Bill had watched it all. He'd seen Pine Tree's heart break as his twin sister decided trusting their Grunkle instead of him.
At first he had laughed at the kid, then he had noticed how closed off the kid started getting towards his fellow flesh bags.
Especially Shooting Star.
In fact Pine Tree avoided her.
He'd usually leave into the woods early as possible claiming he'd go mystery hunting.
Though Bill knew what the kid really was doing.
Crying.
Lashing out on his surroundings.
Sometimes Pine Tree acted aggressively, other times he'd cry his eyes put, and some days the kid talked to himself or just... Stared.
Bill hadn't tried contacting the kid yet, but seeing as the tree was ruining and wasting away his life the demon decided to take a stand.
And seeing as the kid was barely sleeping anymore it wasn't hard giving him the push into the trance of sleep.
He then appeared in front of the kid,
"You sure look like-"
The kid jumped up angrily and interrupted "Bill! Why are you here? Wait did you.." The kid looked horrified for a moment, seemingly processing it all. "Did you.. See.. All that..?" He said weakly, visibly shaking a bit.
Yeesh the kid was broken down more than he thought!
"Of course I did Kid; I've been watching remember! Quite the things you've gone though, and I half expected YOU to expect THIS. I mean I did warn you everything you knew would change!" He thought about laughing but then saw the kid's expression.
He looked to be on the verge of tears.
Bill felt a sting of ... What was is called.. Guilt?
He flew closer patting the kid's shoulder.
"Yeesh kid, no need to look so.. Broken. What happened to the good ol' Pine Tree?" He felt confused, how did the mystery loving bookworm kid go? Did this whole thing really tear him that much up?
The kid, however, simply frowned and moved away from his touch.
"Stay away! Don't pretend you don't know anything!" He shouted half-heartily, stepping a few steps back.
Bill would have snorted if he could.
"Well you're undergoing the human emotion of.. What's its called? Desperation? No its not that.. Depression! Bingo! You're depressed from betrayal of the one person ya felt trust to!" He laughed at the kid's expression, he'd obviously hit the right spot.
Pine tree's face darkened and his shoulder hang loose. "I should have listened to the journal... Trust no one" he said grimly.
Bill then went and placed an arm on the boy's shoulder. "Well Kiddo, how about trusting someone else? Someone special.. Someone... Yellow perhaps?"
He felt the kid stiffen.
"NO WAY!" He shouted, and struggled in Bill's grasp, but the demon didn't let go.
"I'm serious kid. I won't betray you! Just free protection from me, and someone ya can talk too~ Get those aggressions out without hurting yourself... What do ya say?" He would have winked if he had more than one eye.
The kid looked around nervously, "What would you demand in return..."
Bill felt like laughing, already having set his hand aflame, holding it in typical hand shaking pose, he almost sounded too happy for the next sentence he said.
"Easy! I want my Pine Tree to be happy!"