Chapter Text
I know I’m not that young
I know I’m not that smart
But let me drive my van into your heart
Let me drive my van into your heart
Steven hummed along to the familiar tune, adjusting his grip on the steering wheel. Although he had developed his own taste for music lately, it was always a delight when one of his dad’s songs, or something from Sadie Killer and the Suspects, popped up in his playlist. It gave him some comfort, a touch of familiarity as he journeyed farther from his home at Beach City than he ever had before. Steven was seventeen now, and on the road as he embarked on a journey of self discovery. The past few years had been…rough, to say the least. Turns out, constantly battling new foes that want to kill you, each one more dangerous than the last, and trying to save the world, all while alien gems keep blaming you for your dead Mother’s war crimes can take a mental toll on a fourteen-year-old child. Who knew? Looking back on it, Steven is still shocked that his younger self managed to maintain his optimistic, pacifist mindset through all of that. Now, as adulthood draws ever closer, he just wants to travel the country, meet regular, non-half alien people, and find out what makes Steven, well, Steven.
As he looks out the window at the setting sun, a yawn escapes from his lips. Luckily, his phone says that he’s only a few minutes from the next town, a place called Gravity Falls. Soon, he approaches the right place, going past the welcome sign and eventually finding a place to park. There doesn’t seem to be a hotel or bed and breakfast near, so Steven decides to just sleep in the car. It’s not the most comfortable arrangement, but he’s gotten pretty used to it, and with some pillows and blankets stored in the trunk it’s not so bad. When his phone lets out a quick chime, Steven picks it up to see a text from Connie. He smiles, clicking on the notification to see what she said.
-Hey Steven, just wanted to check in before bed, see how you’re doing :)
I’m doing good! I found a town to stay in tonight, might explore a bit tomorrow-
-That’s great, I'm glad this road trip is working out well. We all miss you though, the gems are always asking about you
Oh, trust me, they’re always calling me, asking me if I’m doing ok haha. Not that I mind though-
I miss you all too, but I’ll be coming back before you know it!-
-Good night Steven, love you
Love you too Connie! Good night-
Steven sets the phone down, rolling over to get comfortable and staring at the ceiling of the car. Eventually, he is lulled into sleep, encouraged by the promises of tomorrow.
Steven is awoken by the sunlight creeping in through the car windows, slowly rolling over and letting out a groan. He sits up stretches, and pulls out his toiletry bag, beginning to freshen up. He tugs his comb through the pile of dark, thick curls on his head. The comb clicks as it bounces off one of the two small horns perched there, graciously covered by his hair. After his hair, Steven gets dressed, pulling his signature pink jacket over his shoulders. As he does it, the teen looks down at the dark pink, scaly blotches on his arms. Last year's mental health crisis was over, thankfully, but it hadn't been without consequences. His intense transformation had left behind scars, clusters of scales on his arms, legs and bag, as well as two horns right on top of his head. They were much bigger, with more scales throughout his body right after the incident, but they had mercifully gone down as he had recovered. Steven wasn't really ashamed of them, but he really didn't want to explain to the average person: "Oh, I'm a half alien freak who went crazy because of all the times other aliens tried to kill me, and now I look like a lizard monster!" Steven shook his head to clear away those thoughts. He didn't like to think about that time of his life, as flashbacks had been known to send him spiraling into a panic attack. The teen was just glad that he had survived, and that he had such a great support system in Connie, the gems, and his dad. They had been the ones to guide him through the longest nights, the hardest therapy sessions, and the most intense flashbacks. He knew that his family was the reason he was here now, traveling the country, and he thanked them whenever he could. Soon, he exits the car, the memories put behind him and Gravity Falls in front. As he ventures into town, Steven spots a sign pointing him in the direction of the "Mystery Shack". The name intrigues him, and it couldn't hurt to check it out, he thinks.
A bell tings as Steven opens the door to the shack and steps inside. "Hey there, welcome to the Mystery Shack," a teenage girl with long ginger hair says in an uninterested tone. He smiles back at her and begins to look around. The place seems like a tourist trap gift shop, with signs offering tours of the paranormal. Steven knows the tour is probably just a bunch of odds and ends with supposed hauntings, but it seems fairly interesting nonetheless. "Oh, hey dude" he hears from across the room. Steven looks up and sees a friendly looking man wearing a green question mark shirt and khaki shorts. "I haven't seen you around before, are you new or just visiting?"
"Oh, I'm just visiting, I'm on a cross-country road trip" He lets out an awkward laugh, fidgeting with his yellow star necklace absentmindedly.
The man looks slightly disappointed. "Aw man, We've been looking around for a new hire to help out around here," He still remains upbeat. " My Name's Soos, I kinda run the place, so, feel free to ask me anything." Soos chuckles and begins to restock one of the shelves. Steven thanks him and returns to browsing. Suddenly, two young teens walk in from the back, chattering enthusiastically. They looked to be the same age, probably twins. The girl had long, wavy brown hair with a pink headband and wore a colorful pink knit jumper with a shooting star across the front. Her brother sported a white and blue baseball cap with a pine tree, and a blue vest over a t-shirt and shorts. He had some kind of journal under his arm. His sister was talking about something to him until she spotted Steven and grinned. "Hi! I'm Mabel, welcome to the Mystery Shack!" She gasped and approached him excitedly. "I love your outfit! Is your favorite color pink? Ooo I love that star necklace..."
"Mabel," the boy chuckled as he walked over. "You're going to scare away the customers." He said good-naturedly. "Don't mind my sister, she gets very excited about fashion."
Steven chuckles: "Don't mention it. I haven't met someone talkative in a while, It's nice." Mabel beams at that. "See Dipper? I told you, not everyone is as introverted as you." The boy, Dipper elbows her for that, and Mabel laughs.
Eventually, Steven says his goodbyes to the inhabitants of the Mystery Shack, and decides to look for something to eat. He spots a place called Greasy’s Diner, and heads that way. Steven smiles as he recalls the friendly twins.
You know, the people here are so friendly, he thinks to himself. Maybe I can stay here one more day, take one of the cheesy tours at the shack.
Steven had a feeling he would enjoy his stay in Gravity Falls.