[🔶] Gravity Falls: Rewritten!

[4] The Aftermath

How does one build a boat?

Y/n didn't know how, but she was just going to trust either Soos and McGucket for this one. The whole idea of surprising the older twins with a brand-new boat had come straight from the handyman himself. Soos, bubbling with excitement, roped in everyone he could to help make the plan a reality.

The group split into two teams: one focusing on the clinic, the other on the boat. The tricky part was keeping both brothers away from the dock and around the Mystery Shack, making sure that the surprise stayed under wraps. Y/n planned for the clinic to sit on the forest's edge, close to town but not right in it—making it easily accessible to both townsfolk and creatures. It was also just a short distance from the Shack, keeping everything close-knit.

Y/n watched as Soos enthusiastically laid out his blueprints for the project (or as he called it, Operation Awesome Boat Surprise 3000). She hugged herself, feeling the crisp morning breeze roll in from the lake, adding a chill to the already quiet air. Her gaze drifted over the blue expanse of Gravity Falls' lake, lost in thought.

It had been a week.

One week since the birthday party.

One week since the goodbyes.

One week since the two people who had changed her life left to return to their hometown. She already missed them dearly.

Her fingers moved to the charm on her bracelet, tracing its smooth metal absentmindedly. She found the bracelet on her bedside table with a note beside it, saying that it was from Mabel, who must've placed it before leaving the Shack to go to the bus stop.

She had accidentally noticed the way that she was breathing, and she began grounding herself.

Inhale... exhale. She repeated the rhythm, steadying her thoughts

"Y/n!"

Someone called her name, but it took a bit of time for her to snap out of her thoughts and turn her head towards the voice. It was Soos, who beckoned her over to the group.

Her feet carried her over to where Soos, McGucket, and Manly Dan were standing. She looked down on the blueprints sprawled across the table, but her mind wasn't comprehending. It wasn't because she couldn't understand the plans, she was just feeling out of it.

Everything seemed to be moving way too quickly.

"...What do you think, girlie?"

Hearing the nickname made her smile slightly before chuckling randomly. "It looks good!" she provided an answer, beaming up at Soos. "Did you come up with this?"

"I did!" Soos admitted rather sheepishly. "It actually came to me in a dream, dude. The Stan Twins with an awesome-looking ship! All made by this cool-looking guy."

"I'm guessing that's you?" She mused with a playful smile.

"You know it!" Soos laughed.

Everyone began constructing. Thanks to Manly Dan's supply of wood, and McGucket's wild assortment of tools, they were off to a strong start.

Y/n watched as the others fell into their natural rhythm, Soos directing with his grand vision, McGucket tossing in eccentric modifications here and there, and Dan's strength bringing it all together. She picked up a hammer, deciding to make herself useful, focusing on the steady beat of each nail hammered in.

One nail in, and she was already feeling not up to tackling any tasks right now.

She hung back, keeping an eye on things while everyone pitched in on the boat's construction. Hours of steady work brought them through the first level of the trawler—a sturdy wood-and-steel core coming together fast. McGucket had even wheeled out a strange machine to help shape the yacht's frame. Meanwhile, Soos was busy fitting glass windows for the lower level, beaming as he carefully installed each one.