A/N: Pinecest or not? I'll leave it up to you to interpret it however you want. Warning; dialogue-heavy, sibling quarrels, and tooth-rotting fluffiness in the end. Enjoy, and don't forget to R&R! c;
Winter had come and gone, and before anyone could even process it the sun was out and little green buds were popping up on every tree and bush. For everyone it meant more sunshine, warmer weather, and new lives. For students, it meant exams, exams, and more exams – and prom.
Dipper and Mabel were sixteen years old, an acceptable age for cavorting around dancing and dating and doing other delightful things of such nature. Neither of them were very popular, but their small circles of friends was close-knit and did not disappoint when it came time to search for possible candidates to take to the prom – to Mabel it was the most important thing in the world, but it seemed that Dipper simply found it a nuisance.
A week before the blessed event was due, the only thing that Mabel would talk about was prom.
"My friend told me about this guy who wants someone to go with to this prom. He's in college though—is that too old? Is college any different from high school? Do you think he'd go with me? I wonder how old he is, I forgot to ask…"
Mabel was ranting at Dipper again as they lay on their stomachs on the carpet in the living room, sprawled out amongst magazines and sweet wrappers and game consoles. Dipper was currently engrossed in a column about paranormal activity and listened with half an ear to his twin's ramblings.
"Mabel, I don't think it's a big deal. Just find someone in your class to go with." He drawled, his eyes glued to the page as he spoke. He jumped when his sister made a sharp noise that sounded simultaneously like a gasp and a choke, looking up from the page underneath him with annoyance.
"You can't just go with anyone, Dipper! They've got to be the right one. You know, good-looking, popular, interested in you, someone who's not the type to wander off and get drunk without you while you're abandoned with all the other cast-offs."
Dipper snorted as though he were completely uninterested, though he made a mental note to himself to murder the person who would do that to Mabel if she ended up going with someone like that.
"I doubt that will happen, okay? Now hush, I'm reading this thing. Kinda reminds me of Gravity Falls- there's even a gnome involved." It seemed that Dipper was far more excited about returning to work at the Mystery Shack for the summer than going to prom.
Mabel looked offended. "How can you be so apathetic? There's no room for slobs when it comes to prom, and it seems to me like you're not taking this seriously enough. Anyways, who are you going with?"
"I'm not planning on going at all."
There was another loud choke-gasp, indicating Mabel's opinion on that statement. "Why not?" She gasped, trying to pull Dipper's magazine away to get him to look at her.
"Because it's just a stupid dance." He snapped, snatching away the paper with a loud crackle that caused a slight tear in the corner. "I don't really care about prom, okay? Leave me alone!"
Mabel was silent, staring at the floor for a few moments, before wordlessly getting to her feet and walking out of the room.
Dipper groaned. "Mabel—" He began, but the door was shut before he could even finish his sentence.
.
They still hadn't spoken to each other in full sentences two days later. Their parents had bought them each their outfits, even though Dipper still insisted that he wasn't going, and while he had simply hung his suit up in his room Mabel had been rushing around preparing the details of her outfit ever since.
When Dipper sauntered upstairs to possibly try and get a proper conversation out of her, he walked in on his sister's mad dashing in action.
A short, tight-fitting purple dress was spread out on her bed, accompanied by several pieces of jewelry and shoes that were obviously being tested for approval. Mabel herself was halfway inside her cupboard, rooting around and muttering about a handbag while Dipper went and stood behind her, hands in his pockets.
"You're really excited for this thing, then?"
Mabel tensed up, but didn't stop searching.
"Yes, unlike some people. I am."
"Cool." He didn't move, and Mabel didn't tell him to leave, but it was clear that she didn't want him around. When she found the handbag that she'd been searching for she straightened up and marched past her brother without making eye contact, and Dipper went to stand beside her bed.
"Look, I'm sorry I snapped at you." He meant to sound at least somewhat apologetic, but ended up coming off as huffily defiant, which only made his sister angry.
"Yeah, I get it. If you don't mind, I'm gonna..." She gestured at the garment on the bed, and Dipper took the hint.
As he was making his way out of the room he stopped and turned around.
"Who're you going with?"
Mabel didn't reply, instead shooing him out with animated hand gestures.
.
It was finally the day that Mabel had anticipated. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement as she danced around the house, lining up all the makeup products she was going to use and checking up on her outfit a million times until finally her parents told her that it wasn't going anywhere and to sit still, for heaven's sake.
She kept checking her phone every thirty seconds or so, walking around the house aimlessly, and chewing on her nails. At first it seemed obvious that she was simply excited – but soon the tips of her nails whittled down to crooked stubs, she wouldn't put down her phone at all, and her expression was becoming desperately anxious.
In the meantime, Dipper was calmly leafing through a book on the sofa, hardly conscious of his sister's frantic pacing. Apparently Mabel thought that by doing this he was being smug, which caused her to suddenly whirl around and address him in an irritated tone.
"I'm sure you're happy you're not going?" She demanded, glancing at the book in his hands with contempt. Dipper shrugged and made a noncommittal noise, apparently too fascinated with his story to reply. He raised his eyes and looked at his sister when she turned away, feeling a twinge of pity as she raked her hands through her messy hair and breathed out heavily. The stress of the upcoming evening was clearly taking a toll on her—
—he was suddenly quite glad that he wasn't going.
.
The evening came as slowly as the sun dipped low under the hills, which Dipper vacantly observed from his bedroom window in pensive mood. There was nothing for him to look forward to, and he was planning on spending the evening doing nothing but being lazy and staying up late, but he was still feeling slightly anxious.
Anxious for his sister.
As the hour of the prom's opening drew nearer she had only gotten worse. She went on a walk in the afternoon, presumably to let some of her energy out, but when she returned she only looked more frazzled and upset than earlier. Dipper wasn't one to stand by while his twin was in distress, and it was beginning to grate on him a lot. Perhaps it was because of their 'twin connection' – they had always claimed to share a fraction of each other's emotions – but whether or not it was true, he felt bad for Mabel and wanted to make sure she was fine.
With a glance towards the clock he sauntered out of his room, slowly making his way towards his sister's while wondering exactly what he was supposed to say to her. He knocked on her door awkwardly, waiting expectantly for a response, but none came.
"Sis?"
No reply. He knocked again.
"… Go away."
In Dipper's experience this was Mabel-speak for 'something's wrong, talk to me'. So he opened the door without warning and walked in, stopping abruptly at the sight of his sister hunched up on the floor beside her bed, her purple dress untouched.
"Mabel?"
"I told you to go away." She mumbled, her forehead resting on her knees, her thick brown hair acting as a curtain over her face. Dipper closed the door behind him and approached his twin, sitting down beside her on the floor and touching her arm.
"Mabel."
It took a moment, but eventually she gave a little sniff and lifted her head, her eyes staring up at the ceiling. "Dipper, I can't go."
Dipper dropped his hand and looked at her incredulously. "Why not? You've been looking forward to this all Spring!" He exclaimed. Mabel didn't respond.
He tried a different approach. "But what about your date?"
Mabel choked a little, covered her face with her hands, and shook her head.
"Did he—?"
"I don't have one."
It was Dipper's turn to choke this time. He attempted to say something, his words catching in his throat, barely managing to form a sentence.
"Oh, Mabel—"
"I called that college guy and smiled at every boy in class and I even asked a few of them myself if they'd go with me because I was getting so desperate and— and Grinda and Candy texted me to tell me about who they're going with and both their dates are so handsome and now the prom's in two hours and I haven't got anyone to go with." She spoke in a rush, her voice cracking, and as she rambled on her eyes were bright and tears started to slip down her cheeks.
"—and I know if I show up by myself the other girls are going to laugh at me even more than they already do and if I don't show up they'll think that no one asked me and everyone will see what a loser I am."
She began to cry properly, little hiccups escaping her throat as she bent her head and covered her face with her hands. The purple dress that lay on the bed slipped and fell to the ground, but Mabel didn't even bother to pick it off the dusty floor. Dipper watched in alarm as his sister's distress overtook her, remaining silent for a few seconds before gently prodding her arm.
"Mabel?"
He was met with no response other than an increase in volume of her sobs.
"Sis, calm down. Hey— Mabel. Look at me." He ordered gently, taking her by the shoulders and giving her a small shake. When nothing happened Dipper clenched her shoulders a little harder and gave her a slightly more vigorous shake.
"No one asked me to prom either."
Reluctantly Mabel stopped sobbing, lifted her head, sniffed, and rubbed her nose, glaring up at Dipper through her wet eyelashes.
He took a deep breath and forced himself to look her in the eye as he spoke.
"I actually really, really wanted to go, but I asked around and—and no one said yes."
For several moments the twins stared at each other in silence. Mabel's eyes were still wet with tears but her expression was one of confusion.
"Did you really—?"
"Yes."
"And no one said y—?"
"No one."
Dipper released her shoulders and watched her eyes flicker as she tried to figure out whether he was lying or not.
"The reason I got so mad at you with how you were going on and on about it was because I was sure you'd get a date, and I knew that I wouldn't. I was jealous of how much more of a chance you have, and—and how you're just slightly more popular." Mabel's eyes began to gleam again, and Dipper hurriedly added, "I really, really want you to go, because I know how excited you were about it, so…" He stopped to let Mabel gather her thoughts. As soon as she opened her mouth, Dipper silenced her next question with his proposal.
"So let's go with each other." He hesitated momentarily before continuing, shyness evident in his tone. "We… we might be losers, but at least we'll be together. We, uh—" He cleared his throat, "—won't be all alone."
Mabel's eyes were wide by the time he'd finished, seeming shocked before her face lit up excitedly.
"You'd really do that for me?"
Dipper smiled wanly. "Hey, I wouldn't miss this for the world either. It's prom. Now hurry up and get changed, the doors are opening soon."
"Dipper, I love—"
"I know. Hurry up!"
.
Half an hour later they emerged from their respective changing areas, Mabel wearing her purple dress and Dipper sporting a generic black tux that made suited him splendidly. They both looked so grown up, according to their mother, who insisted that they be photographed together, and then with their father, and then one in the kitchen because the lighting was better there.
"You look great," Dipper muttered through his teeth while trying to keep his grin in place for the photo.
"You too," Mabel breathed in reply.
They finally clamored out of their father's car in the parking lot, several minutes after the doors had been opened. Dozens of other couples streamed into the open foyer, the whole building glowing softly with multicolored Christmas lights. Dipper held out the crook of his arm, smiling lopsidedly at his radiant sister.
"Ready?"
Mabel reached out and quickly hugged her brother's arm as they made their way inside.