Always (2/3)

24: wouldn't call 'senseless fucking' a past history

24
Pacifica

   "Okay, tell me everything." I sat down. "Why cigarettes?"

   Dipper gave a halfhearted shrug. "Other drugs suck."

   "Suck?"

   "They're bad." He said in the most basic tone yet. "Do you want me to elaborate?"

   "Cigarettes are bad too." I sighed. "You ever look up the contents in them?"

   "Oh I know they're bad, Pazzie." He groaned. "But once you start you can't stop."

   "Like the one-night stands?" I said before I could stop the words from coming out.

   Dipper's eyes went wide before his lips formed a thin line. "I'm guessing Mabel told you all about me, didn't she?"

   ". . .yes." I admitted. "Don't be mad at her, I asked her."

   "I'm not mad, Pacifica." He took a long, shaky breath that stated otherwise. "I can't say I blame you. Hell, if I talked to Gideon at all I would've asked all about you. What you were doing, who you were doing."

   I crossed my arms over my chest. "If you must know, I wasn't 'doing' anyone."

   "I know." Dipper's sly grin appeared like it had never left. "And you can probably imagine my pleasure in figuring that out."

   "Right. . ." I trailed off. "So, about the nights of passion?"

   He sighed and leaned back. "If Mabel told you about them, why do you want to hear them from me?"

   "Because I only know Mabel's point of view." I explained. "There are two sides to every story, I want to hear yours."

   Dipper looked down, "I need some tea."

   "We don't have any." I sighed. "Dipper, you're avoiding the subject. Why?"

   "Because I'm scared that you'll hate me." His voice became quiet, hollow. He actually sounded scared and that worried me. "God, Paz, I hate the person I used to be."

   "Dipper," I reached out to place my hand on his shoulder. "I hate what you did, but I don't hate you."

   Dipper scoffed, pulling away from me. Back to square one. "What's the difference?"

   I tried to open my mouth to speak, but I found that the words would not come out. Sitting in front of me, I got a glimpse of what Dipper was like when he was 'broken'. I needed to say something, do something even.

   "See?" Dipper shook his head sadly. "Even you can't find the difference. If I continue on the same path I'll stay exactly the same and--"

   I quickly shut him up with a quick kiss on his lips while he was caught off guard. Finally, it was always me caught off guard but now he had to get used to it.

   Dipper's mouth was open, he looked at me but couldn't say anything.

   "You talk too much." I giggled, poking his nose. "It's adorable."

   "I am not adorable, Pacifica!" He gasped.

   "Dipper, I don't care about the one-night stands or however long they lasted." I shook my head at him. "Sure, it was a little hurtful to figure out how promiscuous you were while I was away."

   "Promiscuous?" He choked. "I suppose that's the nicer word for what I was being."

   "And the meaner?" I titled my head to the side.

   "Man-whore." He shrugged, winking at me. "How's that for adorable?"

   "I have one question and then we can move on." I stated, my voice betraying me.

   "And what is that?" Dipper asked.

   "Did. . ." I gulped. "Did they mean anything?"

   Dipper's expression turned from nervous to shocked in a matter of seconds. "Oh God, Pacifica, no. God no. It's. . ." he sighed. "They never meant anything to me. Whether you choose to believe me is up to you."

   I took in a shaky breath. "I do believe you, Dipper. I truly do."

   The relief in his eyes made my heart melt. "Pacifica, I've always loved you."

   I nodded. "I know. Now, tell me about last night."

   "I was up there smoking." He explained. "Bad habit, I know. But I wasn't alone."

   "I know." I whispered. "Who was she?"

   Dipper sucked in a breath. "You may remember her--"

   "Scarlett Valentino." I said before he could finish.

   "Her." He nodded. "I'm sure you know about our past history."

   "I wouldn't call senseless fucking a past history." I frowned.

   "We were friends, Pacifica." He explained quietly. "Before anything, she was my friend."

   "I could've guessed." I whispered. "What were you and Scarlett talking about?"

   "Well if you must know," he chuckled, "we were talking about you."

   "Me?" I echoed, confused. "Why?"

   "She knew how I felt about you." He admitted. "She was the one I talked to about relationship issues. Hell, she was the one who suggested I run after you."

   My hatred for Scarlett diminished rapidly. But she still slept with him and that wasn't going away. "Oh."

   "Surprised?"

   "I guess you could say that." I sighed. "Alright enough about that. We have one more huge thing to talk about."

   "And that is. . ?" He leaned back against the couch.

   "The creature that attacked you in the woods. The one who hurt you." I stated, staring into Dipper's blue eyes, watching for hesitation. If there was any hesitation whatsoever, he was bound to lie.

   Dipper sucked in a breath. "Pacifica," nervousness set into his perfect features, making a shadow effect. If he was nervous, it wasn't good. Dipper rarely got nervous.

   "Dipper," I whispered. "I have to know. I was there too, and when you said those words, Traqueur Magique, you acted as if you knew it. It hurt you, Dipper. I need to know all about it if we're going to get rid of it."

   "It didn't hurt me, Pacifica." His eyes met mine. "It Marked me."