Apprentice {Gravity Falls}

Take a Break

The three Pines residents sat in the living room each doing their own corresponding things. Stan was watching TV, Ford was reading, and Dipper was working. Anyway, it was a mostly peaceful evening. Mostly.

"Dipper?"

Dipper looked over at Ford.

"What are you working on?"

"Just finishing up notes about our experiment. Then, I have a few theories on how it'll turn out. Plus, some ideas about the next experiment. But, it depends on the outcome of our current one," he rambled.

"Can't your nerd stuff wait until tomorrow?" Stan questioned, "I'm trying to watch the game without hearing pencil scribbling."

Dipper looked at the journal, "I'm so close to finishing! I have to keep working!"

"You don't sound close to finishing!" Stan replied.

"Stanley's right, my boy," Ford added, "Why don't you take a break? You've been working nonstop for the past half an hour."

"I have to keep working. I'll stop when I'm finished with this!" He exclaimed.

"Dipper, you do know there's a such thing as overworking yourself, right?" Ford questioned.

He nodded, "I'm not overeworking myself! I just need to finish this!"

"Why do you need to?"

"Because if I don't I feel really stressed out, like I can't move unless I finish the work or like I'm drowning in it," Dipper paused, "Oh..."

"That sounds like being overworked to me," Stan commented.

"Here, why don't you put down the journal for a bit," Ford suggested, taking the journal from him. "Find something else to do where you're not working yourself down to the bone."

Dipper sighed, "Alright, Grunkle Ford."

*   *   *

The three pines residents were still in the living room. Ford was reading, as Stan pretended to watch TV. However, he was actually watching Dipper play video games. Dipper was struggling at the game way more than he should be.

"Dip?"

Dipper looked up at Stan.

"What's go you so stressed?"

"What do you mean?" He chuckled, "I'm not stressed."

"I've been watching your game and this is the third time you've got the game over screen!" He exclaimed.

"It's a hard boss!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Stan apologized sarcastically, "I wasn't aware Froggit was a boss."

Dipper looked down at his screen. Stan was right. Froggit wasn't a boss. In fact, it was one of the easier monsters as far as enemies go.

"Okay... I guess I'm a... tiny bit stressed," he admitted.

"Why?" Ford questioned.

Dipper sighed, "I guess I feel unproductive because I'm not working. I should be working, but you told me to take a break. But taking a break is stressing me out because I could be working!"

"You can't do nothing but work!" Stan exclaimed, "You'll get burnt out!"

"You underestimate yourself, my boy," Ford stated, "I've actually been reading the journal, and you have more notes done than you let on. They're extremely detailed too,"

"But I still have more to go! Sure, maybe I got more notes done than I thought I did, but I still have more notes to go!"

"Why do you have to get them done?" Ford laughed, "It's not like there's a time limit!"

Dipper's eyes widened, "There is no time limit... I've been stressed about nothing..."

"That's not true," Ford stated, "You were stressed because you gave yourself a self-imposed deadline that was impossible to meet."

"Yeah," he laughed, "I guess I did. ...but, I still feel stressed out. Like I'm forgetting something."

"Don't worry about it, my boy," Ford started, "If you were forgetting anything I'll have it covered."

"Alright..." Dipper sighed out.

"Yeah!" Stan exclaimed, "It's not like you're in school anymore!" He laughed.

Dipper cringed, "Don't remind me,"

"What was so bad about school?" Ford wondered.

"Everything," Dipper began, "First of all, I never really learned anything. I just kinda memorized things so I would do well on tests. And this was for every class. Then, there was just so much work. Like, I remember one week I had two essays due on the same day, and three tests on the same day."

"Sounds awful," Ford commented.

"It was!" Dipper exclaimed, "I never had any time for myself. Like it was either school, or homework, or helping Mabel with homework. Don't even get me started on the volunteer hours, the start time, the grading system."

"That's probably why you're sitting impossible deadlines for yourself," Stan suggested, "You probably picked up the habit from your school."

"I guess I did."

"You don't have to worry about that anymore," Ford exclaimed, "So, try not to stress about that kind of stuff. And if you ever need a break from work, just ask, okay Dipper?"

"Alright, Grunkle Ford."

"Okay, kid, I've got to see how this game ends! No more nerd stuff!" Stan exclaimed.

"The football game?"

"Your video game!" Stan exclaimed, "Come on, what happens next?"

Dipper smiled as he started talking about his video game to Stan. As he continued forward, his previous stress melted away.