Chapter Text
Maisie (Dipper) Pines is ten years old.
She's a very tomboyish-girl. She keeps her hair in a ponytail, only wears pants, and always wears her lucky baseball cap.
So, yeah, she's a very tomboyish girl.
At least, that's what Mabel thought.
Piedmont, California - Maisie & Mabel's room.
For a while, Maisie has been acting strange. Mabel keeps having to repeat herself when she talks to her because Maisie wasn't listening. Maisie spends most of her time with her head under her blanket, reading. She also has to be reminded to eat. Mabel is used to her twin's weirdness, but this is unusual, even for her.
Mabel finishes painting her nails. She was supposed to go hang out with the artsy kid next door today, but she canceled.
Maisie was out in the backyard or whatever she said before she rushed off in a hurry.
𝑆ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎 𝐵𝑂𝑌 𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔.
Mabel mused to herself. Now, THAT would be interesting.
Maisie has never shown any interest in boys. Mabel thinks she may be a lesbian. And that's fine! Just as long as their parents don't find out.
Mabel would keep her secret. After all, Maisie didn't tell Mom and Dad when Mabel told her that she liked boys AND girls.
Mabel left the bathroom and went into their room. She looked.
The jar on Maisie's night table was empty.
Maisie had been saving up her allowance. For what, she didn't say.
Was she using it now? I wonder what it's for...
Mabel sat on her bed and started drawing in her sketchbook. She didn't realize half an hour passed until the door to her room slammed open and shut. Mabel turned to look.
Maisie was standing there, wearing boy's clothes. A red boy's shirt with boy's shorts and boy's shoes. She looked up at Mabel. Her face paled.
"Mabel! I thought you were over next door...!"
"They canceled. What's wrong, sis?"
Maisie stutters. "U-uh, it's nothing!"
Mabel throws her legs over the side of her bed. "Come on! I can tell when you're lying."
She pats the bed beside her. Maisie gulps and sits next to her, hugging her shoulders.
"...Promise you won't judge? And above everything, you WON'T tell Mom and Dad?"
Mabel blows a raspberry.
"Plllffft! Obviously. You can tell me anything."
Maisie fidgets uncomfortably.
"Well... I... I don't know. I've been feeling... bad lately."
"Bad?" Mabel tilts her head. Maisie nods.
"Like there's something wrong with me. But, when I dress like a boy, I feel better. And whenever I wear girly clothes, like dresses or skirts or flower patterns... I feel bad again. And the more I change, the more I hate m- the worse I feel. I hate having long hair, I hate looking girly..."
"...Do you think you might be a boy?"
Maisie's head whips around.
"What?"
Mabel grabs her sketchbook and markers and starts drawing.
"There's this thing when you're born in the wrong body. Like, you might be actually a boy, but you're born in a girl body. Like..."
She holds up her sketchbook to show what she drew.
"Imagine: Jelly = girl and Peanut Butter = boy. You're Peanut butter, but for some reason, you're inside of a jelly jar."
Maisie blinks.
"That... makes sense..."
Mabel smiles and nods. She uses a blue, pink, and white marker to draw the flag, then shows it.
"It's called being transgender, or 'trans' for short. There's nothing wrong with you. You're just different."
Maisie hugs her knees to her chest.
"Yeah... I think that's me. I'm transgender."
Mabel puts her hand on Maisie's arm.
"Okay. Is there anything else you want me to call you?"
M̵a̵i̵s̵i̵e̵'̵s̵ eyes light up.
"I get to choose my own name?!"
Mabel grins and nods. M̵a̵i̵s̵i̵e̵ vibrates excitedly.
"YES! To be honest, I never thought 'Maisie' suited me."
His face suddenly falls.
"I- ugh, I don't know yet."
Mabel smiles empathetically.
"That's okay. You can take the time to choose one. Want me to just call you 'Dipper' for now?"
He chuckles at the nickname.
"Ah, that old nickname? I mean, it does sound pretty boyish..."
Mabel grins widely.
"Dipper it is!"
"For now." Dipper adds.
Mabel hugs him. Dipper hugs her back.
"Thanks. I love you, Mabel."
"I love you, too, bro."