This story is heavily related to my other story Two Minutes to Midnight and takes place during chapter 10 and 11.
THAT BEING SAID, you don't need to have read Two Minutes to Midnight to understand what's going on here. You're going to have to roll with a few things (like Bill being human, a Warlock wanting to kill Bill, and whatever) but if you ever want clarifications or explanations on why what's happening is happening, then you should go read the story this is related to.
The reason I've published it separately is because it's told from Ford's perspective where the entire rest of the story is told solely from Dipper's perspective. What happens here is something Dipper didn't have access to in chapter 10 and wouldn't have been able to have access to for obvious reasons to come while reading.
The plan had been to suss out the Warlock. Sure, they had thrown a party but the whole point was to find out who the Warlock was and stop him from killing Bill and attaining immeasurable power. That was meant to be the only thing happening at this supposed celebration but it was not. Of course it wasn't, if it had, Ford wouldn't be on the dance floor with Bill in his arms. His heart throbbed painfully in his chest. He felt like he was back in the seventies – a time wherein he didn't think he could have been happier. He had been so completely and blindly in love with Bill. He thought this high he felt every single day would never leave him and even if the portal didn't work and he didn't become famous, it wouldn't matter because Bill would stay with him – because Bill loved him too. But then he had been betrayed and Ford's world came tumbling down.
"Led through the mist," the song the DJ played on the huge stereos sang softly, "By the milk-light of moon, all that was lost is revealed."
Dipper and Mabel were standing just off to the side. They were trying to be stealthy by hiding amongst the dancing couples on the dance floor as they tried to see whether or not something would come of this moment between Ford and Bill. Ford could see them waiting with anticipation. They had probably been the ones to orchestrate this. He wished he could have told them how much hurt they had inspired by bringing them together like this. It made him feel like he had gone back to a time before the ex-demon's betrayal where the affection he had shown him seemed genuine even if it wasn't. It came with longing because as terrible as everything had been, Ford still wished day and night that he could have gone back to that decade and relive the best time of his life with Bill.
Yes, he was still in love with Bill. After everything that had happened, he still ached for him. But Ford was also angry and regardless of how he felt, he would never let his feelings win over. He couldn't love Bill again because he shouldn't.
"Hey, Sixer," Bill said softly as they spun in lazy circles. He struggled to hold his gaze, seemingly flustered by the words he was trying to express, "Look…I've got something to tell you…"
Ford swallowed thickly and tried to will the beating of his heart to something steady and slow. He needed to control his feelings. They couldn't win. They shouldn't win.
"Our long bygone burdens, mere echoes of the spring," the song continued tenderly, "But where have we come, and where shall we end?"
"What is it?" Ford asked hoarsely. He already knew what was about to be said, but he didn't know how he would react to it.
"I…" Bill hesitated and his cheeks turned pink, "I know you won't believe me, but I was genuine…back before everything happened and went to hell, I really did love you and…I still do."
Bill looked away almost instantly and Ford was thankful. He didn't know what sort of expression he was wearing but he couldn't trust himself not to display the joy the confession brought. He shouldn't feel happy, he shouldn't feel like he had been propelled to cloud nine; he should be angry. Bill had betrayed him, had played him for a fool, had tried to destroy the world…but, apparently, had been honest and it was that last part that stuck with Ford. The bad be damned, Bill loved him.
But the ex-demon could have been lying. Bill was a liar.
The blond finally chanced back and glanced at Ford's face. The latter still wasn't sure what sort of expression he bore but the other's reaction was telling. He saw sadness fill Bill's eyes along with embarrassment. Before he could say anything, he slipped away muttering some sort of apology.
"I shouldn't have said anything, I was stupid—" he babbled.
And Ford should have let him go. He shouldn't have grabbed his hand and pulled him back into his arms. He shouldn't have tilted his chin up with his index and pressed their lips together. He shouldn't have kissed him and he shouldn't have melted into the soft embrace, but he had. He couldn't help it. His body ached for Bill – ached for that time in the seventies when he had been impossibly happy and everything had been perfect.
"If dreams can't come true, then why not pretend?"
Ford pulled away gently and he relished in the way Bill looked at him. It had been just like how he used to look at him – or how he thought the ex-demon had looked at him. His lips were parted slightly and his pupils were dilated. Bill was as happy as he was confused. He had likely been certain his feelings hadn't been reciprocated but that couldn't have been farther from the truth.
"What…?" He asked and trailed off.
"I…I couldn't help myself." Ford confessed. He didn't know what to tell him. "I just I…I couldn't let you go."
For a moment, Bill looked utterly stunned. His eyes widened and words were lost to him. But then a grin came to his face and he laughed as he hid himself against Ford's chest. Instinctively, his arms stretched around the blond and held him close. He breathed in the familiar sent of his hair and shuddered lightly as the memories from a time gone by that came back to him. God, Ford wanted nothing more than to pretend none of the nonsense with the portal and the Apocalypse had ever happened. He wanted to go back so terribly; but he couldn't.
"Oh how the gentle wind," The song followed up, "beckons through the leaves, as autumn colours fall. Dancing in a swirl of golden memories, the loveliest lies of all."
They swayed gently to the beat of the music until the song finished. Then, for a moment after its end, they continued dancing just a bit while Ford clung to the memories of the past during which he had truly been happy. They broke apart when the new song took a far too upbeat turn to be ignored. They stared at each other for a moment and Ford didn't know what to do. He stared at Bill who beamed at him and seemed so overjoyed by his reciprocated feelings – unaware it was much more complicated than that.
"I-I'm thirsty…" Ford croaked and his throat was very dry.
"Me too." Bill said and he wished he hadn't.
The ex-demon followed him to the banquet tables. He walked by his side leaving little to no space and Ford couldn't help but think how wrong it was. Regardless, he kept his struggle internal and pulled on a façade to entertain Bill. He poured punch into two cups and handed one to the blond while he gulped down his beverage hastily. Only when his cup was empty did Ford realise he had taken the spiked version of the drink rather than the alcohol-free one. He frowned; he was sure he had seen Dipper and Mabel and their friends drink specifically from this punch of bowl. Then it dawned on him that those sneaky teenagers had dared to drink underage. He was going to give them hell the next day.
"So what now?" Bill asked and the suddenness of his question nearly had Ford jumping out of his own skin.
"I…uh…." Ford stuttered. What was he supposed to say? "The Warlock…isn't showing up tonight. I'm…I think I'm going to go back to my room now."
And rather than wait to hear what Bill would say next, he left. He tried to walk slowly to not give away how desperate he was to be anywhere else, but Ford wasn't sure if he had been successful in his endeavour. He pushed past the door that led to the shop and crossed over to the residence portion of the building. All he could hear was the thumping of the music muffled by the many walls separating him from the party and the guests. Ford pressed himself against the door for a moment and sighed deeply. He couldn't believe the situation he had found himself in with Bill.
What was he supposed to tell him?
He didn't love him. He couldn't love him. He shouldn't love him. But to say "I don't love you" would have been the biggest lie and Ford wasn't sure he could utter it convincingly. He dropped his head back against the wood on which he leaned and sighed again. He didn't want to lead Bill on. But then he did because longing still lingered in his heart – and it wouldn't have been leading on more than it would have been just some genuine action. It was complicated and Ford wished it wasn't. He wanted to be able to love Bill back but he couldn't let himself. How was he supposed to let go of the betrayal?
Ford pushed himself from the door and trudged to his room. He closed the door behind himself and began stripping his clothes. He would take a shower to help clear his thoughts and go to bed. Perhaps all he needed was a good night's sleep to see clearly just what he should do in regards to his problem with Bill. He was tired and there was no use in mulling over dilemmas when one couldn't make full use of their mind. He took off his shirt and placed it in his laundry basket. He was just about to take off his belt when—
"Sixer?" Bill asked as he gently pushed the door open.
"B-Bill—!" He snapped and blushed, nearly falling over himself as he tried to take his shirt back to cover himself. "What are you doing – don't you knock?"
"No." He answered and walked into the room.
"What do you want?" Ford asked and he began to relax a bit as the other took a seat on his bed.
"You." Bill grinned and he leaned back, opening his legs.
Ford's breath caught. He remembered the ex-demon having done something similar over thirty years ago. It might have been for the first time they had slept together, but he couldn't remember for certain. Ford tried to push the memories away. The last thing he wanted was to give into his desires because of them. He couldn't sleep with Bill again. He shouldn't love him either. And yet his heart swelled at the word. Love.
He should have sent him away. Ford should have pointed at the door and told Bill to leave. He shouldn't have walked to his bed and pinned him down. He shouldn't have kissed him and he shouldn't have intertwined their fingers together as he grinded their hips together. He shouldn't but he did because he couldn't help himself. Bill moaned and whined beneath him as his pants got uncomfortably tight the more they rutted against one another. Ford took advantage of the short moment wherein his lips parted to slip in his tongue and deepen the kiss. He swallowed any and all moans released by the ex-demon greedily. And for a moment, he thought he was back in the seventies – when everything was okay and he was happy and Bill was good.
"Tell me…" Ford breathed when he broke their kiss, "Tell me this is real…"
"It's real…" Bill moaned and rolled his hips upwards for more friction.
"Tell me you never betrayed me…" Ford practically begged as he slipped his hand beneath the fabric of Bill's pants.
Bill gasped and sucked in a sharp breath as Ford's fingers wrapped around his erection and pulled it out of its confines. "I never—" Bill managed before he interrupted himself with a moan. He threw his arms around Ford and pressed his face in the crook of his neck as the former pumped his cock, "Ahh…Never betrayed you…"
"Tell me nothing's changed…" Ford continued and he pumped Bill faster.
"Nahh…Nothing's changed…" Bill breathed and whimpered, bucking his hips.
"Tell me you never hurt me…"
"Never—ah!" Bill gasped as he felt the coil tighten in his gut. He was going to cum soon. He must have been very turned on to be on the verge of ejaculating so quickly.
Ford didn't slow down his pace. He was lost in his thoughts, repeating the answers – the lies Bill had provided. The more he echoed them, the more he believed them and the easier it was to pretend it was the seventies and all the bad things that had happened hadn't yet happened. A few more quick pumps had the ex-demon spilling his arm seed with a cry. The white liquid fell onto Ford's hand and stained his shirt and pants. For a moment, they stayed as such breathing heavily – Bill more so. His eyes then fluttered down between them and Ford released the now limp member.
"My clothes are stained…" he started and his eyes flickered back to Ford. He could have drowned in the lust they held. "I guess…I have to take them off…"
And their lips met again in a desperate kiss. Their teeth clashed and their tongues fought wildly between breaks during which they took off their clothes and casted them aside without paying particular attention. Ford pushed Bill back further onto his mattress and climbed over him, placing himself between his legs, once they were completely naked. And it felt like they were in the past and Ford decided to believe in that lie. He reached over to his bedside table and pulled out a tube of lubricant he wasn't quite sure why he still kept around. He coated his fingers with the viscous liquid hastily before probing the first digit at the blonde's entrance.
His first finger slipped in easily. Bill whined in the most beautiful way as Ford began thrusting in and out rather quickly. He reached in deeply and wiggled it around so as to stretch the muscles further while the ex-demon desperately tried to relax. Ford had to be gentler when he added the second finger. The blond had hissed in slight pain at the start which reminded him he was entirely human now. When he had been a demon, Ford had been able to be rougher with him because he could handle it – but not anymore. He slowed his thrusts and moved his fingers in a scissoring motion every now and again. Once Bill seemed to have gotten used to it and found nothing but pleasure in the other's ministrations, he pushed in more deeply to find his prostate.
Bill clawed at the bed sheets beneath and arched his back as a cry left his lips. His eyes nearly rolled to the back of his head he was so overwhelmed by the burst of pleasure. Ford couldn't help but smirk and assaulted the point repeatedly until he noticed the ex-demon's building erection was completely stiff and hard again. Then he pulled out to add more lubricant on all three of his fingers before pushing them all in. Another whine left Bill and it sent sparks straight to Ford's crotch. God he loved the sounds he made. It was why Ford had always made sure the other felt nothing but pleasure – he got off on the delectable sounds that left him in moments of ecstasy.
"Sixer—" Bill moaned and bucked his hips, "Now…please…"
Ford didn't need any more begging. His own cock was throbbing for any small bit of attention. He pulled out his fingers and shivered when Bill whined their loss. He made quick business of adding more lubricant onto his dick, finishing the tube in the process, and spreading it evenly enough. Then he hooked the back of Bill's leg with one hand and pushed it to his chest while he guided himself to his entrance with his other hand. The ex-demon breathed heavily as he looked at Ford through his eye lashes. His pupils were utterly blown and his entire face was flushed. He waited eagerly to be penetrated by the other man's cock and held his breath when he did. The insertion was slow and steady, allowing for Bill to adjust to the hard member as it entered him.
At that point, they could have been back in the seventies and Ford wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. He remembered the delicious tightness that enveloped his cock then and it felt the same way as it did now. He was hardly able to keep himself from thrusting immediately into Bill but he steeled himself to allow the ex-demon time to adjust to him. The blond wasn't like he once was, he needed more time. He gave Ford the signal that he was ready to go with a shy jerk of the hips. The thrusts started off slowly, the author being mindful of the beautiful creature beneath him. His movements gradually increased in intensity as Bill's moans progressively became louder and more wanton. They drove Ford insane.
The bed shook and smacked against the wall as Ford began pounding into Bill. The ex-demon clutched at him helplessly as he practically shouted his ecstasy. He tried calling out Ford's name but he could barely form a full syllable before gasping out in dear pleasure. In the end, Ford didn't want to hear his name, he wanted to hear something else.
"Tell me we're back in the seventies…" he grunted and gave a harsh snap of the hips.
Bill yelped, "We are—"
"Tell me you didn't betray me…" he continued and hit Bill's prostate dead on.
"I-I didn't! Oh God – yes!" The blond cried.
"Tell me nothing's changed…" he added and he could feel his climax approaching.
"Nothing's changed!" Bill shouted, "Dear God, nothing's changed!"
"Tell me this is real…" because it felt like a dream. It felt like Ford would wake up at any second and he would be alone in his basement after all the bad that had happened. It was the last thing he wanted. He just wanted to be back in the seventies with Bill.
"Yes! Yes!" Bill gasped and anxiously jerked his hips to meet each and every one of Ford's thrusts – he was also just about to cum. "This is all real! So real – ahh yes!"
Bill suddenly tightened around Ford's cock as he came with a blissful cry and spilled his seed all over his stomach. He was positively exhausted and trembled with pleasure until Ford came several thrusts later. He all but collapsed on the ex-demon as he tried to catch his breath and come down from his sex induced high. Bill laid utterly wrecked beneath him. His hair was a beautiful mess, his cheeks were flushed red and his gaze was dazed. He looked so beautiful and Ford just wanted to go at it again – he wanted to go at it all night.
"Are we not done?" Bill asked with a lazy smirk.
"Not unless you want to be." Ford replied and the other's smile fell.
Bill's blush spread to his entire face and, for a moment, he didn't know what to say. "O…okay." He said shyly.
They fucked all night. Ford lost himself in the heat and the pleasure. He relished in the many noises Bill made and when morning came they finally stopped. They laid exhausted next to each other. The ex-demon moved closer and snuggled into Ford with a smile etched on his face and the latter wished he could fake the same happiness but he couldn't. Whatever had possessed him to have sex with Bill had left him and all he felt now was guilt. He shouldn't have done what he did but he did. It didn't change that it was a mistake.
Ford wished it wasn't.