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“Put your phone down, you’ll ruin your nails,” Mabel said, slightly tightening her grip on the hand she held. Robbie let out a sigh before setting his phone down unceremoniously. “Thank you!”
“You're rather pushy, short stack, you know that?”
“You asked me to take the time to do them, let me do them properly or I’ll have to redo them!”
Robbie rolled his eyes but didn’t argue, wiggling his fingers to redirect her attention. She grinned as she got back to her work. It was a one time agreement but Robbie let her pick whatever colour she wanted for his nails and she jumped on the chance to give him some real colour. A dark purple shined back at her as she floated the brush along his nail.
“How long do you think this is going to take?”
“Longer the more you complain about it.”
“Okay, give me my hand back for a second,” at that, she let go. Robbie pulled his hand back and flexed his fingers. “That was the longest anyone had ever held my hand and I was not comfortable with it.”
“Oh, sorry,” she said. Then, she grinned. “Maybe I should hold your hand more often, get you used to it?
Robbie snorted and gave her a shove, “Shut the fuck up,” he said but at least he was laughing. It was a rare sound but it was pleasant to her ears.
“In all seriousness, give me your hand whenever you’re ready,” she gave him a small smile. He shook out his hand before he held it out for her.
“Just hurry it up.”
“I’ll go as quick as I can but beauty takes time.”
“This was a mistake.”
She giggled at that as she painted the next nail. She liked hanging out with Robbie, even though it was rare the two of them got to be alone like this. They were usually surrounded by a big group of friends. Not to say the others were bad but she enjoyed the one on one time. It gave her the ability to really get to know the other better.
“Other hand,” she demanded, dropping his hand.
“Bossy,” he mumbled but did as he was told. His hand was warm, something she assumed for awhile at this point and only recently got confirmed. Maybe it was just the summer heat but she was sure his hands were just always warm, especially since he wore gloves all the time.
The brush glided along his nails smoothly, the colour standing out against his pale skin. She at least could agree that dark colours looked good on him even if she wanted to see him in something brighter one day. Though, nothing was as bright as seeing him smile, she thought anyway.
“So, anything new with you?” She asked as she brushed over the last nail.
“What is this, a gossip session?”
“Sure is!”
“Just because I’m letting you do my nails does not mean I’m gonna engage in girl talk with you.”
“Oh come on! Just humor me!”
“No way! That stuff is bullshit anyway-” A knock on the door interrupted him. “Uh, yeah?”
“Just wanted to check in on you, hun. Do you two need anything, drinks, snacks?” Mrs. Valentino asked as she opened the door. She had a pleasant smile on her face but Mabel noted how Robbie kind of curled in on himself.
“Nah, we’re fine.”
“Well, as long as you’re okay. Remember to keep the door open, though, when you have girls up here.”
“Mom! Would you go already?”
“Sorry, sorry! You two have fun,” she winked as she left, leaving the door cracked open a few inches.
“I knew we should have done this at your place,” Robbie mumbled.
“She’s just looking out for you. I think it’s nice to have parents who care.”
“Yeah, well it's embarrassing.”
“Besides,” Mabel tried to ignore the faint flush of colour on Robbie’s face, “Dipper would have had issues with the smell of the nail polish. He always complains when I do them.”
“Do you open the window?”
“I should probably do that.”
“Oh my god, you’re probably getting high off the fumes. That or losing brain cells. Neither is very good for you, short stack.”
“Aww, you do care.”
“Shut up.”
“Come on, show that heart of yours! I know you’ve got one!”
Robbie shoved her again, but there was the slightest hint of a smile on his face and that was good enough for her.
“Second coat?”
“Seriously? Can’t we quit at one?”
“It looks better with at least two coats!”
“Yeah but it takes more time.”
“You got a problem with holding my hand that long?” She asked, giving him her puppy dog eyes.
“Fuck you,” but he held out his hand and she grabbed it with no hesitation. “I hate that that works. You should totally use it on Lee or Nate sometime, make them do some stupid shit.”
“I will only use my powers for good! None of this evil chaos that you so desperately want from me.
“Boo,” he said as he ruffled her head with his free hand.
“Careful of your nails,” she warned. “I’ll have to redo them if you mess them up.” She didn’t really see it as a threat but more so another excuse to hold his hand. Mabel was torn between wanting to hold his hand longer and trying to keep his nails as perfect as she did them.
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be careful,” he didn’t sound too serious but she’d take it.
“What is new with you, you never answered me.”
“Not this shit again.”
“Please? I won’t make you do it next time.”
“Oh for fucks- fine! I got a new amp recently. There, that good enough for you?”
Mabel beamed, “It's a start!”
Robbie huffed but didn’t say anything. He wiggled his fingers in her hand. She blinked before she went on to the next nail. She had sort of lost track of what she was supposed to be doing.
“What about you, short stack?”
“Huh?”
“If you get to ask me, then I get to ask you. What’s new with you?”
“Nothing really. Except maybe…”
“Maybe?”
“Well you probably won’t care but there is this guy I’ve got a crush on.”
“Damn, what unlucky soul got your attention?”
“Robbie!”
He held his hand up in a surrendering position, “Kidding. But seriously, is it someone in town or back home?”
“Uh, in town but I don’t think he sees me like that.”
“Bummer. Well then you either kick his ass to the side or you make him notice you. Come on, you’re like the queen of being noticeable.”
Mabel looked up from his fingers and looked into his eyes. There wasn’t any hint of teasing or jokes that she could see. From what she could tell, he was being serious.
“Well, yeah but…”
“But what? Scared of scaring him off or something?”
“Yeah, a little. I just don’t want to ruin what we already have just because I developed stupid feelings.”
“Hey, Mabel. Feelings may be stupid but don’t be kicking yourself over them. It’s not like you to let something like this stop you. What happened to the Mabel at twelve that bounced from rejection to rejection without feeling crushed about it?”
“Maybe she went to sweatertown.”
“Nah, I know she’s still in there,” he poked her in the shoulder. “She’s always in there, you just got to bring her out.”
“Robbie, I don’t know how.”
He was silent for a moment. Silent as she swapped hands. Silent as she painted one nail after the other. Silent still as she finished up the last nail.
“Have you tried smile dip?”
“Wha- Robbie!” She shoved him this time. “I’m serious!”
“Okay, listen,” he grabbed her hands and held them between the two. “You can’t be scared of things like this. You’ll never get out of your comfort zone and you’ll just keep going through life scared of change. Is it shitty to lose a friend because of this? Sure, but you’ll hate yourself further on down the line if you don’t at least try. So I want you to march up to him and ask him out tomorrow. If he doesn’t want to see you again then he wasn’t worth keeping around in the first place.”
“What if he laughs at me?”
“Then…kick his ass. I don’t know, I didn’t think that far ahead.”
Mabel gave him a small smile. “Thanks, Robbie.”
“Anytime, short stack.”
His words did make her feel better. She was still scared and she debated about making up a reason why she couldn’t do it tomorrow but that was a problem she could worry about then. Right now, she was content just holding her crush’s hands and spending time with him before she had to go home. Right now, things were fine.
Tomorrow, she’ll worry about change but today, she’ll focus on the same old same old.