Excitement. Uneasiness. The need to just go and wrap him in one of her tight embrace. The anxiety when he just stood there across her, unmoving by the doorway. No words, not even a stutter. He remained there, gawking at her like a person who'd just seen a ghost, completely paralyzed in fear.
And she might as well be, a ghost that is. For all the years they've been apart she must've passed away along with his distant memories of ever growing up with her. Everything felt cold. His stare, her body. Yet her heart never ceased to pounce inside her. She felt something weird arising in the pit of her stomach, as if something was eating her from the inside making her want to throw out.
She suddenly felt self-conscious as he continued to stare at her, fiddling with her fingertips as she tried to avoid his gaze. They were running out of time and she'd regret it if she ended up going home with just a memory of having an intense staring contest with her brother. She breathed heavily closing her eyes momentarily in the process and glared back up at him causing him to flinch.
"Oh my god, Dipper say something!" She shrieked, slightly raising her hands in frustration.
"O-oh… err" As if having been released from a seemingly invisible rope that firmly held him, he finally release his grasp on the door knob and brought his hand up to his face, scratching the side lightly as he averted his gaze.
"Well?" Mabel said impatiently, putting her hands on either side of her hips.
"S-sorry, I just… didn't expect you to come here so unexpectedly." He said. "You should've at least messaged me the night before, or even an hour before you got here. I could've come pick you up."
No—'I missed you so much, sis'—or even a—'I'm so glad that you finally found time to visit'. That's it?Mabel groaned. She abruptly stood up and dashed towards him. She threw her arms around his neck, causing him to stumble backwards but manage to hold his ground, wrapping his arm on her back as he the doorway with the other for support. Mabel shortly noted how much she had to stretch her arms and stand on her toes in order to fully embrace him. How his baby wipes scent became a lot muskier. His chest became leaner and his still slender arms became firmer.
Tears began to stream from her eyes and she barely managed to utter a sloppy, "You jerk! We haven't seen each other for years and that's the first thing you say!" she held him tighter and added, "I missed you so much,"
Something inside him clicked and all those years of longing came rushing back to him. The aching inside his chest every single night that he instinctively looks beside him to whisper her goodnight, only to find the bed cold and empty. The disappointment whenever he goes through his email or phone hoping to receive even one message from her, but finding nothing. He'd try calling her but he would always recede even before the first ring, feeling guilty as he recalls each and every time he couldn't go back home.
'I'm sorry but I don't think I'd be able to make it this Christmas, Mabel. Grunkle Ford's taking me on our very first mission. It's an uncharted territory, quite a few miles away from Gravity Falls. Give my regards to mom and dad.'
'I'm gonna be helping Grunkle Ford with his new machine. It's gonna take us three full weeks and I really have to put all of my focus into this. I'll just email you my ideas for the party later. I'll make it up to younext year, I promise and if it'll make you feel better you can have my share of cake. Advanced Happy Birthday sis, love you.'
'Hello? Mabel? Yeah, I can't this year sis. Grunkle Ford's given me a quite a handful of work so I'm kinda busy. A school play? When? Oh next week? I-I'll try—hold on. Hey I gotta go, got a lot of stuff to do so, see you next week? I miss you. Tell that to mom and dad too.'
'Hope you're having an awesome time Lady Mabelton. Have you received my gift yet? I'm sure you've quite a party, sorry I couldn't make it. Happy 16thbirthday sis, love you.'
'Hey Mabes, just checking up on you. How's mom and dad? Sorry but I won't be able to come home this month. I'll try next month though. Take care of yourself alright?'
'Itsfine, you can always visit any time.Me? I can't… sorry. Maybe next year.'
'Sorry I wasn't able to pick up your call. I was working down at the lab.'
'I had a rough day, the experiment didn't go so well. I'd have to redo everything. Let's talk tomorrow'
'Mabel are you still awake? I can't sleep.'
'Happy 18thBirthday, Mabel'
Dipper wrapped his arms around her small frame properly and buried his face onto her shoulders, muffling his sobs as he continued to weep.
He had no words, no excuse. He had let his obsession with his career cause a rift in his relationship with his sister. He felt like a huge jerk as he realized how many times he had let her down even he promised that he'll make their situation work. He was in no place to be mad that she never texted him after that. He shouldn't have expected her to forgive him every time. He should've known that even Mabel had her limits too and even if she were to be upset with him he should be okay with that. But that weren't the case, she wasn't mad or anything of the sort. Instead there she was sobbing in his arms as she held him tight as if she was afraid to let go.
He wanted to pull away to ask her to at least tell him how much of a douchebag he is. For her to yell and hit him—anything! Because he doesn't deserve this kind of affection. The unspoken forgiveness for the broken promises that he never got to sincerely apologize for. But he himself did not want to let go.
"I missed you so much too," he mutters.
After a few seconds, Mabel finally let go of her grip and took a step back. "What are we doing acting so sappy" She says as she wiped her tears with the back her hand. She sniffed. "We should be celebrating!" She exclaims as she threw her hands in the air. She examines Dipper thoroughly causing him to look away in self-consciousness. She smirks. "We're looking pretty good bro-bro," she smacks his stomach lightly causing him to crouch lightly.
"It's no big deal, just a new haircut and some new clothes." He smiles sheepishly and unconsciously scratches the back of his neck. He gestured at her. "I see you cut yours too,"
"I wanted to try something new," She brings her hand up to twiddle with a few strands of her bob.
"It looks good on you," He smiles, but it quickly fades away as he noticed her new taste in clothing. Plain pink top and some jeans?"What happened to the brightly colored sweaters?"
Mabel laughed awkwardly and fiddled with her fingertips. "I kinda outgrew them,"
"But you make your own sweaters right? Can't you just repair them or something?"
"N-no, what I meant was… I'm getting too old for that type of clothing…" She explains, hoping that he'll let it slide, saving her from the discomfort of telling him the true reason why she stopped wearing her beloved sweaters. "But I still wear them sometimes, just when I'm at home though."
"I see. How's mom and dad?"
Conversations came and went smoother than she'd expected. After an hour of reminiscing the times they've spent together in Gravity falls, Dipper decided to tour her around the newly upgrade shack explaining along the way about the use of specific machinery that were installed. They bumped into some of their friends and everyone had each of their own sentimental moment with Mabel. That day several tears and laughter were exchanged.
Lamppost started to light up consecutively as the sky was finally engulfed by darkness and was glittered with gleaming stars and one bright crescent moon. The twins decided to head home, greeted by their Grunkle Ford and Soos who, even though he was wearing his casual clothes, still had his maroon fez that was handed down to him by their Grunkle Stan, wearing with much pride and honor.
Dinner had been delightful. They never ran out of topics to discuss and each had their own telltales and jokes. Mabel could only listen in awe as Dipper proudly updated her with his very own journal that he was filling up, showing her some of the peculiar things he'd discovered on his own.
Mabel felt at ease as no one bothered to ask how her high school went, and how she managed to survive it without her brother. What was she supposed to say if they did ask? It was great, high school made me realize that there are some people that are just downright ugly on the inside, and that sometimes it not even worth trying to convince them to change. Some people are just incapable of changing. That even though you try your best to be nice to them, they'd still find an excuse to hate you for some absurd reason. High school was another definition of hell, but I managed.
She shook her head lightly and smiled to herself. As if I'd tell them that.
"What's funny?" Dipper asks, noticing her small yet noticeable smile.
Mabel shook her head. "Nothing, I'm just really happy for you. You have your own journal now. How exciting!"
"I know right?" Dipper grinned.
The twins took the initiative to clean up after dinner. The two adults bid then goodnight before ascending up to each of their respective room.
As mabel was thoroughly wiping the plates dry, A sinister smile crept on Dipper's face. He carefully drops the plate onto the sink and flicks his fingers across Mabel. She tried to evade it but was a second too late sending the droplets of water from his fingertips onto her face.
"Dipper!" She shrieks, pouting as she wiped off the droplets from her face. Dipper chuckles and resumed in cleaning the dishes. She puts on a sardonic smile before twist the cloth in her hands and snapping it onto Dipper's behind causing him to drop the plate he was holding. The siblings swinced as the plate made a loud clashing sound followed by the voice of their Grunkle coming from upstairs.
"Kids? Is everything alright down there?"
"Yes!" They yelled back in chorus.
Mabel looks at him apologetically as she mouths "sorry"
"You're lucky it didn't break"
After they've finished cleaning up, the two made there way upstairs, tickling each other along the way and ended up running their way to the attic. As soon as they've calmed down and their laughter faded, Dipper opened the closet to get a fresh set of t-shirt and boxers while Mabel rummaged through her suitcase to find a decent pair of pajama's.
They each took turns in using the bathroom and afterwards settled atop their beds. Mabel laid down attempting to find a comfortable position to help her sleep better. She ended up lying in her side, facing Dipper. She smiles as she sees him doing the same.
"Have you been washing my sheets everyday?" Mabel suddenly asks.
"Every week" he corrected. "I'm not that much of a neat freak, I mean I do wear my daily clothes thrice a week or atleast until their dirty enough that really needed washing." The twins chuckled.
"Thanks dipping' dots. But why?" She asked. "Why not just remove my bed? You know, to make more room for your stuff?"
"W-well I was kinda hoping that someday you'd come visit again," Dipper mutters. "I'm really sorry, Mabel"
"Oh don't be like that bro-bro. Its not like its your fault or anything, I'm the one who should be sorry. I have the whole summer for myself but I never even bothered to visit again."
Dipper averted his gaze as a question popped into his head, feeling quite unsure he hesitantly asks, "Why didn't you?"
Mabel was taken aback by his question stuttering at first but she managed to utter a coherent answer, "It's just that… I don't know If I could, or If I should."
"What do you mean?"
"Well first, I thought it'd be so awkward if we meet again. Plus I know you're too busy with your 'apprenticeship' thing and I didn't want to be a bother."
The guilt arised once more and Dipper's eyebrows knotted together. "You'll never be a bother, Mabes. In fact you made me so happy by coming back here again."
Mabel's face brightens. "Really?"
"Really." He stated.
Mabel laid on her back and stared up at the dusty and cob web filled ceiling. She lets out a short laugh. "Man, all these years we've been acting like fools."
"That we are, sis."
Mabel rolled back to her side, propping herself up with on elbow. "So what's our agenda for tomorrow sir dippingsauce?"
"I'm thinking whole day of mystery solving"
"Mystery twins?"
Dipper grins. "Mystery twins."