#but the FIRST thought i had was wait… dipper and mabel have so much chemistry??

[lumbersexualdipper-blog]

Finished my first ever rewatch of Gravity Falls and, honestly, it only strengthened my love of Dipper x Mabel. They have such amazing chemistry. 🥰

[minijenn]

In More Ways Than One (Commission Oneshot)

AN-Heyyoooo! Finally finished my first writing commission! And boy I really loved working on this one. It was SO much fun and honestly its a huge fluff fest. Just so you know going in, this is a Poly MK oneshot, so if that’s not you’re thing then you may not be into this. Either way, I’d like to give an anonymous thanks to the person who commissioned this! Like I said it was a delight to write. So... enjoy!

***

“Alright, everyone. I’ve gathered you all here this afternoon for a very important matter,” Ford paused, taking stock of the aptly concerned expressions his brother and the Gems were sending his way. “I have reason to believe that something… might be wrong with the children.”

A beat of silence followed at this, the gathered group exchanging brief, bewildered glances before Pearl finally cut in with a loud sigh of relief. “Oh thank goodness, I’m not the only one to think the same thing! The four of them have been acting strange for weeks now! Please tell me you three have noticed it too, haven’t you?”

“Eh, normally I’d think you and Sixer are being paranoid, as usual,” Stan remarked, crossing his arms. “But those kids have been more out there than usual lately. Heck, just the other day I saw Mabel knitting a sweater-”

“That’s hardly out of the ordinary, Stanley,” Ford noted. “Mabel knits sweaters almost constantly.”

“Yeah, but when does she ever knit a sweater like this before?” Stan held up said sweater, clearly larger than the articles Mabel usually knitted for herself, though what was by far the most peculiar thing about it was the large heart stitched onto its center, a bold ‘S + M” carefully embroidered right over it. “If this doesn’t prove who Mabel’s latest crush of the week is, then I don’t know what does.”

“Oohhhhh man…” Amethyst looked genuinely anxious as she stared at the sweater. “That’s… gonna be pretty awkward for Mabel, especially when she finds out about Steven and Connie…”

“Why?” Pearl asked, confused. “What’s going on between them?”

“Uh, isn’t it obvious, P? They’re totally nuts for each other! I didn’t wanna say anything, mostly cause I don’t really like getting into Steven’s personal biz like that, but yesterday I saw Connie give him a kiss on the cheek! The cheek, you guys! That’s like, something I thought was gonna happen forever ago, but hey, at least its happening, even if they are pretty late to the party…”

“Oh, Amethyst, don’t be absurd!” Pearl huffed, doubtful. “As… admittedly adorable of a couple as Steven and Connie would make, a-and Steven and Mabel for that matter, I’m afraid its just plain to see that he’s not interested in either of them that way,”

“Oh yeah?” Amethyst challenged. “Then who is Steven crushing on?”

“Dipper, of course,” Pearl concluded, firm in her answer.

“What?!” Amethyst, Stan, and Ford exclaimed in surprised unison.

“Oh come now, don’t tell me none of you have noticed the obvious attraction between those boys,” Pearl frowned. “The sheer devotion and dedication Steven and Dipper consistently show for each other should be proof enough alone that their feelings towards each other are more than merely platonic. But there’s even more to it than that; last week, I happened to walk in on them forming Stepper sheerly for the sake of their own enjoyment. They tried to play it off as more than that, but I could tell by the look in Stepper’s eyes that he was loving every second the two of them were together.”

“Well, if your… theory is correct, Pearl,” Ford said, clearly uncomfortable with so much discussion of a topic like romance. “Then what of Mabel and Connie?”

“Well… who’s to say they don’t feel the same way towards each other?” Pearl shrugged. “They have been spending much more time than usual as of late anyway. And there’s no denying they have, what humans typically call ‘biology’ with each other.”

“You mean ‘chemistry’?” Stan corrected, dryly.

“What? No. That doesn’t make any sense, people can’t share chemistry, most chemicals are typically dangerous to humans anyway, right?”

“Anyway,” Ford interjected. “Speaking of chemistry—or ‘biology’ or whatever you’d prefer to call it, if any of the kids shares that sort of compatible dynamic, then clearly its Dipper and Connie. As respectably intellectually minded as they both are, they’d easily make a perfect pair.”

“So what, you’re saying they belong together cause they’re both huge nerds?” Stan asked, sending his brother a critical look.

“N-no!” Ford quickly backpedaled, flustered. “I have proof; a few days ago, I saw the two of them… w-well, they were—ugh, I suppose the only way to say it as that they were ‘holding hands’ as they walked down to the house from the temple. Just the two of them. Alone.”

“Pfft, so? That doesn’t prove anything!” Amethyst scoffed.

“I-I’d say it proves quite a bit!” the author exclaimed defensively. “Its further than I ever got with a girl, after all.”

“Yeah, ‘cause you’ve got no charm, Ford,” Stan remarked, sending his brother a playfully teasing jab. “Then again, Dipper doesn’t really make much charm either, which it’d be an easy bet that both you and Pearl are wrong about Connie or Steven bein’ into him.”

“Well, if that’s the case, then your idea of Steven and Mabel being an item is every bit as preposterous,” Pearl remarked. “They’re close, yes, but Steven and Dipper are much closer.”

“Uh, no, Steven and Connie are, duh,” Amethyst cut in.

“But that doesn’t work because Connie’s already with Mabel!” Pearl countered, hands on her hips.

“Who, might I remind you, is actually with Steven,” Stan pointed out, exasperated.

“Which is fine because Connie and Dipper are both speaking for each other anyway,” Ford noted, resolute.

“You mean they’re spoken for, poindexter,” Stan corrected once more. “Geez, you nerds don’t know anything about this whole romance thing.”

“Well, then why don’t we ask someone who does?” Pearl retorted, turning to the sole member of the group who had yet to weigh in on the matter. “Garnet, what do think about all this?”

So far, Garnet’s expression had remained largely neutral as ever as she sat apace from the others, apparently not interested in engaging in on the conversation whatsoever. But as she finally turned to Pearl to give her thoughts, she was unable to keep her reaction to their ongoing speculation in any longer. A reaction that was, at least as far as the others were concerned, the very last thing any of them could have expected.

She laughed.

In fact, she laughed so hard that she was practically hysterical, a fact that genuinely unnerved the others as they were so used to the Gem leader’s steady sense of calm. Which was why, as baffled as they all were, they quickly pressed for an explanation behind it.

“Hey! What’s so funny, shades?” Stan asked, somewhat cross.

Garnet didn’t answer right away, instead slamming her first down on the table as she laughed even harder. When she finally did regain her composure enough to respond, she was still chuckling to herself all the while. “You’re all wrong.”

“What do you mean, we’re wrong?” Ford scoffed, aptly confused.

“Yeah, what are you saying, G, that none of the kids are into each other?” Amethyst asked, not following.

“Because I find that incredibly hard to believe, all things considered,” Pearl added, shaking her head.

“No,” Garnet said, still laughing. “Its exactly the opposite, really.”

“…Ok, now I really don’t get it,” Amethyst said, exchanging a lost glance with Pearl, Stan, and Ford. “G, what are you talking about here?”

“It’s actually really simple,” Garnet smiled brightly, clearly elated over something, even if none of the others knew what that something was. “Which is why I should let them explain it for themselves.”

The Gem leader nodded over to the shack’s front door as it opened at that exact moment, all four of the kids entering in. None of them apparently knew of the company gathered in the den as they conversed casually, a conversation that, when paired with their clear body language, provided more than enough of an explanation as to exactly what was going on.

“You know, we really should think of how we’re gonna break this to everyone…” Dipper noted with something of a worried frown.

“What, you mean the whole thing about the four of us all dating each other?” Steven asked rather bluntly and blatantly. “Because I think we should—oh….”

The young Gem immediately stopped short as all four of the kids noticed they had a captive audience in the den listening in. As if plainly stating it wasn’t enough, their relatively new interconnected relationships were all but proven by just how closely they all lingered to each other. Mabel was holding hands with Steven’s, his free arm resting on Connie’s shoulder while his fingers were interlaced with Dipper’s, who also had an arm wrapped around Connie as she did the same for him. Their expressions were awash in the same sort of mutual surprise that the adults in the room all shared, save for Mabel, who simply shrugged in blithe acceptance over being discovered like this.

“Welp, I guess this is one way to tell ‘em, huh?” she said, grinning over to her brother and her partners.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait,” Pearl cut in before any of the others could, getting up from her seat to approach the kids. “You four are actually…?”

“Um… yeah, we sort of are…” Connie admitted, shifting nervously a bit. Even so, both Steven and Dipper quietly steadied her, their respective grips on her tightening protectively ever so slightly.

“And this has been going on for…?” Ford trailed off, aptly curious.

“A few weeks, at least,” Steven replied, unable to hold back a fond smile as he glanced over at Mabel, Connie, and Dipper. “Though I guess we always kinda felt this way deep down…”

“Ok, am I the only one who has about a billion questions about… all of this?” Stan said, generally gesturing to all four of the kids.

“Yeah, we… kinda figured you guys would,” Dipper remarked with a plaintiff shrug. “Which is sorta why we decided to not tell any of you about it until we figured out the best way to.”

“But now it looks like we don’t have a choice!” Mabel quipped, clearly more excited that they had been found out than the others. “So… fire away! Who’s up first with question number one!?”

“Uh, I guess I am?” Amethyst raised her hand. “What I wanna know is just how the hey all this happened? What made you guys decide you wanted to, ya know, make it official?”

“Actually, its kind of a crazy story,” Connie said with a somewhat forced laugh. “We all kind of realized our, uh, feelings for each other at different times and in different ways…”

***

Connie sighed contently, basking in the warm sun reflecting off the lake as Steven finished off the last few notes of a peaceful ukulele tune beside her. Rare was the moment shared between just the two of them, but she was grateful for this moment all the same. Especially one as blissfully sweet and calm as this.

Even so, she did sit up a bit when the young Gem’s simple song came to an end. “That’s a new one,” she noted with a smile. “Did you write it yourself?”

“Heh, yeah…” Steven glanced away, somewhat bashful. “It’s just… something special I’ve been working on for awhile now for, uh… for someone.”

“Oh?” Connie asked, intrigued. “For who?”

“Oh, uh, y-you know,” the young Gem shrugged. He hardly ever got this flustered but it was clear that was the case now, much to Connie’s growing confusion.

“Um, no, I don’t know,” she chuckled. “You haven’t told me that part yet, Steven.”

“Oh, right…” Steven laughed as well, albeit a bit forced. “Uh, a-actually, Connie, I…  I wrote that song for… I-I mean, I wrote it as… k-kind of… a love song, I… I guess.”

“A love song?” Connie raised an eyebrow at this, not sure of what to make of it. Though for some reason, unknown worry and excitement rushed through her all at the same time. “W-well, who’s the lucky, uh, girl?”

Steven hesitated, deeply blushing as he glanced away from her with an anxious, yet elated smile. Connie jolted in surprise as she felt his hand lightly skim over hers. Time seemed to stop as he leaned in closer to her until, both very suddenly and incredibly slowly, their lips met at the exact same time. The kiss only lasted for the briefest of moments before they both parted out of nerves alone. Even so, neither of them could back out of it without wearing the largest of smiles over the line they had finally, finally crossed.

“T-think you can take a guess?” Steven asked quietly, leaning his head against Connie’s slightly.

“Yeah…” Connie’s smile deepened as she stole another kiss from him, this time on the cheek, though it was no less sweet and satisfying then their first. “I think I can.”

***

It wasn’t a rare occurrence for Dipper and Connie to practice their sword fighting together outside of their weekly lessons with Pearl. The two would often head out to an open, yet private clearing in the woods, to go head to head against each other in friendly spars to sharpen their skills. Though lately, their training sessions had shifted focus somewhat. They would spend about an hour or so clashing their blades, though they’d pass even more of their time together simply sitting within the peace of the forest engaged in deep, but pleasant conversation. Today however, they had agreed to focus their efforts on their training, their swords clanging in a constant rhythm as they did their best to outmaneuver each other.

“Remember what Pearl keeps telling you, Dipper!” Connie called with a playful smirk as she came in for another broad swing. “You gotta keep yourself covered!”

“Oh, I’ll keep myself covered,” Dipper taunted back just as wryly. “As long as you keep your footing steady.”

Connie noted his attempt to knock her down by sidestepping out of the path of his sword before going in for another attack. “Uh, speaking of steady….” She began a bit leadingly as their swords clanged. They kept on each other, pressing against their respective swords as their faces drew in close amidst the tension. “I was wondering…”

Dipper easily caught her drift, his cheeks suddenly lighting red in as his pressure wavered somewhat. “O-oh yeah? Wondering what?”

Connie took the opportunity as she saw it, elbowing him hard enough to send him plummeting hard to the grassy ground. Dipper flinched as her sword slammed into the ground right next to his head as she leaned down over him, smirking with both confidence and apprehension at the same exact time. “I-I was just wondering if you’d like to, uh… go there. W-with… with me?”

For a moment, the most Dipper could do was stare up at her in shock as she continued to hover over him. But then, acting on a burst of boldness that was far more than the kind he usually carried, he leaned upwards, giving her a small, short, but soft kiss on the cheek. “Of course,” he said with a joyous laugh he was powerless to contain. “Of course, I would love to.”

“And I’d love it if you did that again,” Connie grinned just as warmly.

“Well, since you won this round, how can I say no?” he complied, meeting her halfway as they came together in another kiss, equally matched in both their skill with a blade and their affection for one another.

***

“Ok, Steven, are you ready for… the lightning round?!” Mabel asked with daring grin.

“Lightning round?” the young Gem asked, intrigued. The two of them had spent the past several hours engaged in a rousing game that they had come up with all on their own. It didn’t have any official name, but the basic rules involved going back and forth on cards of personality-based questions they had come up with earlier. They were randomly selected, which of course, added another layer of fun and excitement to an already unpredictable game as it was.

“Yeah! No thinking about your answers, you just gotta blurt ‘em out as soon as you hear the question,” Mabel explained. “Are you game, Universe?”

“You bet I am!” Steven grinned enthusiastically as he drew the first question card. “Ok, you’re up first. If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be?”

“Easy, Belgium, I heard their chocolate is the best, ever!” Mabel took another card to pose a question to the young Gem. “Who would win in a fight, Lonely Blade or Tiger First?”

“Tiger Fist! He’s got punches to spare! Next question, who do you have a crush on?”

“You!” Mabel gasped, realizing that she truly had answered the very question she had written without a single thought whatsoever. Which, of course, was why she immediately attempted to backpedal out of embarrassment alone. “I-I… I mean-”

“Wait… really?” Steven asked, putting his card down as he looked to her with wide eyes. “Mabel, y-you… have a crush on me?”

Though her hands were still tightly pressed against her mouth, Mabel nodded, feeling as though her heart was crashing and burning at an alarming rate. For so, so long now she had done everything she could to keep her feelings a secret from the young Gem. But now that she had voiced them aloud, however accidental, there was no taking them back.

“S-since… when?” Steven asked, still trying to wrap his head around the idea.

“Since the first time we formed Maven,” Mabel admitted with a long, relenting sigh.

“That long? W-well… why haven’t you told me until now?”

“B-because!” Mabel huffed, throwing an arm over her eyes as she flopped back onto the couch. “I didn’t want it to ruin everything! I mean, you’re probably the first guy I’ve ever really really liked! All of those other boys were just dumb flings that I tried to distract myself with but you’ve always been different! Y-you’re… your special. But now that you know…”

“Now that I know,” Steven caught Mabel by surprise taking her hand and offering her a bright, reassuring smile. “I think its time you knew that… I-I think I feel the same way.”

Mabel froze, as if her entire world had been turned upside down at this news. In all the best of ways. “W-what?”

“Yeah, of course, I do!” Steven said, still beaming. “We have so much in common, and you’re always so much fun to hang out with. Not to mention you’re already one of my best friends, so who says we can’t we be more than that if we want to?”

“Y-yeah,” Mabel happily agreed, still in a state of delighted disbelief as she found herself falling into Steven’s open arms. “Who says we can’t?”

***

Due to Connie’s somewhat sheltered upbringing, she hadn’t had the chance to see too many “classic” movies, which was why Mabel had decided to make it her responsibility to introduce her to all of her favorites. They had dubbed the new tradition “Movie Mondays”, and on a rainy, dour Monday like this, staying in with warm blankets and a sweeping romantic comedy, it was a perfect way to pass the time. But what neither of the girls had been expecting was for this particular film to strike such an emotional cord with both of them.

Connie found herself tearing up as the couple on screen confronted each other in the rain, the dramatic orchestral score saying far more than mere words ever could. However, as the pair raced towards each other in a deep, loving embrace, she found herself glancing over at Mabel instead. She was, simply put, weeping, her sobs soft and deeply impacted as she burrowed her face into the collar of her sweater. For a moment, Connie watched her, dumbfounded, until, acting on impulse alone, she found her own hand slowly gripping Mabel’s beside her.

And from there, the girls’ attention turned away from the movie… and towards each other instead.

As soon as their eyes met, that was where they stayed: solely on each other and nothing else. Maybe it was the gentle pattering of rain on the shack’s roof, maybe it was the movie’s romantic music soaring to a triumphant peak, or maybe it was something else entirely. But, as if pulled by magic or magnetism or something else entirely, they came together in a kiss, soft, slow, and so, so sweet.

And when they finally parted, they were equally matched in satisfaction and confusion.

“M-Mabel…” Connie whispered, skimming her own lips with her fingertips. “Y-you… I didn’t know you were… o-or even that I was-”

“M-me either…” Mabel blushed deeply. “W-what a way to find out, huh?”

“Y-yeah, but… I don’t know if I really understand. No offense, but you’ve had so many crushes before, s-so… why am I the one who… y-you know.”

“Gosh, there’s so many reasons, where do I even start?!” Mabel smiled brightly, warming Connie’s heart even more than it already was. “You’re so smart and brave and pretty and like, a million other great things! Yeah, I’ve had a lot of crushes before, but none of them have been anywhere near as amazing as you are, Connie!”

“N-no one’s… ever… I-I’ve never…” Connie stopped herself, far too overwhelmed by joy and affection to really say anything else. So instead, she decided to let her actions do the talking. She took both of Mabel’s hands this time, offering her the happiest smile she could muster before pulling her in close. Mabel reciprocated by tossing a nearby blanket over them both, shrouding them in warmth and comfort as they drew to kiss once more.

They all but missed the end of the movie, but neither of them minded. After all, they had just found a much better pastime to enjoy together instead.

***

“I’m so glad we decided to do this more often,” Stepper smiled as he settled into his fused form, reclining out on the grassy ground to watch the lofty clouds above him. “So am I, being together like this feels… so nice. Yeah… it really does…”

The fusion sighed quietly, closing his eyes to enjoy the warm peace of the afternoon. However, that peace was soon broken as both his birthmark and gemstone flashed with a single, simple thought that both of his halves happened to share with each other at the exact same time.

“I wish we could always be together…”

Stepper darted upright with a gasp, his face warm and his heart and mind both racing. And yet, somehow, despite his shock, he remained, Steven and Dipper still united by their mutual apparent affection for one another. “I-I… you really feel the same way? You really feel the same way!” As torn between dumbfounded and elated as the fusion was, he couldn’t hold back a small, tight laugh as he ran a hand through his hair.

“I-I mean…. I’ve I think I’ve been feeling it every time we fuse…” he said to himself, his lower arms holding him in a lose hug of sorts. “So have I. Its… warm, and bright, and… amazing.”

Stepper lay back in the grass once more, his upper arms returning the very same hug his lower arms were providing him. “If we really want to stay together, then why don’t we? Even when we’re apart? Wait… do you mean…? Yeah, I do…. I-is that ok?  No, its even better than ok,” He paused, practically brimming over with far too many wonderful emotions to even count, all of which sustained him, steadied him, solidified the strong bond that composed his very being.

“For the longest time I-I didn’t want to tell you about this because I had no idea what it even really was….” Stepper closed his eyes, savoring this moment for all it was worth and wishing that it would never have to end. “But now I know, beyond any shadow of a doubt, exactly what this feeling is. So do i…”

His gem and birthmark shimmered once more as the fusion spoke, both halves of his whole confirming exactly what they were to each other, and all that entailed. “It’s love.”

***

“And from there, we just figured we all might as well just be together,” Connie finished off the lengthy round of romantic anecdotes. “That’s not… weird to you guys, is it?”

“B-because this really is how we feel about each other!” Dipper interjected almost defensively. “Yeah, its… sort of unconventional, but… it just… works for us.”

“And we’re loving ever second of it!” Mabel grinned, raising her and Steven’s held hands up high.

“And… we’re hoping you guys will respect that,” Steven said as he looked to the adults hopefully. “So…? What do you think?”

At first, none of them said a single word, all of them looking to the kids with rather unreadable expressions. Though at last, Pearl spoke, breaking the heavy silence. “Well… you’re not wrong about it being ‘unconventional’…”

“But who cares?” Amethyst asked, reclining back in her seat. “If it makes you dorks happy, then hey, why not go for it?”

“Yeah, exactly,” Stan agreed with a bit of a grin. “You runts are always together anyway, might as well be together together, you know?”

“Yes, I suppose there’s no harm in it,” Ford smiled with a supportive nod. “After all, the bonds between the four of you are quite admirable. Though, um… Dipper, Mabel, isn’t it a bit… odd for you two to be sharing the same significant others like this?”

“Eh, we’re getting used to it,” Dipper shrugged.

“It’s not like there’s plenty of both Steven and Connie to go around!” Mabel quipped, sending a fond smile towards the pair, which they readily returned.

“Well, as long as you kids know what you’re doing,” Pearl concluded. “We wouldn’t any want you to get hurt if… if things go wrong.”

“I don’t think that’s something they’ll have to worry about,” Garnet said, offering the kids a profoundly proud smile. “After all, when love is as strong as the kind they have for each other, it always finds a way to survive. I know that from experience.”

The Gem leader lowered her shades, winking her third eye at the kids, filling them with all of the mutual hope they could have needed that their newfound interconnected relationships with each other were destined to last. Now that everything was out in the open, a bit more casual conversation over said relationships continued, though the support towards them on all sides was quite clear. With their worries of rejection and disapproval cleared away, the kids were able to slip away from the impromptu meeting feeling a shared sense of happiness and relief, one that wasn’t bound to fade away too quickly.

“Well, that went way better than I ever thought it would,” Dipper noted as the four of them lay down together on the attic floor later on.

“Yeah, it did….” Steven smiled. “See, I told you guys that it would all be ok when we told them!”

“Heh, you did have a point,” Connie smirked as she stole a small kiss on the cheek from him.

“So…” Mabel chimed in with daring grin. “When do you think we should tell them that we’re all dating Pacifica too?”

“Uh… maybe let’s save that bombshell for after the dust from this one settles,” Dipper said, somewhat apprehensive.

“Still, for now, everyone finally knowing about us is… really nice,” Steven sighed contentedly, feeling Dipper and Connie’s respective grips on his hands tighten as Mabel sent him a flirtatious wink. It was as though the sheer amount of love and devotion shared between all four of them (technically five of them) couldn’t be contained. And for Steven, Mabel, Dipper, and Connie alike, that was just fine. “In more ways than one…”

[not-a-statement]

The last time I forget you

This is kind of therapy for me.

A sequel to Forgotten art of letting go

I know I’m bad at writing dialogues and this all is dumb, forgive me, but I wanted to do this.

Also the title and the last Dipper’s line together make a piece of a lyrics. Let’s see if you’ll recognize the song:)

“If you hit it with your baton I’ll slap you…” Craig hissed.

Eric snickered covering his mouth with the fist. Dipper’s hand hovered.

“Wait, what else I’m supposed to do? The damn thing is inside. It’s gonna give away our presence.”

“So what good your baton’s gonna make? Apart from making it screech.”

“No wonder you are a damn idiot, Dipper.” Eric kept losing it.

“It’s Brian, remember?”

“Yeah, Brian with an i so it looks like brain. Just admit it.”

Craig gave Dipper an intense glare.

“You gonna go for it?”

Dipper’s knuckles turned white. His weapon clutched in his fist, one action dividing him from a smart step or a total failure. At that moment no borders existed, no distinctions mattered, only thing present which dimmed Dipper’s eyes was anticipation of that little dinosaur’s pain. Its agony, its frustrated screams. He only needed to open his fist.

But he couldn’t.

“You gonna roll or what?”

Dipper lowered his hand letting of D6.

“Ah, screw you. I’m not gonna do anything.”

Craig gave him a questioning glance.

“I know you have only 5 for intelligence but even for you that’s odd. I mean props on taking PC that serious, but have you considered wringing its neck?”

“Hey, Dip, no offence on calling you a dumbass, bro. I didn’t mean that” Eric raised his both hands as if defending himself.

“Yeah, whatever” Dipper reached out for bowl of chips “Let’s just move on”

Craig stayed motionless, his eyes scanning Dipper like he was a walking X-ray machine. Eric was just fiddling with his papers looking at the tabletop.

“What?”

“Are you okay, Dip?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Cause you look like something’s bothering you.”

“No I’m not.”

“Actually” Eric said “you are. Kind of been looking like that for more than a month”

An uncomfortable silence crashed in, covering three friends in Craig’s living room. Only one of them knew what kind of waters this topic was about to approach, but it seemed like everybody was aware. After about half a minute Craig raised from his chair and left for kitchen.

“Dude, is there a girl?” It wasn’t like Dipper wasn’t expecting that kind of question but there was something in how Eric said that. In a way like he could look inside his soul. Some sympathy, understanding actually. And that sent a shiver down his spine.

“Yeah...” Dipper exhaled “there is a girl”

The sound of someone digging through fridge’s insides reached the living room accompanied with a clicking sound of glass bottles.

“Hey, Dip-brochete. You know there’s like loads of girls out there, right?” Eric reached out to place his hand on Dipper’s shoulder “and I freaking bet all my savings that at least a half of them would love to spend even a brief moment with you, man. So you know what you should think?”

“Probably she’s dating someone, isn’t she?” Craig reentered the room holding three bottles of beer in his hands. “Wouldn’t be that bothering the other way, huh”

“Aye, that’s exactly my point, bruh!” Eric absentmindedly took a bottle from Craig “If she’s with some other douchebag out there, what good it says about her?“

“Go on”

“Your face will go on” Eric took a swig “How worthy of being adored she could possibly be if she’s neglecting Dip? Like for real - look at you, bro! Top of most classes, book lover, facial hair grower - you are a full package if I do say so myself. Plus I heard girls can be easily attached to brainiacs.”

“Have you ever been with a lady, Eric?” half asked half teased Craig “It’s not like they have checklists for every boy they meet. They are more of feelers rather than estimators”

“Well that’s just dumb. If a girl just appeals to how heart beats or to how many butterflies come to life in your stomach in a presence of a boy she can’t be trusted”

“Hoookay...good luck with your date for upcoming Prom, mate” Craig chuckled “Anyway, who exactly are we talking about, Dipper? If you don’t mind”

“Oh...um” Dipper could feel the first bead of sweat forming at the nape of his neck “She...she’s not from around, she...I mean we...we’ve met in the park the other day actually, so I...doubt you guys are likely to know her...so...yeah”

“Oh, I see. So, that makes it easier I reckon” Craig placed his bottled aside and laid his arms on the table intertwining his fingers “I mean somewhat distance can play good to you. Would be much more severely if you had to face her every day”

“Yeah, tell me about it..” cold and fuzzy bread brewed liquid was alien to Dipper’s throat yet it felt just right. “Add in seeing that blonde tall fucker around her...”

“Wow, that’s harsh. Some dark feelings detected given the F word, mate” Eric eyes started dimming and filling with more sympathy. “Had a chance to see them together?”

“No...no, I mean...how could I, right?” Dipper started backtracking “It’s not like we’re seeing each other often”

“But what’s about that “You tell me” thing?” Craig started to look bewildered.

“That...um...like c’mon, man...have you heard about instagram? It’s like pretty huge”

“Ah, so there’s a pictures of her and her boyfriend you stumbled upon?”

“Yeah, that’s it...totally” Dipper downed his beverage hoping that its coolness would somehow low the temperature within his cheeks.

“And you keep looking them up?”

“I bet he doesn’t” Eric said “How dumb would it be?”

“So you don’t, Dip?” Craig gave Dipper an incredulous look.

“Well, I...” he started looking up for an excuse but failed instantly. “I...I do...”

Both Craig and Eric threw their heads back and groaned.

“What? What’s so wrong about it?”

“What’s so wrong?” Craig asked back “Dipper, that’s like a self torture”

“Yeah, Craig’s right, man. How can you ever gonna get over her if you keep sticking around? Even virtually.”

“Oh, c’mon, that’s not too bad. I’m not like constantly around her, am I” apparently excuses of any kind were not working for Dipper “Besides, if I couldn’t succeed at least I can...you know, analyze”

“Analyze what? Reasons why she’s with him and not with you?”

“Why not? There’s gotta be something”

“Remember what I said, Dip?” Craig asked “Feelers, rather than estimators”

“Oh, do you personally believe in that, Craig?”

“Um. I do”

“But there’s a cause for every feeling, right? I mean what’s so special about that arrogant always preoccupied dumbass? As if I couldn’t get into an argument with the teacher about some History junk. Or like is playing tuba more lame than playing the guitar? Or...or...”

“Dipper, would you knock it off already?” Craig raised both his hands “Look. There’s nothing wrong about you or special about him. It’s just feelings. You can’t predict them or control...well, if you’re not a manipulating asshole which you’re not but...it just happens you know? Chemistry - that’s all.”

Dipper let out a defeated exhale. Of course Craig had a point. Just like a something came to life between him and Mabel once it happened again. It didn’t manage to smother any of his aching though but it wasn’t meant to either. So once again it was Dipper’s job to make himself somewhat resistant to what he felt around her and that jackass. And there’s no point in comparing him and...

“Wait a second...” Eric frowned thoughtfully rubbing his chin “The guitar, the History class banter...I think I know...Pete Weinberg?”

A quick thought consisting only one word “Shit!” flew through Dipper’s mind. He could feel his heart beating rapidly and palms growing sweatier than they could ever be. He wasn’t supposed to reveal so many details to slip up at this point. Honestly he shouldn’t be getting into this conversation in the first place. He must’ve shaken it off immediately when Eric asked first question. He could just pretend that it was upcoming graduation from school or how frustrated he was feeling when it came to picking up the college because he had to make sure that he didn’t end up choosing the same city with a certain person because she was making him feel...Oh, he we go again, shit!  

He was dragged out of his panicked thoughts only by the sound of Eric snickering. 

“Oh, sorry, dude” Eric managed to say between the laughing waves. “My bad, my bad. That’s too dumb of me. I mean, that Pete guy, he’s definitely dating your sister, I must’ve messed up! Sorry, no insult intended”

Oh, Eric, bless your soul Dipper thought. He couldn’t believe that he was given such an easy escape at that moment.

“Yeah, bro, what was you thinking about” he awkwardly laughed too loudly. “I thought I had the lowest intelligence here! Speaking of - shall we continue our journey through the park full of pre-historic giant reptilian creatures?”

“Oh yeah, baby! I’m down! Sorry once again, bruh”

“Not to worry, dude, not to worry”

Dipper and Eric took their now empty bottles from the table and started shuffling through papers while Craig remained motionless looking at Dipper with a concerned expression on his face.

                                                          * * *

“So next Sunday, gentlemen” Eric cheerfully proclaimed standing at the doorstep of Craig’s house “Next time the map’s on me.You’ll gonna love it”

“Just don’t mess up your binder and your sister one next time, would you?” Dipper laughed “I hope she now can spell the word “doggie” correct”

“You make it sound kinky man, gah! She’s six!”

“Your face is kinky”

“Okay, that one’s for you” Dipper and Eric exchanged a handshake still laughing “Right, I’m off. See you tomorrow, lads”

“Bye, Eric” said Craig and Dipper in unison.

As soon as Eric took his direction of a sidewalk and Dipper just put his jacket on was about to say goodbye to Craig the last started speaking:

“Hey, Dip”

“Yeah?”

“Um...about earlier. I couldn’t help noticing you acting a bit...weird when Eric mentioned Weinberg so...”

Dipper froze in spot where he was standing, his pupils going wider.

“I mean...Dipper, I am your friend, you know that?”

With a nervous gulp the only reaction Dipper could make was to nod slightly.

“So...I just wanted you to know that if you want to talk to anybody...you can tell me anything. If that helps”

Dipper couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Craig was actually offering him to vent out his frustration and really seriously talk about his messed up feelings for his sibling. Oh, for how long he wished to have such an option. To lay down all his cards and get a third party’s opinion for him to find a way but...

On the second thought a secret for two should stay as it is and not become a secret for three.

“Yeah” he exhaled “I wish I could...”

With that said he shook his friend’s arm and stepped out to begin his walk home.