[Stan casually tops off Ford's drink while he's processing all of that. Even if Bill sucks, it doesn't exactly make Stan happy to break this to Ford - especially since Ford just said he wants to continue having Bill in his life after the barge.]
Yeah, well. He's not getting them. That's why I wanted to hear this all from you. Now I know what happened and he got nothin' out of it!
[He definitely feels pretty good about that part! He did a clever thing for once! He dials the gloating back just a little for Ford's sake though. And only Ford's sake. Bill can suck a lemon.]
...If it makes you feel any better, I asked him if it meant he was breaking up with you and he said no? So that's something, I guess?
[Actually, Bill said "probably not" but Stan's trying his best here.]
[Ford grimaces, bracing an elbow on a table and sliding a hand up his face, under his glasses.]
He broke an agreement. He's trying to --
[Ford huffs.]
--he's trying to make decisions he thinks are best for me, without asking me what I want. I told him not to do that. I told him not to pick a fight with you!
[Because if Bill wants a fight with Stan more than he wants a future with Ford, then that future's not happening.]
I need to talk to him. If he's going to start going back on things we've decided and making moves behind my back, then I can't trust him. And if I can't trust him, then....
...Then, maybe he hasn't changed all that much after all.
[He wants to believe Ford. He really does. But this is all pretty damning. Ford can say what he wants, but this doesn't look very good. Stan's definitely not buying it, but he buys that Ford's buying it.]
Talk to him, see how that goes. And uh. ...If you need any back up, lemme know. I'm here for you, no matter what happens with that dumb triangle.
[Even if things fall apart. Even if they don't fall apart and they have to be civil. Ford's happiness and well being matter more to him than that.]
No, Stan, he has. He's just -- he's so sure that fighting you again is inevitable that he thinks giving anything different a chance is the same thing as giving you a head start!
[He quiets. The ice in Ford's drink clicks.]
He's scared, Stanley. Now that you're here, he thinks he's going to lose me.
[A long breath.]
I'll talk to him, about all of it. And -- thank you, for telling me about this. ...and for hearing me out.
[The worst part is, Ford's not totally wrong. And when Ford puts it like that...
No. Nope. He's going to put that fire out right now before it has any chance to catch. Bill tried to kill the kids. Bill is objectively terrible and Stan doesn't care that Bill has also worried about losing Ford, just like he did maybe five minutes ago.
He doesn't. Fuck Bill. If he doesn't think too hard about it, it won't matter.]
Yeah, no problem. What, you think you're the only one who's had questionable significant others you weren't sure you could trust?
[Stan doesn't even remember all of them and it's still too many for him to count!]
And, look. I can't promise I'll get along with him - especially since he's goading me here and he tried to murder the kids - but. Even if I don't trust him, I trust you. ...Even if you've got terrible taste.
[Despite what he literally just admitted about his own relationships, he still playfully takes the shot.]
[Ford laughs. He can't help it -- it's half that Stan is funny, and half out of relief. Of course Stan's had questionable exes. At least Bill hasn't tried to steal Ford's car!
He looks down at his glass.]
Ah, I should sober up before I try talking to him about anything serious. I'll need all my faculties to figure him out.
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no subject
Yeah, well. He's not getting them. That's why I wanted to hear this all from you. Now I know what happened and he got nothin' out of it!
[He definitely feels pretty good about that part! He did a clever thing for once! He dials the gloating back just a little for Ford's sake though. And only Ford's sake. Bill can suck a lemon.]
...If it makes you feel any better, I asked him if it meant he was breaking up with you and he said no? So that's something, I guess?
[Actually, Bill said "probably not" but Stan's trying his best here.]
no subject
He broke an agreement. He's trying to --
[Ford huffs.]
--he's trying to make decisions he thinks are best for me, without asking me what I want. I told him not to do that. I told him not to pick a fight with you!
[Because if Bill wants a fight with Stan more than he wants a future with Ford, then that future's not happening.]
I need to talk to him. If he's going to start going back on things we've decided and making moves behind my back, then I can't trust him. And if I can't trust him, then....
no subject
[He wants to believe Ford. He really does. But this is all pretty damning. Ford can say what he wants, but this doesn't look very good. Stan's definitely not buying it, but he buys that Ford's buying it.]
Talk to him, see how that goes. And uh. ...If you need any back up, lemme know. I'm here for you, no matter what happens with that dumb triangle.
[Even if things fall apart. Even if they don't fall apart and they have to be civil. Ford's happiness and well being matter more to him than that.]
no subject
[He quiets. The ice in Ford's drink clicks.]
He's scared, Stanley. Now that you're here, he thinks he's going to lose me.
[A long breath.]
I'll talk to him, about all of it. And -- thank you, for telling me about this. ...and for hearing me out.
no subject
No. Nope. He's going to put that fire out right now before it has any chance to catch. Bill tried to kill the kids. Bill is objectively terrible and Stan doesn't care that Bill has also worried about losing Ford, just like he did maybe five minutes ago.
He doesn't. Fuck Bill. If he doesn't think too hard about it, it won't matter.]
Yeah, no problem. What, you think you're the only one who's had questionable significant others you weren't sure you could trust?
[Stan doesn't even remember all of them and it's still too many for him to count!]
And, look. I can't promise I'll get along with him - especially since he's goading me here and he tried to murder the kids - but. Even if I don't trust him, I trust you. ...Even if you've got terrible taste.
[Despite what he literally just admitted about his own relationships, he still playfully takes the shot.]
no subject
He looks down at his glass.]
Ah, I should sober up before I try talking to him about anything serious. I'll need all my faculties to figure him out.