Note: This story takes place in the Reverse Falls AU. This means that Dipper and Mabel are magicians that perform at the Tent of Telepathy and make plans to take over the town while Gideon and Pacifica (Going by Paz) try and protect the Mystery Shack and discover the town's secrets.
Dipper Pines did not dance in public.
It was not that he couldn't dance. But much like singing the catchiest of 70's pop ballads, they revealed a side to him he preferred the townsfolk didn't know. Not like the little showy routine that went with one of his and Mabel's shows under the Tent of Telepathy. That act to attract the masses was a mere series of steps. What Dipper refused to repeat in the presence of others was a form of self-expression meant for his eyes alone.
Dancing had been one of the many art forms forced upon Dipper and his sister by their parents in order to raise a perfect set of children. It was only when Dipper was able to move as he pleased rather than by the stiff movements of an instructor did the boy began to enjoy himself. For once, he was not the ice cold statue that carefully planned out each move. He flowed in whatever direction his body desired. He was as calm and fluid as the tides, pushing and pulling under the moonlight. Mabel knew of her brother's occasional treks into the woods alone in the night, but never followed. As close as the twins were, sometimes they had to have a few moments to themselves.
But tonight's dance wasn't merely a peaceful means to unwind. It wasn't accompanied by music, or performed between the pine trees. The setting was a small home beside a junk yard beneath the full moon. It was a dance with purpose. And what began with the drawing of a large circle continued with the drawing of blood. The knife Dipper had 'borrowed' from his sister's collection was one of the fancier blades, perfect for this kind of occasion. Dipper braced himself as he sliced into his wrist. The dagger fell to the ground as the young man winced in pain. However, the blood that should have been rapidly flowing and leaving his veins instead began to circle the air around him with a turquoise glow. It still hurt like hell, but the blood flow was controlled. The cut the dagger made into his flesh marked his skin, but did not continue to bleed him dry. The spell was working. The glow of his magical amulet powering the enchantment was shining bright in the moonlight. Dipper's eyes matched their glow, piercing the darkness more than ever. This was not magic for the faint of heart. But the most powerful of spells required a great deal of sacrifice.
The blood floated in the air, moving with each wave of Dipper's hand. It flowed like a rhythmic gymnast's ribbon, spinning around him. There was no pattern behind it, nor necessarily any kind of sense of repetition. This dance was one of passion. Perhaps more so than normal due to the purpose behind it. He wasn't just dancing for himself tonight. Dipper had something to channel his feelings into. A goal that he desperately wanted, but would never say aloud. And with any luck, without anyone realizing what had occurred this night.
But while Dipper hadn't made a sound, the turquoise glow was visible in the dead of the night. It was a glow that Paz had come to recognize well. In some cases bringing great fear, and others saving her from it. But what was it doing tonight outside her bedroom window? Quick to slide on a jacket and clothes, Paz ventured outside to investigate what was going on.
Her first instinct was to fear the worst. That this was some kind of insane blood ritual that she needed to put a stop to now. Who knew what Dipper was doing!? Some scary ritual to summon some kind of evil entity, putting some sort of voodoo curse on her home, trying to place her mind under his thrall- it could be anything! But Paz wanted to believe that Dipper Pines had changed. That he was through using the supernatural for his own selfish purposes. She knew in her heart that there was good in him. So was it some kind of magical trance, or something in her own mind that was causing her to draw closer?
Paz found herself captivated by Dipper's every movement. She'd never seen him move this freely in the daytime. It wasn't as if he was carefree, but instead that there was no longer a reason to limit or hide himself. No more masks. No more facades. He could be exposed in a way that he didn't have to fear what people would see within him. It was then that Paz felt a twinge of guilt for watching Dipper when he felt so… vulnerable. As if she was looking at his naked mind. Perhaps it was whatever crazy spell he was working talking, but she considered turning back into bed and letting him finish in private.
But Paz wasn't the only one that had been attracted by Dipper's midnight performance. A shadowy bat-like troll flew through the sky on crooked wings. The smell of blood and magic in the air was intoxicating to the beast. Dipper was too caught up in his ritual to have noticed the creature. Or perhaps he was too far in to be able to stop. He certainly couldn't have intended to summon the fiend. It probably wouldn't have normally been seen in the dead of night with its jet black fur. But its red eyes hungry for a juicy meal burned brightly from far away. Its fangs and claws were extended, ready to pluck its prey off his feet.
However, whatever this troll-bat thing was, it made the mistake of thinking it could dine and dash around Paz's own home. She didn't have time to look up what it could be in the Journal, but many monsters in Gravity Falls had a common weakness- a whole lot of firepower. Paz slammed her fist against a control panel rigged up against what looked like an old rusted cement truck. With some tricks she'd picked up from both the Journal and some tinkering with McGucket, she'd repurposed the hunk of junk into a giant magical cannon. The huge beam of bright purple energy shot out at the creature of the night, blasting it back far into the forest from whence it came.
"Direct hit!" Paz cheered as she punched the air.
Dipper finally seemed to have been disturbed by the interruption from the creature and the light show. More than just distracted, he began to stumble out of the daze the ritual locked him in. Paz quickly rushed up, grabbing onto Dipper before he could collapse onto the ground. The blood hovered still in the air, causing Paz to realize that he seemed to have lost a lot of it for… whatever all this was. She always assumed the Pines used animal blood in whatever kind of crazy rituals they had. With this much, she was surprised he hadn't passed out yet from blood loss alone.
"Huh… I suppose you're already better defended than I initially assumed." Dipper whispered quietly. Whatever he'd been doing, it seemed to have taken a lot of energy in addition to blood. Which continued to beg the question. WHY!?
"Forget that! What are you doing out here?" Paz exclaimed in shock.
Dipper only gave a light shrug. "Oh, I just figured it's a beautiful night. Why not break out the ceremonial dagger and try and dance with the devil in the pale moonlight? Although I fear he didn't get my invitation…"
Paz was ready to drop him just for that stupidly sarcastic comment. "Don't give me that! You look like you're ready to pass out any second now! And for what? Some stupid spell? What's worth that?" Paz shouted frustrated.
Dipper glanced aside, already knowing the answer. "I… could just use a pleasant night's sleep." He began. For some reason, it made him feel better to convince himself that this was just for selfish reasons. That he didn't have such an obvious weak point to target.
Paz raised an eyebrow confused. She shifted her weight, trying to keep Dipper up straight, but he continued to lean on her shoulder. "I know you've got a problem with relying on magic, but even you have to realize there's plenty of less complicated ways to go about it. Haven't you ever heard of sleeping pills?"
Dipper gave out a light chuckle. "I'm afraid it wouldn't do the job." He retorted. He debated in his head whether he should go into more detail. But just that look in Paz's eyes… a mix of frustration, and was that concern? Better than just that look of annoyance he could easily evoke from her in the day. Dipper kept one hand on his amulet. He needed to make sure he didn't completely lose focus. He wasn't done yet, but perhaps he would grace Paz with an explanation. Chances were, she wouldn't believe him anyways.
"You see, there's this pesky blond that's always getting herself into trouble. Strutting into the territories of Terror-antuals, kicking up a nest or two of Pterodactyls, and running about the hunting grounds of Fire Lions just to get a glimpse at the 'majestic creatures'. How am I supposed to shut my eyes at night thinking on how it's only a matter of time before that trouble follows her home? It would take more than some unicorn hair and moonstone to keep the more physical threats away. So I only did what any sane person would do- erect a blood barrier under a full moon to make sure nothing would gobble her up in the night for… I'd say it would be good for about 618 years, give or take 48." Dipper explained as if it were the simplest justification for coming onto a person's property for doing some kind of unholy blood ritual in the dead of night.
Paz looked Dipper hard in the eye. Was this one of his tricks? "You mean to tell me you came out here at midnight, almost got yourself eaten by some kind of Bat-Beasty, and exhausted yourself to the point that you can't even stand straight… because you're worried about me?" She tried to clarify.
Dipper shrugged, not wanting to say it out loud himself. Words had power. Admitting that he had more than just a soft spot for Paz aloud… that would only make it certain to be true. "If that's your interpretation… Clearly I was mistaken." Dipper admitted with a smirk as he looked at Paz's magical arsenal. How many of these seemingly broken down pieces of junk around him were actually more magical defenses? Not the same kind he used, but quite effective nonetheless.
"Still, I already started… I might as well finish it." Dipper resolved. He tried to let go of Paz and stand on his own, but it was clear that he was having trouble keeping still on his feet. The glow in his eyes was dimmer than it had been while he was in the midst of the ritual. Any fumes he'd been running on were fading away.
Paz quickly grabbed onto his arm before he could fall over. "Are you kidding? You need a long nap and to get a good meal in you! Not another round of blood soaked ballroom dancing!"
Dipper was quick to correct her "It's actually more of a freeform kind of-"
"-I don't care what it is!" Paz immediately yelled back. "Whatever powerful magic you started, it's not worth your health!"
Dipper sighed and shook his head. "Powerful magic requires some kind of sacrifice. If I am out of commission for a few days after I am finished, then it will still be a price worth paying." He reasoned. Dipper attempted to stand straight as he allowed the blood hovering around them to spin again. He was resolved to finish this. No matter what she may think of him… no matter what he may have done in the past… at least he could do this for her.
It seemed as if they had come to a standstill. They were both stubborn, and neither planed on turning away and calling it a night. But if Paz couldn't convince him to stop, perhaps she could at least convince him to not kill himself for a dance.
"Well… at least don't do it alone. I'm helping you finish it then." Paz insisted. He was probably going to be unable to finish it on his own anyways. He was probably used to having Mabel as a partner for these kind of heavy duty spells. And yet he came here alone. "You should have told me what you were doing from the beginning."
A devilish grin spread across Dipper's face. "Would you have believed me? I'm surprised you do now. You could be just aiding in your own demise." He pointed out.
But truthfully, it was a matter of pride. He didn't tell Mabel because he didn't want her to know how far his feelings toward Paz had gotten. And not only did he doubt Paz would believe him, but there was no need for Paz to get herself involved. Dipper had been her sworn enemy since they both began to seek out the mysteries of Gravity Falls. And perhaps now that had become more of a 'bitter rivals' relationship… and maybe they'd been able to tolerate each other's presence more than they had years ago. But anything past that? After what she'd seen out of him, how could she even call him her friend, let alone something more? No… after striving for all kinds of knowledge and power, he recognized that this was one thing he couldn't obtain with the snap of his fingers. Pacifica Northwest was not a force he could manipulate. She was not a prize he could hold in his hand. And while he could name off countless spells to bind her to his will, it would only destroy what he had grown to covet so dearly. He could settle for being a silent protector in the night. Although it seemed like that plan had fallen short for multiple reasons.
Paz shook her head. "Nope- probably wouldn't have believed you." She admitted. But words weren't why she stood by him now. "But you wouldn't have gone this far if it were just some evil spell. You wouldn't have put so much of yourself into that dance of yours." She recalled with a smile. Actions spoke so much louder than the silver tongue that Dipper was so proud of. His string of lies had ceased to fool her. But the way he moved tonight? It had a passion behind it that couldn't simply be for malevolent purposes. Or at least, she didn't want it to be. She held her hand out to Dipper. They had enough fighting in the day time- perhaps they could try something different tonight.
Dipper felt a flush of embarrassment wash over him. Oh god, she'd seen him dance… that was even worse than his singing girly pop songs in the bathroom. He might as well have written some kind of sappy love letter with what was probably going through her head right now. He must look like some kind of fool to her. Yet that look in her eyes didn't seem to be one on the verge of laughter. That joy… it was only something he managed to see from afar- when she was on a mystery hunt or spending time with friends. He'd never been able to examine it up close. He could have never imagined that he might be the cause of it. Was it possible… that what he desired was truly within his reach?
Dipper grasped Paz's hand before she could change her mind. The glow in Dipper's eyes was then matched in Paz's as she became part of the ritual. But now, the turquoise color was brighter than it had been when Dipper first began. It was more than the feeling of a second wind pulsing through Dipper. It went past a shared connection with a partner that he'd felt when performing a spell with his twin. This was something new that he had yet to experience. The dance was no longer a physical one, merely swaying to the flow of energy. It was now shared by two, perfectly in sync with their souls providing the rhythm. Each turn or movement let out a surge of turquoise energy into the night, moving like a wave away from the pair. Dipper could feel the magic pulsing between himself and Paz. And it was stronger than anything he had ever experienced before.
The blood that was hovering began to blend with the energy. It was impossible to make out the red color as a stream became an ocean. It spun around the couple, putting them at the center of a whirlpool of energy. Paz was caught up by the surge of emotions moving between the two of them. This couldn't be what Dipper experienced every time he did magic… and yet more than the magic, she could feel his hand wrapped around hers. His fingers surface was chilled by the night air, but a warmth beneath tried to persist. His grip was firm, yet reassuring. His touch reminding her that no matter what future they would face, he would remain by her side. Just for this moment it didn't have to be about magic or monsters. Forget whatever ritual Dipper had planned. Dancing in his arms was enough.
But Dipper dared to take it one step further. "Just one last thing to make it complete."
Before Paz could question what it was, Dipper drew closer and planted a kiss on her lips. He could taste the fruity lip balm on its surface. Her touch was an embrace his lips had never felt before. Dipper didn't know exactly how it was supposed to go or what he was supposed to do, but he didn't feel Paz pull away. The moment wasn't even over, he immediately wanted more. All the knowledge and power that he craved began to fade into the background. This was what he wanted to spend the rest of his life perusing.
The burst of emotion sent the energy spiraling around them flying. The glow scattered around them, solidifying in a turquoise barrier that hovered over the border of the junkyard. Once day broke, the barrier's thin glow would hardly be visible. But it would keep anything dangerous from ever coming close to Paz's home ever again. It was stronger than anything Dipper could have forged on his own. The supposed myths on 'true love's kiss' bubbled into Dipper's head as he finally managed to pull away from Paz. 'Sparks flying indeed…' He thought to himself wondering how much more he'd be able to accomplish with Paz by his side. About the kind of future he wanted to experience with her hand in his. But those thoughts would keep him awake another night. He could feel the energy draining from him as the spell ceased. Paz's own energy that had kept him going was retreating back within her.
"Was that really part of the spell?" Paz couldn't help asking with a smile on her face. He came here planning to do the ritual alone. What had enticed him to add that last touch? And what had caused her to accept it? Dipper was hardly like any of the guys she'd perused in the past. Yet she didn't just accept the kiss, but she thoroughly enjoyed it. Perhaps she'd have to investigate more…
Dipper remained silent for a moment, choosing not to answer her question. "Goodnight, Paz." He replied quietly with a playful tone in his voice. Even if he wouldn't admit his feelings out loud, they were clear in the warm smile on his face.
Dipper's grip loosened as his eyelids slowly came to a close. Paz scrambled to wrap her arms around him and prevent him from falling to the ground.
"You stubborn idiot… still managed to push yourself too far." Paz chuckled as she tried to keep Dipper's weight from pulling herself down as well. She'd have a hard time carrying him inside. Even if she did consider herself pretty strong, Dipper had grown quite a few inches on her since they were kids. Not like she had any spare beds anyways. But there was still one way to carry him easily. Her fingers brushed against the amulet on Dipper's chest. He wouldn't mind if she borrowed it for a little bit…
Keeping her hand on his chest, Paz slowly hovered the sleeping Dipper into one of the wrecked cars. The leather seat was kind of like a bed, right? She'd go back in her house later and get him some blankets and pillows. But for now, he'd earned himself some rest. Perhaps now he could get a peaceful night's sleep. The young magician had far too many bags under his eyes already.
Paz brushed a few strands of hair out of Dipper's face, letting his namesake birthmark shine through. That warm smile was still on his face. With any luck, she could make sure it lasted.
"Goodnight, Dipper." She whispered as she planted a light kiss on his forehead.
As much as he may enjoy playing the devil, for tonight he tried to be her guardian angel. Maybe the good in him was more often than not muddled by curses and demon deals. But she'd seen tonight who he truly was. And it was a side she would ensure won out in the end.