Always (2/3)

28: nervousness was a feeling I rarely felt

28
Dipper

   When Pacifica explained her plan, I thought it was crazy. Crazy enough to actually work.

   Mabel, of course, thought it was crazy as well. But she didn't think it would work. "Are you insane?" She hissed at me, when Pacifica left the room to take a call.

   "I feel like this is a question you ask me often." I muttered, taking a sip of tea that a butler had brought me. It was already getting cold, but at that moment I didn't really care.

   "Argh!" She groaned, stomping her foot on the floor, "could you please take this seriously?!"

   "I am taking this seriously." I replied, keeping my voice neutral. "You're the one freaking out, Mabel."

   "Oh, I'm sorry," she spat, her voice dripping with venom. "Maybe I'm freaking out because you could potentially die."

   "I trust Pacifica." I acknowledged. "If she says this is the best route to go, then I'm all for it."

   "Why did this have to happen?" Mabel stated, glumly. "Why weren't you being careful out there?"

   "I wasn't focused on the consequences." I confessed. "But it doesn't matter. What's done is done, can't dwell on the past."

   Mabel silently fumed for a few more seconds before turning on me again. "And if you die?"

   "You're thinking of the worst possibility." I scoffed, quietly setting my teacup onto the small table near me.

   "If you die and Pacifica blames herself?" Mabel pressed. "What then?"

   "It appears she won't be the only one blaming herself." I muttered, crossing my arms. "I know you're freaking out but try not to. Obviously she knows what she's doing, give her more credit."

   "You said this happened a week  ago." Mabel said through grit teeth. "This took her a week to figure out."

   "So? There was time and effort put into it." I shrugged, and I wasn't about to admit to Mabel that I had no idea about Pacifica's plan.

   "No, a plan with more time and effort put into it would've been better." Mabel growled. "This is like last resort."

   "Are you going to help or not?" I demanded. "This is the only option I've got and last I checked you had not come up with a plan yourself so what choice do you have to argue with it?!"

   I had expected her to shut her mouth after that remark, but her lips pulled into a carnivorous smirk. "Aha! You're more stressed out than you care to admit!"

   "What the hell are you talking about?" I groaned, running a hand through my hair.

   "You're trying to remain calm because you think that's what you're best at. But chances are that as soon as this conversation is over you'll be rushing off to your room to smoke a cigarette to 'relieve' your stress." Mabel gave me a triumphant smirk. "And you only snap when you're cornered. This game is too easy, Dipper."

   "Say what you want, Mabel." I frowned, "it won't change anything."

   She scoffed once more. "So, you're actually going through this?"

   "I have to." I said, confident.

   "What about Mother and Father?" She soon said, her voice barely above a whisper. "What would they do if they figured out the truth?"

   Her question threw me off. I faltered for a millisecond, but it registered in Mabel's mind that I had not thought that far ahead. Yet, her triumphant grin did not appear as it had before. Was this. . .sadness on her face?

   She shook her head, and tched. "You haven't even thought that far ahead have you?"

   "It's not important right now." I sighed, running a hand through my hair for the millionth time that day.

   "I will never understand you, Dipper." She shook her head once more sadly. "What if--"

   "Sorry for stepping out." Pacifica interrupted as she entered the room, and if I were being honest, I'd say she took the tension out of the room. Well, most of it. "So, what's going on?"

   "Nothing." I quickly dismissed the subject, and hopefully Mabel would get the same idea and stay quiet for a few minutes.

   Unfortunately for me, she did not. "I think this is dangerous."

   I groaned aloud and frowned at her. "Oh, come on, Mabel."

   Pacifica gave me a look. "What's wrong?"

   "Mabel thinks I could potentially die from this." I scoffed and glared at her. "Just because it's classified as 'dangerous' doesn't mean I should refrain from doing it."

   "You should put that on a t-shirt." Mabel muttered, mainly to herself.

   I refrained from groaning a second time. "Oh leave it out."

   "I know it's dangerous," Pacifica admitted, "and I didn't want to use this plan for that reason alone, but it's the only option we've got left."

   "My point exactly." I picked up my teacup once more and took a long sip. "So, when shall we execute said plan?"

   "As soon as we can?" Pacifica said, although it sounded like she was starting to doubt herself. That didn't soothe my conscious mind one bit.

   "I suppose it'll take some time to prepare." I grumbled, placing my teacup back onto its small platter. "And I'm assuming we're going to need some assistance."

   "Gideon'll be happy to help." Pacifica promised. "Besides, he wants this creature gone as much as you two do." 

   "Oh, Gideon's aware." Mabel murmured. "I wasn't sure he was."

   "The creature attacked him too." Pacifica hesitantly explained. "But obviously didn't kill him."

   "Strange, he was attacked, survived and told you about it." I couldn't help but say. "Traquerer Magique rarely attacks humans that don't have magic, and let them live."

   "Gideon's very lucky." Mabel added, and once again we were side-by-side on something. "So, how do we break this to him?"

   "He already knows what happened to Dipper." Pacifica stated. "I told him when you were in the shower that time at the Mystery Shack."

   "Oh? Too soon for you two to shower together?" Mabel joked.

   With all the jokes that Gideon and Mabel had been dishing ever since Pacifica and I got back together, she didn't blush or freak out at any of their sexual remarks about us. Instead, she rolled her eyes. "No, hell, I don't think either of us were sure about where we were in our relationship at the point."

   "But we're sure now?" I didn't mean for it to be a question, but I suppose you could say that I was nervous. Nervousness was a feeling I rarely felt, if I even felt it at all. But what could I say, Pacifica made me a whole different person.

   Pacifica took her seat beside me and squeezed my hand for reassurance. "Yes, Dipper. We're sure now."

   "So, this is happening?" Mabel asked, and she couldn't keep the concern out of her voice.

   I took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah," I said, "we're doing this."

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Hey, I know it's been awhile! But I've been a bit busy with y'know, my life :)

I figured you guys waited long enough to read the next chapter so here you go!

With that being said, keep smiling my lovelies!

-Kaori Miyazono <3