Breaking The Cycle
AO3
Rating: G
Summary: Stan's learnt over the years how to deal with bullies. But sometimes, dealing with them isn't the hard part, it's helping pick up the pieces.
AN: Pure fluff ahead. Commissioned by the lovely @nour386 who wanted some Stan and Dipper bonding/dealing with bullies. And it just ran away with me because we all need fluff now and again.
If you would like to commission me, please go here xx
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"...Mabel?"
"Yeah?"
Stan winced at the nervous tone, the soft anxious lilt that spoke volumes to how easily she knew he could see right through them both, and that she knew exactly where this conversation was headed. He didn't even need to turn around and look at her, in fact he thought it was better this way, both of them not comfortable with the awkward stilted questioning that was about to follow. Part of him wanted to give in to the urge, to let the matter go there and then before it went too far.
...He knew he couldn't though.
Instead he squinted harder out of the glass pane he was stood at, trying to discern the small sullen figure sat on the floor, familiar hat all the was visible above knees tucked tightly into his chest, his head down and arms tight, resting against the totem pole. "Where's Dipper?"
There was silence for a poignant moment, a pause that confirmed a few of his suspicions.
Something wasn't right.
"Dipper? He's just- he needed to write some notes down in his new journal before he came in. Suddenly remembered them, didn't want to wait- you- you know how he is." He could practically hear the stretched on smile tight across her face, fake, but trying her best to power through. "Nothing else matters when he has a brainwave. I'm sure he'll be in, in a bit."
She was a terrible liar.
It was almost an offence, hadn't she learnt anything from him in the summer they'd spent here?
"That so?" He huffed, straightening up and turning to her with his own showman's smile. "Guess I'll have to go get him then. It's gonna be dark soon and if he keeps squinting at that journal of his, he's gonna need glasses like me and your Grunkle Ford." Not one of his greatest lies, but, then again, they both knew there was something afoot so why try harder than necessary?
It was obvious enough by the way Mabel's smile vanished into alarm as he walked away from her, out towards the front door.
"No- wait! Grunkle Stan."
He paused, just in case.
He knew sometimes it was best to leave well enough alone, even if he didn't always listen to the gut feeling.
"Yeah?"
"He just- he wants to be alone for a bit, that's all."
Stan sighed, hand resting on the door frame. Her voice was so forlorn, her tone filled with disappointment that her twin wouldn't talk to her when something was wrong. He knew the feeling well, his mind ticking away slowly over what could have happened. "I know, sweetie. But that doesn't always mean you should be alone, you know?" He smiled over his shoulder at her, continuing on before she could argue or agree with him.
"Stan?"
"Not now." Stan gestured at his brother as he came down the stairs, his face confused and slightly affronted at the flippant dismissal.
"I was just going to ask if you'd seen Dipper-"
"Yep, going out to get him now." Stan slipped his jacket on, buttoning it up as he flashed him a sad smile.
"Is- is he alright? What's happened?" Ford's face shifted into concern, eyebrows furrowing as he went to peek out of the window.
"Not sure, but there's something about the way he's sat out there that reminded me of you when we were kids." Stan shrugged when Ford's gaze snapped back to him. Every mention of a once forgotten memory always brought that sharp, scrutinising look, but now was not the time or place. He rolled his eyes, dispelling the sudden shift in momentum. "I didn't mean- just that I remember another kid shying away from people after he'd been caught alone by Crampelter a few times."
Not that it had happened often, he had made sure of that.
Ford's face changed, dropping sympathetically as he went back to the window. "Oh. Should I go talk to him?"
"Nah, let me deal with this." Stan flashed him a grin that did little to relieve his worries. "After all, I reckon I did a pretty good job when we were younger, didn't I?"
A sharp whistle echoed through the front lawn.
"Wow, that's quite a shiner you got there."
Dipper winced, ducking his head back into his knees, eyes barely visible between the gap as he glanced balefully up at Stan before darting his gaze away across the nearby trees. "It's nothing."
"Doesn't look like nothing." Stan groaned as he sat down in front of him, ignoring the pain and the slightly damp grass in favour of his nephew's well being. He tried to wait patiently as Dipper's gaze flicked back to him now and then, instead giving him as subtle an appraisal as he could, hoping that he was succeeding in keeping his jaw from clenching and his fists from tightening at the grazed knees and elbows, the black eye already blooming, dark and swollen in the half light. "I'd hate to see what the other guy looks like."
There was a vicious pride in Dipper's eyes as he finally locked them with Stan's, though only for a moment. "Worse."
Stan grinned back, teeth sharp. "Good." He leaned forward, lowering his head to be on eye level with him. "Though frankly, I'd rather you didn't get into fights. That's what I'm here for." He sighed as Dipper's grip tightened, pulling himself into an even smaller ball, pushing back into the totem pole as if hoping it would swallow him up. "Listen kid, I'm not here to tell you off. I just wanna make sure you're alright, you know?"
"They were talking about you."
Stan blinked, sitting up straight again as the boy finally spoke, the words blurting out of him in a moment of vulnerability. "They did what now?"
Dipper fidgeted, uncomfortable but unrepentant as he scowled deeply, heels kicking at the mud beneath him. "Some stupid teenagers that had been dragged on a tour."
"I'm not following, kid." Stan continued to stare at him, ignoring the huff that emanated in response, a sound that wished he'd just get it and stop asking questions. He remembered a bunch of kids at the back of his latest tour, his schedule had been forcibly reduced by his family even after his memories had begun to flow through easier, not wanting him to tire himself out. He tried not to argue, knowing that the real reasoning behind it, was them wanting to spend more time together and honestly, that's all he'd ever wanted too. But that as it was, he was used to rowdy begrudging teenagers that had been dragged along to a tour they frankly had no interest in.
So what did he care? Money was money. If their parents wanted to waste it dragging them around now that the tour was back in action, then more fool them.
Besides, since the near miss apocalypse, people had been rolling into see the place where it had all happened and the people that had put a stop to it. And he couldn't help but preen under all the attention.
He wasn't about to let some teenagers ruin that. For him or the kids.
Dipper's scowl grew deeper, though there was a faint glimmer of worry in his eyes that he'd overreacted as he bit his tongue and scrutinised the old man before him.
Stan smiled reassuringly, hands up placating. "Hey, no judging. Between you and me, I'm pretty sure I've got in fights over less. You've got a much more level head than I ever had as a kid, let me tell you."
The words came out in a mutter that Stan had to lean in to catch, the boy still uncertain as he mumbled into his knees.
"They called you senile."
Stan winced. His family really did have a thing about his memory now. Even his jokes were usually met with horrified looks and a high pitch 'Stanley' if his brother was present. Not that he could blame them really, he didn't want to even imagine it any other way, with one of the kids or Ford forgetting, having to sit and watch one of them stare blankly at him, not knowing who he was- he snapped out of the nauseating thoughts back to the present and his sullen nephew. Now wasn't the time, after all it had been him, which was the best for everyone even if they didn't think so. "Alright. I think I get it. But I mean-" He gestured at himself and got a small displeased noise for the movement. "That wouldn't be the first time it's happened, and I don't need you throwing punches over something like that." He raised an eyebrow, glancing over his glasses at him. "So? What else?"
"What-?"
"Yeah, you wouldn't be sat out here if it was just that. Especially if the other guy looks worse." Stan grinned, making himself more comfortable on the grass. "So, come on. Out with it. What else happened?"
Dipper stared blankly at him for a few seconds, mouth opening and closing like a goldfish. In any other situation Stan might have been impressed with himself for saying something that knocked the smart kid for a loop, but as it was there was a faint sizzle of fire burning through his blood at whoever had started this in the first place.
No one messed with his family, that was just a rule.
He watched hawkishly as Dipper seemed to zone back in, eyes narrowing anxiously as he bit his lip. He worried at it for a second, words obviously sat on the tip of his tongue as he struggled through what exactly to say to him. But instead of words, he gripped at the peak of his hat, shifting it down further on to his head in a nervous habit.
Stan's own eyes narrowed, the flickering flames burning a little hotter, the gesture jarringly familiar to how someone else he knew used to hide his hands behind his back.
Before he could say anything though, Dipper finally got past the lump in his throat.
"Are we a family of weirdos?"
Stan blinked at him, the boy giving a slight chuckle at the incredulous look he was getting.
"Was that a dumb question?"
"I mean my brother built a doomsday device, so..." Stan grinned as a hysterical bubble of laughter escaped Dipper, his body finally relaxing ever so slightly. He knew there was more to, knew that Dipper wasn't going to tell him every insult that the teenagers had thrown at him, but he could work with this. He could make things better again. "And I run this place." He pointed behind him, still smiling. "Hardly a normal family, right? But if you ask me..." He leaned in close, conspiratorially, and Dipper followed suit, curiosity piqued. "I'd say we're more interesting than weird. What about you?"
"Interesting..." Dipper's mouth tweaked upwards ever so slightly, just for a moment, and Stan saw a faint glimmer of a win on the horizon in it. "I like that."
"Nothing wrong with being interesting. Just means we've got more stories to tell." Stan's face dropped along with Dipper's, the end of his sentence unintentionally sparking dismay in the boy.
Dipper's gaze snapped back to him, eyes desperate and incredulous. "They didn't believe any of the Weirdmaggedon stuff, Grunkle Stan! They think it was all a hoax and that the town made it up to get more people to come here!" The words were coming thick and fast, the floodgates opening as Dipper unleashed the torrent of distress. "They said you were just senile and that the town was going along with a crazy family and their conspiracy theories. And I couldn't just sit there and listen a-and-"
"Whoa. Whoa, there."
Dipper's mouth shut at the interruption, but a few more words slipped past, his eyes still forlorn and disappointed.
"I couldn't have them thinking you weren't a hero."
Stan sighed, shaking his head. He quickly put his hand back up as Dipper shrunk inwards at the movement. "Easy, kid. It's alright. I get it, I do. I've got in fights for smaller slights against my bro, let me tell you." He tried to smile reassuringly but it fell flat. It meant a lot to Dipper, that was for sure, even if he didn't want it to mean anything to him. Kids could say what they wanted about him, none of that mattered. As long as his family was in one piece and making amends, who cared what anyone else thought? "But we know the truth, don't we?"
"Yeah but-"
"But nothing. The town knows, I know, you know. We beat that yellow triangle and everything else that came with him back through the rift and kept this place safe. We did that. You did that."
"They don't believe us though!" His voice cracked, upset and angry. Stan couldn't blame him, having to prove yourself had always been a sticking point with him too.
"You're always going to meet people who don't believe it, kid. Doesn't matter how much proof you show them. Thought you would have got that with the kinds of things you and Ford both like to research." Dipper's mouth shut at that, his face suddenly thoughtful. "But the fact of the matter is, you know the truth. And you're surrounded by people who know that you're telling the truth. If you spend your life trying to convince everyone else, you'll never get on with what you actually want to do." He leaned in again, glancing down at the grass below them. "Can you imagine if I'd tried to tell people about the portal and what had happened back then? There's no way anyone would have believed me. But here we are, and so is Ford. And that's all that matters, right?"
"I guess?"
"So, what matters, right now, is that we did do it. We saved the world- apparently." Stan grinned, tapping at his head. "And if it wasn't for you and your sister I wouldn't remember any of it."
"Mabel did that."
Stan scrutinised the boy again, watching and waiting as he continued to curl inwards, hands clasping at his hat again. He grit his teeth to stop from seething, stop the anger that threatened to bubble forth that someone- anyone, had made Dipper feel unneeded in any way, shape, or form. Now wasn't the time for the righteous anger though. Now was the time to patch up the wounds, not start another fight. "Dipper?"
He waited until the boy finally looked at him again, choosing his words carefully.
"You're an amazing kid, Dipper. You took on a dream demon. You and your sister never hesitated when it came to going to rescue family- Now I'm not saying it was the smartest move, but it was definitely the bravest. And look at everything we accomplished together. As a team." He shook his head when Dipper looked ready to argue, ready to downplay his part. "You think just any kid could have done what you did? Ford told me how you went to help him defeat Bill in the first place, then you went to find your sister and bring her home. You both somehow managed to convince a ragtag group of civilians to follow you into danger all in the hopes of saving the world. And not only that! You two succeeded. Did you ever think about giving up? Once? Did it ever even cross your mind?"
"No..."
"Exactly." Stan sat back, smiling at him proudly, watching as Dipper uncurled, eyes slightly watery and hopeful. "Like I said, amazing." He put his hand up, counting things off on his fingers. "You're smart, you're resourceful, you're brave, and once you've set your mind on something you don't give up. And that's just the things I can think up off the top of my head." He sat there for a second, mulling over words that he knew he'd have wanted to hear, years and years ago. "And I'm proud of you, you hear? No matter what happens, I want you to remember that."
Dipper's eyes glazed slightly, though he sat up straight as Stan fixed him with a stern gaze, finger pointed in warning at him.
"You're brilliant, Dipper, just the way you are. So, don't let anyone convince you otherwise, you hear me?"
Dipper's lip wobbled, front teeth biting down as he sniffed and nodded, scrubbing at his face quickly as if to hide from him.
Stan wasn't having any of it.
They'd done this song and dance before, hiding feelings, pretending they didn't matter.
Not anymore, he didn't want the kids hiding things from him or thinking they couldn't come talk to him about anything.
"Come here, you."
Dipper didn't need another prompt, he glanced back up and saw Stan's arms open wide and launched. Stan laughed as he came close to falling backwards, the force of Dipper barrelling into him almost upsetting his balance. "Easy kid, I promise, I'm not going anywhere." He patted his back reassuringly, letting him get it all out. "But I want you to promise me something in return, OK?"
Dipper stilled ever so slightly, nodding into his shoulder in way of acknowledgement.
Stan sighed again, continuing his soft pats. "I need you to promise that you won't run off into fights like this alone again. You got us, remember? We work great as a team, don't we?" He huffed, tightening his hold on him. "I don't want you getting yourself in trouble and not being able to help."
"...It was just some teenagers."
Stan snorted, ruffling his hair at the sullen words. "This time it was. But last time it was a dream demon you picked a fight with. So, you know, I think my argument still stands." He felt a rumble of choked off laughter in his shoulder and beamed at the small victory. "We've battled zombies and pterodactyls and god knows what else that I haven't quite remembered yet. But what I do remember is that when we tried to do things alone, it all went pear shaped. So, how about if I get into a fight I'll be sure to let you guys know and you do the same?"
"Yeah... Yeah, OK."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Good." Stan gave him another tight squeeze before pulling back to look at him properly. "Now how about we get back inside before it gets dark and we accidentally end up on another adventure that no one will believe?"
Dipper laughed again, scrubbing his face again as he gave Stan another crushing hug. "Yeah, I think I've had enough unbelievable adventures for a bit."
"You and me both."
"That was very responsible of you."
"Hmm?" Stan looked over as Ford stood just inside the door, waiting patiently for Dipper to run past and out of hearing range before he spoke. "What was?"
Ford shrugged, smiling softly. "Nothing. Just surprised you didn't get any names and haven't already gone running off yourself to teach them a lesson. Very... grown up of you. Much more level headed."
Stan snorted. "Please, as if." He walked past him, calling over his shoulder as he went. "There's enough cameras set up in here between you and me to figure that out without stressing Dipper out more."
"Of course there is... why did I think you wouldn't have a plan?"
"Ehh, I guess thirty years apart will do that."
"...Should I be worried?"
"What? Of me?" Stan's grin turned vicious. "Why on earth would I set myself on them when I can just set their own parents on them? I'm sure between us we can come up with a believable lie... besides, I did make Dipper promise that we wouldn't go into fights alone anymore so..."
Ford sighed, jovial and jokingly dismayed. "Well, I guess I don't have a choice then."
"Please, as if you'd do anything differently."
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AN: Honestly, writing Stan telling Dipper he was proud of him made my day. So I hope it made someone elses too! ...We should all say I’m proud of you far more often if you ask me. I try to make a habit of saying it when my friends are trying their best/having a rough time <3 always helps to know someones in your corner.