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The view truly is beautiful up here, he thought, feeling a serene contentment wash over him. "Mabel, when I'm up here, lookin' down on all 'em little 'ol people...I feel like I'm king of all I survey," Gideon said. He didn't quite know what he even meant. "I guess that makes you a queen?"
"Whaaat?!" It flew over Mabel's head at first; as it did Gideon. It was like not even he knew the hidden meaning of the words. She chose to ignore them. "You are being so nice to me right now!" She gushed, playfully jostling his shoulder. "Quit it!"
Gideon hissed under his breath at the shove, but kept smiling. He hesitated, deep in thought. On second thought, Mabel was acting odd. Nervous, even. "I've...Never felt this close with anyone," he remarked absentmindedly, staring at the shingles beneath him and kicking his feet over the edge. "So, so close."
Now this was awkward... Maybe she'd been a bit foolish to come to such a conclusion, but she'd assumed Gideon uninterested. With his stunning pink closet, his type of humor, and dapper fashion sense. Stereotypical, maybe, but stereotypes existed for a reason.
"Look, Gideon. I, um..." She chuckled anxiously, working at her lip. "I like you a lot! But, let's just be friends."
The words took Gideon off-guard. "Hm? Aren't we already friends?" He tilted his head. "I ain't askin' for you to go bein' all co-dependent or somethin'. Is that what you're gettin' at?" The question had no malice, just genuine curiosity.
He isn't getting it. That just made Mabel feel worse. Great...I've broken his heart and he's in denial about it... "That's not what I mean! I just... Don't want to lead you on. You're a good friend, but I'm not interested."
Gideon froze. "What do 'ya mean, 'not interested'? Do you..." He had to pause, wondering if somehow, something had flown over his head. Maybe he'd said something. Maybe it was the closet - both metaphorically and literally. "I mean...if 'ya don't want to go hangin' out no more, I'm...fine with that," he conceded.
If it wasn't clear that he was just flat-out confused, now it was. "Ohhh." I messed up! She grimaced. "Oh, no, Gideon... That isn't what I meant either! I thought you were trying to ask me out... 'Cause I mean, you and me? We're friends! And I'd like to stay friends...If that's okay with you...?" She ventured, cautious.
Gideon reeled back so fast he almost fell off the roof. "EH?! That-- that ain't what I was tryn'a ask you! I swear it on my lucky bolo tie!" He gestured to the tie in question -- a green tie that almost seemed to glow in the light. "But...Yeah. I'd like to still be friends, too. Sorry for all the craziness there..."
His voice grew considerably quieter, and he stopped swinging his legs. "See, I don't mean to get all 'pity-party'-like, but I don't get a lott'a this stuff. I ain't really the best at talkin' to folks outside 'a performance, and I've never really had a friend before." After a beat, he turned his gaze down to his lap, suddenly focused on anywhere but the girl's face. "I ain't really used to all this 'friend stuff' - like the hittin'. I'm assumin' that's a friendly gesture?"
Mabel's gaze softened in understanding and a bit of playful amusement. "Of course it is, doofus! And you're a really nice guy; anyone who doesn't want to be your friend is missing out." Instead of the typical shove, she patted his shoulder encouragingly.
He startled at the touch, jolting back in alarm before relaxing. "Eh, sorry..." He offered an anxious laugh, eyes flitting about. "Anywho... Thanks. That all means a lot, y'know."
Mabel beamed, nodding encouragingly. "Of course! Anytime!"
And somewhere, somehow, she had an odd gut feeling that she'd dodged a massive bullet. Like something that was supposed to go wrong had effortlessly righted itself. Maybe I've been hanging around Dipper too much, she conceded.
The feeling didn't cross her again after that.