Chapter Two: Wendy's and Dipper's Night: At the Hot Spring
"H-hey, Wendy!" Dipper said anxiously. He'd taken off his hat and was still desperately trying to smooth his hair out. Mabel teasingly called him Harry Potter because his hair just wouldn't stay down and he had a distinguishing mark on his forehead.
"Hey, Dipper. How's it going?" Wendy asked, punching Dipper playfully in the arm.
"Ahaha… Ow…" Dipper laughed. Wendy was still extremely strong.
"We can go on our date in a little while. But my dad says he wants to meet you first." Wendy said. Dipper tensed up. He always got nervous when he was supposed to meet the girls' fathers. He'd met Manly Dan before. He was a hulking man, standing at over 6'10", probably weighing somewhere in the range of 250 and 270 pounds, all muscle most likely. Manly Dan was incredibly intense as well. He worried that Dan was about to try to shake him from dating Wendy. Which he didn't think he could do. But he wasn't interested in a fight with someone like Dan.
"A-alright…" Dipper's voice broke slightly.
"Ahaha! Don't worry about it, Dude! It's okay. I'll be there too." Wendy said.
"Wow, it's hard to believe you're actually taller than me now." Wendy said with a chuckle. They went to Wendy's home. Dipper actually knocked.
"Dude… You don't have to knock. You're with me." Wendy said.
"Ease up. This isn't a test. You don't have to impress me. I already like you." Wendy said.
"So… You're the guy who's been mooning after Wendy for… How long?" Manly Dan asked, lowering himself a bit to look Dipper in the eye.
"F-fi-five years, S-sir!" Dipper yelped. Manly Dan looked Dipper over. He was decently strong. Not scrawny and stringy like Robbie had been.
"Hmmm…" Manly Dan stuck out his hand to shake Dipper's hand. Dipper tentatively took Manly Dan's hand, squeezing slightly.
"Hmmm… Not bad. You could stand to have a stronger grip." Dan said. Dipper chuckled nervously.
"Well, have a good time on your date. If you hurt her, don't bother showing your face in this town again." Dan growled. Wendy scowled at Dan.
"Dad! Dipper won't hurt me." Wendy said, taking his hand and taking him out into the woods.
"You got a flashlight?" Wendy asked. She had decent night vision. But most people didn't.
Dipper pulled out a flashlight that he'd created himself. It was over 250,000 lumens. They went into the forest and looked around.
"Do you know how to get there at night, Wendy?" Dipper asked.
"Of course." Wendy said. She often went there at night and camped in the little grove. She knew there was water nearby, but she hadn't gone in yet.
There was a hot spring in the grove. She hadn't gone in that either. She hoped to do so, but maybe in winter rather than summer. But maybe tonight she and Dipper could go in together.
"Do you like hot springs, Dipper?" Wendy asked.
"Well, I've been to a few. It's fun. Why do you ask?" Dipper asked.
"There's a hot spring in the grove." Wendy said, taking him deeper into the forest. They had to go over some rocky areas, up hills and down through slightly rough areas.
Dipper was a little out of breath when they got there and it was quite late and quite dark. Dipper checked his watch. It was almost 10 pm. Wendy let him look around, examining the flowers and other plants. It was beautiful. The whole grotto was lit up in the dark. There were some caves in the area as well. Finally, Dipper and Wendy went into the caves, turning on the light again and finding their way to a burbling stream that gave way into the hot springs. Wendy smiled, starting to strip. Dipper gasped, looking away from her.
"Oh, come on. It's okay. Don't tell me you've never seen a naked woman before." Wendy said.
"I-I mean… I have… But…" Dipper said. He was nervous about stripping in front of Wendy. Wendy chuckled.
"I'll look away." She said. He nodded. She jumped in and turned away from him while he took his clothes off, finally getting in himself. It was wonderfully warm. The water seemed to fill him up, a strange scent that he couldn't quite place filling his nostrils as he sat back in the spring.
"See? This is great, Dipper." Wendy said. Dipper nodded shyly, blushing slightly There was bioluminescent moss all over the cave walls, so they could see each other. Not well, but they could see each other to a degree. The cave was wonderful. He actually felt a little drowsy. Wendy seemed to be wavering as well. Slowly, the two drifted off to sleep.
