Gold Dust Woman (Stanford Pines x OC)

22.) Old Habits Die Screaming

that was entertained in the magic fabric of our dreaming, old habits die screaming

  "Why don't you come in?" Dipper asks as he slides into the front seat of Celia's car, Mabel off with her friends again.

  "Why do you think?" She laughs.

  "The Aunt Silly I know isn't that afraid of confrontation. And anyway, Grunkle Ford doesn't seem so bad. He's better looking than Stan, that's for sure." Dipper adds as if he's Celia's closest friend, talking about her issues.

  "Come on, you know it's not about that. It's complicated," Celia shrugs. "Put your seatbelt on, booger."

  Dipper glances out the window, thinking back to the times he's caught Celia staring at the ground, lost in thought, or when she'd suddenly get quiet during a conversation. He sighs, knowing that whatever it is, it's been eating at her for a while.

  "Maybe," He begins carefully, "but it doesn't have to be. You can talk to him, you know. I'm sure Grunkle Ford would want to make things right."

  "He definitely does but that's an offer I'm okay passing up," She hums as she begins to back up. "He's so much like you, Dip, that's probably why you like him so much. I knew you would too and you don't even know the guy yet, only his writing. If Stan would let you get to know him better, you'd be obsessed."

  "Why won't Stan let me?" He asks sadly.

  "Because he's scared. This stuff is dangerous and Ford has almost died at least a million times, I saved him a lot. That's probably the only reason he wants me back, he misses his lifeline." She shrugs.

  "I don't think that's true." Dipper shakes his head.

  "And what do you know about love, Dipper?" Celia smiles at the kid in her passenger seat.

  "Enough to know that Grunkle Ford isn't an idiot and wouldn't be putting this energy out for nothing. I wouldn't and if we really are that much alike, you should believe me because I don't give energy to people I don't think deserve it." He shrugs.

  "That's good, kid, don't ever change." She smiles again.

  "I won't."

a few days later

  The only thing that's ever humbled Ford has been Celia. He has so much control over his mind most of the time that the only person who can humble him is the one who makes his heart go crazy. One look or light touch from her and his heart rate quickens. And she knows him so well, she's not afraid to call him out. His mom always said Ford needed a wife who would call him out and keep him in his place and Celia's that for him.

  It's humbling how even now, years later, she gets him all worked up. He turns into a stuttering mess and he starts sweating a lot. It's even worse that she doesn't seem to care about him anymore. Watching her trying to be indifferent is making him want her more.

  He spent years imagining their reunion as something straight out of one of the romantic comedies she loves. He imagined running to her in the rain and telling her that he'd loved her this whole time. He imagined holding her so close and telling her that he couldn't be without her for a second longer because his heart had wanted her for years. His heart, his mind, his body, everything in him has wanted her for thirty years.

  He's completely and utterly enamored with Celia which makes all of this worse. He never used to imagine scenarios or fantasize about things until her. But he just wants her so badly. He remembers all those nights spent under the covers with her just laughing and smiling and talking with her in a way he's never talked to anyone before.