[] Always Watching [] Gravity Falls Short Story []

.x. Always Watching .x.

Mabel rasped against a wooden New York suite door, shouting to the other side. A satchel decorated in glitter and puffy stickers with the words "MABEL PINES" written across it in cursive bounced at her side as she continued to knock. The other suite owners were practically an inch away from the phone, ready to call the police if any other disturbances kept them from a peaceful sleep.

"Dipper Pines! Open this door, or else I'm breaking it!" She yelled, although her words definitely contradicted her appearance; long, curly brown hair that wrapped around her waist, a bright purple sweater that cut off at the shoulders, a turquoise mini skirt, and black wedges with sparkling pink outlining. Her fashion sense was very unorganized, as Dipper put it, but she wore what she wanted.

After what seemed to be a millennium, the door opened a crack to reveal a brown, bloodshot eye with purple rings around it peering back. Mabel jerked her hand away from the door, shocked, and then concerned. She yanked the door open to reveal the poor man, who had messy brown locks and a scruffy stubble. He rubbed his eyes, looking back at his sister with wide eyes.

"Mabel, why are you here?" He ushered his sister inside, looking out to glance down the hall before pulling the door shut and locking it. "I told you to stay out of this." Mabel looked around the suite, her lips pulled into a frown, and her expression unreadable. Papers were pinned to the walls, letters and discarded post cards littering the floor. Dipper noticed her gaze, and snapped his fingers.

"Mabel!" That brought her attention, and her eyes were already starting to tear up.

"Dipper, what-" She choked on her words, the lump in her throat rising. "What is all this?!" She motioned around the room, her eyes wide as she scanned over every little object in the room. "What's going on, what aren't you telling me?!" She put a hand to her head as she tried to process what she saw. Was this why he wasn't answering her texts? Her phone calls?!

The young man swallowed, and licked his lips. He sat down on the couch by the curtained window, and patted the space next to him. Mabel hesitantly walked over to sit, and her eyes were full of questions that Dipper would find intruding.

"I..." Mabel started, looking up as if her words had been written there instead. But no, just a ceiling with a broken chandelier. "I just feel like I don't know you anymore, bro-bro. We've always had each other's back, y'know? Why are you...hiding stuff from me?" She let her eyes wander back down to search her brother's face for answers.

"Mabel, it'd really be...safer if you didn't know. But-" He took a glimpse of one of the papers plastered to the television screen, and inhaled. "-but you need to know this stuff because...Mystery Twins, right?" Dipper forced a smile, trying to lighten the mood with a fist bump. But Mabel just looked back with sad eyes and an disapproving shake of her head.

He let out a sigh, and absentmindedly picked up a book from off the side table and thumbed through it. "It's been scary, sis. Things are out there to get me, especially Bill. He knows I know too much about his power, and potential weaknesses. I don't want you to be put in the same position as me." Mabel's frown deepened at that. She placed a hand on his shoulder to spin him around.

"But Dipper, I can't just sit and watch you suffer! I love you too much to do that!" She squinted her eyes as if in pain. He nodded, and yawned. "I need more coffee," He murmured as he looked down at Mabel's lap tiredly.

"Will you promise me...If Bill or anyone, or anything, tries to hurt you, tell me, okay? I'll deal with it!" His voice jumped frantically in a plead, and he took his twin by the shoulders. "Okay?" Mabel looked at him, biting her lip. She nodded, and placed her forehead on his shoulder. She wiped the excess snot from her dripping nose, and wrapped her frail arms around his similar frame.

He sighed again, but this time with sadness. "Bill has done terrible things to my mind. He's taken over multiple times, and I'm so stupid, because he's making me forget him for the time being to possess me and...Mabel, I'm wanted!" He pulled away. "I've seen Bill kill so many people with...with my hands, and it's killing me!" He pounded a fist on the couch, and dust flew up from it.

Mabel flinched, leaning back as she eyed his hands. His nails had been bitten down and the skin around it was flaky and gnawed on. She looked back up as she rubbed his back. "Dip Dop, it'll be okay. I know now, I can help you." She closed her eyes, imagining her brother with a twisted grin as he plunged a blade down a poor woman's throat. She shivered, opening an eye to see the same man, only different.

"Bill will find out, and he'll try to bring you into his 'game'." He spat out the last word like it was poison. "Whatever you do, don't fall for his tricks, and you'll be fine." He positioned himself correctly on the couch, and rested his head against the back of it. Mabel followed.

"Well, bro-bro, until then, we've got each other." She took Dipper's hand in her's, and raised it. "Mystery Twins!" Dipper smiled a little.

"Yeah. Mystery Twins."