PROMPT: Things You Said When You Thought I Was Asleep


Dipper looked down at Pacifica with wide eyes.

He wasn't sure how this had happened, but somehow, what had started as a rather straightforward bit of exploring with Mabel and her friends had ended up with him and Pacifica sitting under a tree, Dipper awkwardly waiting for Mabel and her friends to come back from what Mabel called "the epic search for The Long Lost City of the Squirrel People.", which, according to Mabel at least, meant that Dipper and Pacifica would have to stay behind. Pacifica had been first to ask why, eyebrow raised critically and hand on her angeled hips, and Mabel's response had simply been a downright devious smile followed by her giggling "Just 'cause." and running off into the woods with Candy and Grenda.

And so, there they were, left alone under the big old oak. At some point, the painfully awkward, weather related banter had trailed off, with Pacifica yawning and dozing off, a muttered request for Dipper to wake her up when the others came back. This left Dipper, wide awake and painfully aware of the weight of Pacifica's sleeping form as she practically snuggled against him like he were a bit teddy bear.

He looked down at Pacifica's sleeping face. He swallowed. By now, his crush on her was an open secret. Mabel was always quick to point out the way he would linger on the blonde, or how Mabel would find scraps of aborted love poems scrunched up and thrown in the waste bin. But alas, just like Wendy before, so far, Pacifica hadn't acknowledged it. More than once Mabel had giving him a nudge and a wink, practically shoving him towards Pacifica, only for Dipper to helplessly start sweating and stammering, caught like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming car. Heck, the same thing had happened when Mabel invited Pacifica for the adventure. This time, however, Dipper could have sworn that Pacifica was blushing just as much as he was, especially while she tried to talk about the weather while she was awake a few minutes before.

Dipper bit his lip. No way. They were totally just friends. Pacifica had said so many times. How could she feel the same way? Where's Dipper was awkward and unsure, Pacifica was always confident and self assured. Where's Dipper's journey into puberty had been a textbook example of gangliness, pimples and awkward sweating, Pacifica had apparently sailed on through like a swan on a peaceful lake, becoming beautiful and poised. It just didn't match up. Pretty girls like Pacifica didn't fall for dorky nerds like Dipper.

But then again….popular girls don't even become friends with dorks. But she did. That's gotta count for something. Right?

The nibbling of his own lip increased, and he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

You should say something! The little voice in his head (that always sounded like Mabel for some reason) shouted, and he could imagine that, if it had a body, it'd be shaking it's arms wildly right in his face. Just get it out there! Don't let it just sit on your chest like a big fat elephant!

Dipper sighed again. "Crap…I–uh–well…"

Just do what you do in front of the mirror at home! Just say what you want to say!

He gulped, his mouth feeling dry yet clammy at the same time. He coughed slightly, his heart jumping into his throat as Pacifica stirred slightly. She quickly came to a rest, however, once more leaning against Dipper. Dipper took a breath. What could be the harm? Just like the mirror at home…a mirror that's breathing and is the actual Pacifica….

He closed his eyes tightly, bracing himself, and began to speak in a halting, tentative manner.

"Well..Pacfica…I've been thinking about us…and how we're friends…and, like, it's really awesome, but–uhh–but I'm not really sure I'm your friend. I mean, duh, we're friends! But I always feel so…so…different, I guess, when I'm with you." As he spoke, he barely noticed his tone growing more confident as he continued. "Like, when I'm with Candy, I don't get these weird goose-pimples…I sure don't get them with Grenda, that's for sure. But every time I'm with you, I get all fuzzy inside. And honestly, I think it feels great! But then I remember how pretty you are, and how dorky I am, and then I just end up feeling like I'm about to jump in front of a bus! But it's a bus I really want to ride…" he trailed off, scrunching up his eyebrows, eyes still shut. "…if that makes sense. And–and–" he paused, taking one more big breath. "I really love you!" he burst out, cracking an eye open ever so slightly to peer down. She was still apparently totally asleep. He let out a dissapointed sigh, closing his eyes again.

"You love me?" Came Pacifica's voice, and Dipper's eyes bolted open as he let out a loud yelp, practically vaulting up into the air like a rocket. He found himself gripping onto a large tree branch for dear life, and he looked down at a gently blushing, very awake Pacifica.

"You heard me?! The whole thing?!" He stammered down from his branch, and Pacifica nodded, her blush strengthening. She gave a shy nod.

"Yeah…you woke me up when you were talking to yourself, I just didn't say anything…" she lay on her back, her long, elegant blonde locks spreading out among the grass. She looked up at Dipper, her face unsure. "Do you…do you really think I'm pretty?"

Before Dipper could even verbalize a response, he was nodding reverently. "M-More beautiful then any girl I've seen." he choked out, clutching the branch so tightly that it audibly creaked. Pacifica's eyes widened, her blush now taking up her entire face.

"And…do you lo–" she halted, a hand moving to cover her mouth. "Do you love me?"

Dipper nodded slowly, his death grip on the branch finally loosening as he lowered himself down.

"Do…you love me?" he asked in a brittle tone, his brown eyes gazing into her crystal blue eyes.

She gave the slightest of nods.

And with that, Dipper fainted.