I listened to this song on repeat because it really got me into the mood of this chapter.

14
Dipper

        Dipper never took Pacifica for the jealous type. He used to tease her about being jealous, but only to get on her nerves when he was a pubescent teenager. That being said, Dipper never believed it.

As he walked down the hotel hall away from all the drama in the room behind him, he supposed he could understand where she was coming from. Despite all the chaos running buck wild around him, Dipper still found it in him to stay rational.

It was true, Scarlett was the only other girl he had loved in the past, but he believed that he had shown and proven himself to Pacifica enough times by now to show her that there was no one else he would rather be with than her.

Her anger with him made sense, damn it all. Hiding what he was doing from her was, at best, wrong and he shouldn't have lied. But, Dipper felt as though he dragged her into enough in the past. The Krefezen cult was significantly more dangerous than anything they had ever faced before. The creature incident from the summer paled in comparison to the type of threat that the cult posed.

Dipper needed to explain himself to her better, that was certain. If she ever wanted to speak with him again. Pacifica, the more he thought about it, was unlikely to quit a conversation despite what was happening. And seeing as they got interrupted by what was transpiring in the room over, they still had quite a bit to get back to.

She said she couldn't trust him.

Dipper stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widening immensely. That. . .that sounded like a breakup line, didn't it? Maybe there was no part of our conversation to get back to, considering the finality of her painful last remark.

Pacifica was done with him.

Dipper shook his head, frustrated. In the duration of both of them knowing each other, Pacifica did a lot of work reading between Dipper's lines to figure out what he was truly saying. Perhaps it was time he started reading between hers.

So. . .so that was it, wasn't it? Despite all the challenges and odds they'd faced, he and Pacifica weren't meant to be together. They just. . .didn't work.

        No. You did this to yourself. You lied to her, what did you expect? Her forgiveness? Don't kid yourself, take responsibility for what you ruined.

Now wasn't the time to think about that. Whatever outcome came from their relationship, Dipper would respect Pacifica's choice and understand where she was coming from, and give her some space. But right now, there was someone who was feeling just as horrible as he was. And Dipper needed to make sure she was alright.

Instead of going down to the lobby to figure out the layout of the hotel, Dipper used his own memory. He knew Scarlett best, after all.

The roof. No doubt about it.

Dipper took the stairs and braced himself for when he got to the roof. At first, he couldn't see her, not that she would be terribly visible in the dark with her dark clothes, but his mind couldn't help but think the worst. What if he had gotten it wrong? And she chose to disappear forever?

"Why are you here?"

There she was. Dipper followed her questioning voice over to the darkest corner, overlooking the world below, it would've been peaceful had his nerves not been flipping around.

        "You ran out, it's not safe to be out here alone." Dipper replied evenly, taking a seat next to her.

        Scarlett sat on the edge of the roof, her legs dangling dangerously off, not a care in the world. Her arms were wrapped around herself, he'd never seen her so small.

        She didn't say a word when he sat down next to her, but she didn't have to. Dipper knew she didn't want to, either. After everything that happened, he was in no position to blame her.

        He took a moment to gaze out at the world around them, smiling at the stars in the night sky. Maybe it was more peaceful than Dipper initially believed.

        It was quiet, cold, but lovely. Like the rest of the world, all the drama, anger, and confusion had just been cut away to leave them in this moment together. Isolating them completely, but giving them company all the same. Dipper didn't care, if Scarlett didn't want to speak with him either, given the implications of their friendship in the eyes of the others, Dipper wouldn't force her to talk to him.

        Dipper had believed he had lost Scarlett two times before, once years ago in tranquil springtime where he mistakenly confessed his love for her, and once only a few months ago where their positions were reversed. If third time's the charm, it meant he would lose her forever, or we'd never stray apart again.

        Two endings, but which choices led him to which?

        Magic typically gave him a little bit of insight, but right now it was ignoring his calls for assistance. But Dipper also didn't want to read Scarlett's mind, it would only make things worse, now wouldn't it? So, he had to do this all on his own. Show her that despite everything that has ever happened between them, he was always going to be her friend. Her best friend. Nothing would ever make him stop caring about her.

        If that was a dealbreaker for Pacifica, then Dipper couldn't do anything about it. She would need to understand that there were others out there that were very dear to his heart. The romantic implications of Scarlett's and his relationship was what got them into a significantly worse situation, perhaps they should have a discussion about that?

        "I do love you, Dipper." Scarlett murmured, head resting on her folded arms, like she was content with falling asleep right there on the edge.

        "I know you do. Just as I love you." Dipper nodded. "It's difficult for others to understand exactly what our love for each other entails. Some of that is on them, some of it is on us."

        "Well, maybe if Pacifica and Mabel weren't such jealous people, this wouldn't be an issue." She spat, her head lifting up to glare at him.

        It had been awhile since Scarlett's piercing glare had been directed at him. Dipper shivered, but only because it was cold and dark outside, completely unrelated to those slitting green eyes.

        "I'm not so sure." Dipper ducked his head to avoid those scalding eyes, a chuckle erupted from his lips despite the fact that he had tried to hold it back.

        "You think this is funny, Mason Alex?"

        "I think it's amusing, Scarlett Aryn."

        She huffed, her breath ghosting out into the air before them. A lycoris in full shade, wilting spikes giving way to her true feelings, knowing well that she needs full sun to bloom. Colouring the world around her in various shades of red whenever she showed up. But now that colour was left diluted, muted in the darkness that the night brought.

        "I can only think it's amusing right now, both my heart and mind are at a bitter standstill with which emotions to express." Dipper continued, glancing down his my hands in his lap. "We find ourselves in a similar position once again, Lettie."

        Her body twisted so fluidly albeit violently toward him, a variety of emotions hidden behind her eyes, tucked safely away behind emerald shades. "Really? Does your girlfriend think you're pretending she's someone else?"

"Yes." Dipper sighed, fiddling with the edge of the nail on his thumb. As soon as they were all back safely in Reverse Falls, he made a mental note to go to his manicurist.

Scarlett's face fell just a little bit.

"To be completely fair, I haven't heard her say it to me directly, but she's dealing with this in her own way." Dipper explained a little further, "however, even without magic, it can be easy to read her."

Scarlett didn't reply for a moment, Dipper could only imagine why. It was the first time he had willingly brought up magic with her. Given their current situation, it was obvious she knew the truth. She didn't show any surprise when he came to their aid in the sewer tunnels, and the surprise she showed when Mabel blurted it out again was aimed at a different statement.

        "I'm sorry I never told you the truth, Scarlett." Dipper wrapped his arms around himself and exhaled roughly, his head tilting down, as if to further show his shame in that secret. "There have been numerous amounts of difficulties surrounding my possession of magic, I felt that it would be unfair to drag you into them. I've already dragged enough people into it. You didn't deserve that."

        "I just thought—" she huffed angrily, "never mind, that doesn't matter."

        "Scarlett—"

        "I mean. . .I always kinda knew." She admitted, plucking at a loose string on her ripped jeans tearing it off and tossing it off the roof. She watched as it plummeted down to the city below. "There have been several instances in our time knowing each other that kinda gave it away."

        That was not what Dipper was expecting her to say. He thought back to the slim chances where she could've figured it out on her own, or something that would've given her a little bit of insight on what he was actually capable of.

        "Before you open your dumb mouth, no, it wasn't because of the Tent of Telepathy." She snorted, and there it was. A little bit of warmth back in that smile of hers. Somehow, the night didn't feel nearly as cold anymore.

        "Then, what was it?" Dipper reached an arm out, hoping she would understand the message.

        Scarlett scooted a bit closer until she was close enough to rest her head on his shoulder, letting out a sigh of content as she did so. "I mean, the Tent of Telepathy, I honestly thought that you just had really good connections. Invisible strings, paid actors, et cetera."

        "I do have the funds for such things." Dipper quipped, praying that it would do more good than harm. "But, no. That was real magic."

        "There were certain events that happened that kinda tipped me off. You remember back when we first met?"

        How could I forget? "My first party. In Seattle, correct?"

        A slight nod that was felt upon his shoulder. "There was something in the air, when you looked at me. When I told you that I knew you from your hometown, it felt like you were scanning me with more than just your eyes."

        Dipper remembered. Vaguely, but he still remembered.

        "And then a few times after we met. Like when you thought it was a good idea to take me to a festival at your school. I told you that I wouldn't win anything at the claw machine, and I watched as the claw went in the opposite direction of where I had intended." She continued. "Not to mention when I first took you to Summit, you convinced the bouncer not to check your I.D. Without force, or money or anything. You simply spoke to him as you have with me, and he just let you go." A brief pause before she knocked her shoulders against his. "Max says 'hi', by the way."

        Dipper held back a barely concealed huff of laughter. "Why didn't you ever confront me with it?"

        She sat up straight, a sigh escaping from her. "I dunno. Who knew if you would tell the truth, and who knew if I even knew what I was talking about. Half the time I chocked it up to grand delusions I had while either stoned or sloshed."

        "Fair point."

        "I knew you were hiding something from me, you're not nearly as skilled a liar as I am." Scarlett took off her beanie and shook out her hair, red locks spilling onto her shoulders, not once meeting his eyes. "But I knew it wasn't my place, and I hoped that one day you would trust me enough to tell me on your own."

        "I trust you with my life, Scarlett." Dipper turned to face her, completely unaware of how close to the edge of the rooftop he actually was.

        "You don't want your life in my hands." Her gaze dropped into her lap, shoulders hunched like she was protecting herself from my gaze rather than the cold. "I ruin everything; I ruined our relationships with Mabel and Pacifica, and I'll ruin your life, too."

        Without another word, Dipper pulled her close to his chest. His hands sprawled against her back, rubbing small circles onto her jacket as she rested her chin on his shoulder. "The only way you'll ruin my life is if you aren't in it." Dipper whispered to her as he closed his eyes, a ghost of a smile on his face.

        "Or Pacifica." She mumbled into his shoulder.

        "Oh," Dipper felt his fingers tighten on her back, "that ship has sailed. And it wasn't because of you."

        "Were you in the same room?" She groaned. "You're telling me you didn't see the look on her face when we stopped hugging? Or when Mabel asked if I still loved you?"

        "You were still on the way back to the hotel when Pacifica and I went into the separate room to talk." Dipper explained. "I ruined our relationship before that confrontation. By lying to her, and getting everyone into danger, including myself. She said she couldn't trust me, and I should've known right then that there is nothing I can do to fix this. Not a single thing."

"I'm sorry, Dipper." She whispered.

"There is no apology necessary, I told you it was all my fault! I ruined it, by acting secretive when I should've just told her the truth!" Dipper blinked rapidly, the strange and foreign feeling of tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

Scarlett just held onto him tighter. "You thought you were doing best. Everyone makes mistakes like this."

Dipper pulled away from their embrace rather abruptly. "Wait a minute, why aren't you yelling at me for keeping you in the dark about that? Aren't you furious at me?"

        Her eyes met mine briefly, and for a fleeting second Dipper saw how she really felt. Whether because of his own intuition or because magic decided to intervene, Dipper couldn't even tell. Anger veiled thinly over a poor attempt to conceal hurt. Betrayal, confusion that evened out in a calming wave of understanding.

        "I'm beyond mad at you, y'know? I can lie to myself as much as I want and I try to believe it. Telling myself that our friendship is strong and even if we don't tell each other everything, that doesn't matter. But I can't. Not about this." Nimble fingers clutched onto the sleeves of her jacket, pulling it tighter around herself, holding on so fiercely. "Best friends tell each other everything, or so I was led to believe. Our relationship was built on lies, so I can't say I'm that surprised, but I'm," she sucked in a deep breath like she needed the extra air to get whatever it was off her chest. "Well, that doesn't matter."

        "What do you mean?"

        "It's true, I'm mad, but I don't want to be alone right now." She admitted. "It'll take some time for me to get over this, but right now I think the two of us just need some company."

        She was right. "Please, don't push off your anger with me because of my feelings." Dipper hummed softly. "After everything I've done in the past few months, I would be surprised if you weren't."

        "Hey dumbass, it's not just because of your feelings. I'm not feeling particularly great tonight either. I'm sure Pacifica hates me, Mabel definitely doesn't want to see me again, and I just know that Gideon will side with them because I'm the fuckup here. I'm that one odd variable that ruined everything."

        "Therein lies the issue." Dipper rested his hand on his forehead, his thumb and middle finger gently squeezing the sides. "There shouldn't be any sides here."

        Scarlett frowned. "Of course there are gonna be sides. Everyone's pissed at you, and everyone's pissed at me. Those three'll side together against their combined anger against you, and against me. For completely separate issues, but still." She sighed, "even though I'm not happy with you, we might as well stick together. Seeing as no one wants us around."

"You shouldn't side with me. If you do, it'll just make things significantly worse. Their issue is with me. I guarantee if you just talked to them they would understand."

"If they ever doubted me, is it really worth saving?" Her voice reverted back to that monotonous tone he always dreaded hearing. "They don't trust me, it will never be the same again."

        It wasn't his place to tell her to go back and be happy, when she was spitting cold truths right into his face, the wind carrying them right into his brain. God, what was wrong with him?

        Scarlett leaned closer off the edge, a sad smile on her face. Her hair billowed out behind her like a train of fallen petals. So close to the edge, but trusting that the wind wouldn't change its course. Keeping her perfectly balanced out on the edge. Dipper wished he could've taken a picture, but he didn't think he would be able to capture the moment in all of its perfect essence.

        Dipper couldn't capture the way the lights from the city below cast shadows across her face, or how they reflected in her eyes, making them shine the brightest he had ever seen them.

        "I don't want it to be over, Dipper." She eventually spoke. "She really made me happy, y'know? But, maybe I'm not cut out for genuine relationships."

        "Scarlett—"

        "Can we just sit here for a little while longer?" She cut him off, cocking her head to the side so she could meet his gaze. "Just two friends thinking about our bitter-ending relationships?"

        Scarlett didn't want to talk anymore, understandable. There was more he wished he could've said, but if peace and quiet was what she needed in the moment, then Dipper would be happy to oblige her. He nodded and reached an arm out to wrap around her again.

        She moved closer to his touch and rested her head against his, eyes closing upon contact. "I'll forgive you eventually, Dipper. You know that, right?"

"Yes, I do." Dipper nodded.

"Just take back what you said, okay? Don't trust me with your life, okay?"

        What she was asking was impossible. Dipper couldn't just turn off his trust in her when she hadn't done anything wrong in the slightest. But she needed to hear him say it, even if it was a lie. "Alright, I. . .I won't."

        She hummed quietly, and if she knew it was a lie, she didn't say anything else. They just sat on the edge of the rooftop, sitting comfortably in the isolation that the world cut away for them.

        Whatever happens to me, I will make sure everyone else is safe. Dipper promised himself as he glanced down at Scarlett's sleeping form resting warmly and silently against him.

        Sorry, Lettie, I hope you will forgive me for the lie I told tonight.

___________________
So many broken hearts, promises, and friendships. Trust me, this hurts me just as much as it hurts you guys. Love sure is a fragile and difficult dance like they say, now isn't it? There's always going to be someone who gets hurt.

To anyone who wants to see, this is the flower that Dipper was comparing Scarlett to:

There's some interesting symbolism with the lycoris flower, one I didn't spend too much time thinking about 😅

Stay safe out there, and keep smiling my lovelies!