OTP Writing Challenge

9. Hugging (ft. Older!Dipper Wendip)

No. No no no no no no.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. Sure, Bill always said pain was hilarious. But not when it was Wendy who was in pain. No, that wasn't funny at all.

She was being cradled to Dipper's chest, her mouth was open. Her eyes were closed. Her nose was bleeding, just like her side. Her side was bleeding a lot. Dipper knew this. Dipper also knew that he couldn't fix it.

"Hey, Dipper?" Wendy choked.

"Wendy!" he practically shouted.

"Hey, man. I'm fine okay?" She was coughing now. Coughing a lot. "I'll get better."

"Wendy, you aren't--"

"Dipper, chill for just one sec." Her eyes were still closed. "I know this is going to be hard on you. I never thought I would be the one comforting you while I bled out. Though I never thought I'd be bleeding out all," she let out a harsh laugh, which soon turned into more hacking. "But there's... there's something I need to tell you. This summer... This summer has been the best of my life. And it's all because of you."

"Wendy... Wendy please don't say that. You can't..."

"It is, Dipper. I never would've had half the adventures I did if you hadn't come along. Heck, I'd probably be at a logging camp right now if it weren't for your uncle, and by extension you. I was going to quit my job at the Mystery Shack. But then you..." She coughed again, wincing afterwords. "You walked in with your nose in a book and tattoos on your arms and you made me want to stay."

"Wendy..." Tears were dripping down his face, he couldn't find any words other than her name. Wendy, the girl he would have followed to the ends of the earth.

"Don't fall apart yet." She grinned, blood from her nose coating her teeth. She began coughing again, blood spattering on Dipper's shirt. "Listen... Dipper... I... I..."

"Wendy, wait! Let me say something, please. I love you. I love you so much, and I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"Don't... be sorry. I... love... you..." The rising of her chest was shallow. "so... much...."

Then she died. She died in Dipper's arms, her blood on Dipper's hands, her words on Dipper's heart. She was gone. Dipper was numb. He couldn't think, only hugged her body to his chest, the warmth quickly leaving her.

She was gone.