#fictober.

"So, you don't have any ideas...?" Dipper asked, looking at his sister lying face down on the bed.

The last week had been a bit overwhelming between college applications and all the requests. Both with the mindset that among so many letters they could achieve something good.

While Dipper had finished his part a few days ago, Mabel had one last one left. According to her, she had left the last one for the end, but at the same time the most complicated.

Which meant a week full of painting disasters and bad sculptures that ended up in the trash, hours of cleaning and her so frustrated that she stopped talking for hours. And now she only had 48 hours to send something, otherwise Chicago would be ruled out and the chances of a university would decrease.

And Dipper could only be there, he had helped as much as he could no matter if that meant ending up in a silly argument with her or whatever. He hated seeing every piece she spent hours working on in pieces because something wasn't right or the frustration. Hearing her feel like she wasn't good enough or just a mess broke him. But he couldn't do more. He didn't have her skill, and there were times when he wished he could do that job for her, he wished he could save her from that frustration where at times she said that maybe art wasn't for her.

And now they were both in her room, he rested his hand on her head, a few minutes ago they had finished fixing the mess in the garage that their father would surely kill them if he had only seen a part. The only good thing is that they had learned to remove shiny papier-mâché from the ceiling effectively. And the reminder that maybe sometimes there is too much glitter.

They reviewed Mabel's list of ideas again, maybe a few hours of rest would fix everything, after all they had too much free time before going back to school, but they didn't say the same thing with the application letter attaching some work.

Complicated...

Mabel, for her part, didn't care how many hours she dedicated. Notebooks full of sketches, loose sheets scattered everywhere. More and more cross-outs. Too much garbage for so few days.

Not to mention the pressure from her parents and now she had a limited time.

It was impossible to sleep, it was impossible not to feel so small in something she had desired so much and in the end she could do nothing. She looked at the clock every fifteen minutes, or when she thought an eternity had passed rolling around in bed wishing for dawn to appear. But only a few hours had passed.

She had no choice but to get up. Today would be another one of those nights where her thoughts seemed to float everywhere, mixing them with her stealth so as not to wake anyone up or alert anyone. Thinking of another option that she would discard in the next few hours and pretending to be sleeping like a "normal person".

What she didn't expect was that this time someone would hear her. When she noticed his presence at the entrance of her half-open door, who passed slowly and sat on the floor next to her.

“Hey…”

He said, still with tired eyes and his hair tousled. She could almost feel guilty for waking him up. 

“I'm sorry, I couldn't sleep, I'm just…”

“I know, I know. It's not the first time I've heard you, but I always thought you needed your space. Today I think I'm not going to make an exception…”

“It was a disaster…”

“No, it wasn't. You're demanding too much of yourself these days. I can understand that in part but you need to stop…”

She looked at him while he just looked away at the drafts and all the notebooks scattered around them.

“I'm not good enough for Chicago”

“You're wrong, stop denying that. It was your first choice and then more came out and you left this for the end... Mabel I don't understand wh-”

At that moment all of Dipper's thoughts seemed to form just one, silence had taken over the whole room and he slowly turned his face to look at his sister. She covered her mouth with her hand, trembled as her eyes were covered with tears threatening to come out at any moment.

"Are you refusing to go? Do you understand that this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? And then what?" 

She said, turning around and covering herself with her hair. 

"You can't refuse to go... Why?" 

"It's too far away... I can't..." 

"I don't understand..." 

"I can't, Mason! I can't imagine being miles away in an empty room or with strangers and having to imagine that you can write to me or that at some point you'll be as busy as I am and the messages will be so scarce and the calls non-existent and we'll only see each other in this house once or twice a year. That everything ends up like that and the routine and all these years leave us only as acquaintances. But I can't force you to give up what you can have, I did it once, I wouldn't forgive myself if I did it again..."

 "No, wait, wait. If you're referring to Ford, you didn't force me to do anything, I wasn't losing a big opportunity, Mabel, what we have isn't going to fall apart in messages that aren't received or calls that never happen. And I doubt that will happen. What we have is stronger than all the kilometers you want to add, everything you want to sum up. It's not going to end. Don't think about it. You've been sabotaging yourself with fears that you shouldn't have. Tell me, who else would help you take papier-mâché off the ceiling?"

Mabel wiped away her tears as she let out a laugh. She didn't know how long she had been with those thoughts, how long she had kept everything that soon seemed to disappear into the air when her brother threw himself at her, hugging her tightly while whispering that everything would be alright.

For Dipper, it had been getting lost in her words, and all that worry. Having her held against him feeling her heart racing, remembering all the sleepless nights he seemed to hear, and all that frustration for every piece in the trash that he would be capable of going to the dump just to remind her that everything she did was really valuable. And not just for him. At that moment he could only assure himself that he would be capable of anything for her, so that she would never be on the floor crying, if he had to drive miles once they were separated just to show her that he would never abandon her, no matter what he would do it a thousand times and more. He loved her more than anything in the world, no one would love anything or anyone like all the affection he had for Mabel.

It was too much...

He took her face in both hands, kissing her forehead, kissing the tip of her nose and ending on her lips. Softly he knew he had made a mistake.

He thought about it the next morning. Mabel had left early according to what his mother had said, she hadn't answered any of his messages. And it was better not to talk about calls. He still remembered her surprised eyes, while Dipper couldn't form a single sentence. He had ruined it. He was scared when he got up and left his room. He didn't even have the courage to see her one more time and now he was regretful. But what could he say to his mother? He could only wait.

Wait until noon without any answer. Wait until sunset without any answer. Wait in the middle of the night without any answer.

His parents acted as an intercom, saying she was fine and would be back any minute. How was it possible that they were so calm?

He had messed it up, he didn't have the courage to approach her when she looked at him, to say something to her and the promise he had made to her in her room seemed to have shattered along with everything else.

But Mabel also announced that she had submitted her application to Chicago. She had been working on it. Without him…

It was no surprise to either of their parents that both twins were accepted where they had primarily applied. The miles had begun to distance them without even moving them from place. It was a huge crack.

It was no surprise either that Mabel's painting was being exhibited in a room with others to present to the "new" candidates at the university and that the family decided to join the exhibition and she could see it and have an integration meeting as soon as possible.

Dipper just dragged his feet without complaining or giving any opinion. He was very happy for her. And at the same time he felt heartbroken.

The art gallery wasn't very big, it was lit by the top windows where sunlight came in, there were a few people. Maybe it was still early.

His parents had stayed outside talking to other adults and he had decided to go in alone. He no longer wanted to wonder where his sister was.

His thoughts died when he was in front of the painting, the one he had felt displaced from, the one that had ruined everything, the one his sister had never told him about.

It was a view of trees from the ground, only a few crowns could be admired and the leaves covering everything around, tinged green, yellow and red all around, the sun seemed to want to enter but they were only illuminated leaves, and in the center you could see two hands, two people, he had seen a similar scene hundreds of times but that one took him back to "Gravity Falls" to the hours lost in the woods, between the supernatural and between each adventure that simply united him more to her.

On the edge of that painting you could read "Forever".

The crack had disappeared at that moment, all his fears disappeared and Mabel's voice behind him took him out of that trance.

“You took me by surprise the first time, I'm sorry I should have told you something but I really wanted to surprise you too”

“W-What?”

Dipper turned around seeing her smile almost melancholically, he hugged her again. It was as if centuries ago he had lost her presence, and he understood all her fears. But at the same time he remembered that no matter what happened he was never going to let that happen.

“Are they going to sell this?”

“Some of them are, and others aren't.”

“Yours, Mabs?”

“You mean yours... it's for you…”

“No..”

“I couldn't put into words what happened that night, before you left, I couldn't tell you anything, then I tried to clear my mind and then I just painted something that made me happy, something where I could throw everything I felt at that moment.”

Prompt number: 5 - “I might just kiss you.” Original fiction: Decadence Rating: G Warnings/Tags: alcohol, implied polyamory (not really a warning but? w/e)

Even if the party had ended, their night was far from finished. Elegant soirees in the Crest were for intrigue and guile. They weren't for entertainment, they were tests of his mettle. Central, on the other hand -- Central folks knew how to party.

He'd come to the capital to do something worthwhile, but the strain of his non-stop performance weighed on him. And, he was sure, it had begun wearing away at Arael and Samira as well. They deserved a break, if only for a night.

Fandom: Gravity falls/ pinecest

He was moving the last box and the final truck was already leaving the desolate streets on a Sunday afternoon. He had decided not to call anyone, as it was the last thing and he knew he could do it alone, after all, that's how it was going to be from now on. It had been two months since the signing that made the divorce official and five years that they had sworn to each other a "forever"

Until death do us part.

Five years where he thought there would only be happiness, where he would follow the laws of life but the children never came and today he was grateful for it, but a long time ago he remembers being so worried, but he wasn't ready. "So when?!" they asked fiercely

What followed were arguments or silly fights, days without talking, regardless of living under the same roof. Routines of work and out the door having to pretend everything was fine. When they were invited to dinners, they spent small moments between empty kisses holding hands, hugs and laughter. How he hated smiling at the cost of so many glances.

Coming back was overwhelming but no, he didn't hate her, it was more disgust. He doesn't remember at what point he had given in to sleeping in the guest room but at the same time he left all his things in the main bedroom. He couldn't arouse suspicion with anyone, dinners at home, guests, his parents, or her parents, they weren't ready to address that issue with anyone, not even with each other.

He was a pressure cooker about to explode, until he couldn't take it anymore and was tired of pretending.

It was in the middle of dinner, one of the many where they ate averting their gaze or busy on their phones. She realized he was watching her, she understood it was time to talk, it was something they had been waiting for for a long time but as soon as they opened their mouths they realized how wrong they were about each other.

The moment she said "We need to go to therapy" Mason's mouth had formed a "I want a divorce" leaving his wife (Ex wife) dumbfounded.

He knew how long he had postponed this, stretching it out more in search of a magical solution would only prolong that problem, which he himself had created the moment they had decided to get married.

It wasn't that he wasn't ready to have children, he wasn't ready to take on a life he had been indirectly forced into. He hated how he had turned his back on everything he had once had, but out of anger and frustration he simply gave in. The happy faces at the party, at the celebrations. The flashes of the photos.

he imagined how angry she would be if she knew that more than a month ago I had burned that stupid photo album. I hate that day and I hate even more the absence that I deserved.

I had broken her heart.

What followed were years where he tried to fit in, where at times he thinks he could achieve it through hard work and maintaining that family picture as his parents had shown him all his childhood. "Everything was over, he had made the best decision" or that's what his father told him on his wedding day. He hated him.

It was known that sooner or later everything would end, from the damn first year he knew he wouldn't be enough, but damn, he really tried, tried not to fall into any vices. He tried to be the best husband, the best companion for her but it would never be enough.

Although she was happy and was so affectionate with him. She would never fill that void that had destroyed him so long ago.

It was long before he even met her, so he could never have imagined it. But on the other hand, he had ruined that whole relationship with his parents. So in part he is grateful for her presence, for reconnecting with his parents.

THAT TODAY IS USELESS

Mason is in the new apartment, according to him it will be temporary. He hasn't told anyone about the move and little is known about his divorce, as no one could have imagined it "they never had problems" Damn lies, damn life, damn rules, damn society. He's tired.

He doesn't even want to imagine when was the last time he spoke to her. Nothing had gone well. Because since everything had fallen apart, the word well would never belong to them again. At least not together.

He hadn't done it because he loved her, he had done it to save them, but he's not sure if she'll ever understand.

Between the divorce and the move he had dialed her number at least thirty times, but he never had the courage to call, to write or whatever. You're not even sure it can be the current number. Because he lost it a long time ago.

According to his parents he was fine, unlike him he had dodged marriage, although they didn't know if he had a partner (or they didn't want to tell him) just like his number. He had asked them thousands of times in different circumstances, he already knew the answer. He had stopped insisting.

And now he was where he had always belonged, alone in the four walls of an enveloping echo.

He didn't even want to stop to think about a how or a when, or even a why. He just enjoys those moments that seem to have always existed. Where she is wrapping him in her arms, where it is she who rests her head on his chest. He listens to her laughter or her calm breathing. Perhaps her voice is telling something meaningless, talking about something funny, commenting on the movie they watched or simply both appreciating a sunset, a sunrise or the starry sky. There were so many excuses that it was already automatic, disappearing down different paths, at different times, only to meet in the same place. The outside had stopped mattering long ago.

Or so they imagined, longed for and dreamed. Outside there were thousands of eyes and sooner or later no matter how careful they were, what they were doing would catch up with them and they would be glimpsed with punishment. A punishment for a crime that had no victims.

It was the last family dinner, long before he went to college, where they were entertained in casual conversation where only the peace of routine seemed to reign. When his father's phone rang, he walked away from the room, he hadn't paid much attention but a part of him felt that he had been gone for a very long time, because when he came back his look was different, he didn't utter a single word, and all that countenance of a long time ago seemed to have disappeared.

His mother asked him questions, because she saw the same thing he did... And what followed... someone had seen them, not just anyone, a co-worker of his father's, who had not hesitated to take a picture and ask if they were both his children. He didn't know how to answer, but now he demanded them, put them in front of him, with an image that was scary. And although Mabel wanted to take his hand, he felt a strong pull.

They were separated, both to boarding schools, all the plans for their senior year were going down the drain, the lies, ALL had been discovered. The roof that had once felt safe now seemed to crush them, but he wasn't going to give up that easily. He should just endure until he went to college, with one foot out of his house and fewer eyes on him things would be different. And in the few talks he had with his sister he told her so, he promised her a better life, he promised he would do his best for both of them, that all the effort would be worth it.

But it didn't happen. And if it did, it was too fleeting.

They weren't going to deny that they were in love, that theirs hadn't happened overnight, but they were tired.

Tired of their parents' rejection, tired of having to set up a new hiding place, new excuses that sounded good enough. Of begging and being vigilant to find themselves in a place far enough away to stay safe.

Nothing of what he had promised her was in that routine. He wasn't going to hold her back anymore, he wasn't going to keep forcing her to live that way.

That's when Jane appeared in the picture, and what started as a perfect excuse he simply let everything move forward. That they would formalize soon, that she would participate in family lunches and that everyone would have a party for their engagement.

Not everyone...

He thought that way she would understand, understand that what he was doing was for both of them, that she was totally free to do the same, to have a decent life. To not have to submit to all the crap they had for years, to fix things with her parents.

She never said anything to him.

But he wasn't going to let everything stay that way. With the waters calmer, for the Christmas holidays they were both back home. Everything had been fixed, but at what cost.

“Mabel…”

“Yes?”

Mason had been pacing his room for thousands of times trying to find the words, she had been in the living room for hours watching TV, but he knew she was really avoiding any contact with anyone.

“I'm getting married…”

He wasn't going to beat around the bush, he wasn't going to lie or disguise anything.

“What?”

At that moment she turned off the TV, and turned towards him without believing what she was hearing.

“Excuse me?”

“I'm getting married…”

“To someone you've been with?”

“A year and a half Mabel…”

“Okay…”

She turned back, facing away from him and turning the device back on and turning up the volume.

“Okay? Is that all?”

“What do you want? Do you want me to congratulate you? Do you want me to jump towards you and say that I'm happy because I added a new member? That I wish you the best?”

With every word she said, thousands of tears covered her face, her breath quickened and the crying took over completely.

“I can't, I'm not going to tell you something that hurts me so much”

“I love you…”

“Lie! If you loved me as you say you wouldn't be doing what you're going to do”

“I love you enough to want you to have a life that you could never have with me!”

“It's not fair…”

“No, it's not…”

After saying that, she just threw herself on the couch, resting her back forcefully and letting out a sigh.

“Do you want to do it?”

“It's what I have to do... Do you want to?”

“Is that what you want for yourself?”

“Forget it..”.

He didn't want to see her again, he just got up and went back to his room, both pretending that that conversation had never happened.

But in the early hours of Christmas morning she woke him up, at the side of his bed, he just pounced on her, trapping her in his arms, pulling her towards him so that their lips met. He had missed her so much, he desired her and loved her so much, that he would do anything with his life to keep her safe no matter the cost.

They were there for hours, in hugs, kisses and few words, and before dawn reached them she kissed him again and told him she had his blessing to do whatever he wanted, but she wasn't going to give him her support, she couldn't bear to see him in that scenario. And that was goodbye.

A goodbye that had lasted until now, and he wanted to find her as soon as possible and tell her that she had been right about everything. That he had never stopped loving her, that everything he had done in his life was a mistake. And he was sorry, and he begged life to give him another chance that wouldn't show him that it was too late. He wanted to tell her that since that night there hadn't been a moment that he hadn't thought about her, that he wasn't planning to leave and go look for her and run away. They could be whatever they wanted wherever they wanted.

He found the number again on his phone and dialed. It only rang once before jumping to voicemail. Once, twice, ten, thirty.

One day, two, three weeks.

There was never an answer, and he deserved it, he had broken her heart and as she had respected his decisions, his distance, the silence and the little contact. Maybe he would have to do the same for her, sooner or later she will know his situation, she will understand that he had left everything just for her. He wished so much that she knew.