So.

shipping chart thoughts

(billford always happens and they always break up. ford was obsessed when bill was his muse, then bill is obsessed after they’re no longer together and he realizes what he lost) (this dynamic is just canon, really)

(fiddauthor is always present at some point but in one route they end up together after canon events, and in another route fidd moves on) (it’s possible that they had a thing in college but consider it “typical college experimentation” because it’s the 70s and denial is strong. they still go through canon events)

(fiddlestan only happens during the fiddlestan route. otherwise canon events stay the same and they barely actually interact with each other. in the fiddlestan route they work together in the 80s and grow old together)

(billstan isn’t really romantic but it is a one-sided obsession. bill just can’t stop obsessing over the stans… for very different reasons…) (dare i say an unrequited kismesis dynamic?)

(ford and stan are brothers. that’s it. leave them out of the shipping dynamics.)

(fiddlebill isn’t really included here but i feel like the only way this would happen is if bill was possessing ford and wanted to fuck with fidd by using his crush on ford against him) (this one’s basically only possible if it’s fiddauthor-adjacent)

Stancest codependency. They're supposed to be one, one cannot live without the other, Ford is the only person who didn't see Stan as a lesser version of him, Stan is the only person who can truly love Ford. Trying to separate them is tearing one soul into two. Do you see my vision?

I’ve been rewatching Gr@vity F@lls (censoring to prevent the antis from finding me) and I’ve discovered how impatient I am. When will my favorite cocky old man show up and kiss his twin brother?!

I saw that ask you got and i just wanted to say that it's so funny to me when people are like "why would you ship stancest ew" acting like they didn't sail off into the sunset together after DECADES of Stan openly pining for Ford. If they weren't written as siblings they would hands down be the most popular ship of the show

There's a long answer, and then there's the tldr at the bottom marked in red text. Long answer: If they weren't siblings, you literally wouldn't be able to escape this ship. It would have been THE ship of tumblr after the finale had aired, considered the "healthy" ship and the good ending, would be considered canon even if they didn't kiss, and it would be the standard by which all the other ships are judged. You would have people writing essays about how they literally took off on a ship, guys! It's so obvious and a metaphor for marriage and and- But here's where I can extend a bit of empathy that perhaps they wouldn't give me, as well as look at things from the perspective as someone who has seen shipping culture their entire lives. First off- most people don't want to fuck their siblings. I know, shocker. Most people who ship Stancest probably do not want to fuck their siblings, but people who don't CERTAINLY do not want to. It's the most repulsive thought in the world to them. There is such thing as being in such a close platonic relationship that it's an impossible thought. I think a lot of people who want Stancest shippers to die or whatever find that kind of desire utterly repulsive, that and let's be real, 1nc3st in real life is rife with abuse. It isn't a healthy thought to get those wires crossed. People who do not like this ship are empathizing with either of the brothers and projecting their own repulsion onto them. But here's the other bit. I'm not shipping Stan and Ford because they're siblings. Most of my ships are not 1nc3stuous. I don't find that element hot or cute, and while I'm not here to harsh anyone's vibe, if that's the only reason you ship Stancest I really don't want to talk with you about these characters. People see ships as inherently sexual, as inherently sexualizing, as "you must only ship this because you want to see the characters fuck". And mind you, with Stancest I don't see it as a bad thing at all to draw them doing things or being attractive together, etc etc. Not at all, and I'd be a hypocrite for saying otherwise. My point is, that's where people's minds go, that's the assumption that they make. They find 1nc3st repulsive, and clearly the ONLY reason I would ship it is because I like sexualizing that and only that aspect about it. Basically, they assume I must LOVE 1nc3st in and of itself, because otherwise why would I ship brothers? Now here's where I go back to the first statement, because most people I've seen don't just ship them for that reason.

You ever seen that meme about "if they have chemistry, I can't make them NOT have chemistry"? That's why I'm here. EVERYTHING about how Stan and Ford are written is tailor made to be SHIPPED. Aside from literally bounding away on a ship, they have a closeness and codependency that most brothers in fiction do not. Alex himself has said they need each other, Ford in the third journal said he was going to spend the rest of his days making up to Stanley. Stanley has spent his entire life wanting NOTHING but his family, his brother by his side. He seems more bonded to his brother than to any one he's ever tried to date, and Ford likewise. I'm sorry, but these two are not getting a "healthy" ending. They aren't going to be with anyone else. There's no version of them in which they find separate partners after having a little adventure around the world for a year or two then just go off in separate ways. This is the most "childhood friends to lovers" story I've ever seen. These two are NOT healthy to begin with, why would anyone expect them to start when they're that old and that hurt by everything in their pasts? I don't believe it inherently has to be sexually 1nc3stuous, but it could be. Wires are already being crossed. It's rare for anyone to be loyal for 30 years to one person when they aren't in love, and Stan wanted to get his brother back so badly that he forgot his own goals and even threw away his own identity to get him back. His entire life was for Ford, and after Journal 3, it should be obvious that Ford's entire life is for Stan now, too. What I'm trying to say is, while this ship isn't the healthy ending, it is the BEST ending for either of them. I think people who wanted Stan to be able to deny going with Ford don't understand him or his character, or what his character NEEDS, same as Ford. And I think people who try to separate the bros for shipping purposes or who don't want to do 1nc3st or accidental emotional 1nc3st are not fully reading the same things, watching the same things that we are. If they weren't brothers, everyone else would see exactly what we're seeing. They would see this as the love story it is. TLDR: I understand why people won't ship this ship, and I try to be empathetic, but these two have been given the kind of story that would ping the lovers radar to anyone if they weren't brothers and I'm not going to ignore that just because they are.

This will be forever immortalized on my college dorm’s workroom wall

my fic recs!

angst + hurt/comfort

this is a MUST for any gf reader: hide and seek by parsnipit: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26956045

any works by @avidhousehusband , but particularly :

the whole truth: https://archiveofourown.org/works/51089620

adrift: https://archiveofourown.org/works/58507594

farmer’s friend: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60478171

a night of color and static by @jellyskink:(unfinished, feral ford) https://archiveofourown.org/works/59960611

old habits die hard by @thenoellebird / elliebluejay: (in progress, check tws) https://archiveofourown.org/works/62245828

everything by @ilentari , but i especially enjoy their dark ford works:

this is a gift, it comes with a price: https://archiveofourown.org/works/61528726

chain, keep us together: https://archiveofourown.org/works/61159726

@dark-lord-of-awesomeness cat stan au: (all works, but i’m linking the main one) https://archiveofourown.org/works/60926800

most anything by poggofroggo, but particularly:

watching all the ground beneath you drop: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60860902

bring me home (80s mystery trio au):https://archiveofourown.org/works/60262078

he’s going away tonight (and i can’t do anything) by jackyrubou (check tws): https://archiveofourown.org/works/62843519

fluff/family bonding:

(may contain slight angst, but largely wholesome)

a good ol’ dose of shame by @cosmiccrossing : https://archiveofourown.org/works/20277196

ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING from untrustworthyglitch @hydrangeathief but particularly:

i roll to punch you in the mouth: https://archiveofourown.org/works/37241182

from the “swear jar” series:

who even knows what holiday we’re celebrating here :https://archiveofourown.org/works/35580850

old man world tour: california edition: https://archiveofourown.org/works/35755423

(but seriously, read every work in this series they’re all fantastic)

cuteness aggression (in previously mentioned cat stan au) by @ilentari : https://archiveofourown.org/works/62459296

just know you’re not alone by coffee_scribbles: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60072073

flu season by @colubrine (read their angst too!!) : https://archiveofourown.org/works/59717653

can’t sleep (and it’s not because i’m touch-starved) by rubyflakes: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32120815

the sand with time… by @mythomagically-delicious : https://archiveofourown.org/works/11746458

brains, beauty, brawn by @eosrealis :https://archiveofourown.org/works/6187258

i’m right here by @iirvine : https://archiveofourown.org/works/41466255

there are SO many more for both categories but i’ll cap it there for now!! please let me know if i’ve missed tagging any of the authors who have a tumblr :p

;))

Don't know how it could happen (and don't care) just a thought about that euclydians can see Ford's shadow and Bill can see Ford

Shoutout to all the non-stancesters that make animations for Ford & Stan to various love songs. You confuse me but ily

Relativity Falls Northwest Mansion Mystery doodles :D

Preston and Ford walking among the frozen wooden people, looking for the ghost

Gleeful and Stan, talking about their dads while they hide from the ghost

reblogs appreciated <3