First thing in the morning, like Ford said, the two of them occupied themselves in the basement, cleaning up what remained from the destruction of the portal.

As they worked to contain any remaining damage caused by the portal's reactivation, Ford noticed a life-threatening danger. "Just as I expected," he noted, placing two fingers on the underside of his jaw as he inspected the machine closely.

"What is it?" Y/n asked, standing beside him. She was seeing the same portal swirling as him, but she couldn't seem to connect the dots easily.

"When you and Stanley reactivated the portal, the instability of it accidentally created an interdimensional rift," he emphasized, treading towards his bag of equipment, retrieving a container.

Returning to her side, he extended his open palm, holding the alien container, and tossed it towards the portal like a ball. In an instant, it enclosed the anomaly, trapping it inside. After a brief moment, he picked it up, closely inspecting it. Y/n leaned in from beside him, observing the way the rift was swirling around the glass.

"For now, we have to keep this safe and out of reach." He walked back towards the observation room, placing the rift inside of a drawer. They continued to clean the basement, even going as far as re-discovering their past trapped creatures.

Meanwhile, the other three Pines were upstairs, relaxing in the gift shop. The Mystery Shack was temporarily closed for repairs, a decision Stan believed was wise after reading the news and discovering that people were still grappling with the aftermath of the gravity anomalies. He thought that all of them needed a break.

Stan stared at the closed door to the basement, bitterness creeping into his thoughts. Thirty years spent together, and now Ford and Y/n were down there like it was their haven. She seemed to forget those decades in a heartbeat. Yet, somewhere in his heart, empathy lingered; he knew they were waiting for their moment, even if it meant leaving him behind.

He ruffled the newspaper in his hands, straightening his back. He dismissed Mabel's comment about her chip-eating habits and continued reading.

Dipper was not doing the best either, trying to distract his thoughts by reading the journal. But he was only making himself suffer when he re-read the pages, seeing the author's entries about his assistant. Now knowing the context, he imagined Ford and Y/n, bonding together like they were currently doing down in the basement.

Mabel was raving about lazy Tuesdays, and just as Stan was adding his own sentiments that he didn't have any obligations today, a sudden boom interrupted them and the door of the vending machine opened with a hiss.

Smoke filled the room as Ford exited. In his close fist was a Cycloptopus, its tentacles clinging to his gloves. He raised his arm, away from his face, away from the kids. It tried to wriggle away, but Ford had it in his grasp. Mabel and Dipper let out screams at the peculiar creature.

"Everyone get down!" Ford warned loudly. "Don't let it taste human flesh!" He said before delivering a punch to the Cycloptopus, forcing it to let go and slide down to the ground.

It crawled around the room, as the three attempted to avoid it. "What is it?!" Dipper asked.

"Can we keep it?" Mabel pleaded.

Stan smacked a rolled up newspaper onto it multiple times. "Kill it, kill it!"

Ford chased the creature into a corner of the gift shop, reaching towards it with his enhanced gloves. The rest of the family watched with different expressions. "Patience... patience..." He waited until the Cycloptopus attempted to threaten him by screaming, and he took his chance, electrocuting the creature with his gloves.

He proudly held up its burnt body with a wide smile.

But his enthusiasm wasn't met by Stanley, who had his arms crossed. "Great. Now get it outta here. It smells like if death could barf."

Ford strutted away with his nose upwards in a sassy way. He ignored his brother's remark, opting to go back towards the opened door. His mere brain simply couldn't comprehend his line of work. And he could see that his stinky attitude had slightly rubbed off of Y/n, often hearing sarcasm laced in her voice every now and then. Another thing added to the things Stanley had tainted.

"Great Uncle Ford!" Dipper ran after him with the second journal in his hand. "You need any help with that?" he asked excitedly, and began to ramble on about what he knew. "I've read all about these creatures in your journal, and I think I know how to—"

"No!" He was immediately stopped by Ford's rejection, who wore a stern expression. "I'm sorry, Dipper. On the dark, weird road I travel, I'm afraid you cannot follow."

But Y/n can?

Dipper furrowed his brows at his statement. He believed he could handle it. Having faced multiple monsters before, he managed to outsmart them with his own skills. Why wasn't he allowed to join? Why was she allowed to join?

This creature was discovered on Y⃠/⃠n⃠'s right hand. Initially mistaken for a typical octopus, this peculiar specimen was green and possessed only one eye. It clung onto my assistant's arm until she lost her balance, causing her knees to buckle to the ground. We surmised that it had a penchant for sucking on human flesh, with one of the side effects being deliriousness, as evidenced by my assistant's behavior. It was rather amusing when she laughed at my naming of the creature "Cycloptopus." Were my puns truly that entertaining?

"Welp, call us for dinner!" With a press of the button, the door to the vending machine closed, establishing yet another boundary that Dipper wasn't allowed to cross.

The brunette was silent, his thoughts brewing. It felt so... unfair.

Mabel noticed her brother's pensive demeanor, approaching his side. "Dipper, don't take it so hard," she reminded him. She understood how sometimes he couldn't see the entire picture. He should consider what it was like in Y/n's shoes and the risks she had to take. She knew Dipper would have done the same.

He felt a smack on the top of his head, courtesy of Stan wielding a newspaper. "No, do take it hard. Take it hard and serious!" he warned with a grunt. "My brother is a dangerous know-it-all, and the stuff he's messing with is even worse. Do yourself a favor and stay away from him, you hear me?"

Stay away from Y/n.

At least, that's what he understood from Stan's warning.

"But Grunkle Stan, all summer long I've wanted to know who the author of the journal was," the brunette reasoned, "Now the guy lives in our basement and I can't even talk to him!"

"And Y/n doesn't hang out with us that often anymore," Mabel added, pouting sadly.

The older man sighed, placing a gentle hand on her hair. "I know. I'll talk some sense to her— i-if I can. Now cheer up, kids!" He said, referring to the twins. "Don't worry about what's in the basement, Dipper. You belong up here with me and Mabel."

It seemed that his enthusiasm was contagious, causing Mabel to smile. "Yeah! Besides, the season finale of Ducktective is airing this Friday! That's all the mystery you need this week."

"Oh yeah!" Stan agreed. "Y/n loves Ducktective! We can invite her over for the screening."

"See, Dipper? Everything will work out fine! Come on, quack with us!" Mabel invited him to a quacking session, to which she and Stan happily participated, producing duck sounds.🗝 Dipper was unresponsive, opting to stare at the vending machine both with longing and contempt.

"Quack, quack, quack! Qua-quack quack quaaaaack! Quaaaa— why isn't he quacking?"

***

THEME

***

The remainder of the afternoon unfolded with Dipper taking a walk around the town to calm himself, Mabel writing letters to her family about the revelation of a secret twin brother, and the said twin brother diligently working downstairs with Y/n.

Mabel had just finished writing the letter when her brother burst inside the living room, grinning excitedly with a large wrapped box in his hands. "Mabel! You'll never guess what I found at the store today!"

His tone was much jollier compared to his broody mood earlier. Mabel happily guessed, "Dogs! Dogs with hats!"

"No, it's my favorite fantasy-talking, level-counting, statistics and graph paper-involving game of all time: Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons!" Dipper quickly unboxed tha game, holding the cover up for her to see. "You wanna play with me?" he asked her.

Mabel contemplated for a second, pursing her lips. "Well, I do like unicorns, and that hot elf looks promising! How do you play?"

Dipper happily explained for her, opening the case. "The rules are simple," he said, bringing out the rulebook. "First, you roll a 38-sided die to determine the level of each player's statistical analysis power orb. These orbs relate directly to the amount of quadrants that your team has dominion over..."

Mabel's eager smile gradually transformed into a skeptical frown.

"...which is inverse to the anti-quadrants in your quadrant satchel."

Her hopeful smile was back on. "And then we ride unicorns?"

"Yes!"

Mabel gasped.

"And no."

Mabel frowned, annoyed.

Dipper took a paper from the box. "First, we make a graph..."

She groaned loudly, slumping her shoulders. "This is like Homework: The Game!"

He frowned, pleading with her to join. "Come on, Mabel. I need at least two people to play."

As if on cue, Soos entered the room, and Mabel's eyes widened in faux surprise. "Oh, wow, would you look at that: two people!" She hurriedly back away to avoid the nerdiness filling the room.

Dipper huffed, noticing the handyman before turning to him with an inviting smile. "Hey, Soos, up for a little game of D&D&MoreD?"

Soos declined the offer, opting for a different game that involved more practical roleplay with foam and cardboard props. Dipper sighed, feeling disheartened at the prospect of playing such a complex game alone.

Deep down, he knew the person he expected to play this with him. It just so happened that they weren't exactly on speaking terms.

And whose fault was that?

Stan's voice pulled him out of his thoughts, and the man appeared right behind them. "Say, is this that game that's mostly math and writing and isn't anything like the picture on the box?" His tone sounded as if he was eagerly anticipating playing it.

"Yes, it is!" Dipper's smile was back to his face. "You wanna play with me, Grunkle Stan?"

"Ha!" The older man let out before facing him. "Look, kid, I prefer to do my dice rolling in Vegas. Besides, only a game designed by nerds would have 'charisma' as a fantasy power." He picked up the rulebook, walking to the center of the room. "Heh, check this out: 'when facing yon adversaries, shield thyself, under an elfan buttress!"

Mabel heard the dramatic intonation, laughing as she beckoned him to say it again.

"Buttress!"

The two shared a laugh, and Dipper felt insulted. This was his favorite game of all time, yet his family treated it as some sort of joke, something to mock about. "Hey!" He forcefully took the book from Stan. "Laugh all you want. You guys just aren't smart enough to understand it."

She would understand.

He sighed. He didn't know how to approach her, or if he even wanted to approach her. His pride got the better of him, knowing that the last conversation he had was him yelling at her. Deep down, Dipper knew that he had every right to be angry, but he just didn't know when the right time to forgive her would be.

Back to the basement, Y/n was making herself busy by observing the subdued Cycloptopus inside of a jar they found somewhere in a corner. Ford was nearby, fixing the gloves, and had ordered her to watch over the creature. So far, she had caught him up with what happened over the last 30 years he was gone. She stayed on the topic of creatures she had discovered along with the twins (opting to keep the other topics later), telling him about the Island Head Beast, Gideon finding the amulet (making him hear an earful from her), dinosaurs stuck in sap below ground, zombies, and a vengeful spirit.

Ford listened, it was a good noise to fill the silence of the basement rather than listening to music. From her stories, he could see why Dipper would feel that way towards her. Him and his assistant must've gone through a lot of adventures that required a lot of trust and it was a normal reaction for the boy after finding she had been keeping a big secret from him. Ford understood.

Naturally, he had asked her about her state of not physically aging. She provided a short answer, I don't know, but he knew that there was still something more than that. There always had to be an explanation. He didn't pry her further, and Y/n was grateful, because she was still finding the right time to be completely honest with him.

For a moment, she walked out of the room after the Cycloptopus didn't display signs of changing. She was planning on going upstairs to get herself multiple cups of coffee, until her plans were interrupted by a loud crash in the room she just left.

She rushed back, finding the Cycloptopus out of the broken jar, unmoving, spilled black ink, an opened journal, and a boy she had been constantly thinking about. She couldn't find her voice, only staring at him from the doorway. Are you okay? Are you hurt?

Dipper grunted, shaking the dust off his curls. He sat up and reached for the die, only to jump back when he noticed her catching him in the act. "Y/n!" He exclaimed out of shock. Why was he shocked to see her there? Unlike him, she was supposed to be here.

Wordlessly, she bent down and helped him up, ignoring their close proximity. Dipper stared at her incredulously. She was supposed to be mad at him, getting him back for yelling at her. She should be ignoring him, or even be laughing at the way he fell down the basement, but she didn't. Curse her golden heart.

"Dipper!"

Ford's booming voice caused the two to leap apart from each other as if they were electrocuted. "Great Uncle Ford!" Dipper seemed to be screaming a lot of names lately.

"What did I say about coming down here?" The older man approached them, placing his hands behind his back.

Y/n chimed in, looking up at him. "I'm sure it was an accident," her voice was hoarse. "He was—"

"No," he cut her off, turning towards Dipper again. "My work is far too dangerous for a single living soul to spend even one second in— WAIT!"

Ford stopped his threatening speech, his eyes noticing an iconic bauble between Dipper's fingers. Y/n noticed it, too, and her eyes widened as well, the feeling of nostalgia suddenly coming back.

Ford pointed at the die with anticipation. "Is that a 38-sided die from Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons?"

"Yeah!" Dipper exclaimed in disbelief, not expecting the author to be saying such a thing. "Y-you know that game?"

Determined to debunk his great nephew's disbelief, Ford began a slogan straight from the cover of the game. "With pen and paper, shield and sword..."

Dipper joined in, "Our quest shall be our sweet reward!"

Y/n smiled at the two, amusement filling her heart as she heard their laughter. Ford sighed happily, taking the die from the boy. "Y/n, look! It's Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons! I can't believe you didn't tell me they still make this!"

At that, Dipper's eyes shifted to hers, who was suddenly anxious from the attention. "You..."

"This is my favorite game in the entire multiverse!" Ford declared, his excitement unabated. "Y/n and I would spend hours playing this game whenever we were snowed in, and there never seemed to be a clear winner because we were both so skilled at it—"

He stopped himself, clearing his throat when he realized that he was rambling. He noticed Y/n looking at him with a pointed stare while Dipper was standing there quite blankly. Y/n gauged the boy's reaction. It was unreadable, not frowning, not smiling, and his eyes weren't hooded nor bright. What was he thinking about?

"...Really?" Dipper asked, devoid of any detectable sarcasm in his voice. She cautiously gazed at him, attempting to decipher his emotions, his thoughts. "Which character do you play?"

"...Sorcerers," she said, but she can quickly master anything. "You?"

Her speech was quick and restrained, and Dipper disliked how uncomfortable she appeared while trying to converse with him. They hadn't been like this before; they used to chat so effortlessly, geekily finishing each other's sentences like a pair of nerds. He disliked that it didn't feel that way anymore.

Why do you look afraid of me?

"Rouges, rangers, probably druids? Yeah."

Internally, Dipper winced at himself for behaving in a way he hated her for. Everything felt tense and awkward, and they both disliked the feeling. Ford sensed the obvious atmosphere, finding it suffocating, and decided to leave it to himself to diffuse the tension.

He kneeled down to Dipper, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You have room for two more players?" He displayed an excited grin.

And that seemed to do the trick, Dipper's lips stretching across his face as he never thought this day would come: meeting the author face-to-face, and getting to play his favorite game with him. The boy snuck a glance at Y/n, before returning his gaze to the author, nodding fervently.

Don't look too sad. You're the first person I've thought of playing with the moment I saw this game at the store.

Dipper set the whole game up, while Ford couldn't stop smiling. It was the same look that Y/n discerned whenever he wanted to write something down after finding a new discovery. She helped set the board game, neither parties talking, but also seemed to find themselves in comfortable silence. It felt slightly therapeutic, placing the graph papers to the side, the cards neatly stacked on the other, and after a few minutes, the three sat down on the cold floor of the basement.

Ford took on the role of Dungeon Master, narrating the quests that the two were about to embark on. He quickly channeled his inner character, wriggling his fingers as he found himself immersed in his own story. ""Welcome, brave adventurers, to the realm of Eldoria! I shall be your guide through its mystical landscapes."

Dipper and Y/n each chose their characters; a skilled rogue named Shadowcaster, and a powerful sorceress named Lyra.

As Ford began narrating the opening of the adventure, tension lingered in the air between Dipper and Y/n. Unspoken words from their recent conflicts still echoed, but the excitement of the game offered a temporary respite. Ford looked so excited as he manipulated his voice to mimic a non-player character as he told them the beginning, he didn't care if he looked stupid. He was so passionate in delivering a story that made Y/n and Dipper smile slightly at the man.

The first part of the game consisted of the two of them leveling up by doing side quests and talking to the villagers. Shadowcaster got himself a nice looking weapon, while Lyra had ascended to a more powerful wizard.

Ford described the eccentric shopkeeper and the array of fantastical items available for purchase. The two shyly discussed what they should buy, Dipper suggesting to invest in Bag of Holding, while Y/n offered to buy Scrolls of Teleportation as their means of emergency. They both agreed, the first time in a while.

"Shadowcaster and Lyra you find yourselves at a crossroads, both figuratively and literally," Ford narrated. "The path ahead is fraught with uncertainty. What do you do?" He asked, placing an obstacle in the board.

Dipper hesitated for a moment before clearing his throat. "I... I guess I'll take the left path. Maybe there's something valuable there."

Y/n nodded in agreement, choosing to follow Dipper's lead. The characters ventured down the left path, and Ford announced that there were dangers to the unknown. "You find yourselves in a cavern illuminated by glowing crystals. The air is thick with anticipation as you approach the final chamber, where the legendary artifact is said to be hidden."

"I cautiously approach the artifact, checking for traps or anything suspicious." He said,

She followed, responding, "I'll stand guard, keeping an eye on our surroundings. We can't be too careful."

Ford nodded, impressed at their teamwork. "Good thinking, adventurers, because there is a formidable guardian, a mythical creature designed to test your resolve. He bears scales and thorns, has high defense, and wouldn't let anyone get past him."

Dipper, getting into the spirit of the game, grinned. "I pull out my enchanted dagger, ready to face the guardian head-on." He rolled a die, landing on 20, granting him success but just barely.

"The guardian took minimal damage, his defense at a standstill, 78."

Y/n quickly took the die and threw it on the board as she spoke, "I cast a protective spell on Dipper, enhancing his combat abilities."

The dice rolled 37, and the imaginary battle played out. The characters fought valiantly, employing a combination of strategy and teamwork to overcome the mythical guardian. In the midst of the action, Dipper and Y/n found themselves coordinating seamlessly, their earlier tension fading away as they embraced the collaborative spirit of the game.

They discussed tactics, shared laughter at the quirks of their characters, and even exchanged occasional glances that hinted at a sense of camaraderie. The turning point came when Ford introduced a humorous non-player character, a whimsical gnome with a penchant for riddles. The absurdity of the situation broke the ice, and Dipper and Y/n found themselves laughing together, the tension dissipating with each shared moment of amusement.

Ford smirked, and began moving the dice through his fingers, making Y/n roll her eyes playfully. "Show off."

He ignored her, continuing the practiced skill as he narrated, "Alright. Shadowcaster and Lyra entered the chamber," he began before transforming into a princess, blinking flirtatiously. "Princess Unattainabelle beckons the two— but wait! It's a trap!"

Y/n and Dipper gasped, exchanging a curious gaze.

"An illusion!" Ford continued, "Cast by Probabilitor the Annoying!"

She glanced at the cardboard version of Probabilitor, his pose trying to be menacing, but he only looked like he was living up to his name: annoying. His design changed over the years, Y/n had been a witness to that. She was sure Ford would notice the difference.

While she held her own dice, she felt a whiplash when Dipper suddenly turned to her excitedly. "You know his weakness, right?"

She smiled. Of course she does.

The three shook the dice in their hands in unison, reciting the strategy in perfect harmony. "Prime-statistical anomalies over 37 but not exceeding 51!"

Their little objects scattered on the board, and the trio leaned in to see the outcome. Y/n and Dipper cheered when they won against Probabilitor, their excitement unmatched as they celebrated their victory. Ford couldn't help but smile, watching them jump around joyfully after beating the odds reminded him of his younger days.

He picked up the cardboard stand and let out an inquisitive hum. "The old boy looks a bit different than he did back in my day. Don't you think, Y/n?"

"Mmm, yeah. They changed the art every few years," she replied, nodding.

Dipper tapped her, smirking. "Thankfully, Great-Uncle Ford missed the period when the creators of the game tried to make it 'cooler'."

"Oh, yeah! I forgot about that," Y/n said, attempting to keep her voice steady. She flinched when Dipper touched her again, and it startled her when he casually brought up the change that occurred in the 90s.

Supposedly, given her apparent age, she wasn't meant to be alive in the early 90s. However, Dipper spoke to her about it as if it were trivial information, as though he had been aware of it all along and was completely fine with the fact.

"Yeesh," Ford winced when Dipper explained the commercial from years ago. "Sounds like a good time to be stuck between dimensions," the older man tried to joke, but he was only met with silence.

Dipper avoided his uncle's gaze as he asked. "Great-Uncle Ford, I've been meaning to ask you... where were you before you came out of that machine, and what have you and Y/n been doing down here? Are you guys working on something behind that curtain?" He sounded clipped, careful, and strained.

Dipper didn't miss the way Ford and Y/n exchanged glances. Ford tried to formulate the best response without meaning to hurt his nephew, knowing that trust remained a sensitive subject to Dipper. "It's best if you and the family stay away from the subject. Honestly, I'm not sure any of you could handle the real answer."

Y/n shut her eyes tightly as she turned around, unwilling to see how Dipper had reacted to that information, though she already sensed it might have caused him some hurt.

"But, but I can handle it—!"

He can handle it, Ford.

Dipper began to grasp that Y/n and Ford shared a history together, a dynamic similar to their own but developed over a longer period. He realized that the two had built trust in each other to the extent that they could be the only ones privy to what they were working on.

However, the aspect that Dipper remained stubborn about was the fact that he wasn't permitted to be informed of such plans. He, who had confronted packs of minotaurs, ghosts, and even more dangerous monsters, and had managed to survive, was being told that he 'couldn't handle it'.

He could handle it. He would handle it, just like the past encounters with zombies and dream demons. He wanted to join them.

And maybe, they could be a trio of paranormal investigators.

Ford wiggled his finger at him. "Ah-ah! But I can show you a little something I brought back with me."

The author emptied the contents of his bag, baubles and various trinkets cascading out. Selecting a box, he opened it, unveiling...

"An infinity-sided die," Ford introduced,and the other two leaned forward to examine its appearance. Unlike a typical die, it lacked a specific shape or a fixed side. It was in a constant state of flux.

"Woah..." Dipper voiced. "That's so cool! And... impossible!"

"And alarming," Y/n noted.

Ford continued, a proud smile on his face. "These things are outlawed in 9,000 dimensions. You wanna know why?" He pointed at the die. "Look at those symbols. Infinite sides mean infinite outcomes. If I rolled it, anything could happen. Our faces could melt into jelly. The world could turn into an egg. Or you could just roll an 8. Who knows."

That is a terrifying concept.

"That's why I have to keep it in this protective cheap plastic case," Ford closed the box, stashing it to the side. "Now, back to the game! You've got Probabilitor on the ropes!"

Y/n and Dipper persisted in guiding their characters, exchanging strategies and indulging in nerdy discussions. Over time, armed with their enhanced weapons and benefiting from the buffs provided by discovered artifacts, they successfully vanquished the troll and reached the conclusion of the dungeon.

Time flies by when you're having fun, some random guy said, and wouldn't you believe it. It was true.

The trio hadn't even noticed the moon had risen until the growls of their stomachs reminded them it was time to retreat to their respective rooms. Ford assured them they would resume the game the next day, deciding to leave the board as it was. The Cycloptopus was safely stowed away, concealed in a cabinet to prevent any disruptions to the ongoing game.

They were even plotting to achieve the highest score in the game, as both Shadowcaster and Lyra showed no intention of backing down.

Excitedly, Dipper burst into his room, clutching graph papers in his hands, and promptly claimed the central spot in the room. He didn't spare Mabel a glance as she prepared for bed.

"Dragons! Yeah! Good idea, Dipper!" he exclaimed to himself, grabbing a pencil and starting to sketch out a diagram for his dungeon. He could already envision Y/n's reaction when she found herself navigating through this specific level.

Grinning with excitement, he let out occasional snickers and provided commentary for himself, a way to build up his own excitement.

Mabel, having enough of Dipper's noise, sat up in her bed and faced him. "Dipper, are you going to go to sleep? You've been saying dork words for hours."

Her insults were ineffective against Dipper's excitement filling to the brim. "Sorry, Mabel, I got to finish this dungeon. It's gonna totally stump Y/n tomorrow– I can't wait to see the look on her face!"

At the mention of Y/n's name, Mabel raised her eyebrows. "You've been spending the entire game with Y/n? I'm so happy for you two!"

"And Great-Uncle Ford," Dipper added. "I knew the author must be cool, but he's better than I imagined. And I knew Y/n would like that sort of game. They don't make fun of me all the time, the way you and Grunkle Stan do."

He continued writing in his graph, failing to notice Mabel's joke, or the way she went back to bed and turned around to hide her sad frown.

***

The next morning, Mabel darted straight to the kitchen to get her daily dose of Mabel juice. After topping up her container with a dozen more plastic dinosaurs, she set the blender on full blast, her giggles blending with the loud buzz of the appliance.

She turned off the blender, giving it a shake before pouring it into her cup. Taking a sip, Mabel already felt energized, ready for the entire day without missing a beat.

Her excitement heightened even more, especially knowing that the finale of Ducktective was set to air tonight.

She recalled the girl who shared her love for the mystery show, and as if on cue, Mabel spotted Y/n entering the kitchen too, heading towards the coffee maker.

"Y/n!" Mabel bounded over and practically clung herself to her. The other girl let her as she was simply too tired to fend her away. "Good morning!"

Mabel happily waited as Y/n lethargically got herself a mug and poured the black liquid (with Mabel still clinging onto her like a koala). After slowly slurping a bit, she sighed happily. "Good morning, Mabel."

"I see coffee is the equivalent of your Mabel Juice in the morning," the braces-wearing girl nodded approvingly, having let go of her to place her hands on her hips. "I respect your choices, but I hate black coffee."

"Thank you, Mabel."

Silence enveloped the two. It was a comfortable quietness, with just the two of them enjoying the morning serenity. Normally, the Shack would already be filled with the hustle and bustle of tourists and local customers, Stan shouting orders, and Soos fixing the 'random broken thing of the day #1833'.

Today was none of those.

"Sooo!" Mabel intertwined her fingers, dancing around. "Y/n, I'm sure you're busy trying to save the universe or whatever..."

Y/n's eyes shifted to meet hers without turning her head. She was frozen, waiting on Mabel's proposition. "What is it?" You can tell me anything.

"The finale of Ducktective is showing tonight! I already invited Grenda, and Grunkle Stan and Soos are watching too! I know that's your favorite show, so..."

She trailed off, and Y/n got the memo. They wanted her to join them in watching her favorite show ever. It was slightly strange not to hear Dipper's name in Mabel's list of potential viewers. Was she aware of their game sessions yesterday? And how much fun they had? In that case...

"I'm sorry, Mabel..." Y/n began, and she quickly offered an explanation when she saw Mabel's smile fading. "Dipper, Ford, and I are currently on a quest for the highest score — but we can catch the replay together tomorrow!"

Y/n uttered the words with reluctance, not wanting to upset Mabel. But, truth be told, she was more excited about playing Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dragons than watching the season finale of the show. An episode could be replayed, but achieving the highest score in her favorite game with Dipper was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Let her be selfish for once.

Mabel's lips stretched to a small grin. "Oh, okay! I understand. I totally forgot that there's another showing after," she let out a forced laughter, waving her hands dismissively.

And if Y/n noticed the uneasy chuckle, she didn't comment on it. "Okay..." she said slowly, trying to stop herself from looking at the girl across her in concern. "I have to go now. Ford needs me."

She prepared another cup of coffee for her mentor and exited the kitchen, leaving Mabel alone.

***

It was finally time; the last episode had left the audience on a cliffhanger. Now, they were all on the edge of their seats, eager to find out who had shot the protagonist, their beloved duck.

Mabel enthusiastically greeted her friend Grenda, who had also been following the show. Candy had just started the series, so she couldn't join them, allowing her to catch up on the recent episodes first. They didn't want to spoil the finale for her and ruin the enjoyment.

Stan joined the two from stairs, and Mabel whooped at his suit and bowtie. "Hey, hey, look at you! Someone's all dressed up."

"It's a big night," he replied smoothly, before getting sad all of a sudden. "I think we all remember where we were, when we learned Ducktective was shot."

Stan removed his fez and placed it against his chest in a show of respect for the duck. Mabel and Grenda followed suit, lowering their heads as they observed a moment of silence.

An alarm blared nearby, signaling that the show was about to begin. Mabel gasped, and her frown was quickly replaced by a smile. She eagerly turned to them. "Viewing positions, everyone!"

The three ran their way to the living room, looking forward to watch their beloved show all to themselves—

But they stopped, gasping when they saw that the living room was strewn with everything related to Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons. In the center of their haven was the board game, surrounded by the three best players, all having a blast.

"Ah! Graph paper!" Grenda exclaimed at the sight as she began stomping on it. "Kill it! Kill it!"

Mabel tried to get her brother's attention. "Dipper, I'm glad you're having fun, but could you maybe move this to another room?"

"No dice!" Ford chimed in, focused entirely at the game as he played with the die across his fingers again. "We ran out of room in the basement and we're going for a world record."

Y/n looked up at the sweater-wearing girl. "Sorry, Mabel, we'll move the game later," she said, grinning at her apologetically, but she couldn't hide her anticipation at what Ford was going to roll for. "But now—"

"YES! 32!" Ford yelled, cutting her off, and the two celebrated, beating Dipper's dragon with a 7,000 point damage.

She bellowed, pointing at the brunette. "In your face, Dungeon Master!"

He laughed, placing a hand on his forehead. "You got me!"

The other three groaned loudly, exasperated. Stan face-palmed. "Agh, why?! You wanna break a record, Ford? You already got it for the world's nerdiest old man."

Ford crossed his arms, his brows pushed together. "Hey, at least I'm not all keyed up to watch a kid's show."

"I'll have you know that Ducktective has a big mystery element! And a lot of humor that goes over kids' heads!" Stan defended passionately. Y/n pursed her lips. DDMD also had those elements, and she enjoyed both the game and the show. She didn't know whose side to take, but this game was her chance to bond with Dipper and Ford and go for the world record. An episode of Ducktective could be watched at any time.

"Grunkle Stan, it starts in a few minutes!" Mabel whined, and Stan stepped forward, making his way towards the TV. His hand reached out to tear off the paper taped to the screen but Ford grabbed his wrist.

"Move that and pay the price," Ford warned in a low tone.

Stan forced himself out of his grip. "Oh, what, fifty magical dwarf dollars?" He challenged mockingly.

"Don't mock our fantastical monetary system!"

"I'll mock all I want, it's my TV room!"

"It's my house, you...!" Ford steeled himself, sighing as he placed his fingers on the bridge of his nose. "Listen, Stanley, did it ever occur to you that if you joined us, you might actually have fun?" He offered, shaking the bag of dice as if luring him in.

Stan recoiled as if offended by the suggestion. "What?! Now you listen to me! As long as I live, I will never—" He forcefully took the pouch from Ford, making Y/n and Dippet sit up in panic.

"Grunkle Stan, wait!"

"Don't!"

"Stanley!" Ford screamed after him.

"-play your smarty-pants nerd game!" Stan concluded, throwing the bag to the ground. The contents spilled out, including the infinity-sided die in its cheap plastic case. The die began to tumble as it was rolled, but nobody could see what it landed on.

The die zapped the board game, and all of a sudden, four characters from Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons magically appeared right before their eyes. Probabilitor, Ogre, Bald Eagle, and Hot Elf posed dramatically. Probabilitor spoke aloud, "Mortals of dimension 46 Apostrophe Backslash! Kneel before me and—"

He rolled a die, and he watched as it landed. "Snivel! I am Probabilitor! The greatest wizard in all mathology! Give and take an error of 0.4," he muttered in the last part. It was such a surreal feeling seeing cardboard drawings come to life, all with real-life powers threatening them to snivel.

Dipper shrugged nervously as he stepped back slowly. "Have you come to send us on the quest of a lifetime because we're the smartest players you've ever met?" he suggested, but the idea was quickly rejected by Probabilitor.

"You three are the smartest players I've ever met!" The wizard at least commended, "That's why I'm going to eat your brains to gain your intelligence. It's what I do," he explained casually, the ogre backing up his claims.

"What?!" Dipper exclaimed helplessly, refusing to get his brain eaten.

Ford and Y/n exchanged glances, nodding in determination. "Seize them!" Probabilitor had ordered, and that was Ford's cue to equip his ray gun.

"Your math is no match for my gun, you idiot!" He charged it up, a blue light glowing.

"Math ray!" The wizard cast, outstretching his arms as magic poured out, creating an explosion and shooting a hole through the wall. Everyone was knocked out except for Y/n, who sprang into action. Probabilitor made a side comment about how she was able to withstand his math powers, but she didn't care enough to listen to it.

Regrettably, lacking a strategy against characters from a strategic game, she was swiftly overpowered by the hot elf who ensnared her with a net.

Y/n, Ford, and Dipper were seized by the ogre and whisked away towards the forest. From the breach in the wall, Grenda, Mabel, and Stan observed with a sense of helplessness as the trio was abducted, their figures gradually diminishing in the distance.

Grenda turned to the two, breaking the silence. "So... the room's free now. Who wants to watch Ducktective?" Mabel and Stan simply stared at her as she squeezed the duck. "Nobody?" Quiet. "More couch for Grenda!"

"No! That crazy wizard is going to eat our brothers and Y/n's brains! We have to stop them!" Mabel wailed as she had her hands on her hair.

Stan shrugged dismissively. "Eh, maybe let 'em get a couple bites in Ford's brain first. Even things out, smartness-wise.

"Grunkle Stan!"

"Alright, alright," his posture slouched as he looked like he didn't want anything to do with this. "I guess if we have no other choice, we'll go on a..." He sighed loudly. "'Epic Wizard Quest'."

Mabel and Grenda cheered excitedly. "YAAAAAY!!!"

"Everyone grab a weapon."

Stan discovered a bat in the couch cushion, Mabel grabbed a rake, and Grenda effortlessly lifted a chair as if it weighed nothing. Despite their apparent lack of experience, they were prepared to confront any magical creatures head-on. Leave it to the smartest people to get saved. "We're coming for you Dipper and Y/n! And Great-Uncle Ford! And possibly that hot elf, if he's got anything to do with this!"

Meanwhile, the captured individuals were bound against a large tree, and Probabilitor, true to his name, was once again living up to it, annoying them endlessly. He had been cracking jokes for the last half-hour, and Y/n felt a surge of pride as she witnessed Probabilitor writhing in pain after they booed him for his "Algebra Keadabra" joke.

It wasn't funny at all.

He conjured up a tape measure and began measuring their heads. "With each brain I eat, I shall increase my enchantelligence!"

"If my hands were free, I'd break every part of your face," Ford retorted, glaring at the wizard.

The magical being turned to his henchmen. "The time has come! Hot elf, ready the brain-cooking pot!" he commanded, and the archer sighed, shaking his hair so majestically before shooting a flaming arrow at the pot. The liquid inside the cauldron appeared boiling hot, both in temperature and pinkness.

Probabilitor chuckled darkly, his two ogre guards were in standby with their large axes, while the hot elf remained idle. "What do we do, what do we do?" Dipper began writhing under the rope.

"Stop thinking, Dipper!" Ford berated, shaking his head. "The more wrinkly your brain gets, the more he'll want to eat it!" The older man turned to the girl beside him, whispering. "Do you have something sharp with you that we can use?"

Y/n huffed, accepting her fate. "You think I bought scissors in my pocket all the time?"

Probabilitor approached them, rendering them speechless. "And now, a little math problem," he said, directing his magical glowing staff towards them as they stared at it in anticipation. "When I subtract your brain from your skulls," he began, smacking the top of their heads harshly with the rod, "Add salt, and divide your family, what's the remainder?"

"YOUR BUTT!"

"What?!" Probabilitor shrieked, pausing. "My butt isn't part of this particular equation?!"

Mabel, Grenda, and Stan revealed themselves from behind the bushes, wielding their respective weapons. Albeit they looked comedic, they looked threatening enough to know that they could knock everyone down.

"Drat! How did you make it past my one guard?" He shook his fist in disdain. "Very well," He turned around to the people still tied against the tree, his staff glowing again. "There's only one way your family can save you. You must defeat me in Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons: Real Life Edition!"

Probabilitor cackled loudly as he conjured a game board, transforming his goons into playable foes. Stan groaned, finding himself forced to engage in the very activity he swore he hated. He simply didn't possess the nerdiness required to play this seemingly lame game!

The wizard opened his hands and placed three ogre guards on the playing field. "I choose my characters versus...!" He snapped his fingers towards the three and they gasped, feeling themselves transforming into another world. They appeared on Probabilitor's hand, now looking like characters from the game.

They all adorned themselves in medieval attire, donning robes, capes, and pointy ears. Ford wielded a tall, wooden staff and a golden amulet, giving him the appearance of a warlock. Meanwhile, Dipper and Y/n resembled their characters, Shadowcaster and Lyra, each brandishing their own weapons. Despite the looming possibility of facing their sister and Stan in a potentially deadly encounter, Dipper couldn't help but think that he and Y/n had never looked cooler together.

"Seriously, can't we just, like, arm wrestle or something?"

"Come on, this game is a lot of fun," Probabilitor protested, having the decency to smile. "I had my mom packed me a lunch." He took out a lunch bag and pushed away a bag of apple slices with a disgusted look.

Stan groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Uh, just make with the rules, ugly." He furiously took out a stick of gum and put it in his mouth.

"The game is a battle royale. We help our characters by casting spells determined by the rolls of the dice," the wizard explained. "If you win, I go back to my own dimension."

Mabel clapped happily while Stan smiled. They both liked those odds.

"But if I win, I eat their brains."

Dipper didn't like those odds. He frantically shook his hands. "Hey, I'm not sure this is such a good—"

"DEAL!" Stan accepted, making Dipper place their lives in the hands of his two whimsical, unintelligent family members.

"Oh, boy."

"Let the game... begin!" Probabilitor declared with his loud, screeching voice. The three players faced three large ogres.

Y/n completely trusted that Stan and Mabel will do any job handed to them, but this particular game? Maybe not too much. Her mind wandered to the thought of the potential of this game affecting her invulnerability. Will this particular game inflict damage on her and it will hurt? She didn't want to find out.

Probabilitor rolled a die, landing on 13, before he excitedly commanded, "ATTACK!"

The ogres didn't need to be told twice; they swung their weapons toward the players, bringing their wooden clubs down. Y/n, Ford, and Dipper frantically ran away, unable to retaliate without Stan and Mabel rolling a dice. In a way, they felt quite useless.

"What do we do?! What are our moves?!" Stan scrambled, wanting to help.

"There are no moves, you make them up!" Dipper screamed.

"What? Really?"

"Yes!" Ford followed, currently running away from the furious creature. "I tried to tell you: this game involves math, but also risk, and imagination!"

"Risk? Stan rubbed his hands together.

"Imagination?" Mabel did the same, looking just as excited as she turned to the older man. "Grunkle Stan, make something up! It's just like lying!"

"I cast, uh..." Stan began, placing his fingers on his chin as he was deep in thought. Y/n anticipated what he was going to manifest, the monsters pausing on their moves. "Shield of shielding!"

Real creative, she thought, as Stan rolled the die, landing on 14– one digit higher than Probabilitor's, making it a valid move. A large shield appeared in front of the three, enough to protect them from the attacks.

"Shield of Shielding Reversal Spell!" casted Probabilitor, grinning maniacally when he obtained the number he wanted. The defense they had was obliterated, reduced to ashes and they faced against the ogres again.

Mabel interrupted the scene, happily casting her own spell. "Giggle Time Bouncy Boots!" she declared, and it was suddenly so bouncy as they were equipped with the tool. The three giggled victoriously as they tested, bouncing around the field.

"Hot flame-y sword!" The weapon appeared in their hands. "SUPER HOT FLAME-Y SWORD!" The sword got bigger and more flames surrounded it.

She bounced around the arena as she let the ogre blindly chase after her. She turned around and took a leap over the ogre and swung her sword down, chopping the creature in half.

When it disappeared, Dipper had just finished his own, and the two jumped around, executing a high-five as they passed each other mid-air.

"No!" Probabilitor cried, raising a fist to the sky. "Drat you! You'll never outrun my..." he rolled the die and it was accepted as his spell came to life. "Ogre-nado! It is what it sounds like!" It was indeed a tornado made out of ogres.

The gust of the wind was so strong that it blew away their weapons, and they helplessly faced the magical disaster. Mabel stared determinedly at the sky, throwing her dice as she cast the spell. "CENTAURTAUR! YAH!"

And all of a sudden, as far as Mabel's imagination could allow, a horse with another horse body for a head manifested in it of itself, standing majestically. Stan tried to smile encouragingly. "Mabel, I am so confused and so proud right now."

The Centaurtaur galloped by and the three took it for a ride. Ford quickly jumped on and the horse flipped, Y/n quickly hopped on its back and pulled Dipper's arm with her. While the onlookers were cheering them on, they were still trying to escape from the Ogre-nado.

"Come on, Y/n! Go, go, go!"

"You can do it!"

The Centaurtaur dashed into a smaller room and disappeared as the spell expired. The Ogre-nado attempted to follow but also fell apart, prompting the loudest cheers from the two individuals who openly admitted they wouldn't enjoy this game. Y/n was just pleased that they were having fun, convinced that they would surely emerge victorious.

While the other three were also basking in their victory, they were caught in the three-fingered hands of the Impossibeast, flying in the air. Probabilitor intertwined his fingers together like a villain, cackling madly. "I was saving the worst for last!"

"Oh no!" Dipper exclaimed, wiggling against its grip.

"Hey, I thought they banned this character!" Ford opposed angrily.

"Think again!" The wizard grinned wider. "I'm playing the controversial 1991-1992 edition!"

Y/n growled furiously. "You lying son of a—!"

The Impossibeast slammed the three against the wall, cutting off her crude remarks (which was probably for the better). Mabel's voice was strained and panicky, "I– I'll think of some weapons!"

Ford shut down her idea, turning to his niece with a grave expression. "You don't understand. This is the most powerful monster in the game!"

Y/n continued, providing instructors for them, "He can only be defeated by rolling a perfect 38!"

"But the odds of that are—"

"Hey," Stan chimed in, taking the dice from Mabel. "Long odds are what you want when you're a world class gambler!" He boasted, shaking the dice in his closed fist as he began hyping himself up. "Alright, Stan, you can do this... Papa needs a new trio of nerds!" He rolled the die, and everything felt slow for a moment, anticipating the result.

With a mere 1/38 chance of survival against a powerful wizard, eager to feast on the most important thing in their lives - their brains - the dice rolled round and round. Probabilitor screamed in anguish as he watched it land on the highest digit of the dice: 38.

"NOOO!"

"Sorry, nerd-wizard. All your smarts are no match for dumb luck," Stan retorted, proudly pointing at his temple.

"I cast... DEATH MUFFINS!" Mabel raised her hands in the air, conjuring a pink, glowing muffin with a dynamite sticking out. They tossed the deadly dessert into the Impossibeast's mouth, and the creature paused, looking dejected in front of the camera. A second passed, and the beast exploded into a plethora of muffins.

Dipper, Ford, and Y/n landed outside of the board game, reverting to their real selves in regular outfits, each holding a muffin in hand.

Mabel crashed into Dipper and Y/n, enveloping them in a tight hug. The hot elf declared the result of the game, with Grenda clinging onto him. "The game is, like, over. Excelsi—whatever." He dramatically flipped his white hair.

Probabilitor was thrashing around, screaming, "No! I'm returning to my own realm! I'm turning into pure math! What are the odds...?!" He vanished completely as his voice faded.

Dipper faced Stan, "Grunkle Stan, that was amazing!" He exclaimed happily. "How did you know that you would win?"

"Hey, a gambler never reveals his secrets," he shrugged casually, going over to pick up the die from the ground, which Y/n noticed had a gum stuck to the bottom. She shook her head amusingly. Of course Stan would cheat.

"Man! That was fun for ages 8 to 80! Or a million or however old you guys are!"

Stan sighed, kneeling down to Dipper's height. Ford raised his eyebrows as he observed his twin's actions. "Y'know, I'm sorry for making fun of your game, kiddo," he told his nephew. "Sure, it might be too nerdy for me, but it's just the right amount of nerdy for you, my brother, and Y/n."

Y/n carefully gauged Ford's reaction, noting the slight widening of his eyes at his admission, and she could empathize with the sentiment. Ford might have been getting accustomed to this dimension, but he would never forget his brother's snarky and prideful attitude. Yet, witnessing the way Stan was soft-spoken towards his nephew, offering apologies and expressing remorse, was gradually altering Ford's perceptions of Stan. Apologies weren't something he offered right away.

Grenda excitedly chimed in, informing them about the second showing of Ducktective. Y/n looked up at Ford wordlessly, silently seeking his permission. The older man caught her gaze, and he closed his eyes, nodding once. In a way, Ford was also conveying to her through his gaze that - 'you don't need to get my permission.'

It was nighttime, and Soos had just arrived, choosing not to comment on the large gaping hole in the wall as he joined them to watch the finale episode. He munched on his popcorn, casually dropping bits on the floor. Mabel perched on the head of a dinosaur skeleton, while Y/n occupied the other arm of the yellow couch, next to Dipper.

They watched intently as Ducktective weakly revealed to the Constable that he was dying, witnessing how the man pieced it together before getting hit in the head with a bedpan and falling out of the frame. Another duck waddled into the room, revealing himself to be Ducktective's twin brother.

Nobody was surprised.

They merely blinked at the sudden 'reveal' that the show was attempting to convey, but they were all met with disappointment and frustration. Grenda crushed a cookie in irritation. Eventually, the episode concluded with the credits rolling as everyone cleaned up the mess. The hole in the wall remained open even when the lights were out, and everyone returned to their own rooms — except for Dipper and Y/n, who were summoned downstairs to the basement.

Descending in the elevator, the two didn't exchange a word, but surprisingly, the silence was tolerable. Small talk wouldn't have been bearable anyway. Eventually, they arrived in the portal room where Ford stood, waiting for them. The older man placed the infinity-sided die inside a container and kept it in a compartment, locking it shut. "This'll be here if you ever need it," he said, facing his nephew.

Y/n squinted her eyes at him. When would they ever need it?

"Really?" Dipper asked, unsure. She noticed that he kept his hands on his back, guessing that he was probably nervous. "Even though I got us into the whole game-playing mess?"

She shrugged, smiling tightly. "Eh, we all got carried away."

"She's right," Ford nodded, inserting his hands in the pockets of his coat. "I assume that for the entire time you've known each other, you're the only one who understood each other."

Their faces flushed as they stuttered out a reply. Ford caught them off guard with that comment, and knowing him, he probably didn't even notice the implications of what he had just said. They were trying so hard to avoid each other's gazes.

After a moment, Ford was suddenly inquisitive, fleeting a glance at Y/n before returning to the boy. "Dipper, can I tell you something?"

Dipper nodded almost immediately, his ears ready to listen and absorb any information he might receive from his idol, his great-uncle. Y/n raised an eyebrow at Ford's offer, curious to hear what he wanted to say.

"You asked me earlier what Y/n and I were working on. Well..." the author began to walk towards the glass window of the observation room covered by a curtain. He pulled it down to reveal a demolished portal, manually disassembled with their hands and tools. "We dismantled the portal. An interdimensional gateway is too dangerous for the world it feeds into. That's why I was initially mad at Y/n for letting Stan use it."

She repressed the urge to scoff.

"They saved me," Ford continued, but easily dismissed the fact, continuing. "But as I feared, the instability of the machine created this—" he held up the container he had been keeping inside the storage for a few days. "An interdimensional rift. I've contained it for now, but it's incredibly dangerous."

She silently gauged his reaction, attempting to decipher his expression. There must have been a lot going through his mind at that very moment, and she would do anything for him to confide in her again.

Ford's voice was grave and serious. He placed a hand on his shoulder. "You have to understand that the reason why we keep these secrets from you is to protect you," he said, "Now I'm going to give you the same responsibility: I don't want you to tell anyone about this. Not Stan, not even your sister. You understand?"

Dipper's eyes couldn't help but glance at hers, and their stares met. A look of enlightenment passed over him, and he nodded subtly, as if saying, 'I understand'. "Of course," he told Ford, redirecting his gaze back to him.

The older man nodded with a look of appreciation toward his great-nephew before sending him to bed. As he observed the two bonding over talking about playing Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons again, a small smile ghosted his lips. In all his time in Gravity Falls, Y/n was the only one he could ever trust. Having made many powerful enemies in multiple dimensions, and now that he was back, he had learned through Y/n that Dipper was trustworthy and could be considered a friend.

"Uhm, Dipper?" He called out to him, making the boy pause in his tracks. Y/n also stopped to look back. Ford held out his six-fingered hand. "Do you mind giving me my journal?"

Dipper sputtered, instantly rummaging through his navy blue vest. "Oh! U-uh, of course! Great-Uncle Ford." He retrieved the book from his pocket and handed it to him. Ford smiled and once again sent him off.

***

Bonus!

"What. Is. This?"

She laughed, finding herself amused with Ford's tired expression. For the last 3 hours, he had been jotting down his thoughts from the moment he was back from the portal. Information from people he had met was there, too. Y/n momentarily let him be, and Ford appreciated it, not wanting her to see what he wrote about her. And now, after writing the events of today, he took the time to go back on a few pages and revisit them. But this time, along with his writings were Dipper's own conclusions and entries.

She came back just in time to see Ford on the verge of going insane. It was an unreadable expression, and she couldn't decide whether he was breaking down, impressed, or just downright exhausted. Maybe all three of them at the same time.

He just showed her one of Mabel's pages, her entry about her dream boys. She merely laughed and praised her creative talent. Ford sighed before going through the next set of pages, his bemused frown going deeper the more he flipped.

***

YH WQBTM APN FBRCCUM, EPMHSPVOT XEGZ,
🗝: ???

In shadows cast by doubt, she wonders if forgiven,
Unspoken tensions linger, a rift unbidden.
Their connection strained, a fragile thread,
She yearns for clarity, where silence has led.

***

CONTINUES IN CHAPTER 28!

[author's note]: thank you guys for waiting patiently! though in this rate, i feel like we're going to reach the 2nd year this july! hope not :)

anyway, i dont know much about dungeons and dragons but who cares it's fanfiction. anthyding can hadplen! i also have a fanart of y/n and dipper being their characters but i didnt finish it on time. i'll post that one on daisy's bonus chapter ^^

see u !

kimmiepines
10242 words