*coughs awkwardly* I may or may not be beginning to work on that story idea I mentioned, like, years ago... It's gonna be called Whispers in the Dark... yeah... Maybe it will be out soon? It all depends on whether I will work on Introverted first because I have like 50 requests and I feel terrible for not doing them.

From mihane100: "I was wondering if you could write something cute with Pacifica and Dipper? I .really ship them and they ARE kinda CANON now. :3"

I sort of ship them too, dear, so I'll do my best! This one-shot is set after Not What He Seems (let's pretend that things aren't quite so bad in town for this to happen, because who knows what will happen until summer when the new episode comes out).

Maybe Never

"You know, when you said that we'd be hanging out," Pacifica said slowly, "I imagined something quite different."

Dipper raised an eyebrow but didn't meet her eyes. "Sorry."

The blonde sighed, looking out to the horizon where she could vaguely see the wreckage of the town. The roof of the Mystery Shack was a good vantage point for peering out at Gravity Falls, despite the obvious mold on the wood by her knees (which she was doing her best to ignore, not wanting to revert back to that cold state the two had been in before becoming friends). She swallowed down the heavy feeling in her heart and turned back to the boy after a minute or two.

"Are you okay? You seem... different."

Dipper was hesitant to respond this time, and the other noted that he clenched his fists tightly before doing so. "Yeah. Everything has just been... weird, you know?" It came out more like a question rather than a statement.

"Dipper... Are you really okay? It's been four days since that weird day causing all of this - " Pacifica gestured to the wreckage of Gravity Falls in front of them. "You don't seem like you're doing good."

There was no reply.

Pacifica groaned internally. She really didn't want to deal with the boy being silent like this. They had just begun being friends and if he thought acting cold was alright...

She suddenly recalled something she had spotted Mabel doing one day in town when the younger twin was acting all moody. Biting her lip, Pacifica glanced over at Dipper and hoped this would work. If not, this was going to be awkward.

The girl reached over, causing Dipper to look at her for the first time, and began to tickle him.

"What - ? AH! HA, NO! PAC-PACIFICA, HAHA, NO!"

Dipper doubled over as he was relentlessly tickled (dang it, she learned this from his sister, didn't she?) and he vaguely noted a smirk stretching across the blonde's face. "STOP! HA!"

"Never!" she teased, enjoying watching the preteen break down into a giggling fit. His face was turning red rapidly and it was kind of cute.

"GAH!" Dipper managed to grab her wrists and took the moment to catch his breath as she snickered quietly. He gave his new friend a weak glare. "Wh-Why - ? Did Mabel tell you to do this?"

Pacifica snorted at that. "No, you dork. I did it so you'd stop giving me that pouty cold shoulder. You've been acting like you're mad at something."

The glare faded as Dipper was unnecessarily reminded of what happened not too long ago, of Stan and Mabel and - he cleared his throat, trying to act casual. "No. I'm - "

"If you say the word okay, I may have to throw you off this roof."

His eyes widened slightly at the blonde's sharp warning tone. He gently released her wrists (why was he still holding them? That was... uh, awkward) and sat up straight. "I...I don't really want to talk about it."

Pacifica groaned. This boy was hopeless.

"Do you need me to get Mabel up here? I'm sure she'd love to tickle you too."

Dipper scowled. "I doubt she'd do that."

Ah, so that was the issue. "It has to do with Mabel then."

"I, uh, what?" Dang, had he really let that slip? Now she was never going to stop asking him about it. Dipper sighed.

"Are you going to pretend nothing is wrong forever?" Her tone was gentler and she chose not to comment on the fact that his hands shook.

"Pacifica..."

"Hmm?"

Dipper bit his lower lip. "Look... It's just... Something happened that day the town... you know... and I don't think this is something I can forgive Mabel over."

"So you're going to act like nothing hurts you and pretend everything is okay?"

He flinched at her words. It was a little scary how easily she read him like an open book. It reminded him far too much of how Mabel could too.

"I just... I'm not acting like that."

"That's not true and you know it, Dipper. She's probably hurting too, you know."

"I doubt it."

She grabbed his arm and he looked over at her, a little nervous at her annoyed expression. "I may not know you both as well as you know each other, but I highly doubt Mabel is unaffected by this 'I'm perfectly fine, don't touch me with a ten foot pole' attitude. I don't care what happened to make you both like this but you don't get to be like this around me, got it?"

Dipper tried to pretend the way his vision blurred was nonexistent as he turned away. He knew his sister was hurt by the way he avoided her but the way Pacifica called him out on it made his heart ache. "Okay."

Her expression softened at the sight of his hands still trembling. "Dipper... whatever happened, I'm sorry."

"I...Th-Thanks." No, his voice wasn't cracking, he wasn't shaking, he wasn't remembering how his sister had chosen that liar's words over his -

His gaze shot to Pacifica as she laid a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?" she asked for the third time.

"...No," he whispered before hugging her unexpectedly.

I swear I didn't plan on making this sad when I started, I'M SO SORRY. Also I have a weakness for tickling.