Age is just a number

Dipper POV

As I walk home to the Mystery Shack, I gaze at the stars. I couldn't ask for anything better- having Wendy as my girlfriend, having the best sister around, and especially my parents decision to send us up to Oregon for the summer. Life couldn't get better.

I walk into the shack by way of the back door. I'm shocked to see Stan waiting for me behind the door.

"Ahh!" I scream my high pitched scream "I mean ahh," I say in a lower voice.

"What are you doing kid? I ask you to do one simple task- hang fliers on wooden poles. It should've taken you a maximum of two hours. You were gone for 5 and 1/2 hours!" Stan exclaims

"I know, but I was with We-" he cuts me off

"Wendy, I know. Ugh, I was always skeptical about you two dating, but this has gone too far! You've got to spend less time with her and focus on your job more, or else I'm splitting you two up. You hear me?" He argues

"Ugh! Why do you have to control everything I do! Everything is finally going my way, and you're threatening to take that away? You're always making fun of me for not being a 'manly man' and having no muscles. But when I finally do something mature like getting a girlfriend, you try and take that away? What do you want from me?" I ask. But I'm not looking for an answer. Instead, I storm upstairs to the attic.

When I enter my room, Mabel's scrap booking on her bed.

"Hey bro-bro! What's goi-" she stops when I slam the door and bury my face into my pillow.

"Dipper? What's wrong?" She asks

"Stan. He's always trying to ruin my life."

I feel the bed sink in the middle as Mabel sits next to me and begins patting my back; a method she's used to calm me down since we were kids.

"Dipper, I'm sure that's not true. You might just be seeing it the wrong way. Here, tell me what happened and I'll try and see another way around the situation." She recommends

I decided to give it a shot.

"Okay... Well, I came home after spending the day with Wendy. We were hanging fliers and talking, and kissing a little, for the majority of the afternoon. So when I came home, it was dark. Stan greeted me at the door, but started telling me that my relationship with Wendy was a bad idea. He started yelling and saying how he would split us up if we kept spending so much time together. Then I told Stan how he always picks on me to become manlier and asked him why he's trying to make me break up with Wendy. Then I stormed upstairs." I finish

"Well did you let Stan finish?" Mabel asks

"There was no need for him to finish. He had said enough." I say with a huff

"Dipper, I'm sure Stan has some reasoning behind it. If you'd just let him expl-" Mabel is cut off by knocking at the door.

"Dipper, can I come in?" Stan asks

Mabel nods at me, signaling to let Stan in.

"Ya sure, come in." I reply

Stan opens the door as Mabel moves back to her bed. Stan takes Mabel's previous spot next to me.

"Listen, Dipper, I'm sorry I made you so upset," Stan begins as he looks at the ground and then motions towards my red-from-crying-eyes, "I'm happy that you have a girlfriend. But I'm trying to show you how life is. If you hang out with any girl or other person for that matter during work hours, you're bound to get fired." Stan explains

"But it's not like you need to scam these tourists any more!" I reply

"I'm not talking about the Shack, Dipper. I'm trying to teach you to respect jobs now so you'll know in the future. I know how much you've liked Wendy this summer, and I couldn't be prouder of you to have the guts to ask her out. I just don't want you to end up to be that bum who never has a job because he's goofing off with some girl." Stan finishes

I'm a little offended at the last part, but understand Stan's memo.

I look up at him, smile and say "thanks grunkle Stan."

He then scruffs my hat, says "good night" to me and Mabel, then goes back downstairs.