Chapter Seven
Dipper made it a point to Bill that he didn't want to talk to him unless it was to ask questions. He hated secrets, keeping them and having them be kept from him. He'd vowed to avoid them as much as possible after his first visit to Gravity Falls. He didn't need any more burdens on his conscience and as far as he was concerned, that was a pretty wise decision. "Why can't you use your powers?"
Bill was quiet, looking out the car window with a bored expression. He sighed. "Because I'm being drained of them. I thought that was pretty self explanatory," he grumbled, eyes darting downwards.
Dipper rolled his eyes, but kept them focused primarily on the road ahead. "Yeah, but why?" he questioned impatiently.
Bill glared at him. "Because of you," he hissed angrily. Dipper raised his brow. "After Fez regained his memories, I knew there was hope for me yet. When you delete any trace of something, you have to make sure there are no back doors, kid. And his mind being restored kept my existence from being completely thrown out the window. I was weak, though, and tried to go back to my dimension...And I succeeded. But they didn't want my leadership anymore. I was practically forced to stay in the Mindscape for what, ten years? Just watching the people of Gravity Falls tear down everything I'd worked for and go back to their normal lives. And during that time, my powers started getting weaker and the whole dimension itself started to fall apart without me in control. I knew once it was gone, I was done for. I needed a way to stay alive as long as possible." He turned his golden eyes on the brunette, who listened with piqued interest. "And in case you haven't figured it out already, that's where you came in. This stupid human body was my only means of survival. So I made a deal with you. Easy."
Dipper hummed, giving himself a second to let that information sink in. So he'd at least been right about something. "Alright, fine. But what's gonna happen when your powers are completely gone?" he asked curiously.
Bill scoffed. "Worried about me, are you?"
"Not even a little bit." Dipper glanced in his direction.
"Liar. I can still read your mind. Pretty easily, actually. You're kind of an open book, kid," Bill replied with a snicker, sure he was getting under Dipper's skin. And he was.
The brunette narrowed his eyes straight ahead. "Whatever. Just answer my questions," he huffed, purposely avoiding Bill's gaze.
Bill shrugged. "Fine. But you may not like the answer," he said, looking down for a moment before looking back up.
"I'm not a little kid," Dipper muttered.
Bill just laughed. "Everyone's a little kid in my book, Pine Tree. But if you really wanna know, I'll tell you," he started, opening up the glove compartment and rifling through Dipper's things. Dipper didn't care enough to stop him. It wasn't like he had anything important in there anyway. "There are two possibilities. Both of them are equally as likely, so don't ask me what I think is happening. The first possibility is I basically become human. No more powers, no more Mindscape. Simple. I live and die as a human being with all the inconveniences that come with it. Aging, injuries, sickness. You know, all the unpleasant things."
Dipper nodded, fascinated by that fact. He could hardly imagine Bill Cipher aging, but he supposed that'd be better than any more torment form the demon. "Okay. And the second possibility?" he asked expectantly, eyes cast towards the blonde for a moment before darting back towards the road. He really had no idea where he'd planned to go. At that point, he was just driving forward. Bill was silent for a long time. Dipper felt uneasiness bubble up to the surface. Bill never just sounded scared or upset about things that weren't important. "You have to tell me, and you know it," he pointed out, voice surprisingly level.
Bill sucked in a breath. "My powers are pretty vital to my being, kid..." he said quietly, eyes low. He opened up an old notebook of Dipper's and absentmindedly flipped through it. Most of the pages were covered in notes and doodling, but some of them were drawn and shaded rather extravagantly all over. "These are pretty good," he commented with a broken smile.
Dipper's eyes widened. "Bill. What does that mean?" He was sure he already knew.
Bill bit the inside of his cheek so hard he could taste the metallic tang of his own blood. "It means exactly what it sounds like. There's about a fifty percent chance that my plan will backfire and once my powers run out completely, I'm going to cease to exist. Neither demon nor human. Neither in your world or my own. No heaven, no hell. And there's no back doors to this, Pine Tree. I can't preserve what won't exist anymore." His voice trailed away to nothing, vermilion eyes glimmering somberly. "But hey, it could've been worse. Had I stayed in the Mindscape, it would've caved in on me eventually and I would've been reduced to dust anyway. At least this way, it's not a one hundred percent guarantee."
Dipper was silent. He had no real words to say, no response to what he'd just been informed of. So both of them simply remained quiet until Dipper stopped the car on the side of the road, engine still running. He kept his gaze on what was ahead of him. "Mabel was right. You might actually be dying..." he whispered, disbelieving.
Bill chuckled. "Kid, quit it with your petty sense of human empathy. And calm your heartbeat while you're at it." He could read every thought swimming in Dipper's head like words on a page. It was almost saddening actually. Having someone worry for him was something that in the entirety of his long life, Bill had never experienced. He wasn't sure whether or not to laugh at it or to promise Dipper he was fine. He sighed. Having a soul made him really confused by just about everything Dipper did, whether it was his back and forth feelings towards the blonde or simply the feeling Bill himself had around the other. Dipper used to seem so easy to figure out, every little decision he made, every word he said, all calculated and planned out in Bill's mind before Dipper even had a chance to come up with his reactions on his own. But that was when Bill knew absolutely everything before it even happened.
Now... Well, now he was just about as reactive as the brunette was, simply acting on impulse and instinct, like any other human. And honestly, it was that same feeling of cluelessness and fear that had his heart racing just as quickly as Dipper's was. Dipper's eyes met his, and both of them knew this, though neither of them wanted to acknowledge it. "We should be on our way back to the Shack. Mabel probably needs us," he said quietly in an effort to change the subject. And it worked. Bill nodded slightly, watching as Dipper placed a hand on the wheel. He wanted to ask the brunette why he was even worried about some psychotic demon, but then he realized... Why did he care if Dipper worried for him or not? He felt his ears begin to burn in frustration and confusion, and turned his head away from the other. He knew he liked Dipper. He knew he really liked Dipper.
Dipper turned the car around, back towards town. He could feel the demon's burning gaze on him until he finally looked away. He glanced the other way, not quite sure what to say or what to do, so he didn't. He didn't speak. Neither did Bill. He just drove, knowing it'd be a while before they were back home. That gave him quite a bit of time to think. Time to think about Bill's possible impending death and the way his heart rate spiked near the demon, even when he was acting like this. Time to think about the overwhelming urge to stop the car. The urge to grab Bill's shoulders and crash their lips together. And why on earth he wanted to tell Bill he wasn't allowed to die before he did, because he just wouldn't allow it. He knew he liked Bill. He knew he really liked Bill.
What they lacked, in simple terms, was a mutual understanding of their shared feelings towards one another. Because neither knew exactly how to approach the other.
Dipper knelt down with a sigh, reaching out and picking up some tacky looking snow globe with the Mystery Shack inside it. He watched the kids who'd carelessly dropped it run off towards the attraction hall, where he could hear Bill's distinct voice very enthusiastically explaining everything inside. "That over there is the longest strand of yarn, totally not stolen and certainly never before used! And to answer the question on your minds, yes. I do have a glowing eye on my forehead. Thank you for asking. Does it read minds? Why, of course it does!" Dipper scoffed, standing up. He spun on his heels and stepped forward, only to collide with a much smaller figure than himself.
Both of them stumbled backwards, and Dipper felt the globe slip out of his hand. Frantic, the person he'd crashed into reached out and grabbed it, cheeks stained pink with embarrassment. "I'm so sorry!" a feminine voice exclaimed, and he could see her shoulders were stiff and her thin red lips were pulled into a grimace. Dipper steadied himself, focusing his gaze on her. He knew he didn't recognize her, but he had to admit she was rather pretty. Her obsidian hair curled softly around her sharp features and cascaded down until it reached her hips. Lovely coffee eyes stared up into his own with worry, almost as if she'd expected him to yell at her.
Dipper smiled warmly, reaching out a hand. "Oh, no. It was my fault," he said apologetically, noting the fact that she wore quite a bit of winter attire. He found that strange, but he supposed everybody had reasons for the things they did. The woman, likely in her mid twenties based on her appearance, seemed to ease up. She placed the snow globe in his palm, gloved fingers grazing his skin softly.
"Has anyone ever told you what nice eyes you have?" she asked with a tilt of her head, hands clasped together behind her back.
Dipper chuckled awkwardly, turning to place the globe back on a shelf where it belonged. "Ah, um.. No, actually," he replied, spinning around to face her again. He really wasn't sure how to respond. But luckily, he didn't really have to say anything more. Bill stepped into the room, looking smug. He pocketed some tips - quite a bit actually - and wrapped an arm around Dipper's shoulders. "I'm done for the day, Pine Tree," he said with a grin, which dropped when his eyes came to rest on the woman, whom Dipper still did not know the name of. "Who's this?"
The woman's smile grew wider and she shook her head. "I'll have to be seeing you some other time, Dipper," she cooed, stepping back. "I'll be in town a while." She waved, turning and walking away. Both Bill and Dipper watched her, though Bill didn't seem nearly as chipper as the other. She closed the door behind her and Mabel threw her arms up.
"Okay, closing time! Anyone still in the Shack that isn't related to me and/or dating my brother, please be on your way!" she yelled, pointing towards the exit. About two people were forced to leave, neither looking very wooed by all the 'mystical' attractions.
Dipper and Bill both scowled at the sound of 'dating my brother.' Dipper rolled his eyes, deciding it was best not to argue with her, but she could clearly read his expression. "I'm sorry, soon to be dating my brother," she corrected, smiling triumphantly. Bill ignored her, turning towards Dipper. "Who was that?" he asked, eyes narrowed slightly.
Dipper shrugged. "I don't know. Just some girl," he replied nonchalantly, turning towards the other room.
Bill followed after him, a dissatisfied look on his face. "I don't like her," he muttered, crossing his arms. Dipper huffed, turning to face the blonde with a raised brow.
"How childish can you get?"
Bill glared at him, swiping his bangs back over the eye on his forehead, which stopped glowing without people there to marvel at its strangeness. "Ooh, you have such pretty eyes. Oh my gosh, really? That's so cute. Nobody's said that to me before," Bill mocked their voices, gesturing in annoyance.
Dipper scowled, tapping one of his feet. Mabel just groaned, hands on her temples. "Just make out already. Oh my god!" she cried impatiently, walking off on her own with her arms held up towards the ceiling. "All this dancing around the big issue is driving me crazy!"
Dipper chose to ignore that. "What's it matter to you if some girl I don't even know says something kinda nice to me?"
Bill's eyes flashed red. "It matters because I want to say it!"
"Then say it!"
Both of them went quiet, just staring at each other. Neither really knew what to do, or even how to respond to the other. Bill opened his mouth to say something, face painted scarlet. Dipper didn't want to hear it. He spun around, taking off towards the staircase. He stomped upwards, fists clenched at his sides. He needed to stop this, all this back and forth with his emotions. One second he'd never even consider a relationship with someone as unstable as Bill. Then the next he's admitting to himself how much he really wanted to try it anyway. Regardless, he had some steam to go blow off. Who did Bill think he was anyway, getting angry for something Dipper couldn't even control?
"You have really nice eyes, Pine Tree. You're really damn confusing, too. And I can't seem to figure you out anymore," Bill said as his voice grew more and more desperate, staring off after the brunette, who froze for a moment before shaking his head and disappearing up the stairs. He sighed heavily, eyes closed and jaw clenched in frustration. "The Mindscape just keeps on looking better..." he muttered, slumping his shoulders.
He could hear Mabel laughing. "Ah, young love," she mused, poking her head through the doorway. "Such a beautiful thing."
Bill glared at her a moment. "I wouldn't know anything about that, but I know this is really frustrating," he retorted, glancing up at the stairs.
Mabel stepped into the hall, beaming. "Now you know how I feel looking at you guys. But you like my brother, right? I mean, it's obvious, but confirmation would be great."
A few moments passed. "Yeah...?" Bill said questioningly, almost as if suspicious.
"Then just do what you do best." She leaned back against the wall, head tilted just slightly to the side.
Bill was interested. "And what would that be?"
"Pester him until you get what you want." She chuckled. "Isn't that what you usually do?"
Bill really couldn't argue with that. He exhaled, making his way up the stairs and after Dipper. Mabel saluted him teasingly as he left her behind. He opened their bedroom door, noting the fact that the brunette wasn't there. He furrowed his brow, stepping inside. He closed the door behind him. "Pine Tree?" he asked, quite certain he wouldn't receive an answer. And he was right. None came. He felt his blood begin to boil. Had that demon somehow gotten to him when Bill was too upset to notice her? Surely not. His powers hadn't been so dulled that wouldn't be able to sense her presence. Probably, at least. He didn't really know the extent of his abilities anymore.
His entire being felt like it had been set ablaze. He grit his teeth, choking back the urge to use his powers at all. He took a deep breath, slowly letting the flames inside of him flicker out. Handling anger was not something Bill enjoyed doing, but he couldn't afford not to. He stepped forward, only to be met with the black figure of the demon that kept invading Dipper's dreams. "You're who's been getting in my way?" she asked, looking up at him with those nearly blinding white eyes. Bill stepped back, still forcing down his fury.
"Yeah. I am." Bill grinned, eyes turning red. "And I'd appreciate it if you got the hell out of my town."
The figure laughed chaotically, her hollow voice echoing off the walls. "Your town?!" she exclaimed, gesturing all around. "In case you hadn't noticed, you lost your claim over this place ten years ago." She pointed a clawed finger at him, a glowing smile emerging on her face. Bill stiffened, and she stepped towards him until he could feel her nail digging into his chest. "But you just keep on doing what you're doing. Keep on playing house with your little pets. Keep on getting close. Keep on earning their trust. After all, humans will die for the things they care about, won't they?" her voice carried something Bill didn't like.
He felt that same heat boiling just beneath the surface of his skin, just begging to be unleashed. But there was nothing he could do to her, and he knew this. She wasn't in the same dimension as he was. As far as he could tell, she was simply projecting her image and voice at him because she wanted to screw with him. Even without all of his powers, he would've been able to detect her before she'd even appeared had she occupied the same realm as him. "Is that a threat?" he snarled, leaning so close to her that he could feel the choking aura radiating from her body. It felt like ice against him, but he didn't move back, keeping his eyes locked with hers. "You should think about who you're talking to."
The shadow grabbed his chin in her clawed hands, yanking him forward so they were nose to nose. "I don't think I do," she whispered, holding him in place for a few moments before shoving him away. He stumbled backwards, kneading his jaw with a hand. He could hear her incessant laughter as her image faded away, and he bottled the urge to quite literally burst into flames. There was a tap on the stained glass window beside the bed, and it opened.
"What the hell are you doing?" the annoyed voice of Dipper asked as the brunette poked his head through. He grinned at the relieved expression Bill wore. "Worried about me, are you?" he repeated Bill's words from earlier that day, looking just as smug as the blonde had saying it.
Bill took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Extremely," he murmured, stepping towards the window. Dipper was surprised by his honesty, but said nothing more and scooted away from the window to allow Bill through. "I can't believe you still sit out here," Bill commented. He situated himself beside the brunette, glancing down at his hands.
Dipper held a scrawled all over notebook above his lap. Hastily written in blue ink at the top were the words 'CHAPTER THREE?' Beneath that was some planning and a couple paragraphs. Bill looked back up at Dipper, whom he then realized was wearing the glasses he'd been given, and he had a pen tucked behind one of his ears. "What's it about?" he asked, deciding to keep the encounter he'd just had to himself.
Dipper shrugged. "A demon." He didn't want Bill knowing much about it yet.
"Your protagonist is a demon?" Bill questioned skeptically. People didn't typically think of a 'good guy' when they thought of the word demon. Quite the opposite, actually.
Dipper smirked, closing the tablet and sitting it beside him. "I was going more for the antihero approach, to be honest," he responded with a shrug. "A character with a flawed sense of morality is way more interesting anyway."
Bill chuckled, looking up at the sky. It was beginning to get dark, stars giving off dim light in the reddened sky. "Boy, when you said I was the main character, you weren't kidding. Flawed morality, huh?"
Dipper hummed in reply. This was actually rather nice. He turned his gaze to meet Bill's. The blonde stared back at him intently, thoughts swimming around in his head. Dipper felt his ears begin to heat up, embarrassed. It always felt strange to be looked at like that, like Bill was trying to decode something within him. "If I leaned forward right now, would you move away?" the demon asked quietly, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them again to focus on the other.
Dipper opened his mouth, not quite sure what to say. "I..." He paused, giving his answer a little thought. "No."
Bill smiled slightly, moving closer to Dipper. The two were only inches apart, and he could feel Dipper's breath against his cheek. But you just keep on doing what you're doing. Keep on playing house with your little pets. Bill froze, mouth hung open a bit in shock. That was the last voice he'd wanted to hear right then. Angry, Bill tilted his head to the side and closed the gap between himself and the brunette. Keep on getting close. Bill's eyes flashed scarlet and he kissed Dipper harder, pushing him down and taking his place above him. Dipper closed his eyes and ran his fingers through Bill's hair, oblivious to the sound ringing in the other's head. He groaned, parting his lips and allowing the blonde to shove his tongue into his mouth. Keep on earning their trust. Bill pulled away from the brunette, who was panting hard by then, eyes half lidded and staring up into Bill's own hazily.
After all, humans will die for the things they care about, won't they?
At that point, Bill wasn't sure who she'd intended to kill. Him...
Or Dipper.