Bad Morning

Bill was woken up some time in the middle of the night by Dipper sneezing. The moment he gained awareness, he shivered violently; the temperature had dropped drastically since he was last awake. And with the humidity where it was, his skin was coated in a layer of cold water that leeched the warmth right out of him.

"Fuck, that's cold," he commented, but in a way, he was thankful. His body was too numb to feel the pain from earlier. Dipper sneezed again, and he jumped, looking down at the boy. The human was curled up against him, nose buried against the crook of his neck, little shivers racing down his spine every few seconds. When Bill lifted his hand to the other's cheek, he inhaled at how icy his skin was.

"We need a blanket... or a fire." Bill knew it was useless, but he tried to summon a flame anyway. He focused, whispered magical words, snapped his fingers, but nothing worked. He was still powerless. Sighing, he shifted to wrap his arms around Dipper, pulling the human closer to him. It was very dark in the room, with the only source of light being the Moon shining in through the single window, but he tried to look at Dipper's wounds anyway. What he could see wasn't promising. Massive bruises, deep cuts, torn skin that would likely get infected soon. The human's curly hair was a tangled mess, and Bill absentmindedly ran his fingers through it. He didn't want to go back to sleep. Without being able to go to the Mindscape, he had been forced to endure the dream produced by his body's brain. No doubt influenced by primal fear, the dream had consisted of being chased through an endlessly long series of corridors in a pitch black house, while something laughed and clawed at his back. It had never quite grabbed him, but he had felt sharp claws ripping through his clothes, felt cold breath across the back of his neck, and the dream had forced him to feel a fear he would never normally experience.

Just as he had felt the claws locking around him, a noise had startled him into opening his eyes, only to find that it was Dipper's sneezing. Bill didn't want to return to that dream. Nightmares were only fun when he was inflicting them on other people.

Still... as bad as his was, he could only imagine what Dipper must be dreaming about. He watched the human, wishing he could see into his mind like he used to. It was so lonely not hearing his energetic thoughts all the time.

When Dipper sneezed a third time, Bill made a face at the spray hitting his skin, almost scolding the other before deciding it wasn't worth it. Sneezes were involuntary, he couldn't get mad at that.

Dipper soon began to cough though, and the motions were violent enough that he woke up, pushing himself up onto an arm as he wrapped the other around his stomach.

"Pine Tree? Are you okay?" Bill asked with concern.

"Y-yeah, just... just a cough..." Dipper sounded like he was in pain. "It'll pass..."

Now that Dipper's head was up, Bill could see how red his nose had gotten, and there was also a flush in the tips of his ears. As mucus began to drip out the other's nose, Bill said, "You're sick."

"N-no, I'm not..." Dipper hastily wiped his nose off.

"You are! Damn it, you're sick!" Bill slammed his fist into the wall, which did crack it, but mostly ended in him hurting his hand. He cursed and rubbed his hand. "Fuck you, Pavonis! Fuck you, Gideon! I'm going to kill you both!"

"Ssh, they could be hiding somewhere," Dipper warned.

"I don't care, let them hear!" Bill reached down to the leg of his pants, tearing a strip of fabric from the bottom and handing it to Dipper. "Here, the material's rough but it'll do."

Dipper accepted it, holding the fabric against his nose.

"It's like forty degrees, maybe less, and we're covered in water because of the humidity," Bill continued, angrily wiping some of it off of himself. "We're both going to get hypothermia because the fat bastard and the peacock didn't give us a fucking blanket."

"Of course not, we're prisoners," Dipper replied, with a sneeze into the makeshift napkin. "A-at least it's cold enough to numb us... I can't really feel pain anymore..."

"But that's not entirely a good thing. It means our nerves are overloaded. We could be getting frostbite and we wouldn't even know it." As that thought occurred to him, Bill began rubbing his hands together and exhaling onto them, trying to keep his fingertips warm. He's seen what happens to humans who get frostbite and leave it untreated. He didn't want to loose any fingers or limbs on a relatively new vessel.

"I don't think it's cold enough for that..." Dipper commented. "At least, it wouldn't happen very fast. It should stay above freezing all this month... I hope..."

"Yeah, but we could get a cold front. You never know." Bill gathered the other closer to himself, trying to keep him warm.

"What time do you suppose it is?" Dipper asked.

"Hm..." Bill looked out the window. "I can't tell. It's just dark. All I can see outside are trees, I can't even look at the sky. But I don't think we were asleep for long. It could be three, four... might be only midnight. I don't know."

Dipper sighed and buried his face against the other. "I don't want them to come back. I don't want more of... that. Bill, I'm really scared."

"Ssh, it'll be all right. We'll get through this together. They said they won't hold onto us forever, they'll let us go... no matter what, we'll be together."

"But they're going to take all our power, by the time we're free we won't have anything left, we'd... we'd have to start all over again..."

"If we must, then we will. But I won't lose hope. I've been through a lot in my life, Pine Tree. Really, this is not the first time something like this has happened. I have reserves of power. Once you're a demon, you remain a demon. Stripping everything that makes one a demon and making them human again... that's very powerful, difficult magic. I don't think someone like Pavonis is capable of it. He can certainly weaken me. But I'll keep my immortality unless I'm outright killed. Don't worry about me."

"Okay... I mean, we've underestimated him before, you know..."

Bill was momentarily quiet at that. Then he said, "I know. I'm not making that mistake again." He felt the other shift restlessly and began rubbing his back. "Go back to sleep. You need the rest."

"I don't want to sleep. I'm... not tired."

"I don't need my powers to know that's a lie."

"It's just... I don't want to have another nightmare."

Bill frowned. So Dipper was having bad dreams before he woke up. He gently kissed the other. "If I could be there in your dreams to make them pleasant, I would. But for now, I can be with you in this way, and hope my presence transfers into your dreams. Regardless, the rest will give you the energy you need. Nightmares or no. I'll be here for you when you wake up, to assure you that none of it is real." Bill rested his chin on Dipper's head when the boy's face moved against his neck. "If it's any consolation... I had one too."

"You had a nightmare?"

"Mhmm. Quite a frightening one, too. But I'm awake now, and it can't hurt me. None of them can really hurt you. You'll wake up completely unharmed. Unless, of course, certain dream demons were involved. But none should be messing with us. Pavonis is the only one who means us harm, and his power does not extend to dream manipulation."

"That's good, at least..." Dipper huffed as Bill's collar lightly shocked his face, and moved to instead rest his head against his partner's shoulder. "I'll try to sleep... but I'm not looking forward to morning."

"Me neither, but we'll get through their torture together. Just stay strong, my love. Stay strong."

Dipper uneasily drifted off again, which seemed to take nearly an hour. Bill took even longer, first making sure his partner was asleep before even letting himself relax, and then taking several minutes to fall asleep himself. But he finally did, resignedly letting himself be pulled into a dream.


The two were woken up by the door to the room being slammed open. As it bounced off the wall, the two quickly sat up, groaning and shivering as it seemed their bodies had become even colder since they were last awake. There was soft orange light coming in through the window; the Sun was just beginning to rise.

"Good morning, time for burning!" Pavonis came in wielding an acetylene torch, and Dipper scrambled back so quickly the back of his head slammed into the wall. He desperately tried to yank his collar off, only to get his hands shocked away as usual, while Pavonis roared with laughter.

"You bastard," Bill snarled, protectively moving in front of his partner.

"Oh, I'm not going to be using this yet." Pavonis turned it off and thrust the torch into Gideon's hands, still chuckling. "I just wanted to see the looks on your faces. Cipher, you're boring, but the human is very entertaining."

Dipper put a hand to his chest, feeling his heart pounding. "God," he muttered, breathing rapidly. "You asshole."

"I know, it's a talent." Pavonis cracked his knuckles. "All right, I hope you two are well rested? We have a busy day ahead of us." He turned to Gideon, who took off a backpack and handed it to him. As Pavonis was going through it, the boy gave him a small nudge.

"Hey, uh... Pines doesn't look too good," he commented.

"Well I wouldn't expect either of them to look too good," Pavonis replied, his voice now lowered to its usual deceptive softness. He seemed bored again, taking an assortment of blades in various sizes and shapes out of the bag. "Ooh, hey, I think we should use this twisty one and put it right through one of their biceps."

"No, I mean... well just look at him."

Pavonis glanced up at Dipper, whose eyes were red, nose running. He narrowed his eyes before sighing. "He seems to be sick. Well, that's not my problem." The psychic straightened up, running his fingers lightly over a straight, sharp knife. "If he dies then we just get his magic more quickly. No big deal."

"I don't want him to die though. That'd make us just as bad as them," Gideon said, giving Dipper a worried look.

Pavonis rolled his eyes. "Please, spare me. With the lives they've taken, it'd be perfectly fair if they died too. Karma and all." He stepped forward, closing in on Dipper, who pressed himself against the wall. He met Pavonis's eyes in an attempt to look strong, but it was apparent from his shrunk pupils that he was scared.

"Get away from him!" Bill hit Pavonis's arm as hard as he could. Quick as a snake, Pavonis turned and swung his knife. Bill jerked back, hand flying to his cheek as blood sprayed out. Fingers pressed to the long gash, and Bill paused momentarily, scowling at the sharp pain.

"Try to hit me again, Cipher," Pavonis warned. "See what happens."

"You're torturing us anyway," Bill spat. "I don't care what you do to me, this is just a vessel. As soon as I can get out of it, I'll be fine."

"Assuming you can get out of it. I told you, I'm taking all your demonic energy. You'll be trapped in that form for the rest of its life. After that? Heh, who knows, your soul may just pass on like a human's. It certainly won't be anything like it was before." Pavonis dragged the blade along the other. "Enough talk. I think it's time to get started. Gleeful, do as you like. But try not to kill them."

Gideon searched through his backpack before extracting a knife of his own, this one with serrated edges, along with a lighter. "Aren't you gonna chain their arms back up?"

"Nah. I wanna see them try to fight back." Pavonis slashed at Bill again, and when the demon jerked aside to avoid the blade, Pavonis kicked him hard in the ribs. There was a crack, and Bill gasped. While Bill was distracted, the psychic sliced open his neck. He missed the jugular, but the strike was still incredibly painful.

Bill grabbed the wound, putting pressure on it as warning signals from the body assaulted his mind.

"Ah, it won't kill you. Besides, if it does look like it's gonna bleed too much... we have bandages." Pavonis leapt forward, slamming Bill under him, knees digging harshly into the other's arms to pin them. Bill snarled, legs kicking, and Pavonis called, "Gideon, stop his kicking, would ya?"

Gideon took out a crowbar and hurried over, bringing it down on one of Bill's legs. There was a sickening crunch, and that leg immediately stopped moving as Bill cried out. With no hesitation, Gideon snapped Bill's other leg, and the demon gritted his teeth to stop his agonized shout. When he opened his eyes, tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Oh, it'll heal," Pavonis said in a falsely sweet voice. "I just don't want you trying to go anywhere. Now stop struggling or this will be really painful for you." He pushed Bill back with a hand and lowered the knife to his neck, digging the point in, letting it cut before retracting it and moving it to well underneath the collar, pushing down over Bill's clavicle.

Bill's fingers scratched at the floor, and he squeezed his eyes shut, all his focus on not whining or crying out. He had been thankful for his earlier numbness, but it didn't go deep enough to alleviate this pain. And this body was unaccustomed to it; the sensation was like an overload to his nerves, and it took effort not to just pass out from the pain.

Dipper's face paled at what was happening to his partner, and he tried to get up and go help him, but Gideon soon grabbed him and choke slammed him to the ground. He sputtered and squirmed, lungs struggling to draw breath as Gideon's beefy hand pressed down on his windpipe.

"You won't be as troublesome as that demon, right?" the younger boy sneered, and Dipper shivered as he felt the crowbar ghost along his leg. "Ya want me to break yours too? It'll be a snap." He chuckled at his own joke, and Dipper quickly shook his head. "So you'll cooperate? Good, Pines. That makes this so much simpler."

The crowbar was put aside, and Dipper audibly sighed with relief. He regretted it when Gideon's thumb pressed under his chin, cutting off his air completely, and his body went into an oxygen-deprived panic, struggling and trying to pull away. As his lungs were screaming and his eyes were slipping closed, Gideon let up, and precious air rushed into his body.

"Let's see... oh yes. I remember what I was gonna do to you." Gideon took out the knife he had chosen earlier, along with the lighter. He flicked the lighter open and activated it, then held the blade over the flame.

Dipper laid below him panting, but when his eyes opened and he saw what the other was doing, he fought to escape.

"Hey, stay still!" Gideon sat on him, bulk easily pinning him, and Dipper felt a twist of fear as he realized his hands were pinned under the other's legs. He wiggled but couldn't get them free. And he didn't risk trying to kick; he saw what happened to Bill. "I wanna try something here."

Dipper could only wait, staring up at Gideon, eyes occasionally darting over to Bill as he heard muffled gasps and the whisper of the knife cutting into skin. Then he began to watch Gideon more, as the blade took on a noticeable red glow. It was nothing magical; just the natural appearance of metal exposed to flame.

"Now this is gonna be interesting." Gideon held it for a few more seconds, running the flame along the length of the blade, before turning off the lighter and pocketing it. He lowered the blade, and Dipper tried his best to lean away, but Gideon struck him across the face and yelled at him. He yelled back, and then the point touched his stomach.

Pain, red hot pain stabbed through him. He screamed at the touch of the hot metal, body reflexively drawing back from it, but he had nowhere to go. Muscles strained uselessly, and the knife cut in deeper, sliding across his belly. He screamed and writhed as the skin was easily sliced apart, exposing the muscle underneath to the air, leaving behind a line of fire.

When the knife retreated, Dipper slumped down, panting and trembling as sweat broke out on his skin. He had barely started to get used to the intense burning when it came down again, and on top of that, Gideon's other hand pressed to the first wound, fingernails scratching against the torn skin, and he felt his voice crack as he yelled.

Bill was in just as much pain, but his eyes shot open at the sound of Dipper yelling, and he fought so hard to free his arms that Pavonis was momentarily thrown off balance. The point of the knife, which had been sunk into his ribs, was knocked askew, which only tore a deeper gash into him. He didn't care, straining to shove Pavonis off of him and reach Dipper.

Pavonis swore and yanked the knife back, slamming the handle into Bill's head. It disoriented him, forcing him to still for a few moments. Long enough for Pavonis to adjust his position to keep him pinned.

"You piece of shit. Haven't you realized by now? Fighting back is pointless." Pavonis grabbed Bill's face, digging his fingernails in as he leaned down, bringing the knife close. "You know, you look much better with only one eye... how about I make your human body match your old demon form? That way every time you look in the mirror, you'll be reminded of what you were, and what you lost."

Bill's eyes widened, and he quickly closed them, trying to turn his head aside. "N-no," he gasped.

"Cooperate or I'm removing both."

Bill visibly trembled, brows furrowing as he mentally struggled to get out of the vessel, but it was no use. He was forcibly bonded to it. The magic on his collar had been designed well. Much too well. He was forced to stay in the body and experience all of its pain. And none of this was hilarious.

Though he was almost incapacitated by the agony of the hot knife in his flesh, Dipper was just coherent enough to hear what Pavonis was threatening, and he fought the pain to plead with him.

"D-don't do that, do anything else, just don't," he managed before he broke into sobs at what Gideon was doing to him, and closed his mouth to muffle the sounds.

"Aw, look at how he's begging me to spare you," Pavonis said with that false nice tone, caressing Bill's cheekbone with the knife. "He must really love you. But if he does love you, then I doubt it's for looks. He should still feel the same way about you even if I ruin this pretty face."

"Pavonis, please," Dipper choked out, tears streaming down his face as Gideon pulled the knife back again, taking out the lighter to reheat it. "I'll do anything."

Pavonis looked over at him with a predatory grin. "Anything?"

"Oh boy," Gideon muttered as he watched his blade grow red.

"Kid, you've been living with a demon for this long and you don't know to never say 'anything' to one of us?" Pavonis laughed. "You stupid bastard."

"Look, I..." Dipper swallowed, and continued, "Say anything. Anything you want to do to me. And I'll accept it, I won't even fight back. Just spare his eyes... and mine. Please."

Pavonis ran his thumb along the sharp edge of his knife, a frown tugging at his lips. "There's no fun if you don't fight back. But you know what? I'll spare him today. But one day, it'll happen. And no amount of begging is going to stop me from pulling out one of those pretty gold eyes. In the meantime..." He moved it down to Bill's throat. "I think I'll be quite pleased with taking off more of his skin, piece by piece..."

Dipper yowled as he felt the searing touch of Gideon's knife again.

"I sincerely hope you two are well rested."