Week Four: Worth
Summary: When Dipper comes to his Grunkle Stan for advise of worth, Stan has the answer he’s looking for.
A/N: Hey all this is the last entry for @stanuary and I hoped you guys enjoyed the short chapters! This one set in the Lost and Gained AU. Yes, Dipcifica is canon here. ^^ Can find the new entry here too: Worth
Worth. It sounded like a foreign concept to Stan Pines when applied to himself, but for others, he sees genuine worth in those he loves and cares for. On the other hand, he sees worth in everyone else who holds cash in their wallets to keep the Mystery Shack going for years to come. Worth in himself was harder to grasp in himself when his father and childhood bullies made him feel worthless, and it was allowed to fester in his mind. Hearing those who see real worth in him made it feel less painful.
“Grunkle Stan?” Dipper approached his great-uncle while he was lounging on his chair in the living room. Dipper had something to ask him, Stan could tell. “Do you ever feel sometimes the thing you want most to happen doesn’t seem worth it when it seems too hard?”
Stan quirked an eyebrow, “What do you mean, kid? Tell your old Grunkle Stan about it.” He patted on the dinosaur head stand and helped Dipper climb up it. Once dipper got settled, he shares what’s been eating at him.
“You see… I still don’t know how to talk to girls. There’s this one girl I like but…” Dipper blushed and lowered his hat. “I just don’t know how to get my feelings across. This isn’t like when I was crushing on Wendy. This feels…”
“Exactly!” Stan chuckled in response, he knew that feeling all too well; just like when he fell in love with his wife Andrea.
“Lucky for you, you came to the right Grunkle. Don’t tell your great-uncle Ford, but I know a thing or two when it comes to getting your feelings across,” Stan nudged his great-nephew, but he got serious when he started to share his wisdom with Dipper. “First thing to do is go to just tell her how you feel. You may or may not get rejected, but it ain’t the end of everything. It’ll all be worth it, I promise.”
“Dipper, life’s too short to worry about what could go wrong,” Stan smiled at his great-nephew in confidence. “So, whose this girl you have your heart set on? Can I guess who?” Dipper scratched the back of his head, Stan getting a good idea who ever since he’d seen Dipper and Pacifica were being witty to each other. “The Northwest girl.”
“Yes,” Dipper began to ease. “She isn’t the bratty rich girl she came across as in the beginning. I should have figured that there was more to her than what she presented herself, but I had to defend Mabel from bullies like Pacifica was acting like. Pacifica is intelligent, she’s great at wordplay and video games, and… she’s wonderful. And… I don’t think I’m worthy.”
“Why not? Look at yourself. You’re adventurous, you’re a nerd, and you’re the bravest kid among many I got to know over the years. You have the qualities that make you more than worthy. Heck, you even saved her life a few times! If that ain’t worthy, then they’d be stupid to think otherwise. It was something Andy and the family have to remind me everyday and I couldn’t be more grateful. If there are people who can see something of worth in me, then I can, too.” Dipper reached to hug his great-uncle.
“Thanks, Grunkle Stan. I actually feel better now. I’ll go tell Pacifica how I feel.” Dipper got off the dinosaur skull and dashed off out the door and called back. “I’ll let you know how it goes!”
“You got this, Dipper!” Stan saw Dipper leave and closed the door, “You got this.”
