What cuts the deepest
"Well that's better than nothing" Dipper muttered under his breath. He glanced over at his sister who was just staring down at her breakfast, digging it around with her fork but not eating any of it. Dipper wolfed downthe rest of his breakfast, made sure Mabel had finished with hers. She just nodded not moving her eyes from the table.
"You two had better hurry up otherwise you'll be late for school" Stan warned.
"We just gotta run and do our teeth and we'll be out the door" Dipper promised, placing a hand on Mabel's shoulder.
Stan left the kitchen and made his way through the house towards the gift shop, ready to greet the first customers of the day. Back in the kitchen Dipper pulled up a chair next to Mabel.
"Sis... You okay?"
"Fine"
"You sure?"
"Yep"
"Hmm. Okay. If you're sure"
"I am"
"Okay, let's go and finish getting ready for school"
"Okay"
"Umm Dipper, we not catching a bus?" Mabel questioned as Dipper walked straight past the bus stop.
"It's a nice day, I thought the walk would do us good, please?" Dipper pleaded.
"Hmm, well okay then" Mabel agreed. Dipper stood and waited for her until they were side by side. Mabel slid her hand in to Dipper's and intertwined their fingers, swinging their arms gently Dipper and Mabel began the peaceful walk to school.
"I love you... Pine tree" Mabel whispered, just loud enough for Dipper to hear.
"Mabel... Why would you call me that? You know that's what Bill calls me" Dipper shuddered at the memory of Bill Cypher
"Because just cause he calls you it doesn't make it a bad name. I wanna claim it back and give it new meaning... Like the pine trees we're walking under right now... Big, strong, unmoving and powerful. They offer protection, just like how I see you. My hero, someone I look up to and can always depend on to be strong" Mabel explained. Dipper quickly wiped away the tears forming in his eyes. He paused for a moment before replying
"And you're my shooting star. a thing of immense beauty. A gorgoeus ray of light that can illuminate even the darkest times. Something you can look up to and pin your hopes and dreams on"
"Awww Dipper. That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me" Mabel beamed as she stopped walking to throw her arms around him. He nuzzled his chin into her shoulder for a moment before breaking the hug and taking Mabel's hand in his again.
The closer to the school they got, the quieter Mabel became again, Dipper could feel her tensing up. Squeezing her hand reassuringly.
Stood outside the school gates Mabel dropped her head and began to take deep slow breaths.
"Mabel, what's wrong?" Dipper questioned, worrying about her, Mabel just shook her head.
"Look we'll get inside a class room and talk okay? In private, yeah?" Again Mabel just shook her head.
"I-I don't wanna go... Oh Dipper, we've been c-caught... Wh-what if the p-person w-who ca-caught us i-is h-here at sc-school. Mabel began to sob. Dipper's eyes widened in realisation, with everything else that had been happening it had slipped his mind that someone had caught them.
"Mabel... Yeah we got caught. But it's not changed us. It's not changed my feelings for you. Mabel I love you and we can make it through this okay? I promise you. I'll stay strong for you... I'll be your pine tree."He explained to her. He placed his hand under her chin and lifted her head to look at him. Wiping her tears away he gave her a small nod.
"I love you too." She declared. They walked into school together heading towards their lockers with their heads held as high as they could.
As they walked towards their lockers they could feel all eyes on them as they walked through the hallway. The whispers and the pointing
"Freaks"
"Perverts"
"Weirdos"
"Don't let your head drop Mabel, pretend you can't hear them. I'm here. This will pass okay?" Dipper whsipered. She nodded and continued to walk with her head high. Blocking out the voices, replaying every sweet thing Dipper has ever said to her. This was just the start of the day, there was more of this to come.
At the end of the day Dipper and Mabel returned to their lockers, met with posters of him and Mabel holding hands sat in the Olive Garden restaurant. Captioned above the image was 'MEET GRAVITY FALLS' RESIDENT FREAKS... PINECEST IS REAL AND IT IS WRONG' Dipper tore down the two posters and threw them to the floor
"Do you like the decorations?" A sneering female voice asked as Dipper opened his locker to put his books away.
"Go away Pacifica" Mabel ordered
"Or what huh?"
"You know what though? I'm not actually surprised. You're both so pathetic that the only people that would ever want you are each other. Especially him... He's the biggest freakiest los..." Pacifica was stopped mid way through her sentence by a big right hook thrown by Mabel, knocking Pacifica to the floor
"Do NOT talk about him like that" Mabel growled, standing over Pacifica threateningly.
"MISS PINES! MY OFFICE... NOW!" Came the bark from the principle who had just witnessed Mabel's actions.