Discover Top Posts Tagged with #arkaena

Text Messaging Rates May Apply

Rating: Teen Word Count: 13,379 Co-written by: skimmingmilk and syl-writes-stuff Summary: Despite the time difference and the distance between them, Dipper and Wirt manage to balance their day-to-day lives and their relationship one text at a time. Thanks to Arkaena for the art!!

Set between parts 4 and 5 of “Mystery Best Friends”

A/N: So we definitely deviate from our normal writing style in this one. We wanted to show all the facets of a modern long-distance relationship, so we'll have texting, phone calls, video chatting, and emails exchanged in a 24 hour period of our favorite nerd children <3

This is also going to include some picture messages, and the art was supplied by the wonderful Arkaena! Please, please, please go check her out! She should be posting full versions of the art soon and she's brilliantly talented and deserves all the love

Thanks so much, Arkaena! We truly do appreciate every single drawing you did for this work and everything you do outside of it <3

[AO3]

Text Messaging Rates May Apply

Wirt’s Timezone: Eastern Standard

----

0300: I know you’re asleep, but I’m going to sleep now, so you’ll see this in the morning.

0301: Love you <3 Have a not-awful day

-

0745: uggggggggggggggh

0745: <3

0852: Sending you a proper good morning now that I don’t feel like any and all light sources have a personal vendetta against me.

0853: Good morning <3

0855: Texting and walking is a bad idea. Just so you know.

-

1002:

1004: Alarm didn’t go off, got to wake up to that. So your ugh is lost on me

1015: It’s me. Dipper gave me his phone. We’re in the car. He deserved to wake up to that, give him no sympathy

1035: Phone re-acquired. Mabel’s the worst.

-

1050: What did you do?

-

1055: Wow. You immediately take her side. That hurts, man <///3

1057: And it wasn’t even my fault. How was I supposed to know that she left her English essay in the printer queue when I cleared it last night to print mine out? Who leaves something in a printer queue?

1057: MY CRAZY FREAKING SISTER.

-

1058: Fair point.

1059: I’m sorry she woke you with your own sousaphone, you didn’t deserve that.

1100: Just as long as she was able to still print it in time though

-

1104: I may or may not have used the last of the paper

1104: I also may or may not have made her late by oversleeping

1104: She may or may not now have to turn the paper in late depending on whether or not the librarian let her into the library to use their printer

1105: Still not my fault. She should’ve printed it instead of leaving it in the queue and going to bed.

1105: Just saying.

-

1127: Why didn’t she print it last night?

-

1128: Because she was “tired” and wanted to look it over when she woke up before really actually printing it. I mean, she was up til 11. Which is weird for her, you know that.

-

1142: Yeah, it is.

1144: Hope she was able to print it :/

1148: And that your paper was worth it ;P

-

1150: pssh. My paper’s amazing. For psych. Wrote it on dreams because why let all that research we did go to waste?

1150: If it doesn’t get an A, I’ll question the school’s grading system

1150: Maybe file a lawsuit

1150: Get a fancy lawyer. Or just Grunkle Stan since I’m pretty sure he could talk his way through a courtroom

1151: Then again he’s more than likely got a warrant or two out for him. Nevermind. Scratch that.

1151: Is your phone going off like crazy in your pocket? c:

1151: I know it is, and you’re ignoring it

1151: Don’t ignore it

1152: Wirt, my feelings.

1152: ow. it’s been, like, two minutes

1152: jsghdkjsdjkw

1152: I love you

1152: Even though you’d rather pay attention in class than to me

1152: For shame.

-

1155: :)

1155: I love you too

1156: And it’s lunch now so you have my complete and undivided attention <3

1156: If you still want to talk about hypothetically suing the school or whatever

1157: Except I’m walking now so it might be a minute

1157: Your need for me will have to wait

1158: Unless you want me to walk into another door.

-

1159: Is that what you did? omg, I love you. Again. Still. Forever. <3

1159: Physics let out early, so I’ve got twenty minutes to kill before calc.

1200:

1200: The remains of an early release on a Friday morning. 2spooky.

1201: What’re you having for lunch? I’m thinking about stopping somewhere on the way back to the HS cuz I don’t 100% trust w/e Mabel packed for me. I’m tempted to take it to one of the science la

1201: bs and have it tested. But then I’d miss calc and dad would somehow find out, and, yeah. I’m just gonna not trust it.

-

1201: Good call. I wouldn’t.

1201: I also lied and am still texting and walking

1202: No wait, sitting now. Hang on.

-

1203: I like how you tell me to hang on like I’m not going to? What am I gonna do? Turn off the phone?

-

1204:

1204: Picture courtesy of Sara, she wanted you to know that.

1205: Sandwich is peanut butter and I’ve also got pretzels.

1206: And I don’t know. Maybe. Be quiet :P

-

1206: Most boring lunch except your peanut butter sandwiches are the best and I want one.

1206: Also, tell Sara hi. Hope she’s been practicing pool so we can have a rematch

1207: Don’t tell her this part, but I’m going to beat her again >:)

1207: Also, I like the sweater choice today. My shirt’s blue too, which is cool. Accidentally matching my very cute boyfriend with his boring lunch <3

-

1209: Excuse you, there is nothing boring about tiny twists.

1210: I am a fan of accidental matching though, so I’ll forgive your criticism of my very delicious lunch.

1210: Also I told Sara everything >:) She says hi back and that she’s going to make you eat those words.

1211: Bet my “boring” lunch would taste better than them.

-

1214: First of all, I can’t believe you told her

1214:

1215: Second of all,

1215:

-

1218: :)

1218: I love you <3

1218: You have a very adorable face and I miss it.

-

1218: I love you too <3<3<3<3

1219: Really missing you, and really ready for it to be June.

1219: That should happen tomorrow. Let’s start a petition. The rest of April and May are cancelled. It’s settled.

-

1220: I’m all for it.

1220: Should I book a flight for California or Oregon? <3

-

1221: Well, if we’re talking tomorrow, California. But! Speaking of flights, I totally forgot to tell you.

-

1226: Tell me…?

-

1227: Sorry. Class started, homework shuffle happened.

1227: Anyway.

1228: Pacifica said you and Greg are totally okay to fly with her. She’s going to hang out around Boston once her school lets out for summer, and - trust me - she’s plenty happy to wait and make one trip than send Goffrey back and forth.

-

1229: Oh! Okay, um…

1229: Wow, I just texted “um.”

1230: I’ll run that by mom then, see what she says. Pretty sure Greg and I get out around the same time as schools in Boston though, but I’ll double check. Might be a week apart maybe.

1231: Can’t believe you’ll have been done for like two or three weeks already though :c

-

1233: 1) You start later.

1233: 2) You have snow days to make up.

1234: 3) This doesn’t belong in this list b/c it’s semi-unrelated, but Pacifica goes to that fancy boarding school thing, so she gets out the same time as me. So she’ll definitely be done by the time you are

1234: 4) Also doesn’t belong on this list

1235: 5) I love you. < belongs on every list

-

1319: 1) Sorry lunch ended.

1319: 2) I’m sad about the two week thing because that’s two weeks where I could be with you if I wasn’t in school.

1320: 3) Snow days are awesome, but I’d give them up in a heartbeat for more you days.

1332: 4) I’m not done yet but I’m in class so shh

-

1332: *loud noises*

-

1332: 5) I love you too

1332: 6) <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

-

1333: We’ll have a whole summer of us days soon. Not soon enough, but soon!!

1333: Class is out. Off to the HS. Also, Mabel got her paper printed and I’ve been told not to eat the sandwich. So very good call not trusting the food. She poured hot sauce on it

1336: Got bored waiting for dad to bring the car around, tasted sandwich. Currently living in regret. Don’t tell Mabel.

1338: Dad is laughing at me. He’s probably going to tell Mabel.

1338: I get to drive! No texting </3 Will get back with you soon~!

-

1344: Drive safe! <3

1344: Also: Dipper why.

1344: I am also laughing at you.

1345: Silently and internally so not to arouse suspicion,

1345: but still laughing.

1345: Won’t tell Mabel though :)

-

1402: She told me it would be too hot for me to handle, so I had to. I mean, how could I not?

1403: I did drive safely, though, and arrived in one, hungry piece. Dad was too annoying for me to stop, and lunch doesn’t technically start for ten more minutes. At least I’ll be the first one in line. I’m thinking a la carte pizza.

-

1433: Did you get the pizza?

1433: Hope so, I’m in need of some good news.

-

1434: Got pizza, lit club’s wrapping up. What’s wrong? Are you okay?

-

1434: Yeah, I’m fine

1435: Just… didn’t do so great on my last chemistry test.

1435: I dunno. Thought I did better than I actually did, you know?

-

1436: </3 It’s okay, pilgrim. Chemistry sucks anyway (says the chemistry prof’s son)

1436: What’d you end up getting?

1442: Come on, Wirt. Just tell me, it’s okay. Not like I’ll judge.

-

1445: I don’t really want to tell the chemistry prof’s son…

1446: ...58

-

1448: Ow. Can you make it up?

1448: You need help studying?

1448: You know if you need help, you just gotta ask

1449: You need me to do anything?

1449: I still love you even if you’re bad at chemistry

-

1451: <3

1451: I love you too, thanks.

1452: I just didn’t think I needed help, you know?

1452: I thought I understood it this time and it’s disappointing.

1452: I’m disappointed.

1454: But Sara’s going to go over the test with me. No make-ups, but this stuff will be on the final, so I’ve got to get it. I definitely have a C in this class now and junior year’s important for colleges and I can’t get anything lower than a C

1455: I’ll let you know if I need any extra help, I mean I probably will but I know you’re busy with your own things and you should totally 100% focus on your things

1455: besides I don’t even know what it is I don’t know yet which is frustrating

1455: and dumb

1456: but yeah, I’ll let you know if there’s anything.

1456: Class is getting out in a bit and I’ll be picking up Greg so if I don’t text back for a while that’s why. Don’t think I’m like super upset or anything. I’ll be fine. It’s fine.

1456: I love you.

-

1457: I love you too.

1458: Never too busy for you. Ever. Let me help. I want to help. <3

1458: You need to let Greg hug you since I can’t, and that’s the worst right now because I know you’re beating yourself up and don’t. Stop it. Chemistry’s not your thing; it’s not a big deal. You’re a poet, my poetic pilgrim. You won’t ever even need chemistry.

1459: But passing the class is important, and you’ve got a geeky boyfriend who likes math and science and stuff, so use me, okay?

1459: Sara helping tonight? We still skyping later?

-

1504: She’s coming with me to pick up Greg and then we’re going to look over the test when we’re home, make notes of what it is I don’t get.

1504: and totally binge on the best of comfort food snacks and watch movies because he’s so beating himself up over this and that’s just not acceptable

1505: especially cuz like half the class failed it. it was a hard test and our teacher majorly sucks, so it’s so not his fault

1505: also hi Dipper :) it’s Sara. Wirt’s getting crap from his locker.

1505: too much crap for the weekend, omg Wirt

1505: already gave him a hug, but will def have Greg give him one too asap

-

1507: Sara you're basically my second favorite person right now. Thanks :) can't text in this class. My life is pain.

-

1507: Still skyping later, yeah. Whenever you’re free.

1508: Aw :c

1508: Life is so hard for you. Now you actually have to pay attention in class.

1509: And I need to pay attention while walking, I just tripped and Sara’s laughing at me, so I’ll leave you for now with an “I love you” and “I miss you” and “talk to you soon.”

1509: I love you

1510: I miss you

1510: Talk to you soon

1510: I love you < realized that the order was kinda off and wanted to end on “I love you.”

1510: <3

-

1515: Taking a major risk to inform you that I love you too <3

1515: Also you ended on a heart, but I guess that's an acceptable substitute.

1523: A guy who sits diagonal from me just put his gum under the desk. I thought that was a thing people put in a movies to pretend to be “edgy” and “hip” and other things that aren’t accurate portrayals of high school life at

1523: all. I have never seen somebody actually do that. Why would somebody do that. I am really disgusted but I also want to question him because WHY.

1545: Mabel found out. Crap. Hi to Greg from us both. She said obbwaffle

1546: I have been informed that it’s ob-waffle. omg.

1546: How you feeling?

-

1548: hi Dipper!!!! hi Mabel!!!! ob-waffle!! :D

1548: love Greg <3

1550: I’m okay. Dreading the moment mom asks, “so how’d that chemistry test go?” and I’ll have no choice but to let her know that all her worst nightmares have come true as she is now the proud mother of a failure.

1550: But other than that, I’m okay.

1551: Gonna have some apple slices and peanut butter for snacks.

1551: Sara and Greg think we should order a pizza, but it’s too early and I’m feeling apples so they’ll have to be content with that for now.

1552: Did you ask the guy about the gum?

-

1552: Your mom isn’t going to think you’re a failure, come on. Your mom’s awesome

1603: We’re out of apples at home so I’m jealous. And I didn’t ask the guy about the gum, and had literally just stopped regretting that decision. Now I’m back to regretting it so thanks. But now I’m also

1603: kind of wondering if the next person who sits at that desk will notice that there’s gum or if it’ll never be noticed. That would be the weirdest short story in the world. A tale of gum or something dumb like that. I’d

1603: read it. This class is boring, and I’m bored. Geography is boring. I wish we’d talk about the culture more in this class, but no that would be too interesting it has to be boring im bored ive lost all hope and punctuation ugh

-

1607: Oh my gosh, I love you

1608: Sorry you’re so bored. I’d read the tale of gum, too. It could follow the gum’s life from being unwrapped from its foil prison to its inevitable mastication, until it’s pressed against the bottom of the desk - thinking never will

1608: it be seen again - until lo and behold! - the janitor comes along and scrapes it free.

1609: I’d come up with more, but I really gotta devote my whole attention to this chem stuff.

1609: So if you don’t hear from me for a while, you know why.

-

1609: Warning you now, then, put your phone away. Or on silent totally, no vibrate. I’m going to text you because I have literally nothing else to do.

1611: Ugh.

1612: Ughugh.

1613: Ughughugh.

1613: This boredom will never end

1616: Crap

1617: I’m bored. I’m going to do a thing. Ignore the thing

1617: Omg, why am I doing this. I can’t get this out of my head. You said you’d read it, so get ready. Omg, I’m so lame. I don’t know why I’m doing this, but it’s happening. I’ll probably get bored halfway through, but whatever.

1618: A Tale Of Gum, aka I’m Too Bored to Function

1620: It was a nice beginning, being with my brothers and sisters. Wrapped cozy and tight in a dark little box the person opened every now and then. He would adopt my siblings one by one and sometimes strangers would be

1620: given the opportunity to make their selection. We would cheer for the ones selected and wait, each of us whispering to the other and wondering, hoping, that today would be our day.

1621: And then it was my day. It started ordinarily enough, a sibling plucked and taken away in the early hours, and we all quivered in anticipation for the next inevitable cascade of light, each standing at attention when the

1621: sparkle covered our shining, individual prisons once more.

1622: Today when his fingers reached, they discovered me and pulled me from my family. They cheered as I bid them farewell, but all was soon silent when they were once again closed off from the light and tucked away in

1622: an even larger pouch. A home within a home. Quaint.

1623: It was with some surprise that I soon found myself unwrapped from my confines, my former prison crushed and dropped casually. Attentions on that, I nearly missed the whitened gates of my next prison and could only

1623: be stunned when they closed directly onto my being. There was little pain as I was stretched and mashed, as my body was turned into a translucent bubble for the amusement of others again and again.

1624: It was fun, really, the longer it went on. Twisting and rolling from one side to the other and thoroughly mashed and mangled. Was this excitement what awaited my remaining siblings? They were right to fill themselves with antic

1624: ipation!

1625: And yet, as I grew tired, feeling almost tasteless rather, trepidation began to fill me. Where were my past siblings? Those who had previously been taken? Surely if this thrilling ride was to last, they would still be within sight! I

1625: was alone, however, wariness and weariness growing in tandem until the ride simply stopped.

1626: The fingers which had plucked me from my first home and freed me from my prison now took me from the damp confines of my veritable theme park. I could only wonder what was next. Would I now see those past members of my family?

1627: To my horror and sorrow, it was not to be. I was, instead, pressed to the underside of a flat surface. I could see the large home my family still lived in, the slight sheen of my crumpled prison still on the floor by its side, and little else

1627: as I was suspended in air. The surface I was pressed to was firm.

1627: And lonely.

1628: The home moved with the ringing of a bell, and he left me to hang. Others came and went through the day, my mangled body going unnoticed until darkness began to filter through and a grumbling person with fluff on his

1628: face scratched me away with a flat, cold object.

1629: I did my best to cling to the surface I had been pressed to, but soon found myself being dropped into a new place. A plastic, odd sort of place.

1629: To my delight, there were others like me. Shapes, colors, and sizes I had never before dreamed jumbled together. They became my new family and I theirs as we embarked on the next stage of our journey together.

1630: The end.

1630: Kill me, I’m so bored. 15 more minutes, GOD.

-

1632: You need to actually write that down so I can frame it or something. Bind it. Not sure if it’ll be long enough to bind, but I don’t care, I need a physical copy of that in my life.

1633: You have no idea how much that made my day, oh my gosh

1633: I love you and your mind when it’s bored <3

-

1634: omg, no. That was awful and dumb. I love you too, but no.

-

1634: No I need it! :c

1635: What if all our text messages somehow get erased and it’s lost forever to the fabric of space and time and I never get to read it again?

1635: I’ve read it twice already, just so you know

1636: Sara thinks I look like a dork because I’m grinning like one apparently. She has no idea what you sent me, but she says keep doing it.

-

1639: What are you even talking about? Why would you read it TWICE?

1639: If you let her read it, she’d think it was lame too. omg.

1640: 5 more minutes.

-

1640: It’s not lame. You’re lame ;P

-

1641: I’m going to die. No one needs to read that. I regret sending it. omg

-

1642: I’m not going to show her if you really don’t want me to, or Greg either, but don’t regret sending it.

1643: Seriously, I haven’t smiled since chemistry and now I can’t stop, it was seriously entertaining and it just made me happy to think about you sitting in class writing all of that out and thinking about the point of view

1643: of gum <3

-

1644: Okay. If it made you smile, totally worth sending. <3 Usually I just put stupid stuff like that in my notebook and don’t subject anybody else to it, but I felt like texting you.

1645: BELL. THANK GOD.

1646: Two more classes then home free. Except Mabel has dance practice right after school today, which means I’ll be trapped here an extra hour and a half. I’ll record some of it. Maybe. Sneak my phone out and send it to you

1646: since I don’t actually think you’ve seen her dance for real yet. Just her random moves. Have you seen Breakfast Club? She can do that whole routine. I don’t know and never will know why. But yeah.

1647: Texting and walking. Not a good idea. You’re right.

-

1701: I’m always right :)

1702: But yeah, definitely send the videos if you can. I’ve seen Breakfast Club and that’s pretty impressive. Sara also wants to see since she used to dance and stuff. And Greg, too, obviously.

1702: He wants to see her be the disco girl.

-

1715: She probably won’t be a disco girl, but I’ll see if I can goad her into it. Her dance teacher might flip, but Pines twins do what they want >:)

1720: Can’t text in this class. Why can’t English teachers just stay in the front of the room like every other teacher? Stop walking by me, omg.

-

1810: I hate stoichiometry.

1810: I hate Le Chatelier's Principle.

1810: Just put me out of my misery.

-

1812: Stoichiometry’s just measurements. And math. And equations!

1812: That’s basically all Le Chatelier's Principle is too but more about balance.

1813: You’ll get it, Wirt c: I’ve got faith in you, man.

-

1828: At least one of us does.

1828: Taking a break for now, my brain hurts and I feel stupid.

1829: Like everything I got wrong on the test was either a stupid mistake or me thinking I was doing something else entirely. I kept doing the opposite of what I was supposed to be doing.

1829: But whatever

1829: I’ll dwell on it more later. Movie time now. And ordering pizza time. Mom has to work late and Jonathan said it’s fine. Ugh. I’m so transparent, he can totally tell something’s up.

-

1830: 15 minutes left of school

1830: It’s okay that you’re totally transparent. Your heart’s not just on your sleeve; it’s all over your cute face that I miss. c:

1832: At least now you see how your teacher’s wording the questions on his tests so you can recognize what he’s looking for better. I mean, I’ve taken some of the tests dad writes and it’s like chem teachers are TRYING to

1832: write the most annoyingly phrased questions. I don’t get it. It just makes things needlessly hard and confusing.

-

1840: I know. I know part of it is being able to simplify something that’s overly complicated

1840: But I just make things MORE overly complicated, if that’s even possible.

1841: At least there’s only a few more weeks of this torture. As long as I pass. I have to pass. I don’t want to take chemistry again. I want to take physics. I get physics. Physics makes sense. Well, more sense.

1842: More sense than chemistry.

1842: Everything makes more sense than chemistry.

-

1842: PHYSICS <3 Yes, take physics. Way better than chem. Wow. Yes. Do that. Absolutely. Physics. Physics physics physics. Anything can be understood and accomplished with some physics. And most physics profs

1842: make things more understandable because, like, it’s really hard to make physics more complicated and it’s really easy to make chem more complicated and physics.

1843: I’m thinking about taking two physics classes next fall. Hopefully I can fit them in.

1844: One more minute til the bell

1845: BELL. Weekend can now begin. Heck yeah!!

1845: I love you, by the way. Haven’t said that in a while

-

1845: I love you too <3

1846: You’re so cute when you get excited about physics <3 <3

1846: Also I read “A Tale of Gum” again, so my good mood is back <3 <3 <3

1846: And weekend! Now we can talk all hours for two whole days! As if we don’t do that already <3 <3 <3 <3

-

1855: I’m in the dance studio. There are girls everywhere and zero guys which is kind of a shame because it’s like dancing’s not only for girls but high school and stereotypes, I guess.

1856: Why would you read it again? I don’t understand.

1857: The difference between the weekend and the week is you’re a lot less likely to leave me hanging for a whole hour at a time while class happens. ;p It’s a good thing you’re the one ahead cuz I don’t think I’d be

1857: able to handle it if I was able to text you a million things constantly after school and not get a response back with you afraid to text in class.

1858: Just watched this girl throw a shoe at another girl and now there’s a shoe fight. What on earth. Why. Don’t throw shoes at people?

-

1901: Why would they do that? Are they throwing tap shoes or ballet shoes or regular shoes? Two of those have the potential to hurt a lot. That’s dangerous.

1902: And I read it again because it’s yours and you wrote it and I wanted to c:

1902: I think whenever I’m sad and you ask me if there’s anything you can do, I’m going to ask you to write me stories. I think I’m going to make this a thing.

-

1950: No one wants to read my stories.

-

1950: I’m sorry

1950: I won’t bug you about it anymore I just thought it was really fun and that maybe it could be a thing but if you don’t want to that’s fine

1951: I mean I’m a writer too and I get it it’s personal and private but I just wanted you to know that I really did like it and I’ll stop now because this is probably making it worse and I paused the movie and Sara and Greg are waitin

1951: g but I had to text you back right away and yeah I’m sorry

1951: I love you

-

1952: I love you too

1953: It’s okay. I’m not a writer, but it’s okay. Sorry. Had to get out of the line of fire cuz it was kind of a combination of shoes until the dance teacher came in and then, you know, filming Mabel like I said I would. I emailed it cuz your phone’s awful for video

2000: But I guess if you really want maybe sometimes I can write you dumb things I guess

-

2000: I do really want

2001: If that’s okay

-

2010: okay

2012: So how was pizza? What movie are you watching? You’re not annoying them by pausing it every single time I text you, are you?

2012: Home soon, by the way. This thing’s winding down. Then food, hopefully. Starving.

-

2014: I’m letting it play now. Greg put a pillow between us to hide the glow of the screen. Pizza was good and we’re watching Star Wars. First one.

2014: Or fourth one? New Hope.

2015: We’ll watch the video after and then maybe you’ll be done with dinner and we can skype?

2015: If you still want to.

2015: It’s okay if you don’t.

2015: I don’t know. Ignore me.

-

2016: I still want to!! I miss you. I want to.

2016: I’m sorry. I’m not mad or anything, seriously. I love you. Of course I still want to skype. It’s not like you did anything wrong. It’s fine.

2017: Just

2017: Don’t tell Mabel. Don’t tell anybody? Please.

-

2017: I won’t, I promise.

2020: Can I ask why?

2020: I mean

2022: I just want to understand, I guess. I mean, I do already sort of. I don’t like just anybody reading my things either, but I dunno. This feels a little different.

-

2023: Of course it’s different. You’re a writer. I’m just wasting my time. It’s just when I’m bored and stuff. It’s not important, so I just don’t want anybody to know

-

2026: I don’t know. It’s not like I’m writing to impress anybody. I just do it because I’m bored, too. And have no filter when it comes to waxing poetic all the time. So if you get to call me a writer, I don’t see why you wouldn’t be one

2026: too.

2027: By your definition, anyway.

2027: But if it’s something you enjoy doing, then it’s not a waste of time.

2027: At least I don’t think so.

-

2035: Dance thing’s done and Mabel’s back from the locker room. Home soon. I’m driving.

-

2038: Okay.

2038: Drive safe. I love you.

2038: <3

-

2116: Made it home, drove very safe. Used turn signals properly ;p

2119: And I’m sorry. Seriously. I know I’m being kind of a jerk, but I don’t know how to explain it. I was thinking about it in the car, and I really just don’t know. It makes me feel good, I guess, writing my crap. But at the same

2119: time it’s just not something I want to talk about. It exists, nobody knows it exists, and I like it that way. I don’t know why I sent you the gum thing. Like. I wasn’t kidding when I said I regretted it, but you liked it. You

2119: say you like it, and that’s the weirdest feeling too. So I just don’t know how to talk about this thing I never talk about, so I’m being a jerk. And I’m sorry. I just really love you, and I trust you. You can ask me for stories if

2119: you’re sad. I don’t mind. It’s you, so it’s different. Just please don’t tell anybody and please don’t call me a writer. It throws everything off in my head.

-

2127: Okay. I really love you too and I guess I was just excited to find out that you wrote things like stories when you’re bored, too. But I won’t tell anybody. And we don’t have to talk about it unless you want to.

2128: And you’re not a jerk.

2128: Your secrets are just too secret.

2128: And that’s okay :) you can have secret secrets.

2129: I know you regretted it, but really… thank you for sharing your secret secret with me.

2129: I’ll take it to the grave. And that’s a rock fact.

-

2130: Can you check your email? By yourself in, like, five minutes?

-

2130: Yeah, definitely

-

2140: Took longer than 5 cuz I kind of stared at the send button for a while. Wrote this yesterday, and it’s probably why I’m telling you stuff today? I don’t know. It’s a different style, completely. But you know.

2141: Finally hit send cuz mom called me for food though, so talk to you after. Love you.

From: Dipper Pines ([email protected])

To: Wirt Palmer ([email protected])

Subject: (no subject)

I think of mismatched shoes. I think of one of them being loosely tied because he wasn’t paying enough attention to match them properly, let alone tie them tightly. So I’ll wait until one comes undone and laugh at him as I kneel down and tie it for him. “Oh my god, you’re going to just fall over and die one day,” I’ll tease and look up to see him looking down, but not quite at me. His gaze will be averted, pink dusting his cheeks.

And then I think about him falling. Tripping over whatever it was he wasn’t paying enough attention to because his mind is a million miles away. His breath will catch, his arms pinwheeling for balance.

I’ll grab his hand, keeping him off balance to twirl him close and we’ll both end up falling. Wherever we land - the floor or the grass outside - I’ll cushion him. He takes my breath away anyway, so it’ll hardly matter when his body landing on mine makes it whoosh out. When I look up, it’ll be to admire the wrinkles in his nose when it scrunches. When I kiss him, I’ll be laughing and it’ll muffle his too.

But then what I can do now but think about his lips? So shy against mine. Then softer, yielding slowly. Ot firm against mine. Parting against mine, with mine, tongues dancing in an intimate display designed only to please. His hands will be around me, gripping my hips, buried in my hair, cupping my cheeks.

I love his hands, so I think about them next. I think about the way they reach for me, reach for mine. I think about how long his fingers are, how slender, and the way they twine so easily with mine. The affectionate display can bring such comfort with a simple squeeze. “I’m here,” it says, so I know my head can fall to his shoulder.

I think of so much, really. His body is poetry in motion. His lips spill more, and I love the way the words fall on my heart. I love the way they brighten my soul.

So when I think of April slipping slowly into May, bringing a change of seasons, I think of love. I think of making the days count. I think of making the moments last. I think of long days and short nights. Skin like porcelain when bathed in the warm glow of France or in the dancing lights of singing goddesses.

I think of summer; I think of him.

2149: please finish dinner soon so I can call you, I need to hear your voice and see your face

2150: I love you so much

2150: I need to tell you as close to in-person as possible

-

2213: I know you mean over skype, but can I call your phone? I’ve gotta take a walk, get outside.

-

2213: Yes

2213: Call me

2214: On the phone, phone’s fine. I’m going outside too.

-

2217: Calling now

-

10:17pm Incoming Call... Dipper

“I love you. Not as close to in-person as possible, but close enough.”

“Hey, well, the first time you told me was on the phone too. So it works. I love you too.”

“I know. Oh my gosh, do I know. Um… sorry, I know we said we wouldn’t talk about it, but I’m still… Wow, I don’t even know- know what to say. So maybe I won’t say anything. I don’t know. Do you want me to? I want to, a little, a lot, but only if you do. I can complain about chemistry if you’d rather hear that.”

“No, I mean- It’s okay. I kind of figured- I mean, you didn’t say anything about it when you texted me so I kind of expected you to talk about it. That’s part of the reason why I went outside. If we skyped right now, Mabel’d be all over the place and... yeah. So we can- we can talk about it. That’s fine.”

“Okay. Yeah, okay. Right. Um… I loved it. Y-yeah. And… I don’t know. I never thought- I never thought I could be… inspiration or something. I don’t know. It was… it was really good. You made me feel like… like you were right here with me, I could see us perfectly. I could hear you. Feel you… in the words. I just- I loved it. Thank you so much. For letting me read it.”

“Oh. Oh. Um. Oh. Uh. My hands are shaking, and I don’t know what to do. I mean- I can’t really- I’ve only let people read stuff I write if it’s required for school, and this is two in one day. So my hands are shaking and maybe the rest of me.” Nervous laughter. “Did you really... You liked it? Seriously?”

“Uh-huh… y-yeah. I did. I do. Love it. More than… more than that pine tree and palm tree poem. Like, way more. And I- I wish I could hug you. If I was with you right now, I’d be hugging you. Really tight so you wouldn’t have to shake alone. ‘Cause I’m kinda shaking, too. You know, in the heart? Like that feeling when your chest gets really tight and it feels like it’s trembling inside, but not in a bad way. I’m feeling that right now.”

“You sound like you’re about to start crying. Wow. Don’t- Wow, Wirt.”

“I’m not…”

“You are. Oh my god. Nothing I’ve written has ever made anybody- You really- I love you. I love you, Wirt. You liked it that much, wow.”

“I just- I didn’t expect it. I didn’t expect it and… and it was pretty. You write so pretty and I- I didn’t even know you could and I’m just really happy. Your words make me happy. You make me happy. I love you.”

“I-I love you, too. Wow. Just...” Ragged breath. “I really want to be with you right now. I could really use that hug. I’m still scared, but happy and I’m missing you so bad that it’s like an ache right now. I really think June needs to happen tomorrow.”

“Me too. I miss you so much. When I stop crying, I’m buying that plane ticket to California. I’ll wear mismatched shoes for you and leave the laces undone so I can fall into your arms as I leave the terminal. But if we both start to fall, don’t cushion me. Airport floors are hard and I don’t want you to throw out your back or something. Break a hip. I don’t know. Your arm. I mean, that’s rich coming from the guy who’s had two broken arms this year, but you get what I mean. What do I mean? I don’t even know what I’m talking about anymore. I miss you. It needs to be June.”

“Yeah, it does. Yeah. Basically two months and... It’s so far away. It didn’t feel so far away earlier, so maybe I should’ve given you something else to read. But I- My head’s spinning. You’re crying, my head’s spinning, and I’m babbling now. I think I’m babbling. I know you are, but- okay, yeah, I’m babbling. I should stop. There are all these words and they’re not making sense because I kind of just can’t believe that I told you. And...

“Oh my god, I can’t believe I told you. And I sent you the dumbest thing earlier and just now basically one of the most personal things ever and- and- I don’t know. I laid down in the grass like a complete idiot, by the way. I’m laying here and my head’s spinning.”

Wet chuckle. “I’m sitting in the grass. Now I’m lying down, pretending I’m lying next to you. I love you.”

“Okay, so we can both be complete idiots. That’s cool. I think I’m done babbling.”

“Yeah? It’s okay if you’re not. It’s refreshing when I’m not the only one babbling.”

“Well, yours is really sweet babbling and mine’s freaking out. So.” Pause. “Yeah. I think I’m done. Sorry. I think I’m making this into a way bigger deal than it should be.”

“Mm-mm. If it’s a big deal to you, then it’s a big deal. Don’t worry about whether or not it should be. Like I said earlier, writing can be a pretty personal thing. It’s making physical a part of you that normally no one else can see.”

“I... Yeah, I- I guess that’s... Yeah. I am, uh... I’m really glad you liked it. Both of them. I mean... I’ve gotta question the mental health of the part of me that’s gum in a wrapper.”

“Hey, personification’s a thing. People have written about worse things, I’m sure. I’m just glad getting mashed up by a person’s teeth - the kind of person who just sticks his used gum under his desk and leaves it, bleh - anyway, I’m glad you made it a fun experience instead of painful. And how it dwindled as the taste faded. It makes sense.” Pause. “Are the stars out yet where you are? Don’t know when sunset is in spring for you.”

“Been watching them come out since I got out here. Sun’s falling fast.” Sigh. “See me up there?”

“Yeah. You’re kind of hard to miss. Still wish I had the real thing in front of me though.”

“Soon, man. Summer’s coming closer every day, and at least right now we’ve got the weekend. Still wanna skype if you’re up for it. Pretty late there in Lakeville, city of lakes.”

“Pfft. Not that late. Besides, I’d skype with you any time. You could call me up at four in the morning my time and say, ‘hey, man, get out of bed and get on the computer, I want to see your face.’ And I’d probably complain about it the entire time, but I’d still do it.”

“You wouldn’t complain the entire time ‘cause you’d get to see my face.” Laughter. “I’ll test this theory when you least expect it. It’ll happen.”

“Well, now I’ll be ready for it. I’ll be mentally prepared all the time. Vigilant. And I can still complain while inwardly fawning over your gorgeous face. You’ll never know.”

“I’ll know, man. Your feelings are all over your pretty face, which I actually really want to see now. I think I’m gonna go inside and boot up my computer if you’re in.”

“I’m in, yeah. I’ll say goodbye to you in the sky, and then say hi to you again on the screen. Seems like a fair trade.”

“Okay, cool. Mabel’ll be happy. She kinda sorta thinks we’ve been fighting all afternoon.”

“Really? Well, we better fix that then. Can’t have her and Greg thinking we’re not waffles anymore. Or having domestic waffle disputes. I don’t know. Sara and Greg kinda thought something was up earlier, but they didn’t say anything. I think they think I’m still in a funk over my test, which I am happy to let them believe. And you know, is still partially true. Still haven’t told Mom yet, so that’s hanging over my shoulder… okay. Taking her laptop into my room. I’m going to try and attempt the impossible - balancing my phone between my shoulder and face.”

“Please don’t drop either. They both let me talk to you and are very important. Is Amy not home yet or are you just avoiding her? You know she won’t be mad, man. You’re beating yourself up way more than anybody else will. I’m heading in now, by the way. Just got to the porch.”

“Okay. And yeah, I know she’s not going to be that mad - because trust me, she’ll be a little mad, I got an F, Dipper - but I still don’t want to tell her. She is home, by the way. She was eating some leftover pizza when I went outside and I don’t know where she went now. I’ll just wait and tell her tomorrow. Or Sunday. Or never.” Pause. Small gasp. “Whoops. Okay. Close call, but didn’t drop anything. You will still be able to talk to me through both phone and the magic of internet.”

“Wow, way to give me a heart attack. Heading upstairs. And, okay, I can see that she’d be a little mad. But a little mad is still not bad. I mean, if I got an F in chemistry I’d get disowned. Like. On the spot. And as long as she doesn’t ask and you pass the class, you’ll never have to tell her.”

“Yeah. Except it might have to come up sooner or later. Starting next week there’s going to be extra help offered after class on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I think I should go. I mean, this isn’t the first time I’ve done badly, but it’s definitely the worst and if there’s a chance something like this will help, then I’m all for it, but it means Greg will have to either take the bus or wait with Jonathan, so she’ll have to know. And I’m sorry, but I probably won’t text at all during the extra help, but at least that’s the class you can’t text in anyway. I’m sure you’ll be able to survive the hour.”

“Somehow. Barely. But still- hm? Yeah, it’s Wirt.” Muffled question. “We’re fine. Oh my god. Hey, tell Mabel we’re fine.”

“If you’re not fine, I totally understand. Dipper’s a brat.”

“We’re fine. He’s not a brat. He has a hard life, he has to put up with dating me and not having my attention constantly.”

“Hm. Wirt says you’re a brat and deserve none of his time.”

Muffled “What?!” and sound of tussle. “Ow!”

Calling Wirt Palmer...

Answer with Video

“Yes, Mabel, that’s exactly what I said,” Wirt laughed as he adjusted the screen of his laptop, the camera aimed a bit too high. His tongue poked out as he fiddled with it until he was more center. “There we go.”

“You’re both the worst.” Dipper dropped into his desk chair, grinning at his boyfriend. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Wirt smiled back, his eyes lighting up at the sight of him, as if it had been weeks since he’d last seen his face. He leaned back against the headboard of his bed. “Even if you’re a brat and deserve none of my time.”

“Tch. Man.”

Laughing, Mabel ducked into frame and waved. “Hi, Wirt! Is Greg still up? I know it’s late, so it’s okay if he’s not.”

“Speaking of him, did you guys watch the video?”

Mabel blinked. “What video?”

“Meh.”

“Yeah. We watched it right before Sara left and before Greg’s bath. Pretty sure he’s asleep now, but I can sneakily check if you want.” Wirt walked two fingers through the air.

“No, don’t wake him up. It’s just an excuse to skype tomorrow. What video?” she persisted, poking her twin’s shoulder.

He poked back. “I may or may not have recorded some of your practice. Your solo for next week’s recital show thing specifically.”

“Dipper, that’s not even finished!”

“So?”

“Oh my gosh, Dipper!” Mabel waved her hands.

“It was really good, Mabel, and Greg and I have been wanting to see some of your moves in action. Aside from, you know, what you do around the house at random hours of the day. You looked great. And Greg said you were even better than the disco queen.” Wirt grinned at her.

“It’s still not finished.”

“I’ll film her part in the recital thing. It’s, like, a senior showcase deal.”

“But for some reason they let juniors participate every year. School’s weird, but I like it.” She looked from her brother to the screen and back. “You’re both really okay?”

“Oh my god. I told you we weren’t fighting.”

“Well, what you said was-” He placed his palm on her face and pushed. “Dipper!” she laughed.

“Goodbye, Mabel.”

“You’re such a brat!”

“We’re not really fighting, Mabel. Promise.” Wirt drew an x over his heart with his index finger, then paused and raised an eyebrow. “Wait, what did you say?”

“Mehmeh.”

“To be fair, he did say he was pretty sure you weren’t. But he also said he was being a huge jerk and-”

“Well, we’re not. So go away. You can talk tomorrow.”

“Okay. Did you tell him about Pacifica?”

“Oh my god, yes, go away.”

“Let’s give him a break tonight, Mabel. Greg and I’ll talk to you tomorrow. He’s got a macaroni art masterpiece that he wants to show off to you, so he’ll be ready whenever you guys are.” Wirt shrugged a little and waved. “Goodnight.”

“Good. I can’t wait to see it. I’ll-” She broke off on a giggle when Dipper glared at her, but stepped out of frame to head to the door. “If you say ‘go away’ one more time, I’m going to sit in your lap and talk to Wirt until he goes to sleep.”

He ran his tongue over his teeth. “Get out.”

“Brat. ‘Night, Wirt. My favorite half of ob-waffle.” She squealed when he threw a paperback at her. “I’m going! Oh my gosh. I see when I’m not wanted.”

“No, you don’t. That’s basically the whole problem. You’re always in my room.”

“That’s what outliers do best, Dipper.” Wirt grinned, lightly tracing the laptop’s screen where his boyfriend’s cheek was, unable to help being amused by his annoyance. “They have no regard for personal space or privacy. And somehow we love them anyway.”

“Well, my outlier’s gone so I can love her a little more now.” He leaned back in his chair, kicking his feet onto the desk. “So I don’t know what I was saying before she busted in.”

“I don’t know either. I’m sure it’ll come back if it was important though.” Wirt’s smile was all fondness as his gaze took in the familiar pose, sliding down on his bed a little. “I’m really glad we’re not fighting though. I’m sorry if I made you worry about that at all. Unnecessarily.”

“No, I mean- It was just me being stupid, that’s all.” Dipper plucked up a pen, toying with it. “So it’s okay.”

“Okay. Not ‘okay’ to you being stupid, but just to the… the whole thing in general, I guess. Yeah. Bleh. You know, sometimes I wonder how we excel at this whole long-distance thing with our communication skills being what they are.”

“I think it helps that we’re both awful, so we both kind of get it. Or ultimately get it.” Looking up from his pen, Dipper’s grin returned. “And your dumb smiley faces are pretty great.”

Wirt mimicked one of them, the open-mouthed smiley.

“Oh my god.” Dipper’s head fell back on a laugh. “You’re the best. Oh my god. Stop.”

He twisted his lips into what was trying to be the sideways slash expression, brow furrowing and nose scrunching as a result.

“No, I can’t.” Dipper clapped a hand to his mouth, stifling most of the giggle. “I’m serious. Oh my god.”

“You’re right. My dumb smiley faces are pretty great. Clearly they’re what’s keeping this relationship together,” Wirt laughed, unable to hold it in. “Next time you don’t text me back for a while, I’m just going to send you a million smileys. All different ones. You won’t be able to resist.”

“Please. Like ninety percent of the time, you’re the one who takes forever to text back. Paying attention in class or whatever, geez.” He stuck his tongue out at him.

Wirt stuck his out back. “We can’t all be the great Dipper Pines. Master of absorbing knowledge with a snap of his fingers.” Wirt tried to snap and failed, frowning at his own hand.

“Nah, I’m just bad at paying attention to one thing at a time. If you’re not responding, I’m usually doodling or whatever in my notebook. Congrats on being the responsible one in the relationship.”

“Thank you. I appreciate the choice in ‘responsible’ rather than ‘dumb.’” Wirt wiggled down further on his bed, adjusting the camera accordingly. “Though, honestly, before texting took over my life, I would write and scribble little things in my notebooks, too. Or hide a book under my desk and read. You know, like if I’d had to stop in the middle of a chapter or something. It’s like, I can’t be expected to wait to finish it. Obviously I have to at least get to the end. But then I miss the end of the chapter completely and keep going until I realize three or four pages in that I missed it.”

“I do that basically all the time. You tired?”

“Nah. Just feel myself slowly sliding downwards, so I’m expediting the inevitable. If I end up looking gross because of the angle, promise you won’t take any screenshots of me or whatever.”

“I can’t make those promises. My fingers are slipping.” He grabbed the keyboard, situated in his lap, and hit a couple keys. “Whoops. Oh, no, how did this happen?”

Wirt covered the camera with his hand. “You’ve lost all face privileges. Forever.”

“That's not fair!” He laughed. “I like your face. Face privileges are important.”

“Well, you should’ve thought about that before. Now you have to deal with the consequences.”

“You can't hold your hand there forever.”

“Watch me. Oh, wait-” Wirt giggled, thoroughly amused with himself. “You can’t.”

“Wow. Wow, man. I shared my number one, bigger than my birthmark secret and you won’t let me see your face. Wow.”

For a minute he only kept laughing, then finally moved his hand so his face came back into focus. “I love you. Fine. That was just a warning then. First offense and all.”

“I love you too.” His fingers hit the keys again, immediately taking another screenshot.

“I will end this call.” Wirt tried to look stern, but he was smiling too much.

Dipper shrugged, lifting his hands. “But then you wouldn’t get to see my face either. You’d just be punishing yourself, man.”

“I can handle it. You really want to take that chance?” Wirt arched his brow.

Dipper took another screencap. “I think documenting your cute face at every opportunity is worth any risk.”

He stuck his tongue out at him. “Mabel was right. You are a brat.”

“Maybe, but you love me anyway.” He painted on his most innocent expression and hit the keys again. “And you’re not mean enough to deprive me of your face when you’re so very far away, and you know I miss you.”

Wirt hit a few keys of his own, expression softening. “Alright. You’ve got me. I do love you anyway and I miss you, too. I make you suffer enough by not replying to your texts right away, so I guess the least I can do is let you take random screencaps of my face.”

“Did you just take one of me?” Laughing, Dipper squirmed a bit in his seat. “Oh my god, okay.”

“What? You’re not the only one who has a boyfriend with an apparently cute face. And the rest of your body since you’re all relaxed at your desk looking adorable.” He hit the keys again, a blush spreading over his face.

“Fair enough.” Dipper just had to capture the blush, doing so with another laugh. “Are we just going to torture each other with screencaps now? Because I’m definitely saving these on my phone too.”

“That’s not fair. I can’t do that. And what do you need them on your phone for? What are you going to do with them?”

Grinning, Dipper set aside his keyboard and lifted his hips enough to get his phone out of his pocket. “Just gimme a second...” A cord always plugged into his tower was plugged into his phone and he dropped his legs to lean forward and quickly copy files. His phone was picked up again, thumbs quickly swiping over the screen. “And...”

2328:

“New wallpaper.”

“Oh my gosh. Why?” Wirt glanced up from his phone, blush darkening. “You have plenty of pictures of me way better than this one. And what are you going to do with all the others? You took, like, a bazillion.”

Amused, he took another screencap. “I’m going to send them to you for no reason at random points of the day because I can. I mean, seems like a good plan to me.”

“No. No, that’s a bad plan. Bad plan. Why would I want to get a bunch of pictures of me when I could get a bunch of pictures of you instead?”

“Honestly, I have no idea. I’m just having fun with this now. You’re just so cute and flustered.”

“Pfft. And you’re impossible.” Wirt pressed the keys for another screencap of his own, then wiggled, moving the laptop over to the side to rest on the bed as he rolled to face it. One arm tucked under his head, he used the other to straighten the screen to his liking. “Here, I’ll give you some new angles. Prolong your fun. Though I’m surprised your attention is still invested in this.”

“I’m always invested in you.” A stray thought filtered through, which he normally would’ve been able to brush off. But his fingers faltered over the keys, lips pursing. He flicked his gaze up to the screen, quickly looking away as his own blush rose. “Plus, y’know, visual aids are... they’re good for writing,” he mumbled.

Wirt blinked, blush matching as he reached for the keys of the laptop to capture that moment, too. “Yeah.” His agreement was soft as he watched him. “I know what you mean.”

He bit his lip, head ducking to hide the shy curve of his lips. “You would.”

“Yeah, well… it helps that I happen to have a very inspiring… muse.” Wirt smiled at him, tapping the pine tree emblem on his cap, longing flickering in his eyes. “Barren as the arid desert is the space between my sheets, and soundless is the air without the clicking of a pen between your teeth.”

Dipper squirmed, pushing the bill of his cap back. His smile warmed. “There it is. I haven’t heard any sappy poetry in a while.”

Wirt shrugged a little, as well as he could while lying on his side. “I’ll write you some tonight before I go to sleep. I feel like tonight’s a good night for writing some sappy poetry.”

“Well, yeah. Aren’t poets supposed to be tortured souls? I did make you cry so...”

“I don’t think crying from happiness counts as being tortured.” Wirt laughed. “My soul is feeling very loved right now.”

The laugh was quickly captured as well, Dipper wishing he’d thought to pull up recording software. A snapshot of the way his nose wrinkled was better than nothing, but he wanted the sound. The happy, breathless way he laughed.

Longing pulled at his smile, yearning in his eyes. “You are. Your soul and all the rest of you are very, very loved.”

Wirt tapped Dipper’s smile on the screen, his own want for him reflected in his gaze. “So’s yours and you. Every single bit under your cap of cornflower blue.”

“Nice rhyme there. I almost missed it.” He kicked his feet back up, sliding down in the chair and folding his arms behind his head. “So it’s almost tomorrow for you. Think, all things considered, you had a not-awful day?”

“There were some bumps here and there, but I think… I think overall it was a not-awful day, yeah. Mostly thanks to you. Pat yourself on the back, boyfriend, you managed to make my day all the way from Piedmont.” His fond smile turned a bit hesitant, the steady exhaustion that had been creeping into the lines of his face, fading instantly. “What about you? Did you have a not-awful day?”

“Wait, hang on.” Dipper twisted a bit, absolutely patting himself on the back before relaxing again. “There we go. Okay. Yeah.” He grinned. “I think I had a pretty not-awful day. Kind of up and down, I guess, but far from awful.”

“That’s good. I hope you have a far from awful day tomorrow, too. You doing anything?”

“Not that I know of unless mom makes good on her threat to drag me to the mall. Apparently I need new shoes, but mine don’t even have holes in them yet. I’ll send you a mayday text if it gets bad and I need rescuing.”

“Your pilgrim will be sure to save you. I give you permission to tell your mom about how terrible I am at chemistry and that I’m begging you to help me and as a good, decent human being, how could you possibly leave such a dense-headed, sad soul to face chemistry alone? You have no choice but to stay home and tutor me, and trust her judgment when it comes to picking out your shoes.” His overly dramatic tone faded as he grinned sheepishly. “Unless you don’t trust her judgment. Then you should probably go with her and I’ll try and figure out how to text you the screencaps I took of you to entertain you.”

“You seriously just need a better phone. Even though the flip phone suits you.” He shrugged. “Just take selfies and send them if you can’t figure it out.

“But, speaking of your chemistry stuff, I seriously meant it earlier when I said I wanted to help. If I can make your day from Piedmont, I can give you some tutoring. I mean, I already help Mabel. Science isn’t her thing either.”

“I know. And I appreciate the offer, I really do, and I’ll probably end up taking you up on it, I just… I don’t know. I don’t… like asking for help. Not with stuff like this. Not even from Sara. I mean, I didn’t even ask her. She just knew I got a bad grade and basically made it impossible for me to say no. But with you it’s different anyway. I don’t know. Guess I just want you to keep on loving the way my mind works and don’t want you to realize how dumb it can actually be.”

“Dude, you being bad at science stuff doesn’t make me love your brain less. You don’t have to be smart in the same ways as me for me to know you’re smart.” Dipper tilted his head side to side, humming. “You’re analytical in a different way. You see pictures differently than I do, and you’ve got all your poetry up there and your architecture and clocks. So ask me for help when you need it, okay? You know that’s, like, what I do.”

“Yeah… but I don’t want you to feel like that’s what you have to be with me. You know… the guy who helps, since it’s not like I can help you back with school stuff.” Wirt shrugged a little. “I want us to be on the same playing field, it’s- I dunno. It’s dumb. Forget I said anything.”

“No, come on. Like... Don't take this the wrong way because you know I don't mean anything by it, but there's kind of no way for us to be equal as far as school stuff goes? It's different. And there's stuff you're good at that I'm not.” He shrugged. “We don't have to be smart in the same ways to be equal. Plus, I'm not offering because I'm the guy who helps. I'm offering because you're my boyfriend, I love you, and I'd so much rather see you happy than upset because your jerk teacher writes awful tests.”

Wirt looked at him for a long moment before responding, lips quirking up in a small smile despite the worry creasing his brow. “So you won’t feel like I’m taking advantage of you and your brain, just using you for your chemistry know-how?”

“No. Unless you think I'm using your poetry know-how every time I ask you to write me something.” Dipper's smile was considerably brighter.

“My poetry’s not going to play a part in determining the course of your future unless you’re secretly selling it to greeting card companies for a quick buck.” Wirt raised an eyebrow as if to question him on this, Dipper’s brightness infectious.

“Don't suggest that to or around Grunkle Stan this summer or it'll happen. Unless you want to make that quick buck.”

“I think your grunkle will willingly donate money to charity before I ever make any sort of money from my poetry.” Wirt grinned, laughing softly at the mental image, a lighter look in his eyes as he gazed at him. “I’m going to see you this summer. All summer.”

“I'll remember this when I'm holding your first book or whatever of poetry and rub it in your face,” he teased. “Which I get to see all summer, and I seriously can't wait.”

“Me either. We're not gonna waste a second of it this time. Not that we wasted last summer or winter break or anything, but you- you know what I mean.” Wirt's lips pursed. “Though if we go with Pacifica, are you going to meet us at the airport? I know it's still a while away and stuff, I was just, you know, planning on the bus before, and I don't know. We can still do that, whatever you want to do is fine.”

“Yeah, we’ll meet you at the airport. She’ll more than likely have a limo waiting if you’d rather give that a try, but we were totally planning on meeting you there. Not wasting a second starts the minute you land. Or, y’know, as close to it as possible.”

“Okay.” His smile turned relieved as he exhaled. “Yeah, good. I… I want to see you as soon as possible. Just… sixty-two days left- wait. Nevermind. Sixty-one for me. It’s midnight now.”

“Sixty-one and three hours for me then. Two months, man. It’s way better to think of two than sixty-one.”

“I know, but you know me. Literally counting down the days.” Wirt hid a yawn with the back of his hand. “Two months does sound better though.”

“Anything that makes it seem like you’ll be here sooner is better.” Dipper sighed, smile fond. “I should let you go for now, though, so you can get some sleep.”

“Mm… haven’t had enough of your face yet though.” Wirt watched him for a moment longer, until another yawn threatened to stretch his jaw. “But if I’m going to write you some sappy poetry before bed, I should probably get to it.”

“Don't put yourself to sleep with it,” he teased, sticking his tongue out.

“I don’t know. I probably will. The subject I’ll be writing about is just… so boring and bland.” Wirt stuck his out back.

“Wow. Rude. See if I write anything about missing you again.”

Wirt gasped, eyes rounding with mock horror as he pawed at the screen. “No, no, I love you. You’re the most interesting person in the whole world. I could stay awake for hours penning verses on your fingers alone, let alone the rest of you. Your hair and your eyes and the way you mumble to yourself outloud and how good you are at rubix cubes.”

He bit back a giggle, muffling most of it with his hands. “Cut it out. Oh my god. You’re so cute, man.”

“Cute enough to write me things still?”

Dipper’s gaze averted. “Maybe even cute enough to show you sometimes. We’ll see.”

“How cute would I need to be for that?” Wirt rubbed his cheek against his own arm, curling into himself as he blinked curiously, trying to look as adorable as possible.

“Well, you know, I mean... Man.” Dipper couldn’t help the grin any more than he could help the blush filling his cheeks. “You’re really close.”

“You’re pretty when you blush.” Wirt grinned back, scrunching his nose purposefully. “Am I closer?”

“Okay! Okay, you win.” Dipper squirmed in his chair, sliding lower. “You’re a cheater. You and your cute nose and adorable face. Just a total cheater.”

“I’m a cheater who loves you, does that make it any better?”

“Yeah. Nice save.” He rolled his eyes, but neither blush nor grin faded. “Maybe next I’ll write about the butterflies you put in my stomach.”

It was Wirt’s turn to squirm and blush. “Now you’re not being fair. I’m not going to be able to sleep at all now knowing that you might be writing about me and your butterflies.”

Dipper snorted, honestly doubting that. “I think you’ll manage somehow.”

“You’re going to get a text around midnight telling you otherwise.”

“Oh my god. Do not be a stubborn jerk and stay up til three just to do that. My awful writing is so not worth it.”

“It is to me. No one’s ever written something for me before. Well, that’s not true. Greg wrote me a story once, but it was mostly pictures and he told me what was happening, so that doesn’t count.” He blinked rapidly a few times. “But I’m not going to force myself to stay up to prove a point. I might be a stubborn jerk, but I’m not that much of a stubborn jerk. Just, you know, if it happens, don’t be surprised.”

“I will be anyway. I won’t be able to help it.” Dipper straightened some, getting more of himself back into frame. “And, uh, I’ve never written anything for someone before, so it’ll be an experience for us both.”

“Yeah.” Wirt smiled and propped himself up on one arm. “No pressure though. I mean… just write if you want to write and I dunno. I don’t know where I was going to go with that. Just don’t worry about it, I guess. At the end of the day I’m still going to love you and think you’re pretty much the best guy ever. My guy. The total package.”

“I’m only the total package because I’ve got you making some of the pieces whole.”

Cheeks coloring, Wirt’s expression was brimming with absolute adoration. “You’re making it really hard to say goodnight.”

“Well, I want my sappy poetry, so we can’t have that.” Sighing, Dipper sat up fully, feet falling from the desk. “We’ll have to skype a little earlier tomorrow so Mabel and I can see Greg’s awesome macaroni art.”

“Okay. We can talk in the afternoon or something instead of before bed if that would work for you guys, like right before dinner for us maybe.” Wirt shrugged, following Dipper’s lead and sitting up again as well, cross-legged as he picked up the laptop and settled it in his lap, moving the screen a bit.

“Text me when you're free then. And before you go to bed, okay?”

“I’ll even text you when I wake up, too. Just because you can never have too much texting.” Wirt smiled at him, his constellation clock mounted on the wall behind him, in plain sight as he tilted his head a little. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Dipper returned the smile. “Get some sleep, okay? I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Alright.” Wirt brought his fingers to his lips, then brushed them over the camera. “Goodnight, Dipper.”

He had to stand up to reach his webcam, but Dipper mimicked the gesture. “‘Night, Wirt.”

Call to Wirt Palmer

Call ended, duration 01:15.

0116: Mulling over mulberry skies, I thought the shade a lighter hue./Through scattered pinpricks of long-lasting light, night no longer dark, unknown,/I saw in fathomless depths the hint of violet days.

0118: But no man can know the sky eternal/realization dawning in ink black,/shrouding swirls/drowning colors I’d once thought I’d known/after hours of repose spent basking in the glow.

0119: Hidden now from my sight, deeper than before,/the sky drenched in black ink stretched far beyond my reach./Yet dread is not what washes over me with new mysteries abound./For embedded in this newfound sky there are treasures to be found.

0121: More stars alight in the darkest night, their beauty shining oh so bright./Each one a cherished beacon to guide me through the shade,/new pieces put together to complete a picture so sublime,/one that will never be perfected

0122: as long as there are new constellations to be drawn./Sing to me, oh stars on high, make bright those I have not yet seen./I do not mind a lack of light when it indulges me in unending mystery.

0123: This ended up being longer than I planned, but you know me. Not sure if this was what you expected, but

0123: I don’t know

0124: It felt right.

-

0128: You never write exactly what I expect, but it’s still always amazing

0128: I love you. I love that there’ll always be new things to learn about you too. I’m glad you know. Still a little freaked out, but overall? I’m glad.

0129: You’re worth sharing secrets with, even if they’re too secret

0131: Now go to bed. I’ve got my sappy poetry, so I’m happy <3

-

0131: <3

0132: I love you. Goodnight :)

0246: not gonna make it to midnight but still thinking about you anyway

-

0247: omg. I told you not to stay up.

0247: Go

0247: To

0247: Bed

0248: And check your email when you wake up.

0248: I love you <3

0248: Stubborn jerk <333

-

0249: I love you too <3

0250: You know I'm gonna have to check it now, right?

-

0251: omg, go to bed. It’s not even done, let alone sent.

-

0251: :(

0251: but now I'm not evn tried

0252: *tired

0252: **even tired

-

0253: Uh-huh. You know the more you stay awake, the more you’re distracting me from the actual writing I’m trying to do for you.

0253: Plus the sooner you actually go to sleep, the sooner you get to read it. It’s science

-

0254: I'm bad at science

-

0255: Trust the boyfriend who’s very good at science and go to bed. I know you’re tired.

0255: Something unrelated to tide you over -

0257: He tosses and turns, though he tries to be still. He cries out in anguish, though he tries to be silent. “There is safety in numbers,” they say, and yet he knows better than to believe them. There is safety, he has learned, in solitude.

0257: So he tries to hide. Be still, be silent. Bother no one and remain alone.

0258: Until suddenly he is noticed. Suddenly there are quiet eyes on him, and though he battles his own demons, he reaches to help. To shield. Shy hands hold. Gentle lips brush. Sweet kisses over stars are like gentle caresses to the soul.

0259: “Safety in numbers,” they say, and he thinks twice before brushing the words aside. While one is certainly enough, he knows now that two. Two is better.

0259: End.

0300: It’s midnight now. Go to sleep. I love you. <3

From: Dipper Pines ([email protected])

To: Wirt Palmer ([email protected])

Subject: I should just not send this b/c you’re the biggest brat ever

Like how hard is it to go to bed? Wow, man.

;p

<3

Anyway the butterfly one turned on me. I don’t know if that happens with you. Like you go into something intending to write it one way, and it ends up being not what you planned at all. So that’s what happened.

So I wrote you two little things because I didn’t want to end on you being sad.

If you’re awake enough to read these, I expect text messages cuz I’m probably sleeping still (except you stayed up way too late, wow).

--

Three thousand one hundred fifteen. It’s the miles of distance which separates us. It’s a fraction of the number of times I wish the number was zero. It’s a hyperbole of the number of butterflies you make erupt into my stomach.

Then again...

You say something sweet, and there’s a flutter. The beat of tiny wings against my heart is only a small reminder of what I feel for you. You smile and the flutters grow. Too many for my heart to handle, they flap about my stomach and make their busy homes there. I see the faint line on the bridge of your nose, and I know what’s coming. Anticipation stirs them, the full scrunch turns them into a flurry.

Too many to count, I can only squirm. One steals into my throat, blocking breath, blocking words. I can only stare and smile as they take over. I know, then, that as I yearn, so do they. And perhaps the floating flutters within are only trying to close that great distance. They’re trying to lift me from my chair, so I can fly away to you.

How I wish I could.

You reach for me, but I’m only an image on a screen, and I feel them then. Three thousand one hundred fifteen butterflies. One for every mile keeping me from you. Not so sweet now, not so whimsical. They beat at me because I reach back and find cool glass rather than warm skin.

I see you.

I hear you.

I feel only butterflies.

--

The puzzle box sits alone. The pedestal it perches upon is high, untouchable, illuminated. It’s pieces are all there, ready to be put together, its potential clearly marked.

On a low shelf, another box looks on. Some pieces are bent. Some feel missing, yet all are present and accounted for. The picture on its face is a little worn and its potential is in the shadows. It looks to the pedestal, seeing interested onlookers and misses the few who look its way. It laments. It mumbles. It lets its pieces bend more. Some may even break, but still he looks.

A third box crashes in, picture just as faded. Its seal is broken. Pieces are bent. Some are torn and some are lost, yet it’s confused by the puzzle on its pedestal. Why should it be there when its picture is so simple? Why should it be admired when there is no risk?

It looks to the puzzle he now sits beside with far more wonder and rattles its pieces to be noticed.

I see you. I don’t yet know what you are, but I see you. Do you see me? Do you want to see?

The box opens, its pieces scatter. They slowly come together, forming an image the second box recognizes. Carefully, it breaks its seal and lets pieces fall into the mix. They join, they click. Bent edges smooth when pressed close. Missing pieces are found and feel as though they were never lost.

Two halves, they realize, of a whole. Separated for so long, yet destined to come together. The picture they create together is better than anything that could be illuminated on a high, lonely pedestal.

Others may watch in fascination or even in disgust - those pieces don’t belong together - and even they are silenced as the puzzle is complete.

Three thousand one hundred fifteen pieces come together to form love, and its radiance knows no equal.

--

I love you. Talk to you later <3

-

0311: So worth waiting up for

0311: you're so good with words and radiant and why would I want whats on a pedastsll when I have you and all 3,115 butterflies too.

0312: I'll say more when I'm coherenter in the morning

0312: coherenter? more coherent

0312: more awake

0312: going to sleep now, see you in the morning.

0313: Love you too <3

-

0314: You're nothing but trouble. I love you anyway and I'm going to sleep.

0314: Have another not-awful day. <3

----

A/N Bonus: p.s. The email addresses for Wirt and Dipper do, in fact, work. Feel free to shoot them a message sometime c:

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