INBOX [DEER COUNTRY]

[ghostharasser]

"Hey! You've reached Dipper's Omen, Alcaid! Sorry I couldn't pick up! Leave a message after the Ḇ̷͍͑̐ͯ̈́̚̚e̾ͭͫ҉̻̰̻̤̠̭̩ȩ̜͍̐̐̑͛ͪ̒͐e̡͍̬̭̙͔͈ͪͦͤ̆p͋͊͊͏̪͖̭̤̞"

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text | un: diggs | Late March

[justoscar]

[He had seen Ford's post, and he knew what he needed to do afterward. Later that evening, Dipper would receive a message:]

I've got scrap wood and a lighter. Where do you want to go?

text | un: alcaid

[ghostharasser]

[It takes him a few minutes to answer. He was debating whether or not he wanted the company, or if he wanted to continue to hole up in his room. He makes a decision quick enough.]

My lamp. Near the woods.

[justoscar]

Got it.

See you there soon.

[Because Oscar had ideas about how this was going to go-- and in any situation he thought of, fire seemed to be the best way to honor Stan.

They would make it so.]

action

[ghostharasser]

[Oscar has good intuition. Dipper hadn't thought about it until Oscar offered, but he thinks he'd really like to set something on fire right now.]

[Dipper makes his way to his lamp. The clearing used to be kind of an unfortunate place, what with the Falco incident having happened here, but Dipper's since cleansed and cleaned up and he still uses it regularly as a place to visit when he wants to gather his thoughts.]

[He hits on a stump, waiting for Oscar, with his back pack at his feet.]

action

[justoscar]

[Oscar arrived a little while later, a bundle of scrapwood tied up and slung over his shoulder as he crossed the distance towards Dipper. The clearing indeed had been cleansed-- it felt tangibly better than it had over the winter. Between the copious incense, the rituals, and the change of seasons, it had almost taken on a new vigor.]

...Hey.

[He said, stopping. In a smooth motion, he dropped the bundle of wood onto the ground.]

I have marshmallows, or I have a deck of playing cards. We can do this as a campfire if you want...

Or a makeshift pyre.

action

[ghostharasser]

[Ah, there he was. Dipper turns up and greets him with a not-quite a smile. He's happy to see him, but, well. The circumstances.]

Hey.

[He stands up and walks over to the bundle of wood, giving it some thought.]

Let's do a little of both. I think Grunkle Stan would like that- it's.

[He swallows hard, stifling the emotion that threatens to come up, but Oscar could probably feel it just from being a Paleblood in close proximity that he's trying not to cry.]

We did something like that once, back home.

[justoscar]

[The circumstances left a lot to be desired, but at least they still had each other and their people who had not yet returned to the sea. Oscar, picking up on the cue, moved quickly and pulled Dipper into a supportive hug before the tears could properly fall.

Breathing in the crisp springtime air, he leaned his head against Dipper's.]

Hey, [he said quietly.] You don't have to do this alone.

If having bonfires is something Stan liked to do with everyone, then we should definitely do it.