Part of the 100 Theme challenge. These drabbles will not necessarily follow any specific plotline, pairing, or even fandom. A grab-bag, really. 100themewriters deviantart com/art/The-Original-List-of-Themes-125161634
Around them was the sounds of destruction, the sound of the world itself crumbling and decaying. Fires roared behind them, car alarms were set off before they were quickly halted by crunching noises, and the screaming. So many of the townspeople were down there and they were in trouble, but that didn't matter, right now. Not to Bill. Right now, he just had to keep his Pine Tree safe, and the only way to do that was to keep him at the Mystery Shack. The Games were so close to complete and Bill just couldn't let the two complete the games. Mabel had already run off towards the town. Bill knew how this worked. If one twin died, the Games ended. That was a sacrifice he was willing to make, if it meant the two weren't forever damned to this eternal hell he himself had been trapped in.
"Bill, I have to go! My sister is out there!" And then his sweet, precious Pine Tree. His brave heroic little star that couldn't ever just stay low and keep himself safe.
"Pine Tree, I can't let you go out there," Bill near screamed at that, keeping a tight grip on his arm as Dipper tried to pry himself away and run past the shield that Bill had set up. He'd used most of the last of his energy putting the shield up. Anything to keep them safe from her.
Dipper shook his head, his eyes red and misty, and his teeth bared. Bill could see his birthmark glowing a bright blue, along with his hands. He shouldn't have ever taught the boy magic, he was so close to completing the games. "I have to go down there! Jill is down there doing who knows what! She might kill Mabel!"
"I don't care! You have to stay safe!" Dipper's face seemed to fall before he looked to Bill. He leaned forward and cupped his cheek.
"I can't stay safe. There's always going to be some new power, some new monster, it's never going to stop. You can't protect me from everything."
Bill shook his head fiercely. "I can try! I can't let you go out there! You don't even know-"
Dipper only smiled at him, leaning their foreheads together. "I do. I know what we have to do. Don't worry, I'll come back." Dipper's lips brushed against Bill's in what could barely be described as a kiss. "I always have."
Bill finally let a sob out, the force of it shaking his shoulders. "I can't lose you again."
"You won't," Dipper promised. "Mabel and I, we're going to come back. This is the last one, and then... We win, right?" Bill continued to weep softly, because no, no, this wasn't winning, this was the punishment, why couldn't he see that?! "We'll come back, Bill." Even as he slipped away and past the shield, Bill couldn't hold onto him. He could only watch his star march into death to destroy her.