From Sweethearts to Soulmates [A Stanford Pines x Reader]

Chapter 23

We all finished singing Happy Birthday to the kids, cheering. "I can't believe you all got together just to throw a party for us." Mabel was so thankful that we were all there.

"After all the Pines family has done for the town, it's the least we could do. You've helped everyone here." Tyler said, cheer front and centre in his grateful voice.

"Thanks to y'all savin' us, I'm gonna learn to open my heart to kindness. No more evil doin''. From now on, I'm gonna try to be Li'l Gideon, regular ol' kid." I smiled, at least he was gonna try.

"Dude! Make a wish, dawg." Dipper looked thoughtfully at the candles for a moment then out to the crowd once more.

"You know, on my first day here, if you had asked me what I wanted, I would have said, adventure, mystery, true friends. But looking here at all of you I realize that every wish came true." He chuckled. "I have everything I wanted." Mabel took her turn, her wish starting off more outlandish than Dipper's but mellowing out.

"If I had only one wish it would be to shrink all of you with the shrink ray and bring you home with us in my pocket. But since that's impossible..." She turned to Ford. "Is that impossible?" He waved his hand as if to say "50/50 chance" and shrugged. "Since that's probably impossible, my only wish is for everyone to sign my scrapbook. I'll never forget you guys. Wait." She placed the memory gun on the floor, stomping on it and smashing it (hopefully) beyond repair. "Now I'll never forget you guys."

They blew out their birthday candles together. Wendy pulled them both into a hug. "I now officially declare you technically teenagers. Welcome to angst and acne forever." All the teens started chanting,

"One of us! One of us!" as Blubs and Durland lit up a cannon, firing it and definitely smashing something, tearing a laugh from me.

"So how do you feel?" Soos asked the kids.

"Same-y, but different-y." Mabel replied. Pacifica walked up to them, gifts in hand.

"Hey, you two. When are you gonna open your presents already? I broke a nail wrapping them." They shared a laugh.

"Stanley, I need to talk to you. You too, Y/n." I happily obliged, grabbing some cake and following them around the side of our home. "I didn't wanna say anything with everyone listening, but we've got a problem. Weirdmageddon has been contained but I'm detecting some strange new anomalies near the arctic ocean." A holographic earth popped up out of his watch, pinpointing a specific location. "I want to go investigate it, but I think I might be too old to go it alone." Stan smiled.

"Are you sayin' you need someone to help you sail around the world in the adventure of a lifetime?" Ford pulled a photo from his pocket, presenting it to us.

"I don't just want someone to come with me Stanley, I want it to be you two." It was a photo of us on the Stan of War, posing like pirates of the high seas. "Will you give me a second chance?" Stan was visibly excited by this proposition and I'm sure I was too.

"You think we'll find treasure? And babes?" Hasn't changed since high school, the same old Stanley Pines. I punched him in the arm, laughing. Ford chuckled.

"I'd say there's a high probability. But what should we do with the Mystery Shack?" Stan looked it over.

"I think the town's had enough mystery for one lifetime. Are you thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" We all smiled at each other. The Losers Club, as I affectionately called us, was back in business.

Stan tapped a Pitt Cola bottle as we climbed back onto the stage. "Everyone, I have an announcement to make. Me, Y/n and my...heh!... nerdy bro over here have some catchin' up to do. We're gonna be away for a while. That's why I'm shutting down the Mystery Shack for good." The crowd let out a collective gasp and began murmuring amongst themselves, but it was Soos who spoke up.

"You shut down your mouth for good!" He took a beat to calm down. "I'm sorry, Mr. Pines' and Y/n." I gave him a thumbs up, clicking my tongue slightly. "It's just that this shack is the most magical place on Earth. Sure, the attractions are all fake, but dreams aren't fake!" He held up a taxidermy mermaid. "Like, this mermaid. It's not just a dead fish butt sewn to a monkey carcass. It's a marvellous creature that makes us believe that anything is possible. You shut down this shack, and you shut down our dreams! At least...my dreams." He took off his hat, holding it to his chest as the crowd awwed. Stan sighed.

"I'm sorry, Soos. It's just, there's no one around to run it. At least, there wouldn't be if I hadn't just found the perfect replacement." He took off his fez, putting it on Soos' head and turning to the crowd, arms wide. "Ladies and gentlemen, the Mystery Shack is under new management." The crowd let out a cheer.

"You...you mean it, Mr. Mystery?" Soos asked, beaming.

"You're Mr. Mystery now, Soos. Try not to burn the place down." Stan replied, half knocking Soos' fez off, smiling affectionately as Soos readjusted it.

We spent the rest of the afternoon having town-wide water fights (Stan got his butt kicked, Ford and Y/n forever!), guzzling sweets (Mabel and her friends basically overdosed on industrial sprinkles) and watching movies before we made our way to the bus stop to say goodbye.