Dust on the Ground

by electriccghosts

The summer before going to college, Lydia decides to take her step in the paranormal and overall weird one step further and begin to explore and research cases. When a stranger sees her blog and offers to lend a helping hand, Lydia accepts with apprehension and excitement. The two blend together experience and innocence to create a great team and a new summer full of experiences.

10. Chapter 10

It's that ancient love that you won't outgrow. It's the fee you pay; it's the debt you owe. It's that subtle way that you throw me down. And I'm inches above the dust on the ground. I await your call. I await your crown. Let's change our roads and chase them all around. It's a subtle way that you throw me down. And I'm inches above the dust on the ground.

Lydia was nearly done with her voyage to Gravity Falls and on the 4th repeat of the mixed tape she had made for Dipper. The previous night she had burned a copy for herself for the drive. It looped once… then twice… and Lydia couldn't bring herself to turn the music to something else. She didn't mind. All the songs reminded her of Dipper. He was all she thought of on the drive. He was all she could think of to get her through the boring stretches of highway and pit stops at gas stations for coffee, snacks and fuel. It was Lydia's first time driving more than a couple miles outside of town to the next shopping mall or movie theater on her own. At first, it was liberating and at times it was horrifying, but Lydia was proud of herself for surviving thus far. Each stop she made at a gas station she made sure to send a text to her mom updating her. It was one of the conditions her father had made for the weekend. He wanted regular reports. It was the least Lydia could do.

She saw a road sign for The Mystery Shack and her stomach welled to her throat with pride and nerves. A few miles down the road was her exit for Gravity Falls. The white letters looked so harsh on the green sign. Following her GPS, Lydia was routed around the outskirts of the town. It was woodsy and dense. She could only see the rooftops of the houses as she turned from road to road. Dipper had told her the Shack was a few miles outside of town. She trusted the screen on her dash as she moved farther outside of the city limits. To her relief, she saw another sign for The Mystery Shack ahead. It featured a big white arrow, as Dipper had described to her, pointing left down a road. She followed it. The gravel turned to dirt and the trees opened up to reveal the Shack.

Lydia had seen a few pictures of the building, but in person, it felt more intimidating and alive. The log cabin-esque home was tall and stout. On the large roof were two massive plaques displaying the name of the Shack in thick red letters. Two additions were featured on the building. Jetting off from the house was a square addition, the gift shop as it read on the roof. On the other side of the gift shop was an attached brown pole barn. She knew from Dipper that this is where all the oddities and attractions were held in a museum type setting. It featured a flashing 'ENTRANCE' sign above the door. Sticking up from point of the roof was a large red question mark weather vane. The outdoor area was a dream. An old eagle totem pole that stretched taller than the house was erected to the left of the house. Flag garland and lights were draped from tree to tree outlining the perimeter of the property. Though it wasn't late, the shade from the trees made the lights twinkle. Dipper was standing there, waiting for her, amongst the lights.

Lydia was quick to park her car and jump out. As she pulled in, Dipper ran towards her car. He swept her up off her feet and spun her around, planting a mess of kisses on her face. Lydia laughed as he put her down.

"You're here," Dipper said breathlessly.

"I'm here," Lydia reiterated with a grin.

It was surreal to see her standing in front of him outside of his house. She had come straight from work, only stopping at home to shower and change. Her hair was in a tight bun at the top of her head. She was wearing a fitting black v-neck shirt and a pair of short red gym shorts, folded over at the top. He couldn't help but kiss her again. She broke away and looked at him with bright eyes.

"So I know we're both really happy to see each other, but I've got to pee really bad and I'm starving," She said sheepishly.

"Pizza?" Dipper asked as he grabbed her bag out of the backseat.

"Perfect-o," Lydia agreed as they walked up to the house.

"Well," Dipper announced opening up the front door to the house. "Welcome to my home, I guess."

"You talk with such conviction," Lydia joked.

The living room was boxy. The hardwood floors were in nice shape, the dark color standing out sharp against the rich red paint that covered all but one wall in the room, which featured wood paneling painted white. A fluffy but obviously old brown couch was pressed against the paneled wall. Next to it was a distressed looking lounge chair. A wooden coffee table sat between the couch and a small TV entertainment area. A red and tan patterned circular rug was in the middle of the room. Pressed flush against the arches that led into what appeared to be the kitchen on one side and an opening room for the stairs on the other was a bookshelf that reached from floor to ceiling, completely full of books. Lydia could spot that majority of the books were paranormal in nature. On the other side of the room was an old fireplace. The walls were relatively bare, with only an old framed map of Gravity Falls hanging above the couch.

"I'll just set your bags on the couch for now. I'll show you around after you go to the bathroom- which is over here," Dipper motioned Lydia to follow him through the right arch which led to an oddly placed foyer-type room.

The walls were all unpainted wood paneling. To the left were the stairs leading to the second floor, or what Dipper called the attic. There were three other doors in the room. The one to the bathroom was opened.

"I'm gonna order the pizza when you're in there. Pepperoni and mushrooms, right?" He asked.

"Yeah… ugh, I'm so hungry. I need it now."

Dipper was on his phone, typing, then raised the phone to his head "They're usually pretty quick."

Lydia went in the bathroom and gingerly closed the door behind her. The room was shockingly blue, especially when she flicked the lights on. The baby blue tile featured in the bathtub extended out onto the walls, encasing the room. The wall that the tub was nestled into also featured a large wooden built in cabinet. On the opposite side of the room was a sink, the base being the same wood. The top was the same tile that wrapped around the room, and the sink was a light blue scalloped design. Off-white linoleum lined the floor. A wooden medicine cabinet and a toilet finished off the room. While it wasn't the nicest thing she had ever seen, it was defiantly better than Dipper had made it out to be.

After doing her business, she emerged. Dipper was leaning against the wall scrolling through her phone. It reminded Lydia to text her parents. Her face lit up and she rushed into the living room to dig out her phone and send a quick text to her parents. When she turned around, Dipper was standing with his hand shoved in his pockets.

"Well… are you ready for a free, all access tour of the Mystery Shack from yours truly?" He grinned.

"But of course, Mr. Pines!" Lydia put on a fake accent. "I can't wait to see the mysteries of the world."

Dipper rolled his eyes and pulled her in for a kiss before beginning his tour around the house. He was nervous to show her around. He knew his house and the shack weren't perfect and they weren't nice, but they were his and he treasured it all. He led her over to one of the closed doors and opened it, revealing an empty room. He shrugged and explained it was Stan's old bedroom. After quickly shutting the door he opened the one next to it. The room was similar in size to Stan's, but it was packed with boxes and shelves of business papers and old stuff from the Shack. With a devilish grin, Dipper walked next to the stairs and tapped on the wood paneling, then pressed on the wall firmly. To Lydia's surprise, the wall began to rotate. With her mouth on the floor, she followed Dipper in to reveal what he called his secret room. The room was spacious for being hidden behind the wall. The floor featured a plush yellow shag rug that covered nearly all of the hardwood floors. A vintage green chair was nestled in the corner. There was a built in bookshelf, again filled with books of monsters and goblins. Next to the shelf was a pedestal featuring a locked box held within a glass shell. Dinner explained the box was screwed to the pedestal, and the pedestal to the ground. It featured the journals he had discovered when he first arrived in Gravity Falls- the journals that started it all. They were his prized possessions, and he treated them like such. They left the room and he secured the door tight, then they headed upstairs.

Up the stairs a narrow hallway appeared. The banister was shaky, and Dipper told Lydia he'd been meaning to replace them. There was only one door in the hall. When opened, it revealed the attic- or Dipper's bedroom. Lydia was taken aback at the tall ceilings and beautiful exposed beams. The large plank boards that made up the walls were painted white; however, the beams that lined the ceiling were original wood that matched the color of the floor. Directly in front of the door on the other side of the room, high in the wall was a large triangle sized window that let in a beautiful ray of light. Under the window was Dipper's twin sized bed, covered in a blue and white stripped comforter. At the foot of the bed was an old chest that reminded Lydia of a treasure chest. On one side of the bed sat a wooden side table housing a lamp and a book. A big oak dresser was pressed against the wall on the right next to what appeared to be a closet. The room also housed a compact TV stand and a small flat screen television. The attic had a special, sun room minus all the windows, area. Peeking in, Lydia could see what she recognized from Dipper's videos as the area where he shot commentary and cases. A fluffy blue and green plaid couch was where he sat. Behind the couch was his infamous flag draped from ceiling to floor. The military green flag only featured a large white question mark on it. Flanking either side of the couch were bookshelves cluttered with manila folders, notebooks, and tapes. His camera was set up on a tripod in the middle of the room, facing the couch.

"This place is amazing," Lydia announced as she walked back into the bedroom area. She hopped up on the bed and crossed her legs. "I love it."

"You haven't even seen the best part yet," Dipper followed her up on the bed. "The mysteries of the Shack await you, my dear."

Lydia snorted and rolled her eyes, "Of course."

The two looked at one another for a quick second before Lydia uncurled her legs and nearly leapt over to Dipper. She straddled him and wrapped her arms around his torso. Their lips met ferociously. What time they had missed together over the past month they were making up for. With his tongue in her mouth and her barely dressed body pressed against him, it was impossible for Dipper to hold back his arousal. He'd missed the taste of her lips, the softness of her skin. Eagerly, he broke their kiss. Lydia's eyebrows furrowed together, almost angrily, but they were replaced with a euphoric expression as his lips trailed down to her neck. She couldn't help but moan as his lips were on her neck. Dipper responded with a low growl of passion, flipping Lydia off his lap and onto her back. She looked up at him with big, eager eyes. He didn't know where to go next, just that he wanted his lips on her skin. With his erection pressing against her stomach, he helped her remove her shirt. Without his aid, she swiftly took off her bra and tossed it across the room. Dipper felt like whimpering as he looked down for the first time at her breasts. His erection grew more, painfully so, as he dipped down and caressed her nipples with his tongue. She wiggled beneath him with passion, her body on fire. Sweet moans escaped her lips with every flick over her hard nipples.

The melody of the doorbell shot through the house, startling the pair.

"The pizza," Dipper groaned angrily. The bell rang again and he hopped out of bed and stormed out of the room.

Breathlessly, Lydia sat up. Her cheeks were flush and her body was on fire. She waited a second or two, allowing herself to calm down, before she climbed out of bed and went in search of her shirt. She slid the black shirt on, not bothering with her bra. She fixed her hair, which had slid into a dangling knot, then walked out of the room and down the stairs. Dipper closed the front door, balancing two boxes with one hand and a two liter in the other. Lydia couldn't help but blush as she walked over and grabbed the pizza boxes.

"Thanks," He said.

"I just didn't want you to drop it. I'm hungry, you know."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Lydia set the boxes down on the coffee table. One held a large pepperoni and mushroom pizza, the other delicious looking cheesy bread. Dipper disappeared into the kitchen, reappearing a few seconds later with two cups. Lydia was already smashing the pizza, half a slice dangling out of her mouth. Dipper poured them both a cup of soda, grabbed a slice, and sat down next to Lydia on the couch.

"I don't know if it's because I'm starving, but this is the best pizza I've ever had."

"You're probably just hungry."

"I dunno. This is really good."

"But the best pizza? I mean… you must have encountered pretty mediocre pizza in your life if this is the best."

Lydia rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say."

"So, uh… earlier I went out into the woods. After a few hours I finally found the manotaur cave-"

"I told you I want to forget about it," Lydia's cheeks flushed with embarrassment and anger.

"I know, but hear me out. They said there aren't any tribes farther than Gravity Falls. They aren't costal. They also said they wouldn't watch anyone from afar because it isn't manly."

"Okay? So it wasn't a manotaur who watched me touch myself then caused me to fall down the mountain? Great news."

"Seriously, Lydia. It worries me that there's something out there."

"No, it intrigues you."

"That too," Dipper admitted. "I gave them the description and the story. We agreed that it sounds like a manotaur, but they think it's someone who was turned away from the tribe for… well… not being manly enough. They're stocky, bulky, manly creatures. What you described has all the right features but sickly and weak."

"Dipper," Lydia sighed, rubbing her forehead. "I don't care anymore."

"I do," He stated firmly. "It is important to me to understand what happened. The tribe agreed to get into contact with the other brotherhoods in Oregon and Washington to see if they banished anyone or if they've had any runaways."

"That's just what I want; every single man thingy in the state knowing about me masturbating in the woods."

"I mean… it's pretty hot."

"Whatever," Lydia blushed. She couldn't help but smile a little. "It's mortifying."

"To each his own," Dipper shrugged.

"Just… do what you want. I don't want to hear about it anymore though."

They finished eating, chatting idly. When they were finished and tidied up, Lydia was eager to see the Mystery Shack. She had seen pictures and read stories online, but the strange excitement of seeing the trinkets and displays bubbled inside her. It was more personal knowing it was the way Dipper made his livelihood. His blog brought in a nice chunk of change, but as Dipper's great uncle Stan would say, the tourist trap is where it's at.

Dipper led her through a hall door and into a dark room. For the second before the lights flickered on, Lydia could see the moonlight dance over glass jars and t-shirts. With a brief electric buzz the room was illuminated. The boxy room featured a wide array of intriguing objects. The wood planked walls were white, but the beams remained with a natural dark stain, just like in Dipper's room. In a corner was a long L- shaped counter featuring a cash register and a phone docking station. A giant maroon rug featuring a yellow triangle pyramid design with an eyeball in the middle covered most of the floor. A bowl of Mystery Shack bumper stickers sat next to the register. The rest of the counter featured a display of jarred eyeballs. Next to the counter was a wall rack of t-shirts. There were two designs; one was a giant question mark on yellow and green shirts, the next featured the Shack's logo on a deep green shirt that matched the hue of the question mark shirt. Close by was also a turning floor display for postcards. There were a surprising number of different designs- the question mark (which Dipper said was sorta 'their thing'), the Shack's logo, some old medical oddity photographs, x-rays, and some skull variations. Novelty license plates reading 'MSTRY SHK' were scattered around the walls.

There were shelves everywhere full of weird and wonderful things. Lydia wasn't sure if she'd have enough time to cover every nook and cranny in the gift shop. Animal skulls and mounted antlers were a common theme, but not so common were jars of brains and organs. There were animal paws in jars, and little bottled alien like creatures and sea creatures. A fur covered trout plaque hung proudly next to a hanging display of replica UFOs. There was an entire shelf full of preserved mice fetuses. One shelf starred two brains, one jar had a cowboy hat resting atop of it, the other a blonde wig sporting a bright pink bow. Shrunken heads dangled next to the window. A bookshelf along the wall stored folded towels and Mystery Shack snow globes. An old wine barrel was full of question mark key chains in every color imaginable. A display case close to the counter was full of weird goodies: kidney stones, gallbladders, a jar full of teeth, and old pharmacy bottles. Vintage dolls and doll parts were placed around the shop, some for sale, some there for effect. A treasure chest was placed near the entrance to the museum with a gold plated vintage diving hat.

"Holy shit," Lydia gasped, as she walked around the room. "This stuff is insane. Is it real?"

"For the most part," Dipper shrugged. "A lot of hipster, weird-collector people come just for the gift shop. I like to make sure everything is authentic so I keep them happy. A lot of them frequent the blog, too."

"I want everything," Lydia joked, marveling at a scarily realistic unicorn head mounted on a red velvet plaque.

"You know you can have whatever you want?"

"I couldn't," Lydia protested.

"Come on!" Dipper grinned. "You know you want to have Mystery Shack merch for every imaginable situation. Shirt? Check. Bumper sticker? Got it! Key chain? Totally. Snow globe? Totally. Anything else?"

Dipper had been walking around grabbing Mystery Shack merchandise as he spoke. He had collected a pile of stuff in his arms. He looked at Lydia with a grin.

"Maybe a towel?" She laughed.

"How could I forget?!" Dipper exclaimed as he grabbed one off the shelf. "The towel will cost you, though."

"I can only spare maybe… three kisses and a prolonged hug."

"I think this is worth at least five kisses."

"I'll meet you in the middle. Four pecks."

"Only pecks?! I thought I was signing up for a little more than that."

Lydia walked over to where Dipper was standing and slinked her hands around his neck, one finding its way up into his messy brown hair as she kissed him deeply and passionately. She could feel Dipper loosen in her grip, his body turning to jelly as she explored the inside of his mouth with her tongue. After a few long seconds that felt like an eternity, Lydia pulled away and looked at Dipper with a smug expression.

"Will that due?"

"That was… more than enough,"

"Did it earn me admission into the great Mystery Shack Museum?"

Dipper set the pile of merchandise on the counter and nodded, pointing at the red velvet curtains blocking the entrance into the museum. A big yellow arrow was mounted to the wall, pointing into the museum, "Follow me… if you dare."

Lydia laughed and trailed behind Dipper. The corridor behind the curtains was lined with string lighting that gave it just enough of a creepy ambience. The corridor emptied into a square room with black walls and big painted white question marks filling nearly every blank space. The string lighting continued into the room, but the room was lit with black lights- enhancing the white question marks. There were arch entrances spaced out through the room leading to smaller display areas.

The first one they went into was better lit, displaying a large stuffed creature labeled a 'SASCROTCH'. It towered over 8 feet tall and rest on a patch of grass. It seemed to be a big foot, only it was wearing a pair of white briefs. Dipper explained it was one of Stan's favorite attractions, and even though Dipper didn't like it, he kept it up. The room also featured a stand with a jackalope on it, a mounted Griffin's head, a Dodo bird, and a horned turtle skeleton. There were more animal hybrids- a beavercorn and roosterdeer. The middle of the room, under a spotlight, held a stunning Fiji Mermaid.

The next room had a green glow to it. There were UFOs dangling from the ceiling at varying heights. Prints of actual UFOs lined the walls. There was a medical gurney in the center of the room, roped off with lush red rope. On the table lie a disturbing replica (Lydia was convinced it was real) of an alien body. The room also featured a test tube type structure full of liquid, encasing another replica body. It was unsettling.

There was a 'Mystery Shack Mystery Spot' room. It was the biggest of any of the rooms visited. It looked like the inside of a cabin, though everything was tilted and at an angle. A plaque on the wall read that the room was the spot of a vortex and paranormal phenomenon. Dipper explained it was a bunch of optical illusions, as he seemingly rolled a ball uphill on a wooden plank.

A wax museum room matched the Mystery Spot room. It was eerie. Historical figures, bot relevant to Gravity Falls and American history, and celebrities seemed to hover around the room. They were spaced out perfectly, seemingly naturally placed as if they were all at a party.

They briefly peaked into a room of mirrors before moving on to the next room. An 'invisible man display' featured a floating hat and set of glasses. There was also a book bound in human skin encased in a glass dome. A large glass cabinet lined one wall, featuring a wide array of vintage and antique medical equipment. The rest of the stops in the rooms were brief. They looked at the voodoo room, a room full of two headed animal skulls and preserved or taxidermied parts. There were three more rooms that were empty, hidden behind more velvet curtains.

"So, you do this for a living, huh?" Lydia asked as they walked back into the gift shop.

"Yup. Sometimes I have guest attractions, like sword swallowers and stuff like that. The past couple months have been really weird, ya know? It's not the same running this place… without Stan. He was so good at the showmanship. He stuffed every one of those rooms with attractions- most of them hoaxes. It didn't matter though. He sold the idea of mystery. I'm just not good at it, at least not as good as him. I'm not losing business or anything- it just isn't the same."

"I'm sorry," Lydia offered, approaching Dipper and rubbing his back.

"I've tried really hard to throw everything I have back into this place. I've tried to make it reputable and real, take away a majority of the glued together taxidermy. It just doesn't feel the same. I feel like I'm not doing justice to the Shack."

"I'm sure Stan would be very proud of you, Dipper. I'm proud of you. This place is full of love, it's obvious. I can see the care and detail everywhere."

"I wish you could've seen it when Stan was alive," Dipper said tearfully, his voice dripping with sadness.

"Hey," Lydia turned to face him. Dipper tried not to let Lydia see him crying, but his efforts were useless. She grabbed his face and kissed him softly.

"I'm sorry," Dipper apologized, resting his forehead on hers.

"Don't be."

"I'm just under so much pressure to make Stan proud- to make this city proud. His shoes are hard to fill."

"Don't try to be Stan. You will fail. You're not him. You're Dipper Pines. You grew up watching that man run this place. So put his shoes on a shelf and look at them every day, but you need to lace up your own damn shoes and do this your way. I may not have seen this place when Stan was running it, but I've seen it when you're running it… and it's amazing. You've turned a tourist trap into a great business and museum. Don't be ashamed of that. It may not be the same Shack it was, but it's still the Shack."

"But-"

"No buts," Lydia said softly, her heart thumping out of her chest. "Dipper… I wish you knew how great you are. I… I love you."

Dipper didn't say anything back right away, causing Lydia's stomach to knot. He was just trying his best not to cry anymore. Finally he looked up at her, glistening eyes and said the words back, like an echo.

"I love you, too, Lydia. So damn much."

The corners of her mouth curved into a small smile for a second, and then their lips crashed together. With vulnerability saturating the air they searched for one another through their kisses. They stood there for a minute, their bodies pressed together so tightly it was a surprise they didn't morph into one person. Dipper's mouth broke away from Lydia's and left a shuttering trail down her neck. He tugged her shirt, exposing her collarbone. As his teeth grazed her skin she tilted her head back and let out a soft moan. Grabbing his hand, she led him through the maze of the house. Up the stairs with the lights off and the room illuminated with by the moonlight, Lydia stripped slowly under Dipper's heated gaze.

Her naked body in front of him sent waves through him. She let her hair down, and it tickled her back. Dipper's eyes made Lydia blush, but he didn't let up as she crossed the room and climbed into the bed. In a trance, Dipper shed his clothes and followed. Seeing his bare chest and throbbing member made Lydia swallow hard. She'd dreamed of the moment she saw him naked, hovering over her, and it was finally here.

Dipper's eyes darted over her body before he attached his lips to one of her breasts, slowly brushing his tongue over her hard nipple. He reached a hand down to her sex. It was warm and wet, and when his finger grazed her clit, she let out a moan so delicate Dipper thought it would crack in the air. He positioned his hand so that a finger could slip into her tightness as another continued to massage her clit. Lydia couldn't help the moans as they danced out of her mouth. Dipper stopped abruptly, causing Lydia to huff and look down at him. He met her gaze with a mischievous grin, then left a red hot trail of kisses down her stomach. He pushed her legs up over his shoulders and hovered his mouth over her. He used his fingers to spread her apart, and then he dipped down. Lydia's eyes went wide and she let out a loud moan, only encouraging Dipper. This was new for her; her entire body was on fire with each lick and suck. She wasn't sure her pleasure could grow any more… until he slipped a finger inside her as his mouth wrote poetry on her clit. A few strokes to her g-spot was all it took to make Lydia shutter with an orgasm that almost lifted her off the bed. She tightened around his finger and her sweetness dripped around him, but he didn't stop. It wasn't until Lydia was squirming, her moans a constant song, that he stopped. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand before slinking back up over her.

She looked at him with wide eyes with a look so hot it made his rock hard cock twitch. She went to grab it, but he lightly pushed her away.

"Later," He instructed as he used his legs to open hers. He reached down and used her sticky wetness to coat his member. "I want you now."

"But-"

"Later," He growled, then thrust into her.

A month's worth of tension and passion, daydreams and phone calls, all led to this. They both let out moans. After a few strokes, Lydia hiked her legs up over his shoulders, straight in the air. The new angle made her even tighter, which Dipper didn't think was possible. He groaned and kissed her feet softly. Lydia reached for the headboard, looking for something to grab onto as Dipper pumped wildly into her. She needed more. She wiggled her body to a position where she could thrust up into him.

"Fuck," Dipper groaned, picking up more speed.

The room echoed with the sound of their bodies and moans of passion. Dipper felt Lydia's body stiffen, her muscles tighten around his cock. Her body arched into her orgasm. A primal wave struck Dipper and with a few more hard thrusts he felt his orgasm nearing the top. He knew he couldn't cum inside her because he wasn't wearing a condom, but it felt too good to pull out. He was so close- and seeing Lydia's body move under him… against his desire, Dipper pulled out and reached down to his cock. Her cum coated his cock, lubricating it as he stroked himself for only a brief second, then he exploded on her stomach, his thick cum in sporadic pools on her pale skin.

He stared down at her for a long beat before rolling carefully, as to not dirty the sheets more than they already were, to lie next to her. Under the glow of the moonlight they lie, catching their breath.