Gravity Pines

Part 21: Sometimes it's Just That Simple

" Thanks you guys... really. I have actually been sleeping a lot better as well, at least Mabel hasn't woken me up from yelling in my sleep. " We look at each other as I look over my shoulder and Stan sits back to slowly move back to his seat, the boat was a simple paddle boat but it was enough for the day, the Stan of War II was a bit large for this competition.

" Hey Dipper man! Get anything yet?! " I spin around as Wendy is passing by with her family, true there were plenty of souls on the lake, but some missed this day like Pacifica because she had more freedom to enjoy the arcade without as many kids around, most dragged here by their fishing fathers.

" Heh not yet... mostly small fish, big bites. " Laying the rod onto it's holder before I bring my hands up to make a claw like teeth imitation with one hand, the other showing the small symbolization with my thumb and forefingers. I smile a bit more when she giggled and shook her head, lifting up a large catfish that was on a display hook in the freezer they kept. Manley Dan was there with his boys as well, but they all were facing away as if to give Wendy her privacy, even though her dad would look back at me with a more 'Watch yourself' kind of look.

" Well you better start trying or else I will take this by a landslide. Dad still thinks he can outdo me. " A small grunt sounded out and suddenly Gruncle Stan called out.

" Hey Wendy, when you coming back to work? " Leaning on the edge of the boat, making us wobble a bit but soon enough caught until he looked up past Wendy before she could answer, teasing her in his usual way like how he would say after finding her reading at the register. " Danny Boy. Ford meant to come by and ask but since we are here.... When can we drop by for those custom orders? " I could only guess it was for their new place they had been scoping.

" Hmm. Give me a week to finish up some other orders. We've been zipping through them with our full strength back up and running. " Dan looked down at Wendy from over his shoulder for a moment yet soon grinned as Stan and him laughed out a bit. Both me and Wendy just covering our faces as Mabel hugged me again in a giggle fit and her brothers snickered to themselves, knowing Dan would snap if they teased Wendy. Yet as I looked up, I could see her eldest brother giving me the thumbs up and glancing back through those long locks he still sported more often than not.

" Super! I can't wait, me and Ford will be sure to both show up. Lord knows he will tan me good if I make a bad choice. " One last shared laugh and the two would realize the distance that had been made from our natural drift as me and Wendy had just been stealing glances and rolling our eyes as everyone did their thing. Waving goodbye to one another as Mabel would give her own after my arm fell, soon to hang over my shoulders with her chin on one side to look where I was looking.

" You know... if I hadn't been there to see her trying to sneak out the other day... I might believe you kept a secret from me dear brother. " Mabel chomped on my shoulder, which really just got my shirt as I had still wore a tech T shirt to keep my arms hidden, yet more casually for the fact that they were still comfy as hell.

" You know I don't do that without reason Mabel. Besides not like you wouldn't have assumed since I stayed on the roof after you sent Wendy in... " Knowingly looking to the side to her innocent looking expression before chuckling some and nudging her away a bit. After that we all continued to fish and while I caught a pretty nice bass, and Stan got a less than stellar Trout, Mabel tossed back all her catches and simply apologized for using a hook on them and blamed us.

Once everyone had come back to land, McGucket Jr would announce the winners. Wendy's whole family catching fish only a few bits smaller than the others yet Wendy still took the grand price as everyone cheered and I simply stood at the dock smiling from afar. It was fun seeing everybody showing off their catches as Stan would brag about mine and his, trying to make everyone believe Mabel should have won considering she caught a unipike that honestly wouldn't shut up and made me all too glad she tossed back.