Disclaimer: I do not own Gravity Falls
Edited and revised 7/10/15
Betaed 2/21/2016
~~0~~0~~0~~
"For the last time, you're not coming."
"But Dipper, I can't just let you go off by yourself! And without the journal this time!"
Dipper sighed, shoulders slumping slightly at the loss. He knew better than to try and steal the journal again, and now he really was in trouble. There was still a deal to fulfill, with or without it.
He also had to try to sneak out again.
"Mabel, he promised I wouldn't get hurt, not anyone else. If something...something attacks us- you- he, he wouldn't save you."
Mabel pouted and crossed her arms, but didn't pursue the argument. Worry chewed through her heart and mind, a beast of her own creation that she couldn't control. Finally, the older twin dropped her arms and sat back down on her bed in defeat, eyes downcast. "Yeah, yeah. I know, bro-bro," She sighed.
Biting his lip anxiously, Dipper padded over to where she was sitting and wrapped her up in a tight hug. "I'll be okay, Mabel."
Mabel buried her head in the crook of her brother's neck. "I know," She relented, "And I'll cover for you, don't you worry!"
Dipper sighed and unwound himself from his sister. He glanced over to the bed they'd stuffed with pillows to make it look as if a body was lying in it.
"This plan doesn't even work in the movies," He complained.
Mabel smirked, "That's because they didn't have an awesome sister like me. Bop!" She jabbed her brother in the nose playfully.
"Yeah, yeah. Stroke your ego a bit more and see what happens!" Dipper called out as he inched towards the door.
"Me? A big ego? Ha, have you met yourself lately?"
"That's not even possible!"
Mabel stuck her tongue out at Dipper, and he mirrored her.
Cracking the door open, Dipper gave Mabel one last look before slipping out and disappearing.
Swallowing thickly, Mabel wrapped her arms around herself, leaning against the headboard.
"He'll be fine," She chanted to herself.
He'll be fine...
~~0~~0~~0~~
Dipper squared his shoulders, trying his best to inch down the stairs without causing a single creak to ring out. If this terrible plan was going to work at all, he couldn't be seen by anyone.
Stepping lightly onto the first step, Dipper's eyes honed in on every stretch of wood, finding the places it would creak with his eyes alone. He'd learned this after years of living in the Mystery Shack, tromping up and down the same stairs day in and day out.
Leaning to the right, he balanced on his toes as he stepped across and placed his left foot on the second step, this time towards the middle. The less foot he put on the stair, the less of a chance there was of making a noise.
Dipper swung his right foot forward down to the third step, placing it to the left, near the edge. No noise echoed.
Sighing, Dipper did the same maneuvering down the fourth, fifth, sixth, and all the other steps afterwards.
Right. Edge. Middle. Left. Next to the stair above. All the way over. In the very middle.
No creaks were heard.
Finally making it to the bottom, Dipper let out a breath he'd been holding. Heart still hammering in his chest, feeling like it should break his ribs, he adjusted the straps on his backpack to make sure it wouldn't scrape against the wall. Ducking down slightly, he peeked around the corner into the shop. Besides Wendy manning the register, feet propped up on the counter, nose in a magazine, no one seemed to be out and about.
Gulping thickly, Dipper gave a glance behind himself to make sure no one was watching his back before wrapping his fists tightly around his backpack straps and sneaking out. He weaved and dived behind shelves stocked full of all sorts of magical things. Pausing behind a shelf of uncharged crystals, Dipper peeked around to make sure Wendy was still absorbed in her 'work.'
The redhead hadn't moved an inch.
Rolling his shoulders back, Dipper steeled his nerves and crept forward. Stepping next to the door, Dipper gave Wendy one last nervous glance before quickly whipping the door open and slipping through, letting it slam shut.
Heart slamming full-force, he broke out into a run, tripping over the porch and nearly falling down onto the grass. Catching his footing at the last second, he scurried around the house and into the woods behind.
When he had done this last time two days ago, he'd been so freaked out about successfully taking the journal that he had ran into town instead of the forest right next to the shack.
This time, he didn't make that mistake. Glancing at his watch, Dipper noted the time. 12:43 p.m.
He relaxed slightly.
Making sure he was far enough from the shack to not be seen, but not too deep in the forest already, he whipped off his backpack and dropped it to the ground to unzip it.
Inside was everything he thought he might need. Some snacks and water, an extra jacket, a pair of scissors, some rope and tape, a flashlight, a small first aid kit just in case, and lastly and most important, a notebook and pen. Triple checking he had everything he needed in his bag, Dipper took out the book and pen before zipping it right back up and swinging it back onto his shoulders, getting used to the weight again.
Biting his lip, Dipper reached into his vest to make sure the pocket knife Stan gave him two years ago was still there. Running a calming finger over the sheathed blade, Dipper let the memories of how to properly shank someone play over in his mind. Though he wasn't so sure creatures were the same as humans, a sharp blade was a sharp blade and thus, would cut anything he needed it to cut.
It brought him some relief at the very least. Last time he'd forgotten to bring it.
Rolling his shoulders, Dipper strode into the forest, taken away by its beauty. Bright sunlight filtered through the emerald leaves above, pattering the forest floor with its soft light. Grass and undergrowth rubbed against his legs, Mother Nature's fingers soothing and massaging his bare skin with gentle, if slightly scratchy, affection. Breathing in deeply, the brunet felt cleansed by the crystal clear air, the scents warm and earthy.
Here, he could be everything and nothing. Here, there was nobody to impress but himself, no stupid rules to follow, no one to let down.
Here, he could be him. And no one else.
Tucking his notebook and pen away next to his knife, Dipper spread his arms out wide and allowed his fingers to brush against the rough bark on the tall trees either side of him. Uncut and bitten nails scratched against the wood, collecting small bits of dirt. The brunet breathed out a content sigh, surprised to find himself so relaxed in such a dangerous place. He enjoyed the feeling of rough bark against his digits, adored the affection of grass and twigs battering against his legs, and loved the smell that was filling his lungs with so much clarity.
He was lost again.
He didn't even care.
"Having fun already?"
Dipper released an unmanly yelp as the familiar and surprising voice spoke up. Stumbling backwards, the brunet's eyes widened as he felt his back ankle hit something hard, a root most likely, and started to fall backwards. Unable to catch himself, he fumbled for his knife just as his legs hooked around the root and his butt hit the ground. Finally feeling something thin around his fingers, Dipper yanked it out and pointed it forward, hoping he didn't look as ridiculous as he felt.
Bill threw his head back and laughed, a loud and open sound that caused the birds to abscond from the trees above.
Blushing furiously, Dipper lowered the pen he had pulled out. Scowling up at the man before him, the young brunet struggled to unhook his legs from the root, only to flop painfully onto his side, right into a bush.
"Oh, Pine Tree, you leave me speechless!" Bill coughed out between bouts of laughter.
Climbing up to his feet, Dipper hissed as thin cuts on his leg stung painfully. He leaned against one of the trees and brushed a few leaves out of his hair. "What do you want?"
"Entertainment. Worship. World domination. The normal things gods want," Bill drawled, floating upwards slightly and leaning back into the open air, crossing his ankles.
Dipper deepened his scowl. Taking his backpack off, he went to get out his first aid kit only for a large snap to ring through the air.
Staring downwards, Dipper let out another yelp as small sparks of blue flames crawled up his legs, healing the scratches quickly, making the skin look as smooth as it was before, like it was never cut up in the first place.
"Don't look so surprised, kid. Told you I wouldn't let you get hurt."
"Stop calling me kid," Dipper pouted, still annoyed for getting startled in the first place.
"But you are a kid. Your voice still cracks!" Bill cackled.
"No-" Dipper quickly cleared his throat and lowered his voice down an octave, "I mean, no it doesn't!"
Bill straightened himself up and returned to the ground. Standing tall, back ramrod straight, he stared down at the twelve-year-old, amusement dancing in his one golden eye. Golden hair blocked the other from view. "Whatever, kid."
Rolling his eyes, Dipper took out his notebook. He slipped the pen into the metal spirals, tucked the book under his arm, and side-stepped the god to continue forward.
"Oh, where are you heading off to, Pine Tree?" Bill asked, whipping around and easily catching up and keeping pace with the young boy.
Dipper let out a weary sigh. Though fear should have been pounding through his heart, what with Bill being a powerful god who evidently liked to terrorize people for fun, Dipper could only feel slight annoyance at the being's presence.
"I don't know. But I'm bound to find something eventually."
Bill let out a small, amused hum. "Yeah, or you could make another deal with me and I can show you some things that are actually interesting."
"And why would I do that? One deal is bad enough. Why do you even want to help me?" Dipper snapped, coming to a standstill to whip around and glare up at the god.
The god gave the boy a playful shrug, a cocky grin stretched too wide across his face, baring too many fangs to be anywhere near normal. "Oh, I don't really. Right now, that is. But you have the most hilarious expressions!"
Dipper snorted angrily. Twirling around again, he stormed off into the woods, trying his best to ignore the being traveling with him.
Until Bill started humming, that is.
Dipper was able to tune out most of the buzzing at first, cracking open his notebook to scribble some things down. They were mostly about some of the plant life he'd seen so far and the noises he'd heard, along with a brief summary of what happened two days ago.
If he couldn't take journal number three with him, he'd make his own journal number four.
The young boy jumped as something warm brushed against him, snapping him out of his thoughts and back to reality.
The brunet glared up at Bill who was currently humming Eye of the Lion under his breath cheerfully, just loud enough to touch Dipper's ears and annoy him.
Squinting hard, Dipper struggled to keep his attention on what he was trying to do: write without tripping.
Bill was able to get about halfway through the old 80's hit before Dipper snapped.
"Would you stop that?" Dipper fumed.
"What? Want to listen to some classical instead?" The god started humming. Dipper thought it was Beethoven, but he couldn't be sure.
"No. Can you be quiet?"
Bill balanced his head on his hand, cocking his head to the side, mouth falling into a small pout. Looking thoughtful for a few more beats, the god let another wry smile crack his features in half, eye glowing in amusement as he turned back to Dipper. "No, I don't think I can."
He went straight back to humming.
Dipper groaned, throwing his head back in exasperation. "Why are you even following me? Don't you have better things to do? Puppies to boil, squirrels to throw bird eggs at, something?"
Bill snorted, "If I had something better to do, I wouldn't have made a deal for you to entertain me, would I? Like I said before, Pine Tree, this forest gets boring after a few...oh, I don't know. What year is it again?"
"Twenty-twelve."
"Yeah, about a thousand years. Or something around there."
Dipper sighed and glanced up at the god. Bill's voice had trailed off and his head was turned to the side, shoulders tense.
He almost looked...lonely.
Dipper quickly banished the thought from his mind.
Gods can't get lonely! Especially evil ones!
But even as he denied it to himself, a small seed of doubt was planted in his heart, ready to feed off his natural empathy for others and grow.
Dipper sighed, "Fine. Besides, with you here there's less of a chance of me getting attacked, right?"
Bill's forlorn look was gone in a flash. "Oh, I wouldn't say that. After all, I can mask my presence."
Dipper cursed the god inside his mind, seeds of empathy now dead. "You jerk."
Bill laughed at him. "Oh, and look at the time! I'll be back to play later, Pine Tree! But don't worry, I'll be watching!"
Before Dipper could say anything at all, azure flames engulfed the god, cackling wildly before being snuffed out.
Bill was gone.
"You're a real jerk, you know that!" Dipper yelled out. Though the god wasn't anywhere to be seen, Dipper knew he was still watching him. The thought sent shivers down his spine. Whether it was from feeling weirded out or safe, it was hard to say.
Rolling his shoulders back, Dipper continued on deeper and deeper, not really feeling the time pass.
Though his watch still told him it was only 2:26 p.m, the sky told him otherwise.
The foliage overhead was getting thicker and thicker as he continued, emerald green fading into a musky earthy tone. More pine trees appeared, causing pine needles and pine cones to litter the area, sharp even against his rubber soles.
Dipper let himself slow to a stop, feeling sweat pool, gather, and trail down awkward places on his body. Wiping his forehead with the back of his hand, the brunet sighed as he popped his sore back.
Clearing out a small area of pine needles and cones, the young boy sat down and shrugged his backpack off his shoulders. Unzipping it, he reached inside to pull out a granola bar along with a bottle of water.
He took the cold bottle and rubbed the plastic against his forehead, condensation cool and welcoming against his heated skin. Twisting it open, he gulped down about a third of the refreshing liquid before topping the lid. Making sure it was screwed all the way closed and wouldn't leak, Dipper placed it back into his bag, cleaning his hands of leftover condensation as he did so.
Taking his peanut butter granola bar out of its package, Dipper tucked the litter back into his backpack before snarfing the food down in three easy bites. It was salty and welcoming against the weird taste in his mouth. Sighing in content, he leaned against a nearby tree, notebook propped on his knees as he chewed on his pen. So far, he only had about three pages of notes, either dealing with what happened two days ago or the forest around him.
Nothing supernatural.
Nothing substantial.
Gnawing on his pen a bit more, an idea lit Dipper's mind. Bright...and golden.
Glancing around suspiciously, he pulled his knees tighter against his body, shielding his notebook the best he could against the invisible eye that was sure to be watching him.
Another shudder ran through him.
Opening it up to the next page, Dipper titled the top.
BILL CIPHER
Stuffing his pen back into his mouth, Dipper gave the plastic a few more thoughtful chews before putting ink back to paper. Eyes narrowed, Dipper began his endless thoughts.
Bill Cipher- God who lives in the forest.
I'm pretty sure he's trapped here. But further research must be done.
Old stories are passed around in town sometimes. I need to either talk to an old person (that's not Grunkle Stan) or wait out my grounding to go the library and get some proper information.
Bill Cipher used to terrorize the town. I think. And he's supposed to be evil.
Hasn't done anything evil yet. He's mostly really annoying. Even more annoying than Mabel after seven shots of Mabel-juice.
Bill Cipher also likes classical music and 80's hits. This might mean something but I don't know what.
He's also really old. About a thousand years at least.
He also seems lonely.
Frowning at the last thing he wrote down, Dipper quickly crossed it out before continuing again.
Likes the colors gold and black.
He has control over blue flames. He's a mind god, I think. But I could be wrong? Fire god?
Has hair brushed over one eye. Either he likes styling it that way or he's missing an eye.
Maybe he was in a fight? Or maybe he only keeps one eye so he can look cool?
Bill Cipher is also really tall. At least six feet and three inches. I don't know yet, I haven't really measured him.
He's also really warm.
Dipper shook his head at what he just wrote, a slight pink tint overtaking his cheeks as memories of being held by the god ran through his mind.
How warm he was.
How...safe he felt.
Knocking his head back against the tree, Dipper forced his wandering thoughts out. Scratching out the most recent writing violently, Dipper finished up his brief notes.
Has a body temperature greater than humans.
Doesn't know what personal space is.
Reading over his notes, Dipper gave himself a satisfied nod. Though it wasn't much right now, it was definitely a start. Yawning, Dipper checked his watch.
It read 3:47 p.m.
Rolling back onto his feet, the brunet stretched out his now relaxed back. Brushing some bits of dirt out of his fluffy hair, Dipper tucked his pen and notebook away and strode forward.
The woods were dark. With the slowly descending sun and the thickening growth, only enough light to see was allowed through. However, despite his shaded surroundings, Dipper's mood didn't descend into panic as it normally did late at night. With bird-songs still fluttering on the wind, light and high-pitched, along with the shuffling of squirrels and the rare snort from a deer, the usually high-strung boy found himself relaxing into the unknown. He took it all in through wide eyes, seeing the mystic beauty and mystery of the place, ready to be solved, understood, and truly admired for what it was.
Dipper sighed in content, finally feeling at home for once. Letting his legs take larger and faster steps, the brunet broke into a light jog. The feel of his leg muscles falling and expanding in time with his heart was calming in the oddest of ways. Squinting his eyes, Dipper found himself to be in tune with not only his heart thumping strongly in his chest, but the feel of the forest around him. He was so lost in his own fantasy, he didn't see the small shapes dart out in front of him until it was too late.
Letting out a squawk of surprise, the young boy found himself tripping and falling for the second time that day. Real, sharp pain jabbed through his ankle, splintering up the nerves. Mentally cursing, Dipper collapsed into the ground, heavy and hard. Though he was grateful for not landing on another root or bush.
"Hey! Watch it!" A small, indignant voice cried out, clear rage and pain in his tone.
Rolling over onto his back, Dipper quickly moved his thin legs off the tiny figure he tripped over, ears red in embarrassment. "Oh my gods, are you okay? I'm sorry I didn't see you there!" He squeaked, hating how much his voice cracked. Honestly, this was getting annoying.
So was the tripping, now that he thought about it. Curse his two left feet!
The figure straightened himself up, fiddling with the red, pointy cap to make sure it was where it needed to be on his head. Whipping around, the figure easily stomped into view.
Dipper's brain paused as he took in the little creature. With a red pointy hat, big black eyes, thick beard, and odd and old clothes, it didn't take long for Dipper to drag up a half-forgotten memory about gnomes.
The little creature looked pretty miffed, lips turned downwards and brow furrowed. "You tripped over me!" He cried out, voice surprisingly deep.
It made Dipper internally fume a bit.
However, the young boy simply sat up and scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah...sorry about that," He said, voice still too high-pitched for his liking.
However, at the sound of his apology, the gnome paused. Black eyes beaming up at him, the creature did a complete one-eighty in tactic. "Oh, that's fine! Everyone gets a bit lost in their own mind at times! Isn't that right?"
"I suppose..." Dipper trailed off, feeling vaguely uncomfortable with the entire situation.
"And speaking of being lost, do you know where you're going?" The gnome continued, creeping up on his right side.
Dipper frowned and stared around. Like before, the forest looked the same all around.
Making the same mistake twice? You're an idiot! Dipper told himself, scowling a bit. He made a mental note to find some maps as soon as he could.
"I guess I am lost," Dipper relented after a few seconds, shoulders slumping, eyes downcast.
"Hey! Don't be mopey! How 'bout I lead you out? No one knows the forest like a gnome, after all!"
Dipper looked up at the creature, instantly suspicious. "And why would you help me? What's in it for you?"
The gnome gave him a smile full of sharp thin teeth, a warning sign if there ever was one. "What? Someone can't do a good deed just to do a good deed anymore?" He said, melodramatic and hurt.
Sighing, Dipper went over his options.
He could wander around and end up being lost forever. He could make another deal with Bill. Or he could follow the gnome.
Standing up, Dipper gave himself a quick once-over. Everything was still on him and besides the slight throbbing in his ankle, he was no worse for wear.
"So! This exit, where is it?" Dipper asked, clapping his hands together while looking down at the gnome. He'd be lying to himself if he didn't admit he liked being much taller than someone else for once.
The gnome gave him another sharp-toothed grin. "It's this way," He said, pointing to the left, "Follow me!" With that, the gnome scurried forward, diving straight into the underbrush.
Surprised at the little guy's speed, Dipper turned and followed him the best he could, shocks of agony shooting up from his ankle with every step he took.
As he followed the gnome, Dipper couldn't help but notice the air get...heavier. With what exactly, he couldn't be too sure, but it was positively buzzing all around him. It wasn't a pleasant feeling against his skin, nor was it unpleasant. It was simply that- a feeling.
However, the deeper he went the more strange things he saw. The lighting around him slowly switched into a more bluish color. The grass sparkled and the scent in the air became muskier. Mushrooms started popping up here and there, red and white, getting progressively bigger as time ticked on. Swallowing thickly, Dipper started to regret his decision.
"Um...are we almost there?" Dipper squeaked, voice slightly hoarse from his throat's disuse and dryness. Glancing down at his watch, the brunet read the time- 5:25 p.m clearly.
He really needed to get home.
"Yes, my lady. We are almost...here!"
Dipper jolted in surprise as many things happened all at once.
First, his heart clenched with rage as he realized the stupid gnome thought he was a girl. Second, his mind went over the stupid little creature's words in his head before dread set in. Third, that dread was only able to last about half a second before being replaced by fear as a whole bunch of other gnomes jumped out at him, tackling him to the ground.
Dipper let out a howl as a few of the suckers bit him on his arms and legs. Thrashing wildly about, the brunet tried to punch and kick every moving thing in sight, right hand digging around for his knife.
Hissing as sharp teeth pierced his flesh, Dipper was finally able to wriggle the blade out of its sheath. Letting out another yowl, the boy swung the knife around wildly in large arcs. In his panic, he was only able to nick a few of the attacking creatures on their chubby arms and legs, ripping sleeves and pant legs, drawing thin lines of blood as he did so. Enraged, the gnomes fought back harder, a wave of overwhelming power in numbers.
Shrieking as a gnome bit extra hard on his wrist, Dipper was forced to let go of the only weapon he had. As more and more gnomes piled on him, the young boy's struggles grew weaker and weaker, eyelids fluttering with pain.
"Okay, okay. I think we got her."
"Wait, are you sure she's a she?"
"Of course she is! Only a female could scream that high-pitched!"
Dipper struggled to keep his eyes open so he could glare at the arguing gnomes. Weak and exhausted, the boy could do nothing as his wrists and ankles were tied up. He released a weak moan, entire body pulsating with pain.
Why did he have to be so stupid?
"Now, we have to do this right and proper," A voice louder than the others said.
Vision wavering slightly, Dipper could still make out the small shape that was now perched on his chest. The gnome grinned down at him, an odd look gleaming in his eyes. "Oh, fair maiden, will you marry us?" The gnome bent down onto one knee and snapped a small box open, revealing a large ring inside. The gigantic crystal glowed a mystical blue color.
Dipper was surprised at the humanness of the entire thing. He opened his mouth with the intent to scream denial and demand to be let go, but only a weak cough echoed out, hoarse and arid.
"I'll take that as a yes!" The gnome cheered, slipping the ring onto the correct finger. "GNOMES! We're heading out! We finally got a queen!"
The gnomes cheered in celebration, waving their chubby arms around. That is, until a small tsk tsk tsk echoed from the shadows, causing the small creatures to fall silent.
"Well, well, well, what have you found today, Jeff?" An inquisitive voice asked from the shadows, slowly stalking out from behind a tree.
Jeff the gnome stared up at the newcomer, terror clear in his gaze. Trembling all over, the little creature was barely able to squeak out a response. "N-nothing, Mister Cipher. N-nothing at all! Just got a new queen..."
Bill Cipher smirked down at the gnomes, displaying his shark-like teeth. The gesture was one of pure ruthlessness, a king on top of his world, ready to crush insignificant subjects simply out of the sheer joy that he could.
"I understand how you could misinterpret Pine Tree as a female, after all, he does tend to blush a lot and make very cute noises. However he is still, biologically, as male as they come."
Dipper tilted his head back to stare up at Bill. At the angle he was in, tied up and spread across the ground, the god looked larger than life. A golden glow emitted from him like a light bulb. Bill's hands were folded neatly behind his back, feet flat on the ground. His voice was as sweet as honey, but had a clear passive-aggressive undertone to it, promising pain if even a single sound he didn't like was uttered.
It was the eyes, yes, eyes, that got to Dipper.
The one that was uncovered sparked gold as it normally did, but the other was anything but. It was a dark and black hole, a place where light could not reach or touch. Dipper couldn't tell if it was an empty socket, or if the eyeball itself was simply black. It was as if reality bent around the whatever-it-was, cold and hostile. Instead of a pupil, a single blue flame flickered. It didn't give off a single speck of light, instead frigid and apathetic in its existence.
Shuddering, Dipper turned away from the god, wishing he never saw that left eye.
"But more than that, Pine Tree and I have a pretty important deal and right now you and your gnomes are breaking that," Bill sneered to Jeff, causing the little creature to cower pitifully.
"I'm sorry! We're sorry!" Jeff cried out, tears soaking into his beard. The gnome dropped to his knees, hands clasped in front of him, begging for his life. "Please, Mister Cipher! We didn't mean it, I swear! We didn't know! The b-boy's all yours! Really! We're sorry!"
Bill sneered and strode forward. Crouching down, he flicked Jeff off of Dipper's chest. The gnome smashed right into a tree, a dull thunk echoing where his body impacted the rough bark. For a second, nothing moved, nothing breathed.
Then, complete pandemonium broke out.
The gnomes screamed as they scattered, crazed fright ringing loud and clear. The small creatures trampled over one another trying to get away, tears streaking down their faces.
Dipper avoided looking at Bill, instead staring to the left to watch the gnomes scramble in their panic. He knew he should've felt somewhat sorry for the poor creatures, but after being mistaken for a girl, tied up, humiliated, and almost married too, Dipper found his sympathy had dried up.
Above Dipper, Bill sat back on his haunches, wild grin splitting his features in two as he watched the chaos unfold around him. As soon as the last gnome grabbed Jeff's limp, but still alive body and scurried away, Bill tipped his head forward into Dipper's eyesight, smirk playing on his face. "If this is going to happen every time I leave you alone, then maybe I should start traveling with you, hmm?"
Dipper scowled, flushing slightly. "Just get me out of here."
"Oh, such rudeness!" Bill cried out, voice oozing sarcasm, "And I just saved you once again. Really, is a simple 'Thank you, Bill' too much for you?"
Annoyed and embarrassed, the brunet hissed out, between clenched teeth, "Thank you, Bill. Could you please untie me now?"
Bill gave him a wide smile, showing off every tooth. "I guess so." He snapped his fingers.
Blue flames burned the rope away. Catching, but not burning on his skin, the fire danced over all the wounds he had, stitching flesh back together and relieving bruises. The throbbing that had taken over his entire body disappeared as he was healed, bound by the deal he had made.
Slowly sitting up, Dipper rolled his shoulders and stretched out his legs and arms, beaming at the lack of pain from the limbs. Feeling better than ever, the boy quickly bounced to his feet, smiling softly. Bill couldn't help but grin at the young brunet before him. It had been a very long time since he'd seen any human, period. It'd been even longer since he'd seen a child.
And in all his vast life, Bill Cipher could not recall a single child who actually smiled in his presence. It was...an odd realization to come to. The god didn't know what to make of it.
So he simply ignored the phantom feelings.
After making sure his backpack wasn't too messed up, Dipper retrieved his knife and slipped it back into its proper place. The weapon wasn't really all that useful, but it was better than nothing.
"Well, if you're fine, looks like I'll be heading off," Bill sing-songed, turning to stride away.
"Wait!" Dipper cried, whipping around. Glancing down at his watch, the face read a clear 6:10 p.m.
He was late.
"Oh? And what does my little Pine Tree want?" Bill drawled.
"Okay, I belong to no one but myself," Dipper stated firmly.
Bill gave a soft snort at that.
"I- I need some help to get out," The brunet continued as he stared at the forest floor, ears burning red.
Bill gave him a cat-like grin. "So you want to make another deal?"
Dipper sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. There really weren't any other options, were there?
"Yeah. I suppose I do," He replied glumly.
"Fine. I'll blip you back to where you entered if you...give me a hug."
"Wait, what?" Dipper spluttered, staring at the god in disbelief. "That's all? You're not going to take my soul? Eat my heart? Replace my bones with jelly?"
"Yeesh, kid! And people think I'm morbid!" Bill laughed, "But yes, that's all I want." The god opened his arms, a shit-eating grin clear on his face, eye sparking with a facetious light.
Dipper growled. Bill knew exactly what buttons to push to irritate him, it seemed.
Stepping closer to the towering god, Dipper let his long arms wrap around him. Face smashed into Bill's stomach, the brunet was pressed flush against the god, melting into his warmth easily. Suddenly feeling sleepy, Dipper's eyes started to flicker shut, leaving the god to support his weight as flames surrounded the two.
Dipper watched the flames dance with lazy eyes, enjoying the way they licked across his skin. The weight of the arms around him were soothing, comfortable and unarguably safe.
Dipper was gone.
~~0~~0~~0~~
Blinking hard, it took a few seconds to realize that he was still hanging onto Bill, completely in his warmth, mind slightly hazy.
"Not quite used to my magic yet, it seems," Bill laughed, reaching up to ruffle Dipper's thick locks, "But don't worry, you will be." The god peeled himself away from the younger boy, quirking an amused smile when he tried to hang on to his coat.
Breaking the child's hold on him easily, Bill stepped away from Dipper. It didn't take long for his mind to clear from the haze. Blinking hard, the young boy flushed scarlet, embarrassed with himself again.
The color change caused Bill to cough out another laugh, clear and true.
"T-this never happened!" Dipper stuttered, turning around to march away.
"But it did!" Bill called after him, kicking his feet in the air and crossing his ankles. "Three days, Pine Tree! Same time, same place!"
Dipper scowled forward, not wanting to turn back and see at that undoubtedly smug grin. He gave the god a half-hearted wave to show he had heard.
"And by the by, I'm not a fire god!"
Dipper flushed.
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New chapter! It's super long and took me all night! (it is currently 5:35 am.) Sleep is for the weak.
I want to thank both of my guest reviewers and JackieLanternXOXO for reviewing so far. I love reading what you guys have to say and I'm glad you're liking it so far.
Also, thanks to everyone who has favorited or followed this story so far. You guys are awesome too!
Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for reading!