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It was the summer after the 'Thing,' as Mabel called it. Her brother had been getting into the swing of things with his new state of being. Being at Gravity Falls, at home, made things a lot easier. She knew that Dipper didn't enjoy summons, and if he had a particularly bad one, he would try to act alright. However, even knitting on her bed with Waddles cuddling next to her, she noticed something was up the moment Dipper blipped back.
"Hey, Dippin'-Dots! You okay?" she asked over her knitting.
"Hnmph."
Mabel looked up at him-wait, why was he so high up?-as he sat dejectedly over the rafters, slowly swinging his feet.
"Dippingsauce? Dip-dop? Aldork?" She called up at him, not receiving any response.
"Hmng."
Mabel set down the beginnings of the sweater and put her hands on her hips. "Say English words about what happened or so help me I'm force-feeding you Smile Dip."
Dipper stared at her. "You wouldn't..."
"A whole Industrial-Sprinkle-Tub-Size portion." She gave him a cheeky grin.
With a sigh, Dipper floated down to her eye level. "That last summoning, Mabel...it was...horrible...there was so much gore...and I couldn't help it! Mabel, their sacrifice? It was their kids! Those JJJEEERRRKKKSSS gave up their infant children just for their own SSSEEELLLFFFIIISSSHHH WWWAAANNNTTTSSS!!! I-I-I wound u-up k-k-k-k-kill-l-ing them a-and l-l-loving it!!! What if I'm losing myself? What if, next summons, I go all 'ALCOR SSSMMMAAASSSHHH' and can't turn back?"
Mabel pulled him in for a hug, ignoring his demon-sniffles. "Dipper, you're my brother. My twin. You'll never fall into insanity as long as I'm around. I won't let you!"
"B-but Mabel, you won't always b-b-be here! I WILL!"
"Broseph, you listen now and listen good. Even once I'm gone, you'll still have friends and family, and hey, who knows? Maybe I might just not leave you alone! But for now, I think somebody needs a family game night!" Mabel declared.
She pulled back to see Dipper's eyes glimmering with yellow demon tears.
"And you know what, Bro-Bro?" Mabel smirked.
Dipper warily took in the look in his twin's eyes. "What are you planning?"
Her smirk stretched to the limit, then she called downstairs, "HEY GRUNKLE STAN! BETCHA DIDN'T KNOW THAT DIPPER CRIES GOLD!"
Dipper wiped at his face. "NO I DON'T, DON'T LISTEN TO HER, SHE LIES!"
"Gold tears or not, I expect you two down here for dinner in half an hour!" Stan called back up. "And Dipper, I want proof!"
The demon leveled a glare at Mabel. "I hate you so much right now."
Evil smirk back in place, she just told him, "Whether you hate me or love me, you gotta admit, that was some pretty masterful cheering-up right there!" Dipper watched her skip out the door. Then, as an afterthought, she popped back in and added, "I might have also gotten bored and made your summoning circle out of glitter glue on the inside of my headband!"
Dipper tried to reconcile the thickness of glitter glue with the thickness of Mabel's headband, but gave up with a chuckle.
"Hm, you do realize that now I can know where you are as long as you wear that headband now? Like GPS, but more accurate?" He laughed.
"YUP! CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!" Mabel cackled, sliding down the bannister to the kitchen.
Dipper's eyes closed, a single happy tear falling to the floor, then he sank down through the Shack to where Mabel was scaring the living daylights out of Stan.
Life (or lack thereof) was good in the here and now.
He was going to enjoy this while he could.