Mabel hummed along with the christmas music coming from the stereo as she walked around the christmas tree, glistening gold tinsel in her hands. Her sweater bore a picture of a pair of crossed candy canes both tied with green ribbon. "Hey Mabel, you need any help?" Dipper walked into the room carrying two mugs of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream. He set the pink one down while keeping the blue one in his hands, taking tentative sips and wincing when the steaming liquid hit his tongue.
She nodded before pointing toward the cardboard box in the corner of the room. "Hand me the star. The tree's all ready for it!" She took a step back and tilted her head, closing one eye and forming a box with her index and forefingers. The tree was covered in gold and white tinsel, silver and red ornaments covering the branches. The small twinkling lights made everything on it sparkle. All that was missing was the star Mabel worked on all year with every bit of crafting talent she possessed. Dipper took the star from the box and handed it to her for her to admire. It was roughly the size of a plate, gold with panels of glitter. On each of the legs of the star was a different colored jewel. "It looks great." Dipper said quietly as he looked down at the art project she had worked so hard on. She glanced over at him and smiled before taking a step toward the tree, her socked foot treading on the velvet tree skirt. With a tilt of her head she reached up, trying to place the glittering star on the top of the tree.
Dipper set his hot chocolate mug down and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and hoisting her off of the ground. She gave a quiet yelp of surprise but smiled gratefully at him before placing the star on the tree, looking at it, and straightening it with a small poke. Dipper set the slender girl down before taking a step back. "Wow, you did really great."
"Thank you!" She smiled, her braces colored red and green for the holidays. She picked up her mug and took a sip, whipped cream accumulating on her upper lip. "Take a picture to send to mom and dad." Dipper nodded and took out his phone, snapping a picture of the tree.
Their parents were out of town that Christmas, invited by friends to go out on the coast to avoid the snow and bitter cold that came with winter. The twins were invited along but declined. Mabel would be a wreck if she couldn't cover the walls and furniture with ribbons and decorations.
Waddles sat before the fire place in a sweater knit for him by Mabel, it dark blue with an egg in a frying pan in it. "Don't sit there too long, you might turn into bacon, mister." She patted the chubby pig's yarn clad tummy before standing straight up again and retreating into the kitchen where cookies baked in the oven.
It was tradition that had them sitting on the couch in the living room, the only light sources being the fire place and the christmas tree. Their legs were crossed and they held wrapped boxes behind their backs. Waddles sat on the rug with a santa hat on his head, small oinks and squeals coming from the sleeping pig. "On the count of three." Dipper said. She nodded, her miniature ornament earrings bouncing.
In unison they said, "One, two, three!" They took the boxes out from behind their backs and held them out for the other to accept. She placed the plaid paper wrapped box in his lap while she took the one decorated with purple paper and yellow stars.
"You go first." She said, holding her box to her chest and watching with apprehension. He looked down and carefully tore off the blue plaid paper, setting the bow on the coffee table. He opened the white box to see a dark green scarf. He lifted it out of the box and felt the thick yarn, suddenly remembering all the times he walked by Mabel's room, peeking in to see her knitting needles working furiously. When she would glance up to see him she would quickly hide the project behind her back.
He wrapped it around his neck. It was soft and thick. In the ends he could see small slits, pockets. Inside one was a note. It was a simple notecard with Mabel's curly handwriting spelling out, 'I love you.' He looked up and smiled at her before taking her hand. Their secret relationship had started around the time of halloween, so 'I love yous' were common amongst the two. "Love you too." He kissed the back of her hand and ran his thumb along the knuckles. "Now open your present." He released her hand.
She carefully peeled the wrapping paper off, planning to hang the pretty print on the wall in her room. She opened the box to reveal a necklace with what looked like a can dangling from it. It was only when she lifted it up that the can extended into a miniature telescope. She gasped softly and smiled wide, lifting it to her eye in curiosity. To her surprise, she could see through it. The fifteen year old secured it around her neck before hugging Dipper tightly, kissing his lips repeatedly before he placed his hand on the back of her head and kept her there. "I take it you like it?" He chuckled.
"I love it!" She hugged him tightly and kissed him again. Dipper's watch beeped, showing that it was now midnight on Christmas Day. "Merry Christmas Dipper." She nuzzled him.
"Merry Christmas Mabel."