A/N: Just a little something for the WillDip community, because honestly this AU doesn't get nearly enough love.
He didn't know what time it was.
He didn't care.
It was dark in his Master's room. He wouldn't have expected any different of course, the décor of the entire mansion matched that of his and his sister's personality.
Darkness.
Though recent developments had led William to believe that there was some tiny spark of life inside him, some bubble of light begging to be brought to the surface. Most of the time, he was harsh and cruel, heart showing no sign of any kind of sympathy or mercy for anyone.
If he was honest with himself, Dipper Pines frightened him to his very core. There were no words he could use to describe what he put him through, though it was safe to say that the physical pain was far easier to deal with than the mental and the emotional.
He played games. Not just with enemies whom he felt were a threat or were in his way of something, but anyone he deemed deserving of the cruel treatment. He manipulated people, turned them into his own personal play things.
Like the Northwest girl and Gleeful boy.
Like William.
Though he of course was Dipper's toy in an entirely different manner of speaking.
Yes, people may have said his heart was black. Some people even said he had no heart at all.
But William knew different. He hoped at least. For that very day he'd witnessed something strange, something he still wasn't sure how to process. And yet, there he was, lying awake in the dark thinking about everything that had happened, all the while listening to the slow even breathing of the figure next to him.
Moonlight filtered in through the one window he had in the room, bathing it in a soft and pale glow. It was just enough for William to make out the outlines of shapes from a distance, but the things that were closer to him, he could see much better.
Like the man himself.
He risked a glance.
It wasn't as if he could have known Will was looking, but still, one could never be too careful around him. Which was why he had absolutely no idea what to do when he stopped, right in the middle of one of his rage-induced episodes, and looked at him with an expression he'd never seen and never thought he would see etched all over his Master's face.
Distress. Honest, genuine distress.
So different from the way he looked now. He looked calm and peaceful, eyes resting closed while he breathed through slightly parted lips.
Those lips.
The same ones that had crushed themselves onto his own in a wild attempt to- well, he still wasn't really sure what he was aiming to do.
William cautiously propped himself up on his elbow, blinking down at his Master's sleeping form. As soon as he made the movement, he winced as a hiss escaped from his lips. The multiple scratches down his back screamed in pain and the ache in his legs was almost as bad. He decided to ignore it however, focusing instead on the brunette's beautiful, resting form.
He recalled the events of earlier, uneasy mind whirling with all sorts of questions and wonderings.
"Tell me what you were doing with the vials." He demanded, voice harsh with the ever-growing anger that was so easily activated. Especially when his demon disobeyed.
"I-I can't!" William protested weakly, eager to keep this one thing a secret. Dipper couldn't know, otherwise it would all be for nothing. All the sneaking around the nights they didn't lock him up, all the risking himself and with fear of punishment, all for him. He just didn't know it, and he couldn't. Not yet.
"Don't make me ask you again, William!" He snarled, dark eyes burning into the demon's. Walking forward, he began to back him into a corner. William hated this, being the prey and feeling weak. But what else could he do? Dipper Pines was powerful and intimidating, not to mention every time he got angry William begged the gods he wouldn't see that look. The one that always promised pain, always. Without fail.
His Master was so close now. So close to him that he could feel his hot breath ghosting across his face. Despite being terrified, the feeling sent a pleasant wave of shivers up his spine.
"William. I'm going to give you one last chance." Dipper bit out, words obviously strained in an attempt to remain calm. "What. Were you doing. With. The. Vials."
When he didn't respond, his worst fear was confirmed.
There was that look.
William felt tears sprout to his eyes. He was going to be hurt again, he knew it. There was not much else he could do, so why not get out one last brave remark?
"Y-you can h-hurt me all you like. But…I'm not going to tell you."
Okay, so what if he stuttered. And what if tears were running down his face. It's not as if it would have changed anything. Dipper was still furious as ever, eyes filled with such terrifying rage it could easily make the bravest of people collapse in fear.
"How about if I slit your pretty little neck?" He growled. Actually growled.
William was slightly taken aback by this. Never before had the man given him a death threat. Of course, he was at his breaking point, and anything was possible. Though every part of him was screaming to make an escape and get as far away from there as he could, there was still a tiny, barely-noticible voice inside William's head that didn't honestly believe he would do it. Even though he'd witnessed him ruthlessly kill so many people it was hard to keep count.
Swallowing his rising fear and at this point, barely managing to stand on his shaking legs, William squeaked out what he thought would be his last words. "Do it then."
Dipper growled again at the challenge, lip curling in a snarl so vile…but then, it began to fade. So did the fury in his eyes, and so did the tenseness of his shoulders.
Was he…was he backing down?
William didn't know what to think of what was happening. Never did Dipper Pines back down when he was as furious as he'd just been.
What happened next was even more baffling.
"Of course I won't, you idiot." He said, hostility gone from his voice, leaving a soft tone in it's place. It was more than strange, hearing it come from him. He almost sounded…defeated. William could only stand there in shock, wedged between him and the wall. "You're the only one who…who can actually…" William waited patiently for the brunette to finish, not daring to say anything and frankly, too scared to. "I kill people, William. Without remorse, and without a second thought. Because I feel…nothing. I'm dead inside. And I'm tired of it. I'm tired of feeling nothing. I'm sick of being numb."
Dipper fixed William with a look, one as foreign to him as the new tone in his voice. It was desperate and pleading, a complete polar opposite from the more common hostile glare or pointed frown.
"Help me." He whispered, voice hoarse from all the yelling. William was stunned. He also wasn't entirely sure what he meant. Was he just having some sort of mental breakdown? If he was, the demon sure wasn't complaining. This was a thousand times better than having to suffer any of his punishments. And the way he brought his face up closer to Will's, only inches away, hands fisting in the fabric of his shirt, he swore his heart was about to burst out of his chest. "Help me feel."
It was a strange request to say the least, and the outcome had been just as strange, quite a twist from the usual situations the two of them found themselves in.
It would be a lie for William to say he wasn't glad that it happened, though at the same time, not everything happened the way he would have hoped. For example, the scratches on his back and bitemarks on his neck, some of which were sure to scar. He'd always imagined having this sort of…intimacy with someone would involve rose petals and soft music playing somewhere in the background.
Not the pain he was in now.
But it was only physical, and that he could handle. He'd been handling it ever since he'd become a slave in the Mystery Manor, after all.
The emotional however, was another story.
He couldn't help but wonder why. Why him? Why that moment? Why did Dipper need his help to…to feel? Could it have meant that he…
No.
No, there was no such thing as evil love, only lust. He reminded himself of that repeatedly from the very first time his Master had grabbed his collar and surprised him by smashing their lips together. His kisses were never loving or kind, only rough and demanding.
Was that all there really was? He was just his puppet to use whenever and however he pleased in order to try and feel something?
The never-ending list of questions swam around William's mind, burning and torturously plucking at his emotions. Fear that Dipper would give up and kill him like he'd threatened earlier, or continue to cause him even more pain. Sadness that he might never understand how he felt and fail to return the favor, realizing his only use for him was purely physical. And then, in the smaller portion of the demon's mind, crammed into the corner, there was hope.
Hope that maybe, just maybe, one day he'd turn around and finally see that what he'd been wanting so desperately to feel was love, and the answer had been there with him all along in the form of a shy, timid demon who never gave up on him even after everything he'd put him through.
William decided to hold onto that one as he settled back into the plush pillows of Dipper's large bed. He considered himself lucky he even let him stay there and fall asleep with him, thinking earlier that he would have simply sent him back to the cold room with the shackles that waited for him.
But he didn't.
And Will was baffled, for certain…but he was happy.
He stole one last glance over at the man's peaceful form. He wanted so badly to wrap him in a warm embrace and have it returned. Deciding it was worth the risk of him waking up, William scooted over ever-so-carefully, once again ignoring the painful sensations all over his body.
He didn't even stir.
Arm nearly shaking, he slid it over Dipper's flat stomach, loving the way it gently rose and fell with each breath he took. William snuggled flush against the side of his body, briefly moving a few pieces of dark curly hair away from his face.
Still no movement from him.
Though he did make a small noise of what William could only hope was contentment from the back of his throat as he nuzzled his face into the crook of the man's neck. The little moan was followed by no other movements or noises, leaving William to be both relived and a bit giddy.
A smile broke out across his face, and he couldn't help himself- he pressed a couple short kisses to the soft skin of his neck.
As William closed his eyes, he found that if he used his imagination, he could see a world where every night was like this. Without the tiptoeing around waking him up of course, and without the explosive confrontation beforehand. But this, being with him, feeling more connected than he'd ever felt. Seeing his face completely void of any rage or anger, instead appearing completely honest and true. No upfront acting, no mask. Just him.
His beautiful, Dipper Pines.