his thoughts, Clarence continued, “So, what brings you here anyways? I’ve never spoken to you for more than five minutes, so this is certainly something new.”

Nigel smiled, glad for the distraction. He needed a moment after the many complicated thoughts Clarence had put in his head, “Lauren kicked me out of the shop. She said I need to stop being a creep and make friends with people my age.”

Clarence guffawed at that, shaking his head, “Oh, that girl. Painfully blunt, isn’t she?”

“You have no idea.”

~

Nigel sighed as he shrugged off his coat. It was early in the afternoon when he got back to his flat, a few hours earlier than usual. Since Lauren had kicked him out of the coffee shop to go socialize and stop being a hermit, his social battery had ran out way faster.

So here he was.

Maybe he could make a nice dinner tonight. He hadn’t cooked since Manchester and usually just warmed up some pastries he got from the coffee shop for dinner. But, he was feeling a little fancy tonight. He had the time, so why not treat himself a little?

So there Nigel found himself as the sound of jazz resounded through his flat, the melodies of each song intertwining with the sound of him rhythmically chopping vegetables and ingredients sizzling as they cooked in the pan.

He hummed happily to himself as he swayed to the beat. He had prepared dinner remarkably fast and was only disturbed from his rhythm when he realized he was setting two plates with food down.

Nigel laughed. Looks like he was still in the habit of preparing food for two. He also knew Stanley would’ve loved this meal. The few times he did prepare it while at Stanley’s left him satisfied each time while Stanley ate his meal as if he had been starved for days.

Nigel shook his head, taking out his phone to take a picture before quickly typing on his phone.

Nigel:  I made your favorite tonight. I guess I thought I was making some for you too. Haha.

Nigel sent the photo with his text and Stanley took no time to respond with a drooling emoji and whining about how he had been starving since Nigel left. Apparently, Nigel had spoiled him.

Nigel laughed as he put his phone away and put the second meal into a tupperware box to have for tomorrow at lunch. He sat down for dinner and ate as he pulled out the business card that had been resting in his satchel since the bookstore. He hesitated as he looked at the number before pulling out his phone once more and dialing it up.

“Hello, this is James Oliver from the London Publishers. Who may this be?”

Nigel swallowed hard before taking a deep breath, “Hello Mr. Oliver, this is Nigel. I have thought over our conversation the other day and… I am open to being interviewed about my book.”

The conversation lasted a good five minutes before James hung up, leaving Nigel in the sudden silence of his flat. Looks like his jazz playlist had finished. He took a bite of his food and chewed on it for a good minute before swallowing. Why did he feel like he had made a bad choice?

Chapter Text

To say Stanley’s day off was nothing short of a blessing was an under exaggeration. Stanley had not really improved much over the past few weeks when Nigel had left. He found himself talking less and less to Nancy and Tom each day and, while the other coworkers were nice, he just didn’t have the same bond with them. The apartment’s silence wasn’t doing him much good either. For someone who previously reveled in the quietness of the place, he found himself missing sound once more. He hadn’t been this bad since four years ago.

It got to the point where Stanley would slug through each work day; he would edit what articles he could, send out the articles he finished, answer questions for the new interns, and get home as soon as he was done. How did he ever love such a monotonous schedule? He couldn’t find himself really enjoying it much now.

It wasn’t like he was sad or anything, he was just bored and felt unlively. Yet it was hard sometimes not to just burst into tears right then and there when his coworkers asked if he was alright.

Just what had happened to him?

Stanley had really needed this off day. He needed to be away from his workplace, he needed to be away from people, and he just needed to take a moment.

Which was why he groaned and nearly just ignored the door when someone knocked on it somewhere around lunch time. He got up from the couch and turned off the tv, it was playing some melodrama he wasn’t really paying attention to, he just needed some noise to fill the space.

When Stanley went to answer the door, he was expecting to find a salesman or someone who was on the wrong floor, not Nancy, who was holding a plate of cookies.

“You’re not doing so well,” Nancy said as a statement rather than a question. Well, it wasn’t like Stanley was really hiding it much, and he couldn’t really deny it. He nodded as he stepped to the side to let Nancy in. She set the cookies on the side table and took her coat off, hanging it on the coat hanger right next to Stanley.

“Tom wished to come, but he had an emergency. Either way, I would’ve told him not to. I think it’s better just you and I talk. I know how pushy he can be.”

Stanley simply nodded as he joined Nancy to sit on the couch, raising his hands to sign if Nancy wanted any tea, but she instead took them and held them tightly, “I’m really sorry. You have been going through a lot recently and Tom and I have not been there for you because we were “too busy” having our stupid honeymoon phase. We just completely left you and… I just feel awful .”

Stanley tried to free his hands, but Nancy held firm, “And before you say it’s fine, because I know you, it’s not. Tom and I were talking the other day and… we were a little jealous of Nigel because he got all your attention. But then he left and we were just… Stan, honey, we missed you, but… we’re part of the blame.”

Stanley tried to smile, but he felt too emotionally tired to keep it up before he dropped it. Nancy frowned as she let go of Stanley’s hands, grabbing a cookie off the platter and taking a small bite out of it.

“I can see that… you’ve not been doing well lately and I just wanted to talk. I know Tom and I left you, but this,” Nancy gestured towards Stanley, “started the same time Nigel left. Did something happen?”

Stanley sighed, slumping in his seat as he took a cookie himself, ‘I don’t really know. Nothing happened . If anything, what is bothering me is that it feels like something did not happen.’

“Something did not… happen?”

Stanley shrugged, ‘It’s just, when I was with Nigel, it was great and everything to know my old friend was alive and well, but things are so different now. I just felt like something was missing between us. I sort of miss how we were back then.’

“Why?” Nancy said after swallowing another bite of her cookie, “Last I remember, when you two talked about… back then , it didn’t seem like the greatest of experiences.”

‘It wasn’t, but there were still good moments. Those moments got us to connect and… while it may not have been the greatest place, it still shaped what our relationship was. I feel like we’ve lost a bit of that over the years.’

Shifting around on his seat, Stanley brought his knees up to his chest, ‘Nigel and I used to be… stubborn. Well, I was more the stubborn one, and Nigel would get snippy with me to get on task and it was fun. We’d go and explore all these places, I would listen to his stories- even though I wasn’t always the best listener- and that was just… life.’

Stanley smiled, a fond glint in his eyes as he signed. Though, when he turned to Nancy, his smile dropped, ‘Now, we’re sort of just strangers. We got… somewhere , over the month he was here. But there’s no more of that snippyness and I can’t find myself being as stubborn. It’s more like a tense politeness between the two of us. We didn’t even argue once, Nancy. Back then, we argued every other minute!’

Stanley ran a nervous hand through his hair, ‘I just… did I do something wrong? I was so scared I would do something wrong or would offend him that he would just walk right out of my life again.’

The room went silent for a few moments, Stanley thought he had made a mistake saying too much to Nancy until she spoke up, “I think you’re overthinking it a bit, which is natural in this sort of situation.”

Stanley looked up to see Nancy smiling at him, laying a hand on his shoulder, “Of course things will be different, it’s been years since you’ve last seen each other and you both have changed. But you also just met each other again. I can assure you Nigel is probably terrified of making a wrong move too.”

Nancy shrugged, “If you want to try and get back to that relationship you had with him, you’ll just need to give it time and hang out with him more, form that bond you once had. It may not be the same, but you could create something entirely new as well that you might enjoy.”

Stanley paused before he nervously signed, ‘You think?’

Nancy shrugged, “Well, yes. But I can’t say anything is for sure. You won’t know unless you try, right?”

Well, Nancy did have a point. Stanley wasn’t dissatisfied with Nigel, he was more just yearning for what had been missing between the both of them. They were just a bit awkward because they hadn’t seen each other in over five years. Maybe they could return to a state of normalcy, they would just have to work for it.

Nancy let out a relieved sigh, “You look much better. Looks like what I said was actually right. I’m not as good with all this emotional, philosophical stuff, you know. There’s a reason I focus on cheesy romance for my articles.”

Stanley scoffed, ‘Says the woman who has written the only romance book to make me cry.’

“You read one of my books?” Nancy said, turning towards him with a wide grin, “And it made you cry ?”

Stanley hid his smile by taking a bite out of his cookie, ‘Don’t flatter yourself.’

“You just said it yourself!”

Stanley laughed as Nancy hit him with the pillow that was resting on his couch, Nancy finally letting off once he fully admitted to crying. He sighed as they both settled back down on the couch.

“Thank you, Nancy.”

The room went silent as the two of them rested on the couch. After a few minutes, Nancy quietly spoke, “That’s the first time you’ve ever spoken to me.”

Stanley grinned, “Well, it won’t be the last. Also, don’t tell Tom. He’ll get jealous if he finds out I spoke to you before him.”

Nancy laughed, “Yes sir! I’ll take this to my grave.”

For the first time in the past few weeks, Stanley felt at ease.

~

Stanley paced his room while staring at his phone. He had tried to text Nigel when Nancy left after he had her to stay for a cup of tea, but it had been hours and he hadn’t even sent a single message.

Stanley knew what to do. Just send the message. It was only a few words. It wasn’t complicated. The worst he could say is no. But what if it was worse? What if he got there and it just all ended up falling apart, and it would all be his fault?

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Stanley sat on the chair and rested back on his kitchen island as he glared at the phone. Nancy was right, he was overthinking this. It was so simple. And if Stanley knew Nigel, he knew he would say yes. 

He let himself rest on the chair for another five minutes, counting off the clock on his microwave before standing up and grabbing his phone, trying to muster up as much courage as he could as he typed out his text and sent it before he could think twice.

Stanley: Hey, I have some vacation weeks I need to use soon, and I was wondering if I could come down to Hampstead.

There, it was done. He had sent it and there was no way of taking it back. The rest of what happened was now in the hands of Nigel, though he probably wouldn’t text soon, he was probably busy, maybe that would buy Stanley some time to think-

Nigel: Hello Stanley! Well that sounds like a wonderful idea. I’m actually glad you brought it up because I was hoping to invite you sometime, but never knew how to breach the topic. When do you plan on coming?

Oh.

Well, that was quick. Maybe it was for the better since Stanley would’ve started to overthink again if Nigel had not responded right away like he did. But now Stanley had to think more for a second text right now! Just when was he planning to go? This had all been a last second plan he created in his head.

Stanley: Oh, well I was thinking of coming by next week. I know it’s short notice, I apologize. I’ll be looking at hotels tonight to see if I can find anything. I’ll let you know if anything changes.

Right on cue, Nigel responded after just a few seconds.

Nigel: Nonsense. You let me stay at your place, it’s only natural I let you stay at mine! And I do have a guest room, so we can both sleep on a bed this time. Please, I want you here. Don’t stress about hotels.

Well, if Stanley had any worries before, they had completely vanished now as a wide grin spread across his face. I want you here . He wanted him there. Nigel wanted to try as much as he did to repair this relationship. Things would go back to normal. Everything would feel right again!

Nigel wanted him there. 

Stanley frantically typed on his phone, trying to send the message that it was settled then as fast as he could. He spent the rest of the day planning everything out with Nigel, and spent the night just talking about what was going on, though Nigel talked more than Stanley did. It wasn’t like he had much to talk about with how things had been since Nigel left.

It didn’t matter though, everything was right with the world. Nancy and Tom would start talking with Stanley again, Stanley would get to see Nigel and return their relationship back to normal, and nothing could change how utterly happy Stanley was. At this point, nothing could go wrong that would change how happy he was.

While he had never liked attention out in the real world, a part of being in a plane with mainly only one other person looking over him, he was still human. He needed relationships to survive. He almost craved going out of his comfort zone just to get some sense of attention. Though none of it really compared to the attention Nigel had given him when he was the Narrator. While Stanley may have been slightly creeped out by it in the parable, there was no denying the fact that he sort of missed it.

Stanley was needy, he wouldn’t deny it. But if tonight was anything to go by, his needs were being met and he may as well be the happiest man alive. Others may have found it strange how obsessed he was to repair what he had with Nigel, but his and Nigel’s friendship went to a new level others could not understand. They weren’t just friends, they were the greatest of friends who nearly knew everything about each other.

Or, had.

But that would change! Next week, Stanley would be in Hampstead and they would go on about their friendship! Everything would be normal! 

As Stanley begrudgingly said goodbye to Nigel as it was very late, he slipped into some comfortable clothes and went to bed, falling asleep quite quickly. That night he dreamed constantly of the parable, of Nigel. Every single thing he dreamt of brought a smile to his face, even the Countdown ending, because Nigel was there.

~

If there is one thing that Stanley knows, the parable was almost like a social experiment. Though, he didn’t really know who ran it, because it certainly wasn’t Nigel. That was the funny thing about how everything began. Nigel as the Narrator would try to stick to the script, though the further they had gone, the more it felt like he was stuck by the script. Stanley had no script, he had absolute freedom to react however he wanted towards it.

He could listen, he could not listen, he could do nothing, or he could even take his own approach.

If the Zending was anything to go by, Nigel certainly had some restraints with how he acted towards Stanley. While there were many sad parts of the parable, nothing could really compare to that one. The way Nigel finally gave in to Stanley deviating from the script and joined him, trying to find a place where they could just be happy.

Stanley had originally thought he was trapping him there, but after many years, he realized Nigel was only wanting freedom from the thing that kept him as a puppet on strings, the story.

Nigel had wanted to be free from it, join Stanley in his quest to not make everything about their life a preplanned script. Yet, when Stanley was presented with the opportunity to finally end the story once and for all, he instead found himself yearning for the story. Maybe he was just far too gone. Well, he did go to great lengths just to continue.

He had only ever done the ending once, and never went back to it after the way he hurt Nigel. The way he rejected to free the both of them from the hold the script had on them, the way he just kept. On. Falling. The part that really hurt the most though was the final words Stanley had heard Nigel say.

“I’m going back.”

Nigel knew. He knew he was going to return to the story, that Stanley wouldn’t come back. He knew that they would never have that same sense of short-lived peace as long as they were in the parable. He knew he would have to return to being cruel and merciless to Stanley. Because Stanley would instead continue the story- getting constantly hurt and blown up - over them having no more scripts.

Nigel would always remember, but Stanley had made his intentions very clear.

Stanley couldn’t help but feel like the most horrible person to ever exist whenever he thought about it.

Which is probably why he was doubting himself as he stood before his half packed suitcase. Was it really a good idea to try and get back what he and Nigel had?

It was enjoyable and great towards the end, sure. But what if he was a bad friend to Nigel? What if he did something similar- certainly not something as insane - to Nigel as he did in the Zending? 

It was an understatement to say Stanley was quite frankly terrified of how the two would end up, even though just a few days prior everything felt like it had fallen in place.

It was the day before he had to leave and Tom and Nancy had stopped by to have lunch with him and chat. The two had begun talking frequently with him again, and Stanely had to constantly assure them they were alright and didn’t need to apologize anymore. He understood that love was complicated and sometimes just messed with things, not that he was saying it was bad . He just didn’t entirely get it, or more just he never knew if he would ever love somebody the way Tom and Nancy do each other. 

It was during their lunch when Stanley began to think about what would happen during his trip. And, of course, his mind decided to focus on the worst of things that could happen. Tom and Nancy must’ve noticed something must’ve been irking him because they began to help him choose some clothes to pack. While they misunderstood what Stanley was worried about, he was still very thankful for it and it helped him ease his mind just for a bit.

Stanley rummaged through the mess of clothes and toiletries scattered around his bed as he tried to figure out what else to pack. It was two weeks, and he had enough choices to be safe during that time, but he needed to make sure that all the choices he had would match and look nice. Dress to impress, right?

He was overthinking again. More so than usual. Just what had gotten into him? Nigel is supposed to be his friend. While things were still developing, it was clear that around the time Nigel had left Manchester that they were pretty casual with each other.

Stanley sighed as he shoved a few of his more casual clothes into his suitcase, and two of his nicer shirts because he couldn’t help himself.

It was when he was nearing the end of packing his suitcase that his phone rang out.

Nigel: You like mochas right?

Stanley smiled the moment he saw it was Nigel who had texted him, he dropped his bag of toiletries on the bed and picked up his phone to reply.

Stanley: I do. I like any coffee that’s not overwhelmingly bitter. Why?

Nigel: Just checking. How about tea? I know you like English Breakfast, but do you perhaps like white tea? Herbal? And what about snacks?

Stanley: Nigel, are you seriously trying to cater to me?

It took a moment before Nigel responded.

Nigel: I was not being as discreet as I had hoped for.

Stanley: Nigel

Nigel: Stanley.

Stanley: You do not have to get me anything, I will be alright. I’m not a picky eater.

Nigel: I know, yet it still is surprising to me seeing how stubborn you can be. But are you entirely sure you don’t want anything?

Stanley chuckled. This was what he wanted, this playful banter between the two of them. Nigel making remarks towards Stanley more out of care than being mean. It was nice, and it made Stanley feel a flutter in his chest.

Yeah, this was the feeling he was chasing after.

Stanley: I am sure.

Nigel: Fine. How is packing?

Stanley: How else would it be? Boring.

Nigel: Do you have a list? Make sure you have everything you need.

Stanley snorted as he sent back a remark on how Nigel was trying too hard to mother him, in which Nigel tried to fight back. The bickering went back and forth before Nigel finally told Stanley he needs to continue packing if he wants a full night of rest. Stanley huffed, but he got off his phone and did as he was told. 

He made sure he had everything, including a few snacks Nancy had dropped off in his backpack for him to have while he was on the bus tomorrow. Goodness, where would he be without her? He really needed to do something nice for her in return.

Zipping up his suitcase and backpack, Stanley set them by the front door. It was still a few hours before it would be night; did Nigel really think he was going to pack that slow? So, he spent the rest of his day watching a movie on the television while he texted with Tom. It was a pretty uneventful night, but it thankfully rid his mind of its previous doubts.

As he went to bed, he tried to swear to himself that everything would be alright from now on. While he was trying to go back to what they had been, the freedoms they now had would allow them to expand upon their friendship and form a new bond, something Stanley had been yearning for more than he had let on. He just knew that he needed to be beside Nigel as soon as possible.

Maybe that was why Stanley’s previous worries vanished so quickly as he fell asleep with a smile, knowing tomorrow was the beginning of an entirely new life.

Chapter Text

“I will say, Mr. Salt, you have been one of my easier interviews I’ve conducted. You’re so open with all of your thoughts and the amount of detail you explain everything is just… impressive, really. I will say this article will very certainly be a hit among our readers.”

Nigel let out a relieved sigh the moment James said that. While he had done an interview before- well, sort of- James conducted interviews very differently from how Stanley did. Well, it most likely made sense as James had done a multitude of interviews while Nigel was Stanley’s first.

The thing that really scared Nigel was how the interview would only be one meetup, spanning for only a few hours. Nigel loved the freedom of how much time Stanley had given him, but only a few hours meant he really had to try to cut back on going into such detail before he ran out of time for each question.

It didn’t help that when Nigel was nervous, he talked. So he was sort of stuck and still pretty much word-vomited throughout the entire interview.

And yet, James said it was an easier interview and he even loved how detailed he was.

It almost felt like a weight had been lifted off Nigel’s shoulders. While James certainly could be lying, he seemed to be very straightforward and clear with his thoughts. He was serious and to the point, so Nigel trusted him.

James closed his notebook and gathered all his items quickly with ease. That was how everything about James seemed. Everything seemed to come naturally to him and he would do the task almost robotically, like he was always calculating. It was very interesting to watch.

“I have to apologize for being so frantic to get this interview done. I had heard word of you having another interview with someone else and didn’t want them to get to it first. It’s a brutal world in journalism.”

Another interview? Nigel hadn’t accepted any other interview except for- oh.

“Ah, no, you possibly misheard something,” Nigel said with a laugh as he stood up and took James’s hand, giving it a firm shake, “You see, I had accepted an interview a few months back, but we had canceled it midway.”

That seemed to grab James’s attention as the usual calculating look in his eyes disappeared for a moment, replaced by curiosity, “Canceled? Why is that?”

Nigel grimaced as he realized he had pretty much set himself up to tell the same story for what felt like the hundredth time in the past few months, “Ah, it’s quite the story, you see. The interviewer ended up being an old friend of mine who I… lost communication with a long time ago. I actually based the story off of him, so it’s very funny how we found each other again.”

James’s look seemed to change once more. It was calculating again, but there was also something else in there Nigel could not figure out. He was probably overthinking it.

“Very funny indeed. Though, it seems you still could have continued the interview afterwards, why did you not?”

Nigel nervously laughed, he certainly was not going to tell James about his little crush on Stanley, “Just… personal reasons. You know, things can get messy.”

“Hm,” James hummed, his brows furrowing as he seemed to try and figure something out, “You know, Mr. Salt, I was planning on staying in Camden for the rest of the day. It’s been a while since I’ve been in this area and there’s a few places I wish to visit. Would you perchance be willing to join me for a few drinks tonight?”

Nigel gave a sheepish smile to James as he shook his head, “I’m sorry, Mr. Oliver, I would love to but I am quite busy tonight. The very friend I was just speaking of is actually coming into town tonight and I want to make sure he has a warm welcome.”

James nodded, though that strange expression never left, “I see, well perhaps I could meet with you another time. Best I be off now, but thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to allow me to interview you, Mr. Salt. I’d say this interview has been very… informative, no doubt.”

Nigel nodded as he gathered all of his own stuff, he definitely had a lot to prepare before tonight. Stanley was already on the bus heading straight to Hampstead and it would only be another few hours before he got here. He shook James’s hand once more once he was ready to go, the two saying quick goodbyes before both leaving the cafe they had settled on interviewing at. It wasn’t Rhiannon's, sadly, but it was closer to James’s workplace, so it was overall better for him to quickly get back to work.

“Oh, and one more thing, Mr. Salt,” James said right before the two men went their own ways, “What is your friend like? He must be very special to inspire a book such as yours.”

Nigel laughed, he certainly was very special, that was for sure. Nigel couldn’t really go into detail or else he would’ve made no sense, yet that didn’t make the words that came out of his any less natural, “He’s quite the lovely man- stubborn, but endearing. I’d say he was born to be the protagonist of his own story.”

James nodded, a small smile gracing his lips, “Well then, no wonder he inspired a book to be written, hm? Well, I’ll best be off, do enjoy your night with your friend, Mr. Salt.”

“Thank you, I’ll be sure to. Take care, Mr. Oliver.”

Nigel didn’t spend much more time before he was off, quickly heading back to Hampstead. He was so giddy he may as well have skipped all the way back. Afterall, Stanley would be here tonight! He had a lot to do.

~

“Oh, Nigel! There you are!” Rhiannon said as Nigel walked into the cafe, taking in the signature scent of dark roasts and fresh pastries with delight, that other cafe was way too… unhomely for his taste. 

“I was hoping I’d at least see you once before tonight. I know you’re busy preparing, but I made a batch of strawberry muffins for you and your guest!” Rhiannon pulled a basket of strawberry muffins set on the side of the table and pushed them right into Nigel’s arms, the warmth and aroma of the baked goods surrounding Nigel as he took them.

“Oh, thank you Rhiannon, you did not have to do that-”

“Nonsense! I bet you two will be busy all of these next two weeks doing everything couples do, you’ll need something quick and easy to eat. Please, take them.”

Nigel relented, although he certainly wasn’t really putting up much of a fight in the first place, “Fine, thank you so much, Rhiannon. And we aren’t a couple.”

Rhiannon giggled as she crossed her arms, “Not yet . Come on, are you saying you’re not going to make any moves while he is here? He’s practically given you an opening!”

Nigel huffed, even though Rhiannon was very much right, as she usually was. When Stanley had brought up the very suggestion of coming to Hampstead, something that Nigel had been wanting to ask the moment he got back home, Nigel could not have said yes quicker. The man thought that being separated from Stanley would at least let his crush on him die down and lay dormant for a bit. He could not have been more wrong. 

From the moment Nigel went to bed after their conversation to now, Nigel had been trying to come up with a full strategy on how to win over Stanley.

Nothing seemed to stick and it was frustrating Nigel.

“Fine, I do plan on trying a few things, but that does not ensure we’ll be a couple within two weeks. You know this sort of stuff can take time, Rhiannon.”

“I also know that time can vary for everyone. Who knows? You may have a boyfriend by the end of the week.”

Nigel huffed, but he didn’t add any retorts, so Rhiannon wrapped the muffins in the cloth that lined the basket, “Well, you probably have a lot to do before tonight. Go before Lauren get back from her break or you’ll never hear the end of it from her.”

With a chuckle, Nigel quickly headed for the door, he certainly did not need the girl to be making fun of him right now, “Alright, I’ll get going, do tell Lauren I said hi though.”

Nigel made a quick exit and found himself home within only a few minutes. He dropped the basket of muffins on his kitchen island and dusted his hands off as he looked around the living room. Time to clean.

~

“Stanley! Stanley! Over here!” Nigel exclaimed, all of his thoughts of how cold the night was instantly disappearing the moment the bus arrived at its stop and he spotted Stanley exiting the vehicle. 

Stanley looked up and grinned when he made eye contact with Nigel, dragging his suitcase behind him as he ran over to Nigel. He paused with his arms outstretched when he was only a foot or two away from Nigel, looking a little indecisive.

Oh, right. It was still a little awkward between them.

Well, Nigel would make sure that would change as he stepped forward with an amused huff and took Stanley into a tight hug, “How was your trip? I hope it was comfortable.”

Stanley nodded the moment Nigel separated, grabbing the handle of his suitcase once more. He was shivering a bit while trying to get adjusted to the cold.

“Oh goodness, let’s get walking. My place isn’t that far. Sorry, I should’ve warned you about the temperature.”

Stanley laughed as he shrugged, trying to make it seem like he was alright, which certainly wasn’t the case with how much he was shivering. Nigel sighed as he took off his red scarf, pausing their walk to wrap it around Stanley and tie it so it rested snugly around his neck, “There, is it too tight?”

Nigel waited for an answer as he readjusted the scarf just a bit, but when he was returned with none, he looked up to find Stanley staring right at him. His eyes were slightly wide and his cheeks were tinted a slight red, most likely from the cold.

Nigel gasped and took a step back, clearing his throat to try and ease the awkward tension that just befell the two, “Ah, sorry… habit.”

Stanley stared for another moment before he smiled and began playing with the end of the scarf, nuzzling against the fabric that was against his face for warmth, ‘Thank you.’

Nigel turned away, trying to hide the embarrassed expression on his face, “Of course… Well, I hope you don’t mind that we’ll only be at my place for a short while before we have to go out again. You like sushi, right?”

When Nigel turned back to allow his gaze to meet Stanley’s, Stanley was widely smiling, “Oh, you don’t even know. I could eat sushi for the rest of my life if I could.”

That got the both of them to laugh, Nigel’s posture relaxing a little as he walked in more casual strides, “Well that’s good to hear. It’s nice to see you, by the way. Has work been treating you well?”

Stanley shrugged, “Meh, sort of. It’s just the same old, same old. It’s just been a bit… tiring lately, I certainly needed this vacation.”

Nigel nodded, “I get it. My days have been pretty repetitive as of late so having you here is very much refreshing.”

Stanley grinned, “Refreshing? Me? I never thought I’d ever hear you say that.”

Nigel laughed, “Hey! I know we don’t always get along, but that’s just a part of who we are, right?”

Stanley couldn’t argue against that, not that it seemed the man disagreed one bit. The two chatted away through their short walk back to Nigel’s house and continued talking after Stanley set all of his stuff in the guest room, Nigel making two cups of tea and warming up some of Rhiannon’s muffins as a quick treat, which Stanley practically ravished. 

Before the two went to leave for dinner once more, Stanley left to go change into some warmer clothes to fight the cold, he came back only a few minutes later with Nigel’s red scarf still tied around his neck, “Do you want this back? It’s just really soft and comfy.”

Nigel laughed, “Keep it. I know you probably did not prepare for the cold.”

Stanley huffed, but he had a smile spread across his face as he adjusted the scarf to cover more of it. Nigel knew he was most likely not going to get that scarf back even if he hadn’t told Stanley to keep it.

Dinner was an interesting excursion for Nigel, who had never had sushi or any Japanese cuisine before. Stanley had to guide him through most of it, telling Nigel how his coworkers always went to this one sushi place every other weekend. 

Stanley had tried to teach Nigel how to use chopsticks, which only led to Nigel dropping one of his sushi into the soy sauce and Stanley spitting out his drink as he cackled, earning a few stares from the nearby people.

The two could care less with how much they were laughing.

When the two were nearly finished with dinner, Nigel was ranting about a few ideas for different book series he had in mind to write after he finished the sequel to ‘Stuck in the Parable.’ Stanley listened eagerly, his attention never wavering except for one point where the both of them heard a loud click. 

Stanley looked around for a moment with a confused expression on his face, ‘What was that? Did you just hear a clicking noise?’

Nigel nodded, looking around as well, though he didn’t see anything. All of the customers near them were looking around too, which solidified that Stanley and Nigel weren’t hearing things.

After a moment, Nigel shrugged, “It was probably nothing.”

‘Yeah, most likely. Anyways, do you want to try chopsticks again?’

Nigel could not have refused any quicker, which got a good chuckle out of Stanley.

At the end of the night, Nigel and Stanley left the restaurant to head back home. Nigel made another few cups of tea to warm them up as they talked while watching a movie before retiring to bed near midnight.

“Oh, Stanley?” Nigel said before heading into his room, to which Stanley turned towards him, “I’m… really glad you’re here. Please tell me if you need anything and… good night.”

Stanley laughed and said goodnight as well as he closed the door behind him, leaving Nigel to head into his room. If the man could have jumped out of joy, he would.

Stanley was here! He was at his home in the city where he had lived the past five years! Nigel could show Stanley everything of what he has learned and experienced after the parable and they could connect! 

Nigel got ready for bed as quick as he could before laying in bed, impatient to get to sleep so the next day would come as quick as possible. Though, when Nigel tried to close his eyes and go to sleep, he found himself awake. There were several thoughts crossing his mind, thoughts of the parable, of Stanley- of course- of plans on how to flirt with Stanley. However, there was one thought that seemed to stick out from the rest, and it was from his interview today, or more precisely, after his interview.

James seemed so interested when Nigel mentioned how his previous interview went and his relation with Stanley. It should’ve seemed a little odd to Nigel at the moment, but he was too nervous from the interview to even really notice at the moment. 

Was it really odd, or was Nigel overthinking it?

James did seem like a man who was overall talkative, and he certainly was very social, he was probably just trying to make short talk with Nigel and stall going back to work. Afterall, Nigel didn’t really know what a normal interaction with James was seeing that all of their interactions had mostly been business. Maybe that’s why he seemed so weird? Was that how James normally acted when not acting all professional?

Nigel was probably overthinking it, which he did way too much. He most likely would never talk to James again, even if they both said they would. But that was more out of polite courtesy.

Nigel shoved it to the back of his mind as he nestled into his blankets, he had more important things to think about.

Like, how was he going to get Stanley to feel the same way Nigel does towards him?

Chapter Text

“So, you’re Stanley. You’ve made this year quite eventful, may I say. It’s almost been as crazy as when Nigel first stepped in here.” Nigel nervously smiled as he looked between Rhiannon and Stanley, who were both staring at each other as if they were having their own silent conversation. It was a bit creepy.

Stanley nodded his head after a beat of silence, letting out a quiet chuckle, ‘Sorry, I tend to cause trouble wherever I go. I hope I haven’t caused you too much stress.’

Rhiannon laughed in response, “If you think you’ve caused me any stress, then you do not know what a handful Nigel is,” Nigel let out an offended scoff, “There’s just been a lot of talk of Nigel’s mysterious old friend. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to meet you.”

Stanley smiled, looking quite relieved that he wasn’t in any trouble. He had been pretty tense when Nigel said they were going to the coffee shop. It left Nigel slightly confused since Rhiannon certainly wasn’t someone to worry about unless you really messed up.

“So you’re the one that left Nigel in the dark after you figured out who he was.”

Ah, but then again, Nigel had forgotten about Lauren. He should’ve known to prepare Stanley for the strange yet surprisingly kind Lauren.

Lauren scrutinized Stanley with crossed arms as she looked him up and down. Stanley seemed to shrink under Lauren’s gaze slightly, looking as if he wanted to hide behind Nigel to avoid the slightly frightening girl.

After a moment of what seemed to be some very serious thinking, Lauren shrugged, “Alright, I like you, welcome to the coffee shop.”

Stanley turned to Nigel with a confused expression, but Nigel simply shrugged. This was not unusual behavior from Lauren. He’d learn quickly that this was just how Lauren was.

“Anyways,” Rhiannon said to clear the awkward silence from the shop, “I know your order obviously. Stanley, Nigel said you like mochas?”

Nigel looked away as Stanley glared at him. Stanley was smiling though as he gave Nigel the “annoyed” look, so Nigel knew he wasn’t in trouble. No matter how much Stanley said Nigel would not cater to him, he would listen. He was his guest after all! How could Nigel just stand by and not spoil- ahem, cater - to Stanley?

Stanley nodded with a sigh once the silent interaction went on for a little longer than needed, and Rhiannon brought over an already recently prepared mocha along with Nigel’s order. She let out a sheepish chuckle once she presented the items, “I seriously was not kidding when I said I was excited to meet you.”

Stanley laughed as he took the mocha that Rhiannon graciously offered him, signing a quick thanks as Rhiannon smiled proudly at herself, “Would you like any pastries, dear?”

Stanley shook his head, ‘Nigel already made breakfast this morning, but thank you. I’ll definitely try some when I get the chance.’

“Of course he did, the man loves to cook like nothing else. I tried to hire him a few years back to help bake, but he was so busy writing that book of his. Though you’re in for a treat, Nigel was shopping the other day and I swear he got the ingredients for all his best recipes.”

“Rhiannon!” The shop bursted into laughter as Nigel's cheeks tinted slightly pink. He huffed and rolled his eyes, “Well, Stanley and I have quite an eventful day ahead of us and we should probably get going now.”

Both girls seemed to deflate, “Aw, you’re leaving already? But I just got to finally meet Stanley! I want to share all your secrets with him.”

Lauren snickered as Nigel glared at her, “You will not . And yes, we are leaving. I have set a few things up today to introduce Stanley to Hampstead. If you want, we’ll come by later.”

The girls seemed satisfied with that answer, so Rhiannon handed Stanley a small pastry wrapped in a napkin no matter what he said, refused to let Nigel pay- she told him it was because she was proud of how far he had come in a hushed voice- and sent both of them on their way.

‘So, where are we going?’ Stanley signed as he took a small bite of the pastry, his eyes lighting up the moment the taste hit his tongue. He took a larger bite right after, getting strawberry jelly and powdered sugar all over his face.

Nigel snorted, “Well first, let’s clean up your face. You have jelly all over it.”

Stanley looked into one of the shops’ windows to see his reflection and he flushed in embarrassment, ‘Sorry.’

“There’s no need, I know Rhiannon’s pastries are quite hard to resist,” Nigel said with a soft chuckle, giving Stanley a reassuring pat on the back. Stanley nodded as he took another bite of the pastry, quickly finishing it off and using the napkin to wipe off what crumbs and jelly he could. 

‘Well, I can’t deny that. I love sweets, but I don’t really have a lot of pastries except for the cheap packaged ones I can get at the market. What was that?’

Nigel looked at Stanley with wide eyes, “You’re telling me you’ve never had a strawberry strudel up until now ?”

Stanley shook his head and Nigel could only allow his jaw to drop. It stayed silent for a moment before the man shook his head, “Alright, new plan, throughout this trip, I am going to introduce you to all the freshly baked pastries we can find. It’s a crime you haven’t been able to experience such delicacies!”

Stanley laughed as the both of them continued walking, ‘A crime? You’re overexaggerating.”

“I am not! It was clear you enjoyed that pastry, don’t you feel a bit cheated you haven’t experienced something so delicious before?”

‘You have a point,’ Stanley said with a sigh, ‘I could have that strawberry jelly all day and never get sick of it.’

“Well, it’s set. We’ll head back to Rhiannon’s cafe for lunch and you’ll get to have all the pastries you want.”

Stanley laughed as Nigel took his hand and began leading him to wherever they’re going like he was on a mission.

~

“Wow, I’ve never seen such beautiful flowers,” Stanley whispered as he sat on the bench overlooking the lake before them. He was feeling a little more comfortable to talk as it was thankfully a quiet day in Hampstead Heath. The park tended to get extremely crowded in the summer, but it was a nice cool day in fall, not to mention a weekday. So the park was pretty empty except for a few people going on their morning walk.

Nigel smiled as he looked over the field of yellow and orange that surrounded the serene lake, letting out a deep breath as he sat next to Stanley, “Those are marigolds. They represent a few things, warmth, healing, purity, divinity… I find the most interesting one to be the connection between life and death.”

Stanley nodded as he continued looking out at the scene, “That is really interesting. How do you know all that stuff?”

Nigel shrugged, “Curiosity. Lauren once talked about flower languages to me and told me she thought I’d be interested in them since I’m a writer. She wasn’t wrong.”

Leaning back on the bench and looking up at the yellow and orange trees that gave the two a nice amount of shade, Stanley seemed at ease with himself, “Thank you for bringing me here. It’s nice.”

Nigel tried to hide the glee he could feel radiating off himself. While the idea of taking Stanley to a park seemed a little romantic at first, Nigel eventually found it to be one of the best ways to hang out with Stanley. He didn’t like huge crowds and bustling places, hence why Nigel chose the day he did, but it was also just a good way to get outside and find out what Stanley liked so he could plan more for later.

“It’s nothing. Sorry if it’s boring.”

Stanley snorted, “This is not boring. The place is beautiful and it’s just nice to be hanging out with you. Believe me, I’m enjoying myself.”

Nigel let out a relaxed sigh as he nodded, “It is nice. When it’s not busy, I sometimes come here to write if I just need a change from the cafe.”

It went silent for a while as the two simply just enjoyed the park. Nigel even laid his head back to look up at the clouds before he found them slowly lulling him to sleep. It felt so calm, and quiet, and warm-

“Do you think we could ever return to how we were in the parable?”

Nigel's eyes snapped open and he jolted up, looking down at Stanley as if he was crazy. After a moment, he laughed, “You’re kidding, right?”

Stanley looked up at Nigel with a straight face.

Oh. Nigel felt his stomach drop the moment he realized how serious Stanley was.

“Why would you ever want us to return to what we were? I was a cruel and vindictive “god” who used you just as a plot device to move on with the story, never taking your wellbeing into account. There were times I even went against the story, like that time I told you to jump off the lift, just to see you in pain! I was horrible to you, Stanley!”

“But that changed in the end.”

“Yes, in the end . Which was a very short period of time for us. A few months of getting along and being buddy-buddy in the parable is nothing, we were only saved by the fact we had escaped shortly after.”

Nigel sighed running a hand down his face, “You know how the parable is, Stanley. It’s a cycle. A story. And stories can’t simply just change . They repeat. You can’t read a book again and expect it to be different the second time. Eventually our happy ending would… well, end . And where do you think we’d go after that?”

Stanley went silent, staring at Nigel with wide eyes. It was clear he was not tracking what Nigel was trying to imply.

“Eventually things would have returned to how they were. I would’ve become that… that thing again! Things would restart from the beginning and the cycle would continue! It’s in the parable’s nature, and being a product of the parable meant it was in mine too.”

“But… how can you be so sure of that?”

“I’m not sure, I know . Stanley- you’re a human being, you always have been. I used to be… well, a device . A human constantly changes and develops, a narrative is consistent and only progresses along with the story. But a narrative doesn’t change . It doesn’t develop as if it is its own character. I wasn’t supposed to develop . I was a puppet attached to the strings of the parable, which wanted a story. What we had could’ve been a break, or even a mini sequel to the main story, but eventually the parable would’ve reset everything whether we wanted it or not, and I would’ve been the same monster I used to be.”

It felt as if the whole park had gone silent except for the slight winds that would rustle the leaves every now and then. Stanley sighed and stared out to the lake once more, his face mostly unreadable except for a tinge of sadness. It made Nigel feel a bit guilty and he was about to apologize when Stanley interrupted him again.

“Why did you write your book the way you did?”

“What?”

Stanley had a smile so small it was barely noticeable on his face when he turned back, “With the narrator being so… well, like you. Why did you write your book like that?”

Nigel hummed, furrowing his brows as he tried to figure out what Stanley was getting at, “Well, it certainly was different from how a normal book is written and it just felt… different. But, well, the more obvious reason is because it just… it was my way of reflecting on the things had been done when I was… him , and just… remembering what it was like with you.”

Stanley nodded, huffing out a laugh. Nigel turned to Stanley with a brow raised. Just what was funny about any of this?

“I find it very interesting you say a narrator can’t develop as if it’s its own character, yet you and your work are the very evidence that that’s not the case.”

“Stanley-”

“Listen, Nigel. I know the parable feels like a whole different life we had, and you’re allowed to feel the feelings you do about it, but don’t you think you’re being a little rough on yourself? You’re sort of missing the point of what you were.”

“What I was?”

Stanley shrugged, “Well, yes, you were a narrator, but that’s sort of the base of what you were. With the way you acted in the parable, it was clear you were your own character, your own person with clear preferences and opinions and wants on how things should go. I think the parable made you think that you were only just a narrator, but it was clear to me you were so much more.”

Stanley grabbed Nigel’s hand, his face now showing a real smile, “Nigel, even through everything- the constant squabbling, the fights, the times you tried to kill me, the times you tried to uplift me- you were my friend . And I could have never asked for a better one in that crazy, confusing place.”

Friend .

It probably should have hurt Nigel slightly that he just got friendzoned, but if anything, he felt… light. Yes, he had always considered Stanley a friend after they put aside their differences, but Stanley had always considered him a friend as well? He thought the only reason why Stanley was so fine with everything was the fact he had half a decade to think through everything- but no. 

Stanley had always considered him a friend.

This wonderful angel of a man had always considered someone like Nigel, who had been a cruel Narrator to him at times, a friend .

Nigel sniffled.

Oh, was he crying? No! This wasn’t how today was supposed to go. He wasn’t supposed to cry in front of Stanley! No, no no. He probably looked like a miserable old fool. Maybe if he could hide his face behind his scarf he could protect himself from some of the embarrassment-

And then Stanley was hugging him.

“Stanley?”

Stanley chuckled, “I don’t get why you always think you’re such a horrible person. You’ve done so much for me. I don’t think I could ever thank you enough for how much you’ve helped me in… well, life .”

Yes, that’s what everything had always been, hadn’t it? Whether in the parable or in reality, they had been living their lives. Maybe Nigel was a person all along and he got too wrapped up in what the parable made him and saw him as to recognize it.

Whatever it was, Nigel could care less right now as he wrapped his arms around Stanley and buried his face into the man’s hair, whispering words that were too muffled by Stanley’s thick locks to be audible.

“If only you knew how much you’ve done for me.”

Chapter Text

“Today was fun,” Stanley said as he sat down next to Nigel on the couch, the tea Nigel had made for him in his hands. He did look rather comfy with the steaming cup and his cream turtleneck sweater while he set a blanket on his lap. Nigel was certainly reminded of how much of a hopeless romantic he was when the sight made his heart skip a beat.

No, not now. He could at least give it a few more days before he even tried to make a move.

“Really? Even when I got flour all over us when we were cooking with Rhiannon?”

Stanley let out a giggle, poorly concealing it behind his hand, “Honestly, that was one of my favorite parts of the day. You looked very surprised. Not to mention you were angry mumbling at yourself for the next hour. It was just very… you.”

Well that wasn’t a response Nigel was expecting. And what did Stanley mean by it was very him? Was it that he was a lovestruck fool who had made a mistake in the kitchen- something he never does- because he couldn’t help but stare helplessly at Stanley as Rhiannon taught him to knead the dough? As he saw Stanley’s nervous and slightly awkward smile that he loved so much as he clumsily tried to reenact what Rhiannon had taught him and somehow ended with some dough on his nose?

If that was what Stanley was saying, he certainly was right. Nigel was so crazily in love with this crazy man in front of him that he couldn’t even do a simple task around Stanley right.

Nigel cleared his throat, “Anyways, talking about the flour incident, your clothes should be out of the dryer soon.”

Stanley smiled and took a sip of his tea, sighing as he further sunk into the couch- he truly was the image of calm, “Thank you, I wasn’t too worried about them. But that was very nice of you.”

“It was nothing.”

A silence rested between them, but for the first time since they had reunited the silence was out of ease instead of awkwardness. It was nice, comforting, natural . Maybe they were getting somewhere.

“About the question I asked a few days ago,” Stanley whispered into the silence, “The one about returning to how we were. Even though we had this whole heartfelt conversation, I should’ve worded myself better.”

“Hm?” Nigel hummed, sort of not paying attention to Stanley entirely as his eyelids grew heavy. It truly had been a busy day, and it certainly was catching up to him.

“I was more asking that question to ask if we would would find a sense of normalcy between us, not exactly returning to what we had been. I just… I was wanting to know if we could find that sense of familiarity we had between each other, y’know?”

Nigel chuckled, it was as if Stanley was reading his mind, “You really are bad at explaining yourself, aren’t you?”

“Hey! I can explain myself! I just struggle to find the right words at times.”

Nigel hummed as he propped himself up into a straighter position to try and keep himself from falling asleep, “You just proved my point. Anyways, to answer your question, what do you think is going on between us Stanley? Just, right at this moment, wouldn’t you say this feels normal?”

Stanley paused, looking around the dimly lit room, the tea in his hands, and then finally at Nigel, pausing to stare at the man and study his face for a long moment, “I guess… you’re right. It doesn’t feel like the same normal we had in the parable, but it’s certainly some form of normal.”

Nigel snorted, “That normal we had in the parable was the closest thing we could get to normal in the parable. After being here long enough, I can certainly say nothing about the parable was exactly normal.”

“I guess you’re right,” Stanley sighed, slumping a little. He looked a bit unsatisfied.

“What is it?” Nigel asked.

“What?”

“There’s something you’re not telling me, it’s as plain as day. Tell me, what is it? You know I’ll listen, right?”

Stanley bit his lip, “Well yeah, but it’s stupid.”

“Stanley, did I not spill flour all over us like some clumsy moron earlier today? I promise you, it will not be stupid to me.”

That seemed to do the trick as the corner of Stanley’s lip curved ever so slightly upward, “Alright… you make a good point. It’s just… back in the parable, I liked when you… you used to call me dear boy. Is that weird?”

Oh.

Nigel had called him that, hadn’t he? Back then it just seemed so out of habit. Like Nigel would say it without a thought. But now it held so much more meaning than ever.

“No,” Nigel said, surprised he was able to get a single word out without his voice wavering, “Do you… want me to call you that again?”

Stanley grabbed the pillow on the couch and squeezed it, bringing his knees up to his chest as he meekly nodded.

Nigel sighed, offering Stanley a soft smile as he moved himself to sit right next to Stanley, “Alright then, I’ll call you dear boy every now and then. How does that sound?”

Stanley smiled, “It sounds nice, thank you. I’m sorry for such a random request, and one so weird too-”

Nigel rested his head on Stanley’s shoulder, causing the man to trail off in his words, “I told you it’s not weird. I was just not expecting you to ask me to call you a pet name.”

Stanley opened his mouth to argue, but instead let out a sigh after a moment of hesitation, “That is what I’ve just done, isn’t it?”

“Mhm,” Nigel said with a smirk, “Though we can say it’s an endearment instead of a pet name if that makes you feel any better.”

“It does, thank you,” Stanley said, finally relaxing as he put his legs back down. Nigel moved from Stanley’s shoulder to the pillow resting on Stanley’s lap. Stanley couldn’t help but laugh.

“Tired already, old man?”

Nigel huffed, “It’s late, what do you mean already?”

“It’s only nine and you’re already falling asleep.”

“Exactly, it’s late.”

“It’s early . Goodness, have ever even stayed up until midnight? I bet you wouldn’t even last a rager. Two beers and you’d be out like a lightbulb.”

“I have stayed up until midnight while writing my book, and I could totally last a rager! I bet you I could survive a whole keg and still be going.”

Stanley scoffed, “Hah, sure. Though I will admit you trying to down a keg is something I’d want to see.”

“Wow, you don’t even have any hope in your dear friend? I can be cool!”

“I don’t doubt it,” Stanley said sarcastically as he adjusted the blanket so it covered both Nigel and him.

“It’s like you don’t even want to be called dear boy.”

“Hey, wait-!”

Nigel laughed as Stanley tried to suffocate him with the blanket, wrestling with the man for a solid few minutes before they both were gasping for breath and too tired to go on. Nigel returned back to his comfy spot on Stanley’s lap.

“What says you can survive a rager either anyways? Last I remember, you’re not a party person.”

Stanley grumbled something under his breath before sighing, “Go to sleep, you old geezer.”

Nigel smiled, victorious, “Night, dear boy.”

Stanley paused for a moment, taking in the words Nigel had just said to him before patting Nigel’s shoulder, “Night, Nigel.”

~

“Stanley? Stanley- oh, there you are!” The Narrator sighed as he found Stanley in his favorite spot, in the broom closet , “I swear, you always seem to be avoiding me every now and then. Just why is that?”

Stanley sheepishly smiled up at the ceiling, looking as if he had been caught red-handed, ‘I’m sorry. I just… I don’t like the attention all the time.’

“You don’t like the attention? What do you mean?”

‘I just… feeling as if you’re watching me constantly, looking at every little thing I do, it overwhelms me sometimes. I’m not big on being the center of attention all the time and I sometimes just need moments to be alone.’

The Narrator hummed, a sign he was actually thinking about what Stanley was saying, “Why would you not want to be the center of attention all the time? You’re such a lovely person who deserves everyone’s attention! Not to mention even though the entire point of your character is supposed to be the fact you’re normal, you’re more extraordinary than anything. In fact, I’m constantly learning from you, my dear boy.”

Stanley smiled but the expression was quickly wiped off his face, ‘I can’t exactly explain it, but when I feel as if there’s too much attention on me, it’s like there’s this buzzing feeling in my head and everything just… turns off. Sure I like some attention, but too much just… makes me feel like too much.’

The Narrator was silent for a moment before he let out a soft sigh, “I think I understand. You’re human and it’s a natural thing to have stuff like attention set you off at times. Would you like me to… schedule some alone time between every few resets?”

Stanley looked up at the ceiling with wide eyes, staring for a hard minute as if to figure out if the Narrator was serious before one of the widest grins spread across his face, “That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

The Narrator laughed, finding the reaction somewhat cute, “Of course, Stanley. I can’t have my protagonist all overwhelmed- that wouldn’t be fun for the story.”

That was what the Narrator tried to convince himself was the reason why he allowed such a thing, but a little part in the back of his mind knew it was because he was starting to grow more fond with Stanley and these little breaks from the the story.

~

Nigel woke up to the sun hitting his eyes. He squinted as he tried to figure out what was disturbing his sleep, but then took another moment to try and figure out where he was. Why was he in his living room?

Propping himself up on his elbow, Nigel groaned as he tried to figure out why he had slept on the couch. Oh, that was right, he fell asleep while talking to Stanley. Nigel turned to lay on his back, smiling as he was expecting to look up at Stanley, but instead found no one there. He looked around the room but could find no sign of Stanley. Getting up, he rushed into Stanley’s room, only to find even his belongings weren’t there.

What was going on?

Nigel ran a nervous hand through his hair as he grabbed his phone to check the time, only to see there was a flurry of notifications coming in. He opened the one he saw had come from Rhiannon asking if he was alright.

When he responded to ask what was going on, Rhiannon sent a link and his stomach coiled in his chest, making him want to hurl.

It was a picture of him and Stanley in the sushi bar, a title picture to an article that was even more hurl-inducing than the picture.

Nigel Salt’s Secret Friend: The One Behind it All.

Chapter Text

Well this probably wasn’t good.

Stanley didn’t know if it was at all possible to fall asleep with the flurry of emotions and feelings he couldn’t pinpoint or describe that were rushing through him. His heart kept rushing as if he were running a marathon and, even though he had thrown the blanket off him and it was a cool night, he felt like he was in a furnace with how warm he was. Just what was going on?

And why did this problem seem to begin right after Nigel called him dear boy ?

It felt as if he grew a tad bit warmer in the cheeks if that was even possible. Stanley should have never suggested such a silly thing. Not only was the whole ordeal entirely childish on his part, but he of course just had to beg for it from Nigel. Just what sort of friend begs their best friend to call them pet names ?

Sure, Nigel had agreed to use the term endearment instead, but that didn’t change the fact it was quite literally a pet name.

Oh, Stan was hopeless.

He hadn’t even been this needy up until he had reunited with Nigel, Was he reverting to that state of codependency he needed to rely on in the parable?

No ! No, he can’t go back to that- no matter how much he wishes to feel something like the comfort he found in the parable once more, he had grown past that.

He was a grown man for god’s sake, he should at least act like it around Nigel.

Either way, if he had wanted to return to that sense of codependency, it’s not like Nigel would even want it anyways. The man was only a whisper of his old self and tries to stay as far away as possible from anything that connects him to being the Narrator. He made it clear how much he hated his past self, even though Stanley can still not understand why- it wasn’t like he was entirely malicious and they had connected in the first place through the parable.

Stanley probably wouldn’t be here with Nigel if it weren’t for the fact they had become such good buddies through the parable. He certainly wouldn’t have cried away many nights either back when he had thought that the man sleeping on his lap was dead. 

He just didn’t understand.

He wanted to, but something told him deep down he never would. The role Nigel had held in the parable certainly held way more to it than Stanley had initially thought. And he probably would never know how much it held now with Nigel hating the very fact he was that role.

The only way to return back to any of that or get the answers he desired would be to go back to the parable and have Nigel forget ever being in the real world in the first place.

Not that Stanley would ever wish for something so cruel. He was happy with what he had now and where he was, he wouldn’t ruin that just for some silly answers that weren’t even his own business!

It was just… hard, not knowing.

Goodness, he didn’t even know what was currently going on between him and Nigel. It’s like he knew so much about Nigel, but when it came to truly knowing him, he knew nothing about the man. 

He’s heard so many stories about how Nigel grew into his own person in the real world, but he didn’t know what Nigel experienced, he didn’t know what changes had occurred in Nigel.

The more Stanley thought about everything, the more he realized he knew so little about exactly who Nigel, the one laying before him, was.

And yet Stanley still felt this urge to constantly be near him, to let this wonderful man know everything that is going inside his mind, to let Nigel call him pet names .

Was there something wrong with him? And, again, what were these rush of feelings that made his body feel both so alive and like it was dying at the same time?

Nigel let out a long drawn out sigh, making Stanley startle as the man shifted in his lap, turning his head so the tip of his nose and forehead were pressed right up against his abdomen.

The position didn’t look comfortable, but when Stanley tried to tilt Nigel’s head the other way with his hand, Nigel grumbled in his sleep and seemed to fight against Stanley. Stanley smiled. Even in his sleep Nigel was snippy with Stanley.

It was almost as if they were an old married couple.

Stanley froze, turning very still as the gears began turning in his head. Married. Couple . Was what he felt with Nigel love ?

Stanley let out a laugh that was both strangled and panicked. No! Stanley could never love Nigel Salt. After the amount these two had been through? Absolutely not! Even the thought of it was funny and completely ridiculous.

Nigel had been Stanley’s narrator . He had pretty much been in charge of him while Stanley could only be guided and at times controlled by him. And now he was Nigel Salt, highly-esteemed author who had pretty much written a book on their situation as a coping mechanism and pretty much avoids anything about the parable. 

The whole relationship between them was certainly not normal, and if they were ever to be a couple - well, Stanley does not doubt for a moment Nigel would want to stay with him of all people for long.

Either way, were these even feelings of love, or are they something similar to the codependency Stanley had with Nigel when he was the Narrator? These feelings could totally be just fooling him. They could possibly not even be real!

Silly, it was all just silly. Which was why Stanley quickly dismissed the idea as he closed his eyes in a desperate attempt to get at least a bit of sleep. He didn’t know how long it was until he felt his phone buzzing in his pocket.

Fishing his phone out, Stanley answered the call without looking at who it was.

“Stan? You there bud?” Tom’s groggy voice came through the phone, “I’m sorry, I know you don’t do calls since you can’t speak, but this is urgent.”

There was a pause before Tom spoke again, “Um, so you know London Publishers, right? We’ve worked with them a few times over the past- but they just released an article and I think you should see it. Just- try to stay calm and- here, I’ll send it to you. I have to hang up before I wake Nancy up, but just message me.”

Tom quickly hung up without another word and a moment later a message popped up on Stanley’s phone of a link with a picture attached to it which, if he was more awake, would’ve made him gasp out in surprise. 

It was him and Nigel when they were in the sushi bar. Was that what the clicking noise was? A camera ?

He had not wanted to read the article, but he forced himself to when the title led him to realize the article wasn’t about Nigel, it was about him.

    As I and about every person in the United Kingdom knows, Nigel Salt is a wonderfully elegant and graceful man who has found success through his very unique writing style as seen in his bestseller, Stuck in the Parable . It’s no wonder that every person who can even come into contact with this man would try nothing more than to figure out his character and how he has come to be a writer of such a moving and insightful book. During my interview with the author, I believe I have found the answer to one of the most-asked questions about Nigel Salt.

    What led Nigel Salt to write such a book?

    However, it isn’t a what, it’s a who.

    Nearly a week ago, I had interviewed Nigel Salt about his book and the process of writing it, but it wasn’t until after the interview that I had heard something that had taken my interest over any of the answers to my questions Nigel had given me. 

    Now, no offense to Mr. Salt. He is a well-spoken man who knows exactly what to say when asked a question. He is not one for beating around the bush. Very straightforward, extremely detailed, and finds a way to string his words together in a way that it feels as if you are hearing art. Mr. Salt is certainly not your everyday person.

    However, it still couldn’t change the fact that my interest was piqued when I had told Mr. Salt about my worries about having to compete with another journalist who I had heard already interviewed him. Mr. Salt had waved it off with what he specifically stated was “quite the story.” The interviewer himself had turned out not only to be a friend of Mr. Salt’s who he had not seen for half a decade, but was also the very man who inspired him to write the book.

    Quite the coincidence, yes?

    Well, I decided to dive into this story a little more when I found out this very man was coming over to visit Mr. Salt later that day. 

    When I had asked as to why Mr. Salt had not continued the interview even after the revelation, he seemed to grow a bit uncomfortable, trying to laugh it off as he stated, “Just… personal reasons. You know, things can get messy.”

    It was very interesting because when Mr.Salt spoke of his friend, it was nothing but complimentary, yet something seemed to set Nigeloff when it came to his old friend, especially when it concerned what I would later find out what was their past- in fact, the very same past that shaped Mr. Salt’s book.

Stanley tore his eyes away from his phone as he shut it off. He couldn’t read anymore, even if he wanted to.

If Stanley thought his heart was racing before, it was nothing compared to the thunderous thumps that felt as if they shook his whole body and made his ears rings. He could only breath in ragged breaths as tears began to sting his eyes.

What?

He couldn’t even begin to process everything that he had just read, only a single sentence repeating in his head.

Just… personal reasons. You know, things can get messy.

What did Nigel even mean by that? When Stanley asked if they could interview again, Nigel did say the personal connection would get in the way with bias, but the answer he gave this guy held something entirely different!

What personal reasons did Nigel mean? Was it their relationship? Or was it something else? Was there something about Stanley bothering Nigel? And not to mention he said things can get messy! Just what in the world did that mean?!

And then it hit him.

It felt as if a wrecking ball had come through and smashed right into him, crushing every bone in his body and causing all the air in Stanley’s body to leave as he choked on his own voice, desperately trying to let out a gasp, a sob, some sort of sound that could express how destroyed he felt.

He had just thought about this earlier, why had it taken him so long?!

Nigel wanted nothing to do with anything that reminded him of the parable pro connected him to once being the Narrator.

Wasn’t Stanley the only one thing in this entire damn world who had any connection to the parable other than Nigel?

Not to mention that Nigel’s entire book that he wrote because of Stanley is literally oriented around the parable and what had happened there! It was all settling into place.

Stanley reminded Nigel of all the things he wanted nothing more than to forget.

Both on purpose and not. 

Stanley kept asking Nigel if they would ever find something like they had in the parable, if they could go back to what they were. Even after all Nigel had went through to get Stanley back, Stanley wouldn’t blame Nigel for not wanting to associate with him.

Oh goodness, and he’s now here, in Nigel’s home! He probably pressured the man and Nigel, being the nice person he is, didn’t say no.

Stanley groaned at himself.

Stupid, stupid, stupid .

He really had to push away Nigel so much with his own selfish desires that he had to go to another interviewer to pretty much push the message across that he doesn’t want to deal with Stanley any longer,

Well he wouldn’t have to, because Stanley was leaving tonight.

Carefully wriggling himself out from under Nigel, Stanley quietly made his way to his room and didn’t hesitate to begin packing, unable to stop the flow of tears as he felt his cheeks flush with shame.

This was all his fault. He slid his way into Nigel’s life and pretty much reminded the man of all the parts of himself he hated, tried to make him refamiliarize with those parts and even become them again.

Stanley was selfish, and he needed to go.

So, as Stanley finished packing his bag, he didn’t even glance at Nigel as he made his exit out the front door.

Now he just needed to find a way to get out of this town, and disappear from Nigel’s life.

For good this time.

Chapter Text

“So he’s just… gone ?” Lauren said as she put on her coat, “Like, completely gone?”

Nigel nodded, running a hand through his already messy hair. It was an understatement to say that the always pristine and elegant Nigel was a complete and utter mess at the moment, “None of his stuff was even there. It looks like he packed up in the middle of the night and just left!”

Lauren placed a hand on Nigel’s shoulder as he put his face in his hands, “Hey, hey, don’t worry! We can find him!”

“That’s not the reason why I am so worried, Lauren,” Nigel groaned as he uncovered his face, taking a few steps away from the girl as he huffed, “Stanley left me again . He didn’t even say goodbye or stayed to talk about the article at all. He must be furious with me!”

Nigel leaned against a lamp post as he sighed, “I don’t even want to know how much he hates me right now.”

“Hates you?” Rhiannon said as she came out of the coffee shop, dressed for the cold with her coat and gloves, she carried an extra coat and a large bag. To Nigel’s relief, both of the girls had agreed to close up the shop for the day to help Nigel find Stanley, “Believe me, dear, I don’t think Stanley hates you. I mean, both Lauren and I saw how much you were infatuated with each other the other day. I don’t think some rubbish article could make him go from loving you to hating you that quickly.”

Nigel snorts, “Loving me? Stanley didn’t love me. And even if he did, he certainly doesn’t now.”

Rhiannon sighed and shook her head as she looked at Nigel with a concerned expression, “Oh dear, we don’t have any time to deal with your obliviousness. Here, put this on. I can’t believe you ran all the way here in just your nightwear. You know it’s supposed to rain quite heavily today, you’ll catch a cold!”

Rhiannon says as she hands Nigel the extra coat, which fits on him a bit snug. He gives Rhiannon a sheepish smile as he works with the buttons, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I just… was in a bit of a panic.”

“A bit is an understatement,” Lauren said, shutting her mouth when Rhiannon glared at her.

“Look, we can call Nancy and see if she or Tom have heard anything from Stanley. He’s probably not in Hampstead anymore. He could’ve taken a bus or called a taxi, so those two are our best bet.”

Nigel nodded solemnly, “You’re right… My place is closest- do you want to go there so we can stay inside and away from the cold?”

Rhiannon and Lauren nodded and Nigel spent no time leading them there. The moment the group made it to Nigel’s loft, they didn’t even take off their coats or shoes and got straight to work, all sitting around the table in the dining room as Rhiannon tried to call Nancy.

Lauren was on her laptop searching for any bus routes that Stanley could have taken.

Rhiannon bit her lip when her first call went to voicemail, and then the same happened to the second call, the third, and so on. She sighed as she put her phone down on the table and took a moment to breathe, “Nancy’s not answering. She never leaves me on voicemail for long. I’m just hoping she’s maybe talking to Stanley instead at the moment."

Nigel gave a half-hearted nod as Rhiannon picked up her phone once more and instead began to message Nancy, he slumped back in his chair and seemed to retreat to the back of his mind for a while. He didn't know how long he was there, thinking about what had gone wrong before a tap on his shoulder brought him back to the moment.

Lauren stared up at Nigel with the most empathetic look he had ever seen from the girl. He tried to smile, but didn’t have the energy to, “Do you need something?”

Lauren stared back at her laptop for a moment before she turned back to Nigel, “Why are you so convinced that Stanley hates you now?”

Nigel sighed as he sat up a little straighter, “Isn’t it obvious? He completely left the second he saw that article. He packed up his things and left without a word.”

“Yeah, but that’s not all there is to it, is there?”

Nigel groaned, standing up as he went to the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea that would hopefully soothe the headache he felt coming on, “You can be really perceptive Lauren. It sometimes really annoys me.”

“Well isn’t that my job? To annoy you?” Lauren tried to joke, but it didn’t feel like her heart was in it. Goodness, did Nigel look so pathetic that Lauren- the most teasing girl in the world- couldn’t even properly bicker with him like normal? Well that certainly made Nigel feel a whole lot better about this whole situation.

He was a complete mess.

“You see… I hadn’t really thought things through on a few things. And I feel really guilty about it,” Nigel brought out his kettle and filled it with water, “Stanley had asked me after we reunited if we could resume the interview, and I had refused. I told him I didn’t think it was a good idea with us now having a personal relationship.”

Nigel sighed, gritting his teeth in frustration with himself, “Then only a bit after that, I accept another interview and the article that comes out of it ends up being all about him! He’s told me in the past how much he hates attention, how he can’t handle it sometimes and gets overwhelmed. Think of that, your friend refuses to do an interview with you because of your relationship, then goes on to do another interview that ends up being all about that relationship while fully knowing you hate attention! He probably thinks I’ve just been… been using him!”

“What are you even talking about, Nigel?” Rhiannon said, “You said your interview with James had been rather normal, and that this whole thing is based on a comment you made after the interview. This isn’t your fault, it’s just a huge misunderstanding. And even with all that, what have you two been doing these last few weeks? You’ve allowed him to stay at your place and have done so many fun things together!”

“Well, yeah, but what if Stanley thinks the whole reason that he was here was so James could get those photos? He could think this is just a move I made to promote my book! He might think I was that same horrible person I used to be and that I never changed!”

“Nigel, dear, please calm down! You’re overthinking,” Rhiannon said, she was at Nigel’s side, holding him and rubbing his back. When did she even get there? And why was she offering him a tissue?

Oh, was he crying?

As if he couldn’t be any more of an embarrassment already. Even Lauren was there, taking his arm in a firm hold to guide him to the chair before taking his task of making tea. Rhiannon continued to hold him until he calmed down and his breathing steadied.

“There, feel better? You were panicking.”

Nigel sighed, “I do feel a bit better, thank you. I’m making things worse, aren’t I?”

Rhiannon shook her head as she sat in the chair next to Nigel, “No, no, you aren’t making things worse. Well, not for us. But I do believe you are making things worse for yourself. I know this is quite the situation and you may feel horrible right now, but none of this is your fault. Overthinking and coming to conclusions on how Stanley feels about you now will not help you. We don’t know the entire situation yet, right?”

“Right,” Nigel said after taking a deep breath, “You’re right.”

“Then let’s try to figure out what’s going on and then we can go from there. No beating down on yourself, ok?”

Nigel nodded and Rhiannon sat back in her chair, only becoming alert again when her phone began to buzz. She stood up and rushed to her phone, letting out a relieved sigh after looking at it, “It’s Nancy.”

Rhiannon answered the phone and Nigel could only sit to the side and idly listen as Lauren came back with a cup of tea in hand, giving it to Nigel. They sat there silently as Rhiannon talked, waiting for anything. 

“So you haven’t received anything from him? Nothing at all? No, it’s alright… We’re just really worried. There’s been a huge misunderstanding and- well, yes, Stanley did leave without saying anything, how did you know? Wait, what? Oh… Oh, alright then. Yeah, one moment.”

Rhiannon turned back towards Nigel, placing her phone on the table and turning on the speaker. Nigel was expecting to hear Nancy’s voice come through, but was surprised when he instead heard Tom’s voice. He sounded as if he had just ran a marathon.

“Hi guys, so sorry I didn’t get to you sooner. I, um, I may have been the one that showed Stanley the article… but he went silent on me afterwards. I didn’t realize he would just… disappear again, I am so sorry.”

“It seems like it’s becoming a habit,” Lauren says, “A worrisome one.”

“Wait, who is that?” Tom asked before quickly adding, “Nevermind, that’s not important right now. But, I do have good news. I actually installed this app on Stanley’s phone, please do not tell him.”

Nancy could be heard gasping from a bit further away, “Tom, you didn’t!”

“Look, I know you’ve said I can be overprotective, but this is actually helping us! Can you really blame me?”

“Will you get to the point please? We don’t know how much time we have!” Nigel snapped impatiently.

“Alright, sorry, you’re right,” Tom mumbled, “But, I installed one of those family phone trackers on his phone so I could always know where he is. So let me just bring it up and… oh, that is odd.”

“What is?” Nigel asked, ignoring the urge to yell at Tom for pretty much putting a tracker on Stanley.

“The app is saying Stanley is still in Hampstead, near some bus stop.”

Nigel felt his heart leap. Stanley was still in Hampstead! He was still nearby and able to be reached. But he was at a bus stop! They only had so little time.

“Send us the location, we need to go now!” Nigel said as he stood up, only to be stopped by Rhiannon grabbing his arm.

“Not so fast, you. Have you not noticed that it’s chucking it down out there? You need to go get properly dressed.”

“But we don’t have time!” Nigel said back, wrestling himself out of Rhiannon’s hold.

“Nigel Celestine Salt, I swear to the stars above that if you catch a cold because you couldn’t take a few minutes to change, I will not make you any more of your honey bran muffins!” Rhiannon yelled, making the entire room go silent.

“Did… Rhiannon just yell ?” Lauren asked, looking absolutely shocked.

Nigel didn’t even respond as he took a moment to process before darting to his room to change into something other than his nightwear. He ran out of his room, nearly tripping and falling over before he ran back to the table.

“Tom, send us Stanley’s location, quickly please!” 

Tom complied, taking a little longer than Nigel had liked. Once  he got it though, he spent no time racing out the door and running out into the pouring rain. 

The bus stop was on the other side of the neighborhood from where Nigel was. Maybe if he ran fast enough, he could catch Stanley before he got on the bus! He was going to have to work a miracle here to catch Stanley.

Then something hit him. Stanley had been gone for hours . Why was he still in Hampstead when the buses were not hard to catch? They cycled through quite frequently. Within these past few hours, Stanley could’ve caught many buses going to where he needs to go. He could’ve even caught a train! 

Something wasn’t adding up.

Nigel shook his head. That’s not what he needs to focus on right now. What was important was that Stanley was at a bus stop now and could take the next bus!

Nigel tried to ignore the pain in his knees as he quickened his pace, running as fast as he could. He just had to keep running- he couldn’t stop running. 

And then his foot slipped and Nigel went flying.

Nigel groaned when he hit the floor, taking a few moments to process what had happened before he sprung back up, hissing as he felt a stabbing pain in his arm. He ignored it and went running again, though at a much slower pace now. He was limping a bit, but that wasn’t going to stop him.

He needed to get to Stanley.

Thankfully Nigel had ran most of the way there before he had fallen, so it didn’t take much more time before he took the corner that led to the street right by the bus stop. Only to find a bus was already stopping there.

“No!” Nigel yelled as he stumbled down the road, hoping for dear life he had enough time. The bus wasn’t there for long until it started up again and drove off, leaving behind a defeated Nigel.

He collapsed to his knees as they finally gave out. He felt as if he were crumbling as he saw the bus drive away. Stanley was gone. Stanley had left him.

He was alone.

Nigel couldn’t even tell if the tears running down his face were his tears or the rain. Did it even matter at that point? Stanley was gone. He had greatly messed up and everything was falling apart. Nigel should’ve known it wouldn’t last. All he caused Stanley was problems anyways.

Nigel simply sat there, letting the rain pour on him. 

That was it.

Then a soft voice spoke, and Nigel felt as if his heart could leap out of his chest, “Nigel?”

Chapter Text

Stanley sighed as he saw the next bus stop in front of him. He stared at the bright red color it was painted in. It was so bright compared to the rest of the bleary day.

He should go in there, into the warmth of it where the cold would no longer nip at his nose. He could go to the second floor, all the way into the back so he didn’t have to see the buildings pass by as he thought about what he was doing.

Stanley wasn't surprised when he didn’t move his legs yet again, sitting firm on the blue seat at the bus stop as he watched the doors to the bus close, closing off another opportunity to leave this place, and drive off. Stanley let out a frustrated sigh as the bus left his sight, kicking at a stone that rested near his feet. 

Just why was he having second thoughts? What he should’ve done should have been clear when the first bus had stopped here.

And yet, here he was, three hours later of sitting at this damned bus stop. As of that last bus, he had watched twelve buses come and go. Twelve. Twelve opportunities to finally do what he needed to, and twelve opportunities he did not take.

Stanley was selfish.

He sort of always knew that. He was always discontent with his life. When things changed and the normalcy of his life had to change with it once more, he was always mad. Though he of all people should have known how much one’s life can change, and how that would never stop.

The only time he seemed to be happy as well was at the expense of others. When he was happy, he was costing them their happiness, their sanity.

He should have just been happy that Nancy and Tom were together and not have gotten in the way between them. He was horrible for being so miserable when they did not give him as much attention when they became a couple.

He was even more horrible for thinking he could just allow himself into Nigel’s life, when he was a constant reminder of everything Nigel hated. 

Stanley was selfish, horrible, and… well, it was quite obvious he was pathetic.

He just never knew what to do with himself. Did he even have a purpose in this world? 

Stanley shoved that thought away as he shoved his hands into his pockets, shivering as it began to sprinkle, tiny droplets of water wetting the cement just a foot in front of him. 

Why was he still here? He was being selfish- he needed to go. He couldn’t be in Nigel’s life. They were just… two people who had a past that was better left forgotten. It would be even better if they were just strangers to each other. 

Just… personal reasons. You know, things can get messy.

Stanley flinched as the thought crossed his head. If he could strangle a thought, he would.

It stung- more than he wanted to admit. But Nigel was right. Things can get messy. Stanley was messy. He caused messes, that was the whole reason why he was in the parable in the first place.

He was a mess-maker, case and point. What story would be good with someone who could not mess up as bad as Stanley could?

Stanley groaned as another bus came, the vivid red color now more of an annoyance to him than anything at this point. He should really just get on now and stop sitting here in this bleak weather.

He was shivering quite a lot and it had begun to rain quite heavily. He had almost not noticed with how lost in thought he was.

With a deep breath, Stanley stood up and walked forward, stopping when he heard a yell. The bus spent no time waiting before the doors shut right in front of him and drove off. Make that thirteen buses. 

Stanley watched as it drove off until some movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He squinted his eyes as he looked at the figure across the street that was collapsed on the sidewalk.

“ Nigel ?” Stanley said before even thinking. He gasped and clamped a hand over his mouth, hoping Nigel didn’t hear him and he would have enough time to run and duck behind something before the older man caught him. Not like Stan would have that kind of luck though, because the second the name left his mouth, Nigel’s head snapped right up and his eyes locked right on Stanley.

Stanley just stood there like a deer caught in headlights, his heart feeling as if it was going to beat out of his chest, and his legs refusing to move no matter how much he wanted them too.

Before Stanley could fully react, Nigel had ran across the road, a car having to stop for him to cross, and threw himself against Stanley as they fell against the wall of the bus stop. Nigel squawked the moment he collided with Stanley, who did a full body flinch, and collided against the wall, “Sorry! Sorry! I’m not going to fight you, I swear!”

Stanley tried to wrestle out of his grip, but Nigel held him firm, pinning him against the wall with that surprising strength of his, “Stanley, please . Please don’t leave me again!”

Stanley shook his head, gasping for air as he could no longer fight back against the man, ‘Why did you come looking for me? Why are you here?’

Nigel tilted his head, “What do you mean? Of course I’d go looking for you!”

Stanley let out a frustrated huff as he shook his head, ‘You shouldn’t have! You shouldn’t have to work yourself over this! You shouldn’t have to work yourself over me !’

Nigel just sat there, staring at Stanley with wide eyes. The scariest part was Stanley couldn’t even tell what Nigel was thinking about him. He should’ve seen anger in those eyes. Why did he not see any anger?

“Stanley-”

‘Oh, who am I kidding? Of course you would- you’re too good, too kind for that. But, please, I don’t want to make your life miserable Nigel. I would rather be strangers if that’s what it takes for you to feel better-’

Nigel grabbed Stanley’s hands, stopping him from signing as he finally stood up, helping Stanley to stand up straight too, “Stanley, just what are you on about?!”

‘That I remind you of the parable!’ Stanley signed as he ripped his hands out of Nigel’s hold, fresh tears welling up in his eyes, ‘You’ve been very clear on how you don’t like to remember the past events of the parable, how even though we had found some light in that place, things would still have returned to normal. Well, what if that is the case here as well?’

“Stanley?”

‘The… The parable was how we came to know each other, Nigel. Our entire relationship was the roles the parable gave us, and those roles were our nature . No matter how much I have tried to make you feel better about who you were in the past, it’s obvious you’re not going to stop hating the person you were, which means you’re not going to stop hating the parable.’

Stanley took in a shaky breath, ‘We were just a thing from the parable. I’m sorry for making you endure a constant reminder of it.’

“What reminder , Stanley?!” Nigel said, becoming a bit panicked with where Stanley was going with this.

“ME!” Stanley yelled, the noise coming out as a choked sob as he grasped at his throat. The whole world seemed to stop and become silent as the two stood there. They stood there for what felt like a very long time before Stanley used his shaky hands to sign once more, ‘You wouldn’t have to remember that past, you wouldn’t have any reminders of the parable if it weren’t for me. I’m the one thing that exists here that is a constant reminder of the past you hated. Even if you don’t realize it now, eventually you will realize you should hate me! I- I should’ve stayed in my lane and not bothered your life. I was right! I was a hindrance to you!’

And there was silence again as Stanley bowed his head, looking down at his feet. A silence that lasted so long, Stanley was sure that Nigel was finally thinking about the relationship between them, about what Stanley was. About how Stanley would only be a reminder of everything Nigel hates about himself.

Yet when Nigel opened his mouth, there was no shouting, no angry yelling, just a soft voice that said, “Stanley, I could never hate you.”

Stanley’s head snapped right back up as he looked at Nigel with a confused expression. Nigel sheepishly smiled, “I’m… I’m really sorry that I made you feel that way. Yes, I hate who I was in the past, I hate the damn parable for letting me be that person, but I think I’ve forgotten to say something that I should’ve said a long time ago.”

‘What?’ Stanley signed as he wiped his tears, and before he knew it, Nigel was right there in front of him, both his hands taking hold of Stanley’s.

“Stanley, you are the one good thing to have come out of the parable, and you have been the best thing I’ve experienced in this world, and the parable.” Stanley just stared up at Nigel with wide, watery eyes, shaking his head as he tried to process what Nigel was saying. He opened his mouth mid-thought as if he were going to say something, but then closed it when no words came.

It was a while before Stanley took a step back, making Nigel let go of his hands as he signed, ‘Then what was the comment about?’

“What comment?” Nigel asked, tilting his head.

‘In the article, when that guy asked why you wouldn’t continue the interview with me, you said, “Just personal reasons. You know, things can get messy.” What did you mean by messy?’

Oh.

Oh.

Nigel had not exactly read the article, but grimaced when he recognized the comment. His comment . He had meant something entirely else when he had said it, but he now understood why Stanley had come to the conclusion he did. 

Goodness, if Nigel could not have been more of a bloody idiot.

But, was he even ready to say what he had actually meant with that comment?

“Well, Stanley, you see…” Nigel said, trailing off as another bus stopped right at their stop and the doors opened right behind Stanley.

Nigel bit his lip as he tried to think. Was this really the best time? After everything that happened? No it would be pretty crappy of him to do it-

Stanley sighed as he smiled up at Nigel, ‘I knew it. There’s something between us that will never work out.’

Stanley turned towards the bus as he took the first step onto the bus, ‘I should go.’

Nigel looked up at Stanley with frantic eyes. Oh no! No no no! He still thinks Nigel hates him? But that wasn’t the case! And now Stanley was going! He couldn’t just let him go!

“I LOVE YOU!” Nigel shouted, causing Stanley to freeze and several people in the bus to turn their heads his way.

Stanley slowly turned back to Nigel, trying to figure out if he had just heard Nigel correctly, “What?”

Nigel stammered as he seemed to look all over the place, anywhere but Stanley. He really just said that! He really told Stanley he loved him! Well, there was no going back now. He finally took a deep breath and looked Stanley straight in the eyes, “I love you, Stanley Beket. I love you more than you could ever know.”

Stanley took another moment before he stepped off the bus, facing Nigel once more, ‘So, you don’t hate me?’

“No!” Nigel yelled as he threw his arms out to the sides, “I’ll yell it to the world if that’s what it takes to make you understand that I don’t hate you, I love you so much that it hurts, that it drives me insane! Stanley, I mean it when I say you’re the one good thing to come out of the parable because I love everything about you!”

Stanley stood there for a moment before he signed, ‘So… I’m not weird?’

Nigel paused, “What do you mean?”

Biting his lip, Stanley looked away as he whispered, “For feeling the same way about you?”

Nigel took a moment, the words hitting him hard as his heart skipped a beat and everything in the world seemed to become a bit brighter. He smiled as he walked up to Stan, taking a hold of the man’s face as he looked down at Stanley with warm, loving eyes, “Well, let’s be real Stanley, I think we’re as weird as weird can get.”

Stanley snorted, “You can say that again.”

“But… I think the feelings between us were only bound to happen. They’re… natural?”

Stanley smiled back up at Nigel as he nodded, leaning into one of Nigel’s palms.

“So are you two going to kiss or what? We’ve been waiting forever,” one person on the bus said. Stanley and Nigel snapped their heads up as they noticed the whole bus, first floor and second floor, were watching them.

They both burst out into laughter before Nigel looked down at Stanley, “Well, you heard what the crowd wants. May I?”

Stanley grinned from ear to ear, that same dorky grin that had caused Nigel to fall for him, “You may.”

Nigel took no more time as he leaned down, and the entire bus broke out into applause and cheers as their lips met, fireworks seeming to go off in each other’s minds as they melted into each other.

In that moment, as they held each other, as their lips brushed each other’s, everything in their lives for once felt right. The holes in their hearts felt as if they were finally filled again. The aching loneliness no longer seemed to exist to them.

Nigel and Stanley were finally together.

Chapter Text

To Stanley, being in Nigel’s arms was like what he thought being in heaven would be like. Had he ever admitted to himself he loved Nigel? No. 

He was stupid to not have before though.

Stanley had felt the feelings creep up on him quite often those weeks they had spent when he took a vacation to Hampstead, though he always tried to shove them back. He acted like he didn’t know what they were, even convinced himself at a point that the feelings he felt weren’t love since he thought that him and Nigel being together would’ve been too complicated after everything. Well, now that he thought through everything that has happened as long as Stanley has known Nigel, especially this last half a year, it shouldn’t have been any surprise they ended up together. 

Even Lauren said it should’ve been common sense, and that Stanley was painfully oblivious after Nigel had brought him back to his place after running away. Most of the events that happened after Nigel brought him back were a blur, he could only remember the warm fuzziness that seemed to cover his entire body like a blanket whenever he reminded himself of the events at the bus stop, and how everything suddenly just felt so right with his life.

Stanley could remember how Rhiannon and Lauren were there, waiting for Nigel to come back and relieved that he had found Stanley, he sort of remembered Rhiannon getting mad at Nigel due to Stanley freezing so much- he probably got a lecture too from Rhiannon on how insane he was for staying out in the rain in three hours- but he mostly just remembered when Nigel told the girls what had happened, how they both laughed and said, “Finally.”

Well, apparently it was even more obvious to everyone Stanley and Nigel knew that Stanley had loved Nigel as much as Nigel had loved him. It certainly was embarrassing, but after Lauren and Rhiannon left that night, Rhiannon forcing Nigel to keep a couple tupperware boxes full of treats she had pulled out of her large bag, Stanley could care less as he laid on top of Nigel on the couch. They watched… some movie. Stanley couldn’t really remember since he was more paying attention to, and well… snogging , with Nigel.

It was not a bad first day as a couple. Well, except for the fact Stanley had most definitely given Nigel a heart attack and a half after he widely misunderstood a single quote from a stupid article.

Talking about the article, that was sort of fun for Stanley to see how it was dealt with. Nigel had went to London publishers the next day- Stanley tagged along after he convinced Nigel he wouldn’t cause any trouble- and was planning to go in and send in a complaint when they both had found the author of the article, James Oliver, walking out the front door and carrying a box. He looked a lot alike to Stanley, only if Stanley had cared for his appearance a lot more and had bright blue eyes.

The moment James connected eyes with Nigel, he grimaced, “Ah… Mr. Salt-”

“Don’t Mr. Salt . Me,” Nigel said as he walked over to James in quick, scarily confident strides, “You have a lot of nerve, taking photos of my boyfriend in public, then posting them on an article on one of the most known news publishers in London, acting if he was some tool to garner more attention to your articles.”

“N-Now hold on, Mr. Salt-” James said as he cowered, “Wait, boyfriend?”

Stanley felt his face heat up. Nigel had said Stanley was his boyfriend, didn’t he? They were really boyfriends ?! He hadn’t thought they were already going this far. Did he already have to prepare to go on like a date date?!

“Yes, boyfriend,” Nigel huffed, bringing Stanley back to reality, “Going to write another article about our relationship?”

“No! I just didn’t realize he was your boyfriend!”

“Boyfriend or not, it still does not change the fact that you took pictures and wrote a skeezy article on someone I dearly care about without his knowledge or consent!”

James took a step back, “I know, I know! I’m really sorry, Mr. Salt. Please-”

Nigel took another step forward and had opened his mouth to continue admonishing the man, but Stanley took a hold of Nigel’s arm, ‘Let him explain.’

“Wha- Stanley, why would I let him explain? Did you forget what he just did to you?”

Stanley glared at Nigel, ‘Just let him explain. I’m not saying it doesn’t change the fact he did something messed up, but at least give the man a chance to say why he had done it.’

James sent a thankful look to Stanley, who only returned it with a curt nod, as Nigel backed off with a dissatisfied sigh, “Thank you… I’ll be honest, what I did was very messed up and just completely… I was out of line, I greatly apologize to the both of you for trying to have taken advantage of you.”

James bit his lip as he looked down at the box he held, “You see… I started off in the journaling industry as someone who completely despised paparazzi or just… petty articles that were only there to get as many views as possible. I wanted to change the industry, make it what it was supposed to be. Make it something that shared stories that needed to be heard instead of just snobbish opinions or stupid drama stories that would just die out within a month.”

“Well, what happened?” Nigel said, surprisingly invested in James’s story even though it seemed like he was going to cut the man’s throat not even a moment ago.

“Well… I did well for the first year or so. People liked my articles, and said it was a breath of fresh air compared to all the junk the media is filled with nowadays. But… because I wasn’t exactly following trends or what was hip at the moment, eventually I guess I just got overshadowed by other articles that were being released.”

James stayed silent for a moment, he looked up at the building London Publishers resided in, “You know… Journalism is definitely no easy job. Anything with media isn’t easy. At the end of the day, working for the media means you have to satisfy people. To satisfy people, you have to have the flashiest content out there that will get you the most clicks you need to fill your quota. My boss told me if I couldn’t fix my poor performance, he’d fire me, so I eventually became the thing I hated most about journalism so I wouldn’t lose my job, not like that worked either way.”

James gave a strained smile as he gestured to his box, and it seemed to click for both Stanley and Nigel as they both let out a quiet, “Oh.”

That seemed to lighten James’s mood, since he bursted out into laughter, “Yeah… I actually broke a whole lotta rules with that article. Since you weren’t of public interest, Mr. Beket, I wasn’t warranted to take photos of you without your consent. There was also the fact that I based this entire article based off a comment that was made after my interview with you, Mr. Salt.”

James shook his head as he looked between the couple, “I needed to be fired though. Not only have I greatly harmed both of you because of my actions, but I also greatly lost sight of myself in my want to satisfy people I don’t even know.”

Stanley hesitated as silence fell over the three of them before he stepped forward, ‘It seems like… you’ve had a revelation?’

James smiled down at Stanley, nodding, “I think I have. I don’t think journalism is my thing anymore. I wanted so badly to share important stories to the world, but I think I need to find a different medium that will fit me better.”

“You’re… actually a lot like me,” Nigel whispered.

“Sorry, what was that?” James said as he turned towards Nigel.

Nigel laughed as he patted James on the shoulder, making Stanley and James exchange a confused glance, “I have always wanted to tell stories as much as you have since the moment I first existed. I used to narrate stories, follow a script like I was told.”

“I… can’t really explain what exactly happened, but I sort of found comfort in the control I had over stories and lost sight of why I had loved telling stories to begin with. In trying to keep that control, I hurt someone I loved too many times to even count,” Nigel glanced at Stanley, the two holding the look until it became slightly awkward, “Well, to sum it all up, I was pretty much “fired” from my job like you were and instead took to writing books instead. I found a sort of peace in myself when I took to writing ‘Stuck in the Parable.’ It allowed me to take time and properly reflect over what I was writing and why .”

Nigel smiled as he took Stanley’s hand, “And it also helped me find the person who I deeply regret ever hurting, and be able to show him how truly important he is to me.”

James took a moment to process everything Nigel had told him, eventually just looking between the couple before he hesitantly spoke out, “So… you did like audiobooks?”

Stanley snorted as Nigel’s smile dropped a little, “Uh, well, something of the sort. Look, the point is that you are certainly right that we sometimes just need a change of medium.”

James hummed for a moment as he thought it over, “So do you… think I could become an author?”

Nigel nodded, “I think you have what it takes to become a wonderful author.”

James looked down at his box, then back up at Nigel, “I… Thank you . I’ve caused both of you so much harm, yet you greatly helped me in return. Is there… anything I could do for you both?”

Nigel smiled as he shook his head, “Well, if you got fired, something tells me that article is being taken down, so I would say no.”

James seemed to deflate a little, but he nodded as they all parted, walking in opposite directions before Nigel stopped after a few steps, “Actually James, there is one thing you could do for me.”

James spun around, making Nigel laugh, “Would you care to join me for a coffee sometime at the cafe where you met me? I would love to give you a few tips on how to start out as an author.”

“Oh, yes, Mr. Salt! I would love that!”

“Please, just call me Nigel,” Nigel said before turning away, “Email me whenever you’re free.”

And with that, Nigel took Stanley’s hand and left.

~

“I’ll say that I’m surprised you didn’t just straight up punch James,” Stanley said, giggling when Nigel glared at him.

Nigel sighed as he slumped on the couch, “I mean… I did want to rough him up a bit, believe me. If it weren’t for you, I probably would have. But… after he explained everything, I couldn’t help but see the parallels between him and I, so I couldn’t help but feel bad.”

Stanley smiled as he snuggled up against Nigel, pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek, “Well, I thought what you did was very sweet today.”

Nigel smiled back at Stanley, “You think so?”

“I know so,” Stanley said without hesitation, “What you did today shows me you’re past your… well, your past. You’re no longer that man you keep convincing yourself you could revert to. You’re no longer the Narrator/”

Stanley took Nigel’s face into his hands, “You’re Nigel Salt, genius author and my wonderful boyfriend.”

Nigel blushed as he looked up at Stanley, “I… I think you’re right. These past few days have felt sort of like… closure?”

Stanley smiled, “Maybe it’s because we are leaving behind that old part of our life and starting a new one.”

Nigel melted against Stanley’s touch, looking lovingly up at Stanley, “I like that.”

Stanley couldn’t help but laugh. Here he was, holding the greatest man that had ever crossed his life in his hands, not afraid to show any affection. After all he and Nigel had been through, he could finally rest knowing the parable would no longer haunt them and cause this rift between them. They were now free. They had the choice to go on and choose who they wanted in their lives, and through everything, they chose each other. They had stayed.

Because, just like Nigel said, even though he was the only other thing apart from Stanley that had come from the parable into this world, Nigel was the best thing to have come out of the parable for Stanley. No matter what plane of reality they were in, no matter what situation they were forced into, Stanley would always love Nigel more than anything else.

“I like that too,” Stanley said as he leaned down and kissed Nigel. Wrapping his arms around the man’s waist to keep him close.

When they broke apart, Stanley began giggling again, “So you narrate audiobooks?”

Nigel huffed as he rolled his eyes, “I didn’t explain that as well as I could’ve. You’re not going to make that another running joke, are you?”

Stanley smirked, “Do you even know me?”

Nigel groaned as he flopped his head back onto the couch, “I do… lord have mercy on me.”

“I’m just wondering what type of audiobooks you would do,” Stanley said as he kissed Nigel’s jawline, snickering as he looked up at Nigel with teasing eyes, “I bet a lot of erotica authors would pay you good money for your voice.”

Nigel grabbed Stanley’s chin with his hand, causing the man to stop kissing him. When Stanley looked up however, he was surprised when instead of being met with a glare, he was instead looking at dark, yet interested eyes.

Oh . It seemed Stanley had caught Nigel’s attention.

“I thought we just established a moment ago that I’m no longer a narrator Stanley,” Nigel slowly said in a low voice, “I don’t narrate anymore, I do .”

Stanley grinned from ear to ear,”Are you insinuating what I think you are?”

“As long as I have your consent.”

“Are you kidding? Of course you do,” Stanley said, pressing his lips against Nigel’s once more as the man picked him up.

It was safe to say Nigel and Stanley did not get a lot of sleep that night.

Chapter Text

“Ow! What was that for?” Nigel said as he rubbed his head, looking back to see Rhiannon looking less than impressed at him as she crossed her arms, a rolled up newspaper in one of her hands.

She sighed before deciding to whack the old man with her newspaper once more, “You are an impatient man, Nigel Salt.”

“What do you mean?” Nigel said, already quite exasperated even though they were only seconds into the conversation.

“What I mean is that you couldn’t even wait more than two days of being together to have fun with each other. I bet you’re the one who initiated, didn’t you? Stanley, that boy, seems too shy to ask for something like that so quickly.”

Nigel groaned as he slumped forward, thumping his head onto the table. Were they really talking about this? And, if Rhiannon thought Stanley was too shy to ask for something so bluntly, she really hadn’t met the real Stanley yet.

“How did you even know?” Nigel said, his voice muffled with his face smushed up against the table.

“Oh, please. You and Stanley had it written all over yourselves when you walked in this morning. I mean, your face looked all happy and dopey like the cat that got the cream, and I don’t mean that metaphorically-”

“ Rhiannon .” Nigel growled out, finally looking up at Rhiannon who smirked in return.

“Come on, Nigel, can you really blame me? It was like you boys weren’t even trying to hide it. I mean Stanley, that poor thing, no matter how quiet he tried to speak, it couldn’t cover up how hoarse his voice was. What did you even do to the sweetheart?”

“Rhiannon, can we please stop talking about my private life in the middle of your shop?”

“ Private , sure.”

“You’re going to be the death of me.”

Rhiannon chuckled as she pat Nigel on the back, “I just want to make sure you two are being safe and not taking things too fast. I mean, after everything it took just to get you two to realize you have feelings for each other, it’d be a shame if you broke up so soon.”

Nigel let out a huff, but smirked at Rhiannon, “Well, thank you for your concern, but I can assure you everything is fine with us. And Stanley was perfectly fine with it. If anything, he was pretty excited-”

“Alright, alright, I don’t want to know,” Rhiannon laughed as held a hand up.

“You’re the one that brought this up!” Nigel retorted, making Rhiannon laugh even harder.

“And I thought you didn’t want to talk about it in the middle of my shop.”

Nigel huffed once more, “Touché.”

Stanley and Lauren came out from the back, carrying a few sacks of espresso beans, opening them and pouring them into some jars before placing them in a cabinet. Rhiannon nodded towards them.

“Thank you, you two. Stanley, feel free to treat yourself to some treats as payment.”

“Hey! I helped too! What about me?” Lauren pouted.

“You,” Rhiannon said as she left Nigel and went behind the counter to open the treats display for Stanley, “are getting paid for working unlike Stanley. Not to mention you aren’t as slick as you think you are. I know you are the danish thief.

Lauren groaned as she looked down at the floor in guilt, “But Rhiannon! They’re too good not to be stolen!”

Rhiannon rolled her eyes, “Of course they’re good, I made them. All I’m saying is if you want some, just tell me. I’ll be more than happy to make you a tray.”

Lauren smiled, “I know, you’re persistent about making sure any of us are well fed. Which is why I steal them, you’re a little scary when anyone refuses to take your treats.”

Rhiannon ignored the comment as she took a cream cheese danish out from the display and wrapped it in some parchment paper before pushing it into Lauren’s hands, “You’ve been looking a little thin lately. I hope you haven’t been forgetting to eat while you study again. Your semester finals are approaching, right? I’ll prepare a basket for you to have something you can quickly heat up so you at least get some proper nutrition.”

Lauren sighed in defeat before smiling up at Rhiannon, “Thank you.”

“Of course. And Stanley, are you really just taking a strudel?”

Nigel chuckled to himself as Rhiannon turned her attention to Stanley, who looked a little scared himself to be on the receiving end of Rhiannon’s tendency to mother anyone she became fond of. He turned back towards his lap top of his nearly finished manuscript for his sequel. To say he had a lot of inspiration this past month was an understatement, but it felt weird it was almost done. 

When Nigel had finished the first book, he didn’t really think much about it except for what publisher would be willing to publish it. But, now, both his first book and second book had way larger of a meaning to him then just being a reflection of his time in the parable.

It was how he had found Stanley again, and learned he loved the man more than anything.

Nigel was feeling a lot of things at that moment, closure, peace, and even hesitation. He was scared to finish the book. A part of his mind told him as soon as he finished those last few chapters, this new chapter of his life would end. Stanley would be gone, Rhiannon and Lauren wouldn’t help him with his crazy issues, and he wouldn’t feel at peace with himself anymore.

Of course, that wouldn’t be true. It was just bittersweet to finish and let go of a project that had helped him to find himself.

But, at the end of the day, it wasn’t specifically the book that had changed Nigel’s life. The book was just what initiated everything. If anything, it was the people Nigel had found, the people he became friends with, the experiences he got to live through, and the person he reunited with all while he wrote and published the series.

This was just a chapter of Nigel’s life that was coming to a close, but there were more chapters for him, just not his series.

And he was looking forward to them.

~

“Maybe I should just hire Rhiannon to come live with you,” Nigel laughed as Stanley lugged the heavy basket of treats to rest on top of his suitcase, “Then I’ll know you’re at least eating well.”

Stanley took a deep breath once he placed the basket down, “No thank you. Lauren is right, that woman is scary when she’s pushing you to eat.”

Nigel rolled his eyes and smiled lovingly as Stanley left to go back to the room he had been staying in, coming back with a red scarf and holding it out to Nigel, “Here, thank you for letting me borrow it.”

Nigel pushed the hand offering the scarf back, “Keep it, I have far too many scarfs to count. I’d also just like you to have something of mine so you’ll know I’m always there even when you’re all the way back in Manchester.”

Stanley laughed as he wrapped the scarf around his neck, “You’re such a hopeless romantic.”

“I wouldn’t say hopeless. I have you, don’t I?” Nigel said as he stepped forward and placed a chaste kiss on Stanley’s cheek.

Stanley sighed as he tugged Nigel’s collar to keep the man in place and give him a proper kiss, “I can’t argue with that. I guess you’re more cheesy rather than hopeless.”

Nigel smiled as he pressed his forehead against Stanley’s, “I know you like it when I’m being cheesy though.”

The only response Nigel got in return was a soft chuckle. The two stayed there for a moment before breaking away, Stanley turned towards the basket before looking back at Nigel.

“Are you sure you don’t want any?”

Nigel quickly shook his head, “I’m still trying to get through those boxes Rhiannon gave me last week. Believe me when I say I do not need anymore.”

Stanley smiled, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

The two went awkwardly silent, looking at their shoes before Nigel spoke up.

“You’ll text me when you get back, right?”

“Of course I will,” Stanley nodded, “Would you… be fine with us doing nightly calls?”

“Are you joking?” Nigel huffed, “Of course I’d be fine with it. I’ll want to know how you’re doing every single moment you can let me know.”

Stanley laughed before his phone chimed, he fished it out of his pocket and let out a sad sigh when he read the notification, “Well, my ride's here.”

Nigel frowned, but didn’t hesitate to step forward and hug Stanley, squeezing him tightly as he whispered, “Have a safe trip.”

“I will,” Stanley whispered back before Nigel let go.

Stanley took his suitcase as Nigel opened the door for him. Stanley only made it halfway down the stairs before he turned back towards Nigel, “I hope there’ll be a day where we don’t have to say goodbye like this.”

He hesitated before adding, “Do you… think that day could come soon?”

Nigel’s eyes widened as he processed Stanley’s words before he began to grin from ear to ear, “Of course.”

That was all the answer Stanley needed before he smiled and turned away, putting his suitcase and treats into the trunk before getting into the passenger seat of the taxi. The two looked at each other and gave a quick wave before the taxi drove off. 

Nigel stayed out there, standing in front of his front door, watching the taxi before it turned off his road. He sighed. He didn’t want Stanley to leave, but they both had their own lives to take care of.

But, from the sounds of it, that would change very soon.

Chapter Text

“I can’t believe this,” Stanley whispered as he pressed up against the side of Nigel. It was late at night and the couple was nestled up in bed, both reading a book together; Stanley wasn’t really reading, but he pretended for Nigel’s sake.

“Can’t believe what?” Nigel said as he ran a hand through Stanley’s hair, ruffling it a bit.

“That we’re here,” Stanley said, “I mean, just think of everything we’ve been through. And now we’re just… here . Cuddling in bed like we’re an entirely normal couple.

Nigel let out an amused sigh as he closed his book, resting both it and his glasses on the side table before wrapping both his arms around Stanley as he laid down, “It is quite amazing to think about, hm? But why are you thinking about it now?”

Stanley looked around the room. Their room. When he had first moved in a while back, most of the room was very Nigel. Now, the room had pieces of both of them intertwined. It was very comforting how them it looked. There weren't really any traces of the parable. If anyone were to come into their room, it would look like just a normal bedroom to them.

But to Stanley, it felt nice how it showed how they both grew into their own persons after escaping. It felt like freedom, really.

“I don’t know,” Stanley sighed as he rested his head on Nigel’s chest, “Just feels important to say out loud right now.”

Nigel hummed in response, rubbing Stanley’s back as he allowed the comforting silence of the night to settle amongst the room. It was nice, just being here. Why had Stanley spent so long convincing himself he was not good enough and that he should run away?

He really caused more problems than were needed, but that’s in the past now.

This was now going to be their constant, their forever. No time loop, no rules they had to play, no stories they would have to carry out anymore. 

And Stanley wanted to make sure that this , this happiness and freedom to be together because they want to and not because they have to, would truly be their forever.

“Nigel?” Stanley murmured, making sure his lover had not fallen asleep. A soft little hum responded, letting Stanley know Nigel was listening.

“I love you.”

Nigel hummed again as he moved to kiss Stanley’s cheek, “I love you too, Stanley. Now get some rest, we have that date tomorrow, remember?”

“Right,” Stanley chuckled, “Well then goodnight.”

Nigel pulled Stanley’s body closer to his as he seemed to bury himself against Stanley, “Goodnight, dear.”

~

Stanley pretty much fell face first onto the pic-nic blanket the second Nigel set it out, “Ugh, why did we have to hike so far up?”

Nigel chuckled, “Come on, dear, it was nice to enjoy the scenery and have time to just chat, hm?”

Stanley lifted his head to stick his tongue out at Nigel, “We can chat anywhere we want.”

Nigel rolled his eyes as he nudged Stanley with his foot, “Just sit up, I need room to set everything down.”

Stanley complied as Nigel set down the basket and quickly got to work setting everything into place. Pulling out snacks, tupperwares of food and Rhiannon’s sweets- of course she baked some for their date- and drinks. Stanley would’ve helped, but one vital thing he had learned over the past few months was you did not help Nigel with anything he’s working on unless he asks, elsewise he’ll tell you you’re getting in the way or doing everything wrong.

Stanley snorted, he always had to be so precise about everything, that crazy man.

“Champagne?” Nigel asked as he pulled a bottle out. Huh, Stanley hadn’t even seen him pack that.

Stanley grinned and nodded as he took his glass and passed it to Nigel, “I didn’t realize we were being so fancy tonight. Maybe I should’ve worn my nice sweater,” Stanley nodded towards Nigel’s clothes, which did look a little more formal than his usual clothes.

“Dear, you look wonderful in anything, though I do wish you would at least get a better wardrobe.”

Stanley pushed out his bottom lip in a pout, “What’s wrong with my wardrobe?”

“It’s just so… bland,” Nigel said as he handed Stanley back his glass of champagne, “Don’t you get bored of wearing a button up and slacks every single day to work? We could at least spice it up a little. I’ll even pay for it if it means I can at least see you try a new style out.”

Stanley chuckled as he shook his head, “Seriously, I’m fine! I don’t really need any more clothes.”

Nigel huffed and rolled his eyes as he held up his own glass of champagne, “I won’t argue about it anymore tonight, but I will get you to realize the practicality of fashion one day.”

Stanley held up his own glass and cheersed with him, “In your dreams, love.”

The night went pretty smoothly, the two conversing and eating dinner as the sun began to slowly set behind the mountains. Stanley had noticed that Nigel seemed a bitmore nervous than usual, but Stanley had just concluded Nigel was just worrying about this date going perfectly- Nigel had admitted a while back he enjoyed spoiling Stanley as best as he could.

It wasn’t until Nigel went silent for a long while as he stared at the sunset that Stanley finally thought something was up.

“Nigel?”

“You know… this place, at this time, with this scenery… it reminds me of when I changed the freedom ending to make that grand entrance when I had built my body.”

Stanley turned to look in the direction Nigel was looking and… he was right. Stanley remembered in very vivid detail that day, when he opened the door to his office to find an altered version of the freedom ending where the sun was setting behind the mountains and the Narrator, now Nigel, was standing in the distance for his dramatic introduction. It was one of his most cherished memories, that was when things really began to change between them.

“Why did you bring me specifically here, Nigel?” Stanley said, grabbing Nigel’s hand which he had noticed was shaking ever so slightly.

Nigel took a deep breath before taking Stanley’s other hand and guiding him to stand up, leading him closer to the edge of the hill they had chosen to have their picnic so they could have a better view of the sunset.

“Stanley,” Nigel whispered, “You… are something else.”

Stanley snorted, “What do you mean by that?”

“I-I just mean that you are… a wonderful person. We’ve been together for as long as I remember, not exactly by choice, but we eventually made ends meet,” Nigel paused for a moment before continuing, “But then when things had become more than just accepting we were stuck together and that I could truly find a friend in you… we were both pushed into a world without each other at our side. I thought that life may be great without me having to look after you and your crazy shenanigans constantly. But if anything, losing you made me realize how much I had taken you for granted… and how much I really do love you.”

“Nigel?”

Nigel squeezed Stanley’s hands, “Stanley, life without you felt empty. If anything, being with you feels like I am… whole. I feel like you and I are two halves of a whole and I would like to ensure it.”

Stanley had finally caught on what was happening at that moment, but it still didn’t change how surprised he was when Nigel got on his knee, pulling a case out and opening it to reveal a ring inside.

“Stanley, will you marry me?”

Stanley could only stare for the longest time as he stood there, watching Nigel look at him with eyes that were mixed with love and nervous energy. They only switched to surprise when Stanley began to sniffle.

Nigel quickly stood up and put his hands on Stanley’s shoulders, “Oh, dear, are you alright? Did I do something wrong?”

Stanley shook his head as he began to wipe the fresh tears off of his cheeks, “No! No, you did nothing wrong. I’m just- I can’t believe you beat me to it!”

Nigel could only tilt his head in confusion before he snorted, “Stanley, were you going to try to propose to me as well?”

“Yes!” Stanley cried, “I thought I was being fast enough! Gosh darn it, Nigel!”

Nigel chuckled as he kissed Stanley’s cheek, wiping away his tears with his thumb, “Darling, out of the two of us, it should’ve been obvious I was going to be the one to propose.”

“You are such a jerk,” Stanley grumbled.

“But you love me!” Nigel laughed, that line had become a favorite for the couple.

Stanley sighed, “I do.”

“So I take it that means you accept my proposal?” Nigel grinned as he wrapped his arms around Stanley’s back.

Stanley chuckled as he rested his head on Nigel’s chest, “Of course it does. I want to marry you too, you dork.”

Nigel hummed happily as he ruffled Stanley’s hair, “Well then, I guess we should get back to that pic-nic? We could have another glass of champagne to celebrate.”

Stanley smiled as he broke away from the hug and took Nigel’s hand, “Sounds lovely, let’s go do that.”

Nigel simply followed as he chuckled, “Of course, my fiancé .”

Chapter Text

“Wow, what a wedding!” Nancy exclaimed as she clapped her hands together, “Everything was so pretty! The scenery, your suits, and the ceremony! Oh, don’t forget about the kiss!”

The table broke out into laughter as Tom patted Nancy’s back, “Hon, we were all there, you don’t need to describe the whole wedding again .”

Nancy smiled as she shrugged, “I can’t help it! Tom, can you believe it? Our little boy is married!”

Stanley groaned as Nancy pinched his cheek while making a mock baby voice towards him, “Cut it out, Nancy!”

Nigel could only burst out in laughter, leaving Stanley to the mercy of Nancy while he looked at his now husband with pleading eyes. No way was he helping that man, he teased him all the time. This was revenge.

The wedding was rather nice. There weren’t many people, just the friends Stanley and Nigel had made along the way. It was simple and sweet, just the way they wanted it to be. For their afterparty, they came to a bar down in central London that was buzzing with activity in the night.

“I just can’t believe Nigel was the one who cried,” Lauren said, much to Nigel’s chagrin as he snapped his head towards her to give her a glare. Rhiannon snorted beside the girl, taking a quick sip of her drink.

“I can. Nigel’s a big old teddy bear, no matter how cranky and grumpy he tries to act.”

It was Nigel’s turn to groan, “I seriously shouldn’t have invited you two to the afterparty.”

“Aw, then there wouldn’t even be a party, Nigel!” Lauren said, “C’mon, we bring the fun..”

“You know it! Us girls know how to party,” Nancy fistbumped Rhiannon, “We were always the girls that got the party started back in junior high!”

“Dude, I wish I got to grow up with you guys, you sounded so cool back then.”

Rhiannon laughed, “We are still cool, what do you mean?”

“No offense, Rhiannon, but you’re about as old as Nigel. I can’t see you surviving this night for long.”

Rhiannon let out an offended gasp as she turned towards Lauren, “I can’t believe it, my own apprentice underestimating me! I taught you better Lauren!”

Lauren shrugged, “Well I don’t know, this is the first time I have ever seen you drink!”

“That’s because I got my sister to babysit the kids tonight, so I have no worries about having a drink or two and partying.”

“Honestly, I’m sort of excited to see that,” Nigel murmured, “I always heard of wild Rhiannon, it’d be fun to meet her.”

Rhiannon snorted and rolled her eyes, “Alright, enough about me and my wild side. You two just got married! How are you boys feeling?”

‘Well,’ Stanley shrugged, ‘The same, just more stuck with this old man now.’

“Hey!”

Stanley laughed, ‘I’m joking, love, I’m really happy… now that I’m stuck with this old man.’

James laughed as Nigel grumbled, “You two are always at each other, aren’t you?”

The entire group nodded in unison.

“How about you, Clarence?” Rhiannon said to the bookstore owner, who had been awfully quiet as he looked on at the happy scene, he softly smiled.

“I’m just glad to see everyone so happy. Nigel and Stanley have obviously grown to be two wonderful men, this whole group of people have formed, and now we’re all living happily with our lives… It feels like a happy end to a story.”

Nigel smiled back at Clarence, “You always have a way of putting moments into words.”

Clarence chuckled, “Maybe, but not as well as you. Otherwise I’d also be an author!”

That got a good laugh out of Nigel, “You give me too much credit. But you are right, it does feel like a happy ending, doesn’t it?”

“It feels like more of a new start to me,” Rhiannon shrugs, “I mean, Stanley and Nigel are finally together again after all this time and they got through their problems, and now this whole group has formed.”

“Very true!” Nancy laughed, “The end of one era, and the start of another!”

“Honestly, you lot are starting to sound like the bartender up there,” Rhiannon laughed as she pointed back to the woman tending the bar, “I was talking to her earlier, name’s Gigi. She’s very prolific and down to earth, I like her.”

“Rhiannon being social and making new friends? Shocking,” Nigel said, earning himself a playful slap from the woman.

“Just how many people have you talked to already, Riri?” Nancy asked with a smirk.

“Oh… let me see. Well there’s the bartender, then there’s Cherry the server, they have a security guard named Jinx, oh and the night guard August! I also just talked with some patrons, there was this one sweet girl named LJ-”

“When did you even talk to all those people? I swear you’ve been with us all night.”

Rhiannon shrugged, “I have my ways.”

The table bursted out into laughter.

“Well, anyways, here’s to Stanley and Nigel! Who survived their mysterious past and finally came together after who knows how long!” Tom said, laughing as Nancy elbowed him.

“Will we ever know about that mysterious past of yours?” Lauren asked, ignoring the unimpressed stare Rhiannon shot at her, “I mean- you make it sound like it’s quite the story.”

Nigel shook his head with a sigh, “I think it’s best we keep the past in the past. Either way, even if we told you, I don’t think you’d exactly understand… it would be something you’d have to experience to get, which I would never wish upon any of you.”

“Fair,” Tom shrugged, “Some stuff is better just left behind. So let’s not dwell on that! It’s time to party!”

The entire table came alive with excitement as they raised their glasses and cheersed, chatting away, singing, and enjoying themselves through the night. Throughout the entire party, Stanley and Nigel stayed right next to each other, hand in hand, their wedding rings brushing every now and then as they survived the onslaught of teasing they received from the group. Even Clarence was having the time of his life as he joined in on the teasings.

It was safe to say it was a great afterparty to end a great wedding.

“So any plans for your honeymoon?” Rhiannon whispered to Nigel as they were all leaving the bar, heading to the hotel they were staying the night at.

Nigel shrugged, “Not at the moment- we’re both awfully busy right now and haven’t really had the time to plan much else except for the wedding. Maybe next month.”

Rhiannon nodded, “Understandable, though if you need any help on treats, you know you can call me up, right?”

Nigel rolled his eyes, “I don’t even need to ask to know you’re going to give us any for our honeymoon.”

Rhiannon could only laugh, the sound echoing across the surprisingly quiet streets, “You know me too well. Which reminds me, stop by my room before you two settle in for the night, will you? I have some sweets as a congratulations for your wedding.”

Nigel smiled at Rhiannon, and continued walking, though he seemed a little lost in thought.

“Hey… what’s up? I thought you’d be a little happier now that you’re married to the love of your life.”

“What? I am!”

Rhiannon lifted an eyebrow, “Then why do you look so glum?”

Nigel opened his mouth to fight back before sighing, “It’s just… Stanley and I have reunited, we’ve moved in together, and now we’re married. It’s just… what happens now?”

Rhiannon snorted, “You really are treating this like an ending.”

“What?”

“Life isn’t a story, Nigel. Yeah, you and Stanley got it good now. You overcame everything that was put your way and now you two are together, but that doesn’t mean it’s just the end .”

“So what are you saying?”

“It’s now time to make your own life, hon,” Rhiannon said with a smile, “What do you want to do with Stanley? How do you two want to live out the rest of your lives? It’s your decision, and you get to choose what you make a reality.”

“Huh,” Nigel mused, “I guess you’re right.”

“Of course I’m right,” Rhiannon said, running a hand through her thick auburn curls, “I’m a mother, I know things.”

Nigel could only laugh, “Very true.”

“Now let’s stop acting like social recluses and rejoin the group.”

Nigel nodded and they quickly joined the group to hear Lauren and Tom bickering at each other as the rest of the group laughed.

“I could totally beat you in arm wrestling! I’m a barista! I carry heavy bags and jugs for Rhiannon everyday, you’re just an office worker!”

“An office worker who isn’t afraid to beat a girl! Believe me, I’m way stronger than you think!”

“Oh yeah- go ahead and beat me with those noodle arms of yours!”

“How dare you, my arms are beautiful!”

“So everyone’s getting along fine, I see,” Nigel laughed as he walked past them, “But will you guys quiet down? You’re going to wake up the whole hotel.”

Nigel motioned to the doors to the hotel, holding the door open for everyone.

The two grumbled, shooting glares at each other before entering along with everyone else, Stanley stayed behind to give Nigel a kiss and walk in with him, “Are you excited to get some sleep?”

“Oh you don’t even know,” Nigel said with a relieved sigh.

Once everyone was checked in, they all headed down to the elevators where they waited for one to stop by, Stanley staring up at the red numbers listed on the screens above each one in hopes one would arrive quickly. He had to admit he was quite tired himself. Apparently getting married was tiring work.

One eventually arrived and everyone crowded in, but Stanley stayed behind as he just stared at the elevator, feeling… off.

“Stanley, honey, don’t worry, we can all fit in here!” Rhiannon said as she motioned Stanley to come in, “What are you waiting for.”

“Sorry,” Stanley mumbled as he shook his head, “For some reason the elevator felt eerily familiar to me.”

“Dude, you’re being weird about an elevator ,” Lauren snorted, “Let’s go.”

Stanley laughed as he stepped in, and the doors closed right behind him.

The crew chatted away as the elevator began to move, but quickly went quiet when the elevator came to a halt.

“Maybe I was wrong,” Rhiannon mumbled, “We might’ve overcrowded the elevator.”

Nigel could only turn to Stanley, who had went quite pale and very still as he stared at his reflection in the glossy spruce panel in front of him.

“Darling, what’s wrong?”

“Something’s wrong,” Stanley whispered, “I feel it- something’s not right.”

“Are you sick?” Nancy asked as she put a hand on Stanley’s shoulder, “We need to call and-”

Before Nancy could finish her sentence, the elevator let out a deafening squeal of metal against metal before it felt like they were dropping, at a fast pace. The entire group screamed as Nigel suddenly grabbed onto Stanley and held onto him.

“No- Don’t tell me-!”

Nigel didn’t need to finish his sentence for Stanley to know what he meant, Stanley shouted out, “EVERYONE HOLD ONTO EACH OTHER!”

Everyone complied as Rhiannon yelled, “WHAT’S HAPPENING? WE SHOULD’VE HIT THE GROUND BY NOW!”

“We’re going back… after everything,” Nigel could only murmur.

Before anyone could question Nigel and Stanley’s strange behavior, the elevator crashed, and no matter how hard they held on, each person felt as they lost their grip on each other. And everything went to black. 

Stanley and Nigel may have received their happy ending after being reunited and vowing they’d live the rest of their lives loving each other. But, as Rhiannon said, in life their isn’t an end, it’s just a beginning. And this is only the beginning of Stanley and Nigel’s life together. For, as we all know, Nigel and Stanley more than anyone else-

The end is never the end .