8. A First KissI miss writing this pairing tbh!
Mabel sighed, staring at her knees. Tears clung to her lashes, threatening to fall. She sniffed, curling into her sweater more.
Who needed friends anyways? She didn’t! She was Mabel Pines! She didn’t… didn’t need….
Mabel shook her head. Why couldn’t she be back in Gravity Falls? Grenda and Candy wouldn’t have done this to her. Neither would Pacifica! Well. Probably not.
Yet here she was alone on a Friday night, ditched and unwanted.
“Mabel?” A familiar voice pitched in. Mabel’s back stiffened. That wasn’t her brother. A cool chill of magic washed over her and when Mabel peeked up, her entire world was a scheme of grays. A lone, young man stood before her, his head cocked to the side and eyebrows knitted together in worry.
“Tad? What are you doing here?”
“I felt your distress,” Tad answered. He sat down next to her. “Can you come out of sweater town so I can talk to you?”
Mabel sighed and poked her arms back through where they belonged, straightening up. “Yeah, you can.”
“Good. What’s the matter? What happened?”
“You would think it’s stupid.”
“I doubt that.” Tad scooted closer to her, and Mabel felt her hairs stand on end. She could feel the warmth from his body radiating out, melting into her, all without him laying a single finger on her.
But of course he wouldn’t. He’s Tad Strange.
Mabel shook her head. She was supposed to be sad, dammit!
“My friends ditched me tonight. We were all supposed to go bowling and instead they went out to some party. And didn’t invite me.”
Tad tsked, shaking his head. Peeking up at him, Mabel froze at the anger brewing in his eyes.
“You humans can be so cruel. How could someone hurt someone they care about? I just. Don’t understand it.”
Mabel puffed out her cheeks. “Well… I don’t know. Sometimes it is inevitable, you know.”
“Perhaps, but this is not one of those times.”
Mabel hummed in agreement. She paused. “Would- would you ever hurt me?” she asked after a few silent beats.
“Of course not! I could never. I-” Tad’s hand ghosted her cheek, then quickly pulled away. Mabel almost whimpered at the lost of contact. “I care about you a lot, Mabel. I could never.”
Mabel stared up at Tad. His pale cheeks were flushed and his amethyst eyes were wide. Mabel shuffled where she was sitting, her own cheeks growing hot.
Tad was staring at her lips, plump and chapped from her nibbling.
Mabel licked her lips, and Tad cleared his throat softly, looking away.
“So you care about me? How much?” Mabel asked, her voice like a flutter in the wind. She couldn’t stop hope from breeding in her heart.
Tad cleared his throat again, and wove his fingers together, tapping his thumbs. “A- a lot….”
“I care about you a lot too, but how much is that ‘a lot?’ Like, like a lot or- or love a lot or-” Mabel gulped and looked away. Tad jerked at the sound of love and stared down at Mabel. He gulped again, then sighed.
Mabel stole a peek up at him. “Of course you can.”
Tad gently cupped Mabel’s face, making her look at him. Their noses brushed together. Mabel’s heart was thudding hard in her throat.
“I- I am going to be completely honest with you, Mabel Pines. I- I don’t know how this is- is supposed to work with humans. I do not understand this- this dance. So I will be straight-forwards and truthful. I- I love you. A lot.”
Mabel’s mouth fell open and her heart dropped back into her chest. She took a few seconds to find her words.
“I like truthful,” she croaked out. “And the truth is… I love you too.”
Tad’s grin was massive- the widest Mabel has ever seen- and he hugged her close to his chest. Mabel squeaked in surprise and Tad pulled back quickly. “I- I’m so sorry I did not mean to-”
“Just kiss me already, Thaddeus Strange.”
Tad laughed loudly and leaned forwards. “As you wish, Mabel Pines.” Tad pressed his lips against Mabel’s in a chaste kiss, filled with nothing but newfound love and want.
Mabel never wanted it to end.
