Chapter Text
Ah, summer break. A time for leisure, relaxation, just sitting back and takin' her easy. That is, unless you were a small brunette boy by the name of Dipper Pines.
He sighed as he gazed narrowly out the window of the bus as it slipped through the trees of the forest in a nondescript town called Gravity Falls. Normally bright hazel eyes were dulled with boredom, and his twin, an eccentric girl by the name of Mabel Pines was trying to pester him into one last game of 'What's Under The Bus Cushions?'.
It was close to the evening by now, the sky a loving crimson, washing the shambled shack barely visible through the trees in a vivid blood red. Dipper blinked a few times to try and wake himself up as he reached for the bag beside his feet, the can of Off rattling as it fell out of its pocket. He groaned and went to pick it up, missing the triangular shadow that flashed in front of the window he'd been staring out of moments before.
He leaned back up, tucking the can back in its pocket before slinging it over his shoulders. Mabel grinned, braces glinting as she whistled appreciatively, "It's even bigger in person!" She cheered as she grabbed her own bag. Dipper rolled his eyes good naturedly, "You didn't expect to fit in our computer screen, did you?" Mabel merely smiled sheepishly.
The bus screeched to a grinding halt and they hopped off, Dipper scrunching his nose up reproachfully. It smelled like old wood and farm animals. Mabel grinned broadly with a bubbly giggle, slipping up to the door. She looked back over her shoulder, "C'mon Dipper!" She urged, knocking on the door. He adjusted his brown cap, taking a deep breath, only to release it in a shriek as an old man appeared through an abrupt puff of smoke beside them on the porch.
"Hello!" He said loudly, grinning at them. Dipper clapped a hand over his chest, feeling his heart slam against his ribs as he doubled over, gasping while Mabel smiled and bounced excitedly, "Hi there! Are you our Great Uncle?" She asked eagerly. The man raised an eyebrow, grin falling as he eyed them suspiciously, then smiled once more, "I'm the only shifty old man around here aren't I?" He replied with a laugh.
He opened the door for her, holding it as the twins ventured inside a room filled to brim with cheap looking knick knacks with outrageous price stickers on them. Dipper raised an eyebrow, but held his tongue. He looked up at their Great Uncle, "Where do we sleep?" He asked. The man raised an eyebrow then pointed to a doorway across the room that said 'Employees Only', "Through that door and up the stairs there's the attic. I managed to dig around in the...storage room and find beds for you two. Go, uh, unpack. I guess I'll make dinner, or whatever." He mumbled.
Mabel nodded, racing off, "Okay Grunkle Stan!" She called. Stan blinked, "Grunkle? Huh?" He asked, bewildered. Dipper sighed, hefting his backpack higher on his shoulders as he began to follow his twin, "I think it's a combination of Great and Uncle. Grunkle. She likes to make up words." He explained tiredly.
Stan nodded, brow furrowed, "Right, well, I'll be in the kitchen." He mumbled. Dipper trudged up the steps, stepping up on the landing and looking around. The landing had a short hallway with two other doors and a bookcase that only had one or two toppled books on the shelves. The door in front of him was slightly open, and he could hear Mabel humming as she unpacked, so he figured that must be their room.
He supposed one of the other doors was a bathroom and the other one was probably a closet with extra towels or something. There was a stained glass window that cast a red triangle onto the dusty floor, and underneath it was a threadbare cushion on a window seat.
He hummed, glancing at the window before going forward and going in the room. He looked around it and grimaced, as he saw mold and stains on the ceiling, turning to walk backwards as he inspected the room. He caught sight of something scratched into one of the beams, an he peered at it. ELOO FLSKHU LV ZDWFKLQJ.
What did that even mean? What the heck was Eloo? Was it- He stiffened as he felt something tug at his hat, and squeaked, turning around with a shout. Blank eyes stared at him, furry head tilted at him, horns an inch from Dipper's face. Mabel turned around to face him, "This attic is amazing! Check out all my splinters!" She said, showing off her wood riddled hands.
Dipper sighed with a grimace, "And there's a goat on my bed." He deadpanned. Mabel came over with a smile and patted the animal's head, "Hello there." She cooed, then scoffed as the goat took her sleeve in its mouth, "Yes you can keep chewing on my sweater! Ha ha!"
Dipper chuckled to himself, rolling his eyes as he shooed the thing away and set his bags down on the mattress, a cloud of dust floating up. He coughed. Mabel continued to pet the goat as Dipper began to unpack, his folded clothes being strewn all across the bed as he looked for his summer reading book.
"Kids! Dinner's ready!" Their new 'Grunkle' called. Mabel jumped up, "Coming!" She yelled, grabbing Dipper's arm and dragging him down the stairs. Dipper huffed, just hoping the food was edible.
Meanwhile, a sillouette was leaning against the trees in front of the shack, a smirk growing it's face- that is, if it had a proper mouth. It giggled maniacally, "Newbies, huh? Interesting. Well I should greet them! Oh, this is going to be fun!"