[Well, Stan isn't really wrong there, is he? Dipper ...kind of knows already, considering what he wrote at the end of the journals. Ford did a whole lot of praising of him, too, that made him even more worried about admitting all of this because what if that affected how proud Ford was of him...?]
[Perhaps it is better in the end, to feel some manner of equalization in all of this. Dipper has long since held Ford on the pedestal he used to, but at the same time, maybe it's okay for Dipper to not try and act like he has to embody so much of what people praise in him to the point it starts wearing him down.]
[However, any comment he might have had about that kind of grounds to a halt.]
...Really? Grunkle Stan, are you really suggesting we just talk stuff out like a functional family? Okay, so like, you're definitely a pod-person right now, right?
[A nice far cry from earlier when he was crying and stressed and tearing himself to pieces over an enormous amount of anxiety and worrying.]
Haha, no way, you'll have to catch me first.
[Which is also a bluff because they both know Dipper's barely been able to walk since he came back. He settles down a little, picking up his sandwich.]
...Thanks, though. That actually means a lot to me.
[It's good to hear Dipper laugh after everything, and soon enough Stan's laughing right along with him.]
No problem, kid. You're gonna be fine.
[That might be reassurance for himself as much as it is for Dipper, but he sounds pretty confident about it - enough to go back to eating his own sandwich.
...That is, after he spends ten seconds reheating it with his hands. It's been a minute, okay?]
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[Perhaps it is better in the end, to feel some manner of equalization in all of this. Dipper has long since held Ford on the pedestal he used to, but at the same time, maybe it's okay for Dipper to not try and act like he has to embody so much of what people praise in him to the point it starts wearing him down.]
[However, any comment he might have had about that kind of grounds to a halt.]
...Really? Grunkle Stan, are you really suggesting we just talk stuff out like a functional family? Okay, so like, you're definitely a pod-person right now, right?
[Look.]
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Can it or this "pod-person" is gonna come over there and affectionately noogie you until all the extra worrying starts coming outta your ears!
[He probably won't - not when Dipper's sore and wobbly as it is - but he's still going to bluff.]
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[A nice far cry from earlier when he was crying and stressed and tearing himself to pieces over an enormous amount of anxiety and worrying.]
Haha, no way, you'll have to catch me first.
[Which is also a bluff because they both know Dipper's barely been able to walk since he came back. He settles down a little, picking up his sandwich.]
...Thanks, though. That actually means a lot to me.
no subject
No problem, kid. You're gonna be fine.
[That might be reassurance for himself as much as it is for Dipper, but he sounds pretty confident about it - enough to go back to eating his own sandwich.
...That is, after he spends ten seconds reheating it with his hands. It's been a minute, okay?]