Chapter 11: Two to Tango

A neon sign buzzed overhead, "VACANCY" staring back at them in flickering pink letters. The weather worn building was a far cry from the fancy hotels that lined the streets of California. It could do with a major renovation and modern touches to erase the late 1970's appearance dating it back to its prime. There was a covered patio held up by rusted metal columns spanning the length of the building, and the painted exterior was chipping in places, but at $55 dollars a night, it was the best Dipper could do.

This place would act as their residence until his bank account bled dry, and then...

No. Dipper refused to acknowledge the word "homeless" as he stood side-by-side with Bill in the half-empty parking lot. There were far too many queer-gendered youth who'd been thrown out and left to fend for themselves.

He refused to be another statistic.

Early evening was quickly fading, the sky smeared with elongated clouds. Most of the day had been spent wandering around town, looking for free WiFi. Eventually, they'd found a café where Dipper could pull out his laptop and look for somewhere to spend the night. He would've used his phone, except for the fact that it was at 17% and had no service. The idea of staying at a motel hadn't occurred to him right away - his first thought had been crashing with Wendy, but the redhead already shared a cramped cabin with her dad and three younger brothers. She'd also never trust Bill enough to let him sleep on her couch. Soos and Melody were also out of the question, as they had already started their honeymoon and would be leaving for Key West in the morning.

There was really no one else he felt comfortable bothering, and that lead Dipper to begin googling local motels. Fortunately, the fact that Gravity Falls was a tourist trap this time of year meant that there was a sizable selection of places to choose from. Some were downright scary based on the reviews he'd read: horror stories of roaches, drug paraphernalia, and black mold galore. Places that were one more violation from being labeled as condemned. Towards the top of the list was a reasonably priced motel with basic amenities and decent reviews. It was an old little establishment, outdated, but clean enough that they didn't need to worry about catching some kind of infection from just setting foot inside.

For once, instead of following his head, he allowed his heart to decide. So far it was turning into the worst mistake of his life.

"Wait here." Dipper instructed Bill to stay outside with their belongings while he booked them a room. The blonde woman at the front desk was kind and didn't ask too many personal questions, just verified his (fake) I.D. and authorized his credit card. When everything had gone through, she handed Dipper the keys to a non-smoking room and wished him a good night.

Dipper twisted the keys in the lock until the door opened with a quiet click. He was instantly met with the smell of air freshener and lysol wipes. Despite the water damaged drop ceiling and pea-green walls, the room was actually livable. They'd be sharing a single queen bed and a bathroom that hadn't been updated since the late 1980's, but somehow it felt perfect, like they finally had their own apartment.

A quick check for bedbugs yielded negative results and that was all Dipper needed before letting Bill know it was safe to come inside. The blonde wheeled the suitcase in and Dipper unzipped it and started unpacking. Tendrils of residual anger brushed over him every now and again as he reflected on the day. They shouldn't have to resort to staying in a place like this, but things were always overcomplicated in Dipper's life. He should've been used to it at this point, but it didn't make things any easier. Everything he'd worked so hard to protect had just blown up in his face and running away seemed like a better option than having to deal with the consequences.

The dresser drawers were now filled with their shared wardrobe, but the mini fridge was empty and Bill would undoubtedly be getting hungry. Dipper grimaced sourly as he noted he'd forgotten to pack several items in his haste. Among the things unaccounted for were his toothbrush, toothpaste, and phone charger. They'd have to find a nearby store or gas station anyway to pick up some snacks, so he'd buy new ones there.

Dipper flopped backwards onto the scratchy floral duvet and wrenched his eyes shut. He heard Bill turn on the old CRT television and take a seat on the edge of the mattress. The blonde hadn't said much since that morning, probably feeling guilty over the fact that his actions had led them to this point. He'd taken note that Bill's cocky banter had subsided and the only words being spoken were coming from a middle-aged man on the Discovery channel.

"Can you turn that down? I have a headache," Dipper said, his words coming out with the same snapping bite he'd used against his family earlier. Bill muted the television in response and turned fully to face him.

"Don't start bitching at me."

"I'm not bitching," Dipper said, bitchily. He sat up and crossed his arms over his chest defensively. Bill's eyes narrowed. "Okay fine, I'm bitching, but I think I deserve to, don't you? It's basically your fault that we're here in the first place."

"I didn't hear you complaining earlier," Bill quipped, poking a sharp finger into Dipper's chest. "It takes two to tango, Pine Tree. And it's not my fault your stupid family barged in like that."

Dipper felt his fists clenching at the insult, but he decided to bite his tongue and de-escalate things before they reached a boiling point. He really didn't want to argue with Bill too. "I'm sorry. It just feels like my life is falling apart." The urge to cry was overwhelming but he refused to let himself break down further. "I feel like I'm alone." Part of him inherently missed his twin, but Mabel was probably upset with him too.

And honestly, he didn't blame her one bit.

Bill reached out to pull him into a tight embrace and that was the point the tears started rolling. "I'm right here with you, sweetheart."

The notion that the only person Dipper had to rely on was Bill Cipher was both comforting and unsettling to some degree, but it didn't stop him from shrinking into the man's chest and sobbing. His entire frame shook, searing tears staining Bill's shirt. All that the blonde could do was cradle him and reassure him that everything would turn out all right.

As Grunkle Stan and Grunkle Ford pieced together the new kitchen table, Mabel sulked in the living room. Darkness had already filled the space but she didn't bother to turn on a lamp. She was dimly illuminated by the hallway light, balled up in the recliner and staring down at the worn shag carpet. Stan could be heard cursing in the kitchen as he struggled with an Allen wrench and Ford was trying to decode the "simple" installation instructions. She'd asked if they needed any help, but the brothers shook their heads and waved her off. Mabel had wandered down the hall and glued herself into the seat to the point where she had almost merged with the chair.

The grandfather clock chimed 8pm, signifying that she'd been sitting motionless for an hour now. Dipper's words played over and over in her mind and caused a knot to form in her gut. Stan and Ford were acting as though nothing happened, and while denial may have been part of their coping process, Mabel had a hard time reining in her emotions.

She grabbed the cell phone that had been sitting on the armrest and made her way upstairs. The attic door swung closed behind her followed by a rush of fabric. Mabel spun around to see the suit Dipper had worn at the wedding was now pooled on the floor, the hanger shifting back and forth on the hook. She found herself gathering the suit in her arms and putting it back on the hanger, smoothing her palms across the lapel and making sure it was free of wrinkles. The movement caused something else to fall this time, and she crouched to see what it was.

The glossy paper was a photo strip like the ones she'd taken with Candy and Grenda at Soos and Melody's wedding, except it featured Bill and Dipper. Her dark eyes studied the photos, frowning slightly upon seeing the final picture - the one where Dipper had pulled Bill in for a kiss.

They looked genuinely happy together and it made her heart ache for them. One of Mabel's biggest wishes in life was for Dipper to be content. All of her attempts to get him to loosen up and have fun were born from that singular goal.

Hurt overcame elation, however. Dipper had gone to extreme lengths to keep - whatever their relationship was - a secret. The fact that he felt he couldn't trust her with it wounded Mabel like a dagger to the heart. If there was anyone who would have his back, it was her. Dipper had always stuck by Mabel's side and gotten her out of trouble on more occasions than she could count. They'd been through hell and back and it had only strengthened the bond they'd cherished since birth. That's why Dipper's whole outburst had blindsided her and left her confused and upset.

But somehow, a tiny part of her understood. Even though they could tell each other everything, there were some secrets Mabel kept locked away and she was determined to take them to her grave. She may have clung to childlike ideologies, but sometimes it was easy for a social butterfly like her to get mixed up with the wrong crowd. Alcohol, pills, unsafe sex… sometimes all at once. Dipper hadn't realized the places she went under the guise of seeing a movie with friends.

He certainly didn't know about the time she'd almost overdosed. He'd been so close to losing her that night.

She tucked the photographs back into Dipper's suit jacket and moved over to her bed. The empty twin mattress glaring back at her was a bitter reminder of their earlier argument. It made the cavernous sadness inside grow even larger. Before she could process her actions, Mabel was thumbing through her phone contacts until she found the one she'd been looking for.

She tapped the call icon and sat through several rings, waiting until a voice on the other line finally spoke up.

"Hello?"

She drew in a shaky breath before speaking. There was one person who knew her brother almost as well as she did.

"Wendy, it's Mabel. We need to talk."

The closest store was a CVS sitting catty-corner from an abandoned strip mall. The brick establishment was a behemoth nestled in the woods, competing for dominance with the conifers. A large LED sign advertised 3 for $10 hair conditioner and buy one get one free vitamins. Bill and Dipper entered through the automatic doors and immediately beelined to the snack section.

"You get ten dollars, so spend it well," Dipper said. He almost laughed when he realized just how much he sounded like his mom, but it was either stick to a tight budget or wind up on the streets quicker than intended. Bill nodded and perused the items, inspecting each packet of chips and candy bar individually.

While he busied himself, Dipper went in a separate direction, grabbing a bag of cool ranch Doritos for later. Mountain Dew was on sale, so he picked out a two liter and set it in the basket. He found himself traversing the perimeter of the store, eventually wandering down the personal care aisle. The metal shelves were lined with a wide variety of condoms, some he'd never even heard of before. His fingers trembled as he reached for a box and he absentmindedly wondered if he should buy them. Some of the prices were flat out insane, but he'd always advocated that Mabel have safe sex.

Actually, the more Dipper thought about it, the more pointless it seemed. There was no way he could get pregnant - thank God - and STD's definitely weren't a concern. He returned the box back to its designated space, but picked up a bottle of personal lubricant further down the aisle. At least it wouldn't go to waste.

Bill was still poking around the snack section, so he went about finding some toothpaste and a phone charger. The latter was poorly made and probably wouldn't last a month, but for $4.99 it served its purpose. Dipper wasn't about to go back to retrieve the things he'd left behind.

His boyfriend finally returned with an assortment of sugary and savory snacks, pleased with the selections he'd made. It was mostly junk food, but gourmet meals didn't cost 99 cents like bags of off-brand gummy bears did.

Dipper emptied their basket onto the counter. The cashier greeted them and began scanning the items and placing them in bags. Toiletries were nestled amongst their poor man's feast; toothpaste saddled up against a box of Skittles and a bottle of lube. It certainly wasn't the weirdest thing the cashier had ever seen, especially growing up in Gravity Falls. He scanned and bagged their items without comment, which Dipper was secretly relieved about. He'd already been embarrassed enough for one lifetime today.

They paid and began the short walk back to the hotel. Night had overtaken the town and a few sparse streetlights and stray fireflies were the only things lighting the path. A gentle breeze provided relief from the stuffy, humid air.

The door clicked shut behind Bill and Dipper as they entered their shared living quarters. The younger man set the shopping bags onto the wicker dining table and moved onto priority number two. Now that they had supplies for the week, it was time for a late dinner.

Within twenty minutes, the pair were sitting in bed half-watching TV and chatting while gorging on Lo Mien and sweet and sour chicken. Bill had quickly grown frustrated with the pair of chopsticks the restaurant provided, and stabbed at his food until Dipper passed him a plastic fork.

"Thanks."

"Welcome," Dipper said between bites. They finished watching a rerun of Supernatural, with constant interjections from Bill: "That's not how a real demon would've handled that", "Wow, that blood looks so fake...it's like they've never seen the inside of a body before!", "Dean and Cas are definitely fucking - talk about denial."

Dipper just laughed and shook his head as he tucked the leftovers into the fridge for a second meal. Things were starting to wind down, so he stripped the faded duvet from the bed and replaced it with the comforter he'd brought from his room in Piedmont. It was a small, but significant facet that would help with the transition into their new home.

He watched intently as Bill turned off the television and removed the shirt he'd been wearing, causing his muscles to ripple as he shed the material. They climbed into bed together and suddenly Dipper couldn't hold back. All he wanted in that moment was to be defiled by Bill.

Everything was fucked anyway so they might as well finish what they started.

He straddled Bill's thighs and braced both hands on his shoulders. Grinding his hips downwards pulled a pleased sound from Bill, who surged up to kiss Dipper senseless. His movements sparked the kindling and now a fire had reignited between them. Their noses bumped together in their haste, causing them to share a brief laugh before the younger man reached down and snaked his hand into Bill's boxers. He rubbed at the semi-hard length waiting there, coaxing it to full attention.

"Fuck, Dipper."

"Yeah, that's kinda the point," Dipper winked.

Bill hissed and drew Dipper close, in a similar fashion to how he'd hugged him earlier. But instead of wrapping his arms around the teen, Bill latched his mouth onto Dipper's throat. The younger's dick throbbed in his briefs at the way Bill licked and nipped his pale flesh. For a split second, he worried about the bruises that would be left behind, but quickly remembered that he no longer needed to hide the bite marks dotting the base of his neck. Dipper's throat convulsed as he suppressed moans. Any notion of gentle sex sailed straight out the window when Bill bit down against his pulse point and sucked. The action had an almost instantaneous effect on his dick, causing it to ooze pre-cum.

As he lay claim to his neck, Bill rucked up Dipper's shirt, fingertips skating across the expanse hiding beneath. The skin-to-skin contact felt hot and made Dipper crave more. "Bill…" The material was quickly yanked over his head and thrown somewhere across the room, and Bill's hands returned to mapping every inch of the teen's body. He pinched at dusky nipples until they had fully hardened, eliciting a sharp hiss from Dipper. A smirk painted itself across Bill's face; toying with his boyfriend was almost as fun as enslaving the entire human race and forcing them to bow down before his mighty presence.

The rest of the clothing remaining between them was quickly shed. Simply being naked with Bill was exciting, as any prior shyness had dissipated under the man's incendiary gaze and was replaced by lust. Dipper crawled onto the bed on all fours and spread himself open in eager invitation. The brunette's tight little hole was put on display, waiting to be thoroughly fucked.

Arousal hit Bill with all the force of a freight train. He settled himself between Dipper's legs, which the younger man assumed meant that Bill was getting ready to fuck him. What he hadn't been expecting was Bill's tongue laving across the puckered flesh between his cheeks. He squirmed under the tickling sensation, trying to escape the intimate touch. Bill poured every ounce of enthusiasm into eating him out, licking and sucking and finger-fucking his hole. Every flick of his tongue turned Dipper into a moaning, writhing mess, unable to do anything but press his hips backwards and white-knuckle the sheets underneath him. Bill lapped at the sensitive skin a few more times and then retrieved the lubricant they'd purchased earlier. The foreplay left Dipper gasping and wondering why he'd never tried it before, but Bill didn't give him the chance to get lost in his own head before pressing fully inside of him. His slick length was once more engulfed in velvet heat and it was probably the closest thing to Heaven Bill would ever experience. He clawed at Dipper's hips, leaving purpling bruises in his wake. The initial discomfort Dipper experienced was far less than what he'd felt this morning. His body was certainly becoming more receptive to Bill as they began to move in unison.

Both men quickly decided that slow, gentle sex would be reserved for another night. Bill thrusted into Dipper, mimicking the speed they'd set earlier in the Mystery Shack's kitchen. It wasn't long before the blonde was fucking him mercilessly, Dipper's head pressed to the mattress beneath him. The only words he was capable of reciting were "Bill", "more", "harder", "fuck" or any combination of the four. A trail of drool ran from his open mouth and pooled onto the comforter as Bill's dick reduced him to a single brain cell.

Coherent words quickly deteriorated into broken shouts punctuated with moans and sighs from the both of them. It seemed that Bill was determined to strike the patch inside of Dipper that would make him see stars, though it remained elusive until one carefully-angled thrust. White bursts crackled behind his eyelids and left Dipper euphoric as pleasure radiated through his entire body like a live circuit. There was no longer any finesse to their movements as they rutted together like animals in heat.

One particularly forceful snap of Bill's hips drove Dipper forwards and caused the headboard to smash against the wall. There was already a sizable dent in the plaster from couples who had partaken in similar sexual forays.

The pair weren't the first to fuck in this room and they definitely wouldn't be the last.

Dipper chanted Bill's name in reverence, unabashed by the whorish sounds falling past his lips. He was caught in a lust-fueled haze and hadn't noticed until this very moment that the room adjacent to them was occupied by summer tourists. The family had quickly caught on to what was taking place and cranked their TV volume up to cover the sounds of sex leaking through the wall.

Dipper almost laughed at the realization as Family Feud blared in the adjoining room. He decided to take pity on the poor tourists and shift positions. He flipped their bodies until he was sitting on top, staring into Bill's amber eyes as he set his own pace. The new position gave him more control over the angle and depth of the thrusts, alternating between shallow and deep strokes. It also provided the family a reprieve from the continuous headboard-smashing.

Coming face to face with Bill increased the level of intimacy tenfold and allowed them to tangle arms around necks and weave hands into hair as they kissed. Dipper's lips were swollen and he looked completely wrecked, a result of Bill's domination and his own slutty submission. Fuck his appearance, and fuck being able to walk straight the next morning. The pleasure was way too intense to have any sort of regrets. He met Bill's thrusts as the blonde slammed up into him, unconcerned with anything except chasing his high.

Their hot, uneven breaths mingled together as the kiss was broken. Half-lidded eyes met in an impromptu staring contest with no end, brown and gold melding together into a striking shade of copper. The union of triangle and tree was seamless, unable to determine where Dipper ended and Bill began.

"Fuck, Pine Tree. You take my dick so well," Bill panted as he peppered kisses along Dipper's jaw. "You feel so fucking good."

"Nghh, so do you," Dipper huffed. Bill's hand had found its way around his cock and he swore he stopped breathing for a second. The man's wrist flicked in a steady motion, sliding up and over the head with each pass. He gathered the slick with his thumb, drawing it downward to aid his movements. Head lolling to the side, Dipper allowed himself to get lost in the sensations. Bill's length was at the perfect angle, pressing against his prostate with every thrust.

As endorphins flared and oxytocin reached peak levels, everything became more vibrant, oversaturated sensations akin to an illicit drug. Dipper covered Bill's hand with his own as they jacked him off together. They were both drowning in an unparalleled state of bliss, reverting back to the most primal of human tendencies. Dipper was quickly losing whatever composure he still had left and his cheeks flushed hotter the nearer he came to the finish line.

It only took a few more thrusts for the tightly wound coils of orgasm to begin unraveling. Bill buried his head into the crook of Dipper's neck as he grunted out, "Oh fuck, I'm coming!"

"Want it in me," Dipper huffed, accentuating his words with the roll of his hips. The action kept Bill buried deep inside of him as the man's cock grew impossibly harder. A second later he felt overwhelming warmth as a substantial amount of cum flooded his insides and filled him to the brim. The hot, sticky sensation was Dipper's undoing as he spilled across Bill's chest and stomach with a cry.

The full weight of Dipper's body settled onto Bill's as he slumped against his boyfriend. Thudding hearts and panting breaths gradually returned to normal as they recovered from the intense sex. Bill's softening cock slipped from his body as Dipper rolled onto his side of the bed. His muscles were still involuntarily contracting, forcing the blonde's cum out of his body.

Bill had officially deflowered him, but he wasn't done yet. Two fingers slid back inside, taking advantage of Dipper's oversensitive state as he gasped at the unexpected intrusion. Bill's tongue swirled between his fingers as he drew his essence outwards and rimmed Dipper for the second time that night.

Pine Tree was quaking down to his roots as full body shivers overwhelmed him. Had he been born a woman, it would've signified orgasm number two, but unfortunately he was already spent. Bill continued swirling his tongue until Dipper had nothing left to give and was pleading with him to stop. He rejoined Dipper and smoothed his hands through the teen's hair lovingly as the afterglow set in.

"That was…," Dipper paused as he tried to think of intelligent phrases beyond the realm of curse words.

"Amazing? Incredible? Exactly what you dreamed sex with me would be like?" The smirk on Bill's face alluded to his teasing (and possibly half-serious) comment.

"Even better," Dipper said. Sex with Bill was a great pick-me-up and exactly what he'd been needing. Worry would eventually settle into his bones again, but for now he was completely blissed out and didn't give a damn about anything else.

Bill actually seemed somewhat surprised; he'd been expecting a sarcastic comment in response, but Dipper had complimented him. He allowed his ego to inflate just the slightest bit, which was still a ridiculous amount because he was motherfucking Bill Cipher, the best thing to grace this world since… well... himself. "I'm truly flattered, sweetheart," he chuckled, ruffling the teen's hair and pulling him in for a gentle kiss.

Sated and sleepy, the pair exchanged goodnights and sentiments of love. Dipper stretched and clicked off the overhead light, filling the room with inky blackness as they settled down together in the dark.

"I dunno, Mabel. It sounds really screwed up."

The redhead's tone had softened considerably over the past hour. Initially she'd been pissed off, calling Dipper a "total dumbass" and asking how in the world he could've chosen Bill over his own family. Mabel tried her best to explain what had happened, or at least provide her own version of it. She wasn't sure how long Bill and Dipper had been like this, since he'd expertly concealed it. Despite the fact that he'd yelled at her - and it had hurt - Mabel tried to take an adult approach for once and be the bigger person. Obviously whatever Dipper was going through right now made him feel uncomfortable and so he needed whatever support he could get. Sometimes it was hard to set aside her own selfish wants, but Dipper needed Mabel right now.

Eventually, Wendy's anger ebbed, giving way to the level-headedness she was so well-known for. "But like, he should realize that none of us would judge him over his sexuality. I mean, we all attended Durland and Blubs' wedding a few years ago - don't you think if we had a problem we would've said something?" Homophobic statements never arose in that time, leading Mabel to assume that it was something they all supported. Even Ford, who had spent most of his time in an interdimensional hell, seemed to share a progressive opinion towards same-sex rights.

Mabel picked at a loose thread on her sweater, twirling it around her finger. "I know. I guess it's something he felt embarrassed by. But when he's ready to deal with it, I want him to know I'll be right here. Big Sis Mabel on standby in the wings."

Wendy's sympathy was evident. As a big sister herself, she knew that siblings could be assholes, but her love and commitment to them was undying. It came as part of the family bond they shared. "I'm proud of you for taking it so well. I probably would've freaked out if it was me in your shoes."

"Even if I wanted to be mad at Dipper, I don't think I could. It's not like I haven't fallen for the wrong guys either." Her mind drifted to the first summer in Gravity Falls and the endless string of crushes that ended in heartbreak. Zombie-gnome dude, Mermando, Gabe… There had been more in the following years that she couldn't list on one hand. Regardless, Dipper had never shunned her, even if he didn't exactly approve of Mabel's new boyfriend of the week.

Stan and Ford may have been able to shove a wedge between themselves and their great-nephew, but Mabel had a huge heart and couldn't bring herself to leave him behind. There was no way she wanted to be like Stan and Ford someday. The elders were constantly bickering and their relationship was dysfunctional at best.

Things needed to be patched up with Dipper or the gap would only grow.

"I'm gonna have a talk with the Grunkles tomorrow," she said, moving from her reclined position to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Want me to come over?"

"Sure, I could use the support. You know how stubborn they can be." Mabel rolled her eyes at the grumpy old men still fussing over the IKEA table. She heard someone throw something downstairs, and given Ford's scolding, it was Grunkle Stan.

"Trust me. I've got three little bros, so I know how to handle stubborn." Mabel could almost envision Wendy's eye roll through the phone. "I'll see you in the morning and I'll bring my dad's boxing gloves."

"Wait, don't -"

"It's a joke, silly goose," Wendy laughed. "But seriously, if they give you any trouble I'll do my best to help. I did manage to talk Stan into giving me that raise."

"Wow, he actually gave you money?"

"Money? Nah, just some dented boxes of vending machine snacks. But it was so friggin' worth it if you ask me. I was chowing down on Cheetos and barbecue chips for months."

"Hey Wendy?

"Yeah?"

The brunette smiled before speaking. "You're the greatest."

Wendy laughed and nodded even though Mabel couldn't see it.

"I know, dude. I know."