Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Stanley was delirious.

Completely and utterly delirious.

Maybe it was the Sploosh that Zero had fed him all those days ago to feed him,or the dirty water he drank to survive.Either way,he didn't care.

He was completely carefree and completely content for the first time in months.

Big Thumb had never felt more comfortable than it did right then.

The stars were shining so brightly,like diamonds in the sky.The full moon glowed down.So enticing and mesmerizing to look at.And best of all,Zero was sitting down right next to him,alive and radiant,lit in the moonlight.A gentle smile came upon Zero's face.His eyes were just as starry as the sky above them,perhaps more.

Stanley found that he wanted to capture this moment,to keep it in his mind,as a photograph.Clear as the cloudless dark heavens above.

To remember the stars,and the moon,the euphoria,the hot summer air,the crickets chirping,and Zero’s eyes.

"Hey, Caveman," Zero said softly.His voice sounded like a lullaby, comforting and soothing.Zero was grinning,boyish and bright,and the farthest thing from dead.

"Hey."

Stanley grinned right back at him,so happy to be alive in that second.

"Is it just me or do these stars," Stanley gestured towards the night sky, "seem 

brighter than usual?"

Zero's smile grew wider.Stanley had thought that impossible.

"Right?They're glowing," Zero bubbled,eyes glistening.

Stanley's mother had told him once that true happiness was contagious.

Stanley had,of course,known it was true,but now he really felt it in his bones.

True happiness truly was contagious.

Minutes passed,Stanley and Zero were just staring at those beautiful stars in comfortable silence. Zero was so close.Stanley could hear him breathing.Slow and soft.Again and again and again.The sound was calming.Zero’s head came to rest on Stanley’s shoulder.Zero’s eyes were drooping,down,down,down.

”You gonna fall asleep on me?” Stanley teased lightly.Zero’s eyes popped open.”Nope,”he said quickly.

“Go to sleep,kid,you’ll need that beauty rest for tomorrow.” Stanley smirked.

“Nope.” Zero repeated.

“Seriously,Zero.Your eyes are closing.You need sleep for tomorrow.” Stanley was dead serious this time,no teasing edge to what he was saying.

“Fine,” Zero conceded,”but only if you sleep too.”

“Okay,”Stanley agreed to the deal,”Just for you.” 

 Zero closed his eyes shut.” G‘night,Stanley,” he murmured groggily.

 Stanley felt Zero’s breathing slow down as he fell asleep.”Sweet dreams,kid,” Stanley whispered,as he closed his own eyes,

” Sweet dreams .”

Chapter Text

Today was the day.

The day that Stanley would finally get Zero that hot fudge sundae that he asked for a lifetime ago. Or at least it seemed like a lifetime ago to Stanley.

Stanley knocked on Zero’s bedroom door.

“Come in.” He could hear Zero’s muffled voice through the door.

Stanley opened the door. He had been waiting forever to do this for Zero.

As Stanley stood there in Zero’s room,he said firmly,”Get ready,I’m taking you somewhere.”

“Where?” Zero asked,curious.

“You’ll see when we get there.” Stanley beamed widely.

Before Zero could ask again,Stanley repeated,“You’ll see.”

And then he shut the door.

While Zero was getting dressed,Stanley was pacing in the hallway.Not out of nervousness,out of excitement .He could not wait to see Zero’s smile once he found out.

Big and beautiful.

Stanley thought that Zero’s smile could light up the whole entire town.Brighter than any streetlight out on the Texas streets.

Zero came out of his room wearing a red t-shirt with faded blue jeans and a plaid flannel tied around his waist.

“Hey,” Zero said casually, “You gonna tell me where we’re going now ?”

 Stanley smirked. “Nope,you’ll just have to trust me.”

 Zero was smirking now too,”Never had a problem with that. ”

And they started walking,out the doorway,up Park Street,taking a left at Pecan  Street,and finally down Oak Street.They were talking and laughing the whole way down.

Down the last bit,to the ice cream parlor.Stanley carried Zero,to make sure that he wasn’t peeking.

“Don’t peek.” Stanley teased,”Seriously,Do. Not .Peek.”

As they were at the front of the parlor,Stanley put Zero down,safely.

Zero opened his eyes.”An ice cream parlor?Stanley.You didn’t have-”But before he could finish,Stanley remarked.“But I did.”

“Now,are you gonna just stand there,or should we go get that hot fudge sundae?”

Zero smiled,just as Stanley knew he would.Just as big and beautiful as he imagined.

They went in and ordered.Zero finally  got his hot fudge sundae.Stanley got a root beer float.

As they sat at one of the booths,just talking about smaller things,laughing at how sweet life was for them.The ice cream was delicious.

And all Stanley could think was how much they both deserved this moment.How Zero deserved that sundae more than anyone else could ever deserve a sundae.

And how it just felt good and right and real

Chapter Text

It started late one night.

Zero came barging into Stanley’s room,bursting with excitement.

“ Stanley! Stanley! ” Zero was trying to wake him up.

Stanley gained consciousness.”What…What is it?” He said groggily,voice still laden with sleep.

“Stanley,can you please read me one of the books on your shelf?”Zero asked,voice pleading.

Stanley had to admit,he was tempted to just say no,and go back to sleep.But he was already awake,and he realized that there was no harm in reading Zero one chapter.

Stanley was currently reading Harry Potter. So he told Zero to come sit down next to him,and he propped up his pillow.Zero crawled right next to him.Stanley turned his nightlight on,the dim light illuminating the pages. 

He read the first two or three chapters to Zero that night,and Zero was fascinated by the story of the wizard boy.

So much so that Zero came back the next night,and the night after that,and the night after that,and so on.Until they completed Harry Potter ’s adventures and moved on to other universes

After a year or so,Stanley’s shelf was brimming with books of all genres.

Zero liked fantasy,Stanley liked horror-comedy.

Zero was learning to read quite well,he was following along better by the day.

It had become something of a ritual for them,a constant among the variables and chaos and mess that life presents.They both knew,no matter what the day brought,the night would bring them comfort in their books,in their fictional worlds,and in each other.

Chapter Text

Stanley hated his hands. 

He hated how rough and tough and calloused they were from all those months of digging holes. He hated how his skin felt even after all these years.As harsh as a desert.

He despised them,because they reminded him of how he wasted months of his life digging holes for a tyrant lady.

Zero,on the other hand,thought that Stanley’s hands were perfect.

Yes,they were rough.Yes,they were tough.Yes,they were calloused.

But they were perfect.

Zero’s hands fit perfectly into Stanley’s.Like two puzzle pieces.They just belonged together.

Zero loved the callouses because it means that they are not in Camp Green Lake anymore.That they survived.That they’re free to live.

He loved them because he loves every part,every facet of Stanley.Even the parts that Stanley himself hated.

Zero loved them everlastingly.

Zero loved intertwining their hands any chance that he got.Just to show Stanley that he didn’t care about how rough his hands were. That he would keep holding them no matter what.

And so they moved,rough hand in rough hand.

Forward,always.

Chapter Text

Stanley Yelnats the Fourth is kissing the boy of his dreams.

Finally.

After what felt like centuries of waiting.

Oh my God,I’m kissing Hector Zeroni.Oh my God.

Stanley can’t think straight.

Stanley could see sparks fly.It is better than any Fourth of July fireworks. He is captivated by Zero.

Entranced,Hypnotized,Fully enchanted.

As he kept on kissing Zero,the lights went wilder.

Stanley is a goner. His hands tangle in Zero’s curly dark hair. It is soft and lucious.

And it feels nice to the touch when Stanley’s fingertips bury into it. Zero tastes like the skittles that they were eating,just a few moments ago.He tastes like fruit candy,and iced lemonade,and summer.

The hot Texas sun lit up Zero’s dark brown eyes,making them glow incandescent. He can feel the July heat on his skin.The sun on his face. There were cloudless crystal blue skies ahead.He can feel the creaky wood of his backyard porch beneath his feet.It is holy ground beneath them. The smell of barbecue chicken on the grill drifts across the yard. Stanley can hear distant laughter and chatter.But none of that matters. Stanley can only see Zero.He is all that matters.

As they broke apart,Zero grinned that big jack-o-lantern grin of his.

Stanley had to grin back.

Stanley Yelnats the Fourth is seventeen when he kisses the boy of his dreams,his best friend,his partner in crime,Hector Zeroni.

And it was all good.

Chapter Text

The sun was rising,its rays were shining down on Stanley and Hector,bringing them warmth,in the chill December air.

The gradient of colours painting the skies were stunning.

Oranges and yellows and blues all faded together to paint the heavens.

It truly was mesmerizing to look at.

Hector was painting the skies on a canvas.His brush glided across it like a ballerina on a stage,gracefully and with careful precision.The brush strokes were hypnotizing to Stanley,almost like a lullaby.It calmed him down.He stared into Hector’s deep,soulful eyes,which were fully concentrated on the painting,before staring back at the sky.

Hector’s eyes were alight with the sparkling sun,making him look ethereal.His brown curls were glowing. He was glowing.He looked like he could’ve been an angel among mortals.

“Cute.”

Stanley muttered under his breath,subconsciously. He didn’t mean to say it out loud.

“What was that?” Hector drawled,turning his face away from his canvas,to face Stanley.

He was grinning ear to ear,teasingly.

“Because it sounds like you think I’m cute.” He went on.

“Hector,love, We’ve been dating for 2 years now.” Stanley said,with mock exasperation.

“I know,but I still like hearing it,you know?” Hector remarked.

“Hearing what?” Stanley asked him.

“You know,hearing that you think I’m cute.”Hector was more serious this time.

Stanley leaned in closer,and whispered gently into his ear,smiling.

“Can I tell you a secret?”

Hector nodded and put a hand on his heart,solemnly.

“You’re the best ,Hector.Don’t you ever forget it,okay?”

Stanley murmured,his voice soft.

“Thanks.” Hector's voice sounded thick,filled with emotion. 

He repeated,

“Thanks”