༶•┈┈☓┈♛ ♛┈☓┈┈•༶
𝙸 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚗𝚎𝚠. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝙸 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚏𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸'𝚖 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝙵𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚜𝚘 𝚋𝚊𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚟𝚎 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚝𝚘𝚘.
Devil Town — Cavetown
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In his first training session with Pacifica, Dipper realized that she was a fast learner. However, like most people his age, she was impulsive and arrogant. He hadn't even allowed her to use a sword for the first lesson, which she had complained about.

He then had explained that the best way to learn was to use a wooden staff, learn the best movements first, and move onto actual swordplay when she had that mastered. He was impressed with her learning capabilities, and knew that it wouldn't take nearly as long as it had with Gideon.

He had trained with Gideon for a full two months by the time Pacifica finished her first month. Gideon had shown to be far more timid than Dipper's other pupil, but he knew the reasoning behind his insecurities and tried his best to accommodate him.

It was six months later when he found out that Pacifica and Gideon were cousins. Dipper had chided himself about it, because he should've guessed something about the two was common, given Gideon's white hair, and Pacifica's singular white stripe.

Six months in, and Dipper decided that it would be better to train the two together. It gave him some more time to learn with Pacifica about the specific duties of a lady-in-waiting, and more time to actually get some rest at night.

In that six-month span, Dipper was fluent in one language, and working his way through another at impeccable speed. He had a lot of the world's history down, more history about the place where Pacifica grew up —it also happened to be the neighboring town, so it was very useful when traders came by— Caduta.

Before Dipper knew it, a year had passed. He followed a very simple routine; every morning he would eat his breakfast and try to stomach it through the training regiments with General Pines and the boys in his age group (he learned that Gideon was a year younger than him and that Pacifica was the same age as him). Every afternoon he would join Gideon and Pacifica for lunch in his favorite clearing in the woods, and then under the same shade of the tree, he would run through the drills he had learned with them.

Both Pacifica and Gideon were using actual swords that Dipper had smuggled out of the storeroom he had to clean and kept hidden in a bush in the clearing. Gideon's insecurities were still there, making Pacifica the victor in many of their battles, but neither could best Dipper. However, Dipper was impressed with how much they had grown in the year that he had known them.

After the training session, Gideon would excuse himself to go off with some other boys he had met, leaving Pacifica and Dipper alone in the clearing. It was at that time that Pacifica would teach Dipper about what she had learned in her lessons.

When they grew bored of the lessons —to be fair, Dipper found them rather fascinating but they could be horribly boorish given their moments—, Pacifica would take out a book and read to him as the sun slowly disappeared.

They would join for dinner in the dining hall, recounting on stories they had for the day, or just funny memories, or how General Pines was kind of a jerk sometime, even if he was related to two-thirds of the party making fun of him.

After dinner, they dispersed and Dipper went to learn more with Robb and his group of friends, who proved to be worthy adversaries to him. Dipper may have had beaten Robb when they first fought, but he had gotten better, and Dipper loved the challenge it provided him.

In the blink of an eye, another year had passed them by, and a few problems approached the trio. Dipper had turned thirteen —a celebration brought to him by both Pacifica and Gideon when they found out he wasn't entirely sure when his actual birthday was. They chose August 31st because it was most prominent in Dipper's memories— and he hit a growth spurt.

He, now, was taller than Pacifica, and even more taller than Gideon. It brought him to an even standpoint when he fought with Robb, and sometimes it provided him a disadvantage when fighting against Pacifica.

And when he was with Pacifica, something felt different. There were lingering looks, quick glances, and when he helped her up after knocking her down during their training, their hands stayed connected for longer than should've been necessary —he had Gideon to thank for bringing that up.

Pacifica managed to stay on his mind whenever he was away from her. During training with his age group in the morning, and even during training with Robb, who would always catch him off guard, beating him and getting Dipper in a sour mood for the rest of the night.

Things were only better when he was alone with her. Not entirely better, because he still managed to make a fool of himself during their studies sometimes, but it was still better than when he was away from her.

When she read to him, a common normalcy throughout their friendship, he found himself focusing on her face, and the way she looked when she was focused on the book. Her soft voice, a hush carried across the breeze, her eyes just as soft.

Dipper didn't dare mention any of these things to her, in fear of making a fool of himself. He decided that it would bungle things, and he had no need for that.

After a particularly nasty battle between him and Robb, Dipper stumbled to where Pacifica was most likely to be. He wasn't exactly sure why he went to her, but he did. She gathered a few items into a bag, all the while chiding him about how foolish he was to get himself hurt, and she took him off to their clearing.

Dipper watched with intense interest as she mixed a few of the ingredients together before slapping it onto the cut he had gotten.

"Where did you learn to do this?" He had asked her as she packed up her belongings.

"My grandmother." Was her reply as she looked up to the stars. "She is the best healer in my town, and she says that if I keep practicing, I could be just as good as her."

They stayed like that for awhile, just looking up into the stars. Neither speaking, yet had there been so much Dipper wanted to say to her. He couldn't find the words to do so.

Months later, Dipper finally got enough courage to ask a question that had been plaguing him from when he first met the two strange cousins.

"Forgive me if I am being rude, however, I must ask." Dipper said when they were just lazing around a pond one afternoon in mid-summer. "Your hair, has it always been like that?"

Pacifica tucked the white strand of hair behind her ear, eyes not meeting Dipper's for a moment, and in that quick moment, Dipper thought he had done something wrong by asking. No one spoke, all that was audible was the heavy autumn breeze floating through the air.

"I was involved with a fatal accident." Pacifica spoke lowly. "I was four years old and staying with my grandmother while my parents were off for supplies. Thieves had broken into my grandmother's cottage while she was out in the garden. When they realized that I had seen their faces, they," her hand moved hastily to her face as she wiped a few stray tears away, "they put a spear through my chest."

Dipper stared unblinking as Pacifica composed herself and continued her story.

"I remember the feeling more than the circumstances better than anything else." She continued, her breath coming out in huffs. "I felt shocked, and my body knew before my brain did that something was out of place. I remember the feeling of my life dangling ahead of me, tantalisingly out of reach before it was ripped from my grasp."

Dipper's hand moved on its own accord, taking hers and giving it a gentle squeeze.

She met his eyes, and squeezed his hand back, the action speaking louder than her voice ever could've; I've overcome it so it hardly bothers me, but it bothers you, I like that.

"I do not remember much of what happened after, but I awoke in the garden, my grandmother whispering unfamiliar phrases to me." Pacifica closed her eyes briefly, as if she were trying to pull the words from memory. "I am still unaware of how she did it, but it was that day that I begged her to teach me all that she knew."

Dipper was at a loss for words. The bright and cheery girl he had come to adore had such a despairing past, she had died. Yet, by a miraculous happenstance, she sat there before him. "Pacifica," he whispered.

"Paz's story is more scary than mine." Gideon admitted, brushing a spare tear away from his eye. "Because she remembers. I was too young."

"Depending on the severity of the situation the more your hair turns white." Dipper spoke slowly, turning to face Gideon.

"Well, according to my father," Gideon's voice turned sour just a twinge. "Apparently my mother was very ill the night I was to be born. And he begged Paz's grandmother's for her help, because he had heard of her skills. Unfortunately my mother was too far gone to be saved." His eyes turned down to the dirt.

"I must've had some semblance of life left, that was why I was able to be saved." Pacifica explained before Dipper had the chance to ask.

"But she managed to save me." Gideon continued. "According to my father, as soon as I started growing hair, that it was pure white."

Dipper nodded slowly. Magic. Miracles. That just didn't make sense to him at all! However, there was no other logical explanation for their hair, save for perhaps genetics, however he had seen General Pines and that man had no white hair.

"I, um, understand that it sounds absolutely bonkers." Pacifica laughed awkwardly, tucking the strand in question safely behind her ear.

"I am simply sceptical, Pacifica." Dipper replied earnestly. "I'm afraid I haven't had any experience with magic or miracles like that."

"Well, keep hanging around with us, and you just might end up with white hair." Gideon joked, knocking shoulders with Dipper, letting out a light laugh as he did so.

Pacifica didn't seem to find it as amusing as they did.

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One evening, weeks after the white hair conversation, Gideon excused himself to go off with some of his other friends to practice for the end of summer tournament they all, unfortunately, had to participate in. After he left the clearing, only Dipper and Pacifica remained.

It was silent enough, after Gideon left, and it left Dipper with a bitter taste in his mouth. Glancing at Pacifica in the corner of his eye, Dipper tried to think of anything to say that wouldn't come across as foolish or unwanted attention.

"How are your dreams?"

It seemed Pacifica was keen on breaking the silence that Dipper would've preferred. Clearing his throat and twisting his body until he could see her fully, Dipper replied, "I beg your pardon?"

Pacifica had the decency to flush red as she fiddled with her hair. "Um, well, Gideon mentioned that you talk in your sleep."

Dipper's lips frowned on their own accord. "I wasn't aware I did." He was nearly certain that he didn't talk in his sleep, however he could understand why he did. The dreams —nightmares, really— never seemed to go away and they were always vivid as they were perplexing. Words he could scarcely understand, faces he could no longer remember. Bright red splashed across a darkened canvas.

"My apologies, I was only curious." Pacifica murmured, still fiddling with the white streak.

"I do not accept your apology because it wasn't necessary." Dipper replied easily enough. "Remind me to apologise to Gideon next time I see him."

"Oh, I'm sure he doesn't mind!" Pacifica protested quickly. "I believe he is only worried about you. These dreams. . .from what he has told me of what you have mumbled, they do not sound like a dream that anyone would enjoy."

Dipper chuckled ruefully, remembering his last nightmare. A lone chair, bright red carpets. It hardly made any semblance of sense. "I must confess, they are not."

"If it isn't considered prying, might I inquire as to what they entail?" Pacifica whispered lightly, her voice echoing in the summer breeze.

"I wouldn't consider it prying." Dipper told her. "I have had these nightmares for as long as I can remember. They do not occur every single night, but when they do, I find myself without much sleep. I do not wish to trouble you with their contents."

"Dipper," Pacifica placed a hand on his, dark eyes so wide and full of what Dipper could only discern as affection. "You will not trouble me. I ask freely."

His words were caught in his throat. All of what he thought of to say died right on his tongue with not even a breath of air. "I," he choked off the rest of his sentence with a cough. "You are too good to be real, Pacifica."

Her cheeks flushed with the colors of a summer sunset and she ducked her head.

"My nightmares make little sense, even to me." Dipper went on, realising that it was probably for the best if he told her. "There are words that I do not understand, spoken in garbled sentences as though I am trapped underwater, forced to watch with no real power to do anything about it. Flashes of red, black, and dark blue. I see a woman, her eyes full of love as she stares down at me. Her lips move, but I cannot make out what she is saying."

Pacifica had her chin in her hand as she listened intently, eyes never breaking away from his. "Words you do not understand? Are they random syllables or pure gibberish?"

Dipper shook his head, dismayed. "I'm afraid I dunno."

"It could be a different language, Dipper." Pacifica, ever the optimist, smiled at him. "Am I safe in assuming that you dunno what they are?"

Another shake of his head. "No. But you might be onto something."

Pacifica ran through the list of languages that she knew of (quite a few she was fluent in), but it led to a rather dead end.

"Are you sure you dunno what was said?" Pacifica pressed, leaning closer to him.

"I'm sorry, Pacifica." Dipper sighed. "If I ever figure out what the words are, you will be the first to know."

Staring into her eyes, Dipper felt his face get hot. They were alone. It would be so very easy to lean over and—

No. It would be a terrible time to just lean over and kiss her. For a many reasons. One, for starters, it could only ruin whatever they had now. Dipper wouldn't want to risk the bond he had formed with this girl just because he was feeling over-emotional.

Two, it would be a weird way to initiate a kiss. A 'hey, I'm desperately trying to figure out what my nightmares are and I appreciate all of your help so let's kiss'.

"What is troubling you now, Dipper?" Pacifica's hand brushed his.

"How is it that you always know?" Dipper tilted his head to the side for a moment.

"I know you." Pacifica giggled. "You may pretend to have no troubles at all, but you forget Gideon is my cousin and he will tell me everything about you."

Dipper raised a brow. "You have asked him about me?"

"Yes, I have."

"Well, you are mistaken," Dipper rose from the ground and helped pull Pacifica to her feet, "tonight there is not a single thing troubling me." It was sort of the truth.

Pacifica didn't let go of his hand as she stared into his eyes. "I see." She murmured.

༶•┈┈☓┈♛ ♛┈☓┈┈•༶

"Dipper, you are hopeless." Gideon groaned, tugging the last of the equipment out into the arena. "Why do you think I awkwardly excused myself last night?"

Dipper grimaced as Gideon dropped a few plates of armour onto the ground with a loud clang. "Am I supposed to assume that you lie every time you speak?" Bending over to pick up the collateral damage to being in Gideon's presence.

"I'm not stupid and you're far from it." Gideon replied, tossing the items into a pile on the floor. "But last night you may have proved me wrong."

"Was I supposed to be doing something?" Dipper arched a brow and set the swords he carried onto the rack.

"Dipper," Gideon regarded him with a serious look for once. It was strange to be stared at in such a way from such a carefree kid. "Tell her how you feel."

Dipper's airway seemed to be blocked off. He coughed and tried to regain his breath. "I. . .I beg your pardon?"

"Paz." Gideon rolled his eyes. "Come on, everyone here knows how much you like her. I dare to say she feels the same way about you."

"Pacifica. . .I don't believe it." Dipper shook his head and crossed his arms. "You're trying to get even with me for when I pushed you out of the tree."

"No!" Gideon insisted. "I'm deadly serious! I swear on my life that I am telling you the absolute truth! I have spent quite a lot of time with the two of you; I see how you look at her, and how she looks at you. If it isn't love, I dunno what to call it."

If Gideon was telling the truth. . .Dipper's heart started beating out of his chest. It wasn't possible. She couldn't have. . .could she? He wasn't anything! He had nothing, he came from nothing. He had nothing to offer her in life, no wealth, no secure environment, and there was a high chance that he would die before the age of twenty.

"I am not the one for her." Dipper sighed and sat down in the dirt. "It doesn't matter how I feel for her; we cannot be together."

"Why is that?" Gideon pressed, plopping down next to him. "You both care for each other? Isn't that enough?"

"Gideon," Dipper faced him with a scoff, "you are a hopeless romantic; in this day and age, it hardly matters if you're truly in love. Love is sold off for wealth, land, and much more. Her father would refuse me." He tucked his head into his knees. "I would rather not risk what we have, for what we might get."

"That's. . .a nobler reason than I expected." Gideon eventually chimed in. "But we must all take risks to reach what we desire! That is what we have been doing all along. Haven't we?"

"You will not convince me otherwise." Dipper stated firmly, despite how his heart screamed opposite.

"Dipper, I implore you to rethink your decision." Gideon pleaded. "You both deserve so much happiness, you dunno it because you can see yourself from an outside perspective. You two fit like a glove, just consider telling her. Alright?"

"Alright." Dipper nodded, even though his opinion truly hadn't changed.

Alright it wasn't. Later that evening, Dipper paced the clearing in the woods that belonged to him at this point. He wasn't hiding from Gideon, he wasn't okay? It would've been a poor hiding spot if that was his intention anyway.

We both deserve to be happy, huh? Dipper smiled briefly, reminded that Pacifica felt the same about him as he felt about her. How obscure was that? For as long as he could remember, he was told and taught that he didn't deserve anything he didn't earn.

He had to work for it, earn everything and then some. He didn't deserve her love, he hadn't earned it, had he? But, he was struck with a thought; who was he to tell her that he didn't deserve her? Only she could determine if he deserved her love or not. He couldn't make that choice for her, it would be unlawful in his eyes.

"I thought I would find you here."

Dipper jolted at the sound of her voice behind him. He turned halfway to see Pacifica just staring at him with amusement and something deeper in her eyes. It was too much. He couldn't breathe.

She sauntered closer to him, kicking a nearby stone with the tip of her shoe. "Gideon thinks you're hiding from him."

"I can't imagine why." Dipper lied, taking his eyes off of Pacifica. He let his gaze land on the stars above them, deep tranquility could be found there.

"He spoke to me." Pacifica stated, as if she were admitting a wrong-doing. "He told me that you meant to tell me something. Something important."

Dipper hissed immediately. "Damn him!" Of course Gideon would've done something so underhanded as that! Dipper hated the fact that those two could read him so well already.

Pacifica wasn't concerned with his outburst, she simply smiled softly at him, eyes filled with the light of a thousand stars. "Do you?"

"Do I damn him? Yes." Dipper nodded furiously. "Yes, I damn him."

She laughed aloud, reaching a hand out to place it on Dipper's shoulder. "No, that is not what I refer to." Her hand seemed to shake lightly as she sucked in a breath, "do. . .do you have something important to tell me?"

"I-I. . ." He began, his jaw clicking shut. Dipper truly didn't know what to say, and that didn't happen as often as one would think it did. He was at an utter loss of words when faced with the thought of telling Pacifica how he felt about her. How he truly felt about her.

Overcome with a terrible bout of emotion, Dipper scrubbed angrily at his eyes, his breathing stiff and erratic. How could he find the way to even explain?

"D-Dipper," Pacifica's soft voice overtook his senses. Her hands came up to his and held onto them tightly, like she never wanted to let go. Without another word, she pressed a chaste kiss onto his lips. "I love you, too."

A gasp escaped his lips at the mere thought of reciprocation. "You love me?"

She nodded swiftly, her head ducking down a tad bit. "Of course, I do."

Dipper couldn't stop the smile that broke out across his face as he pulled her into a tight embrace. "I promise, whatever happens, I will make you happy until the day I die."

"I believe you, Dipper." She laughed into his chest. "I believe you."