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It was a regular occurrence. One of them would say something to set the other off, and they would continue arguing all day. This time, it was Bill that started it.
“Bill, you can't just keep frightening tourists who visit the Shack! Terrorizing children isn't nice, and Grunkle Stan doesn't like you driving away business.”
“That one little shit had it coming. Stupid mortals scare too easily, is all.”
“When you tell a four-year-old that you'll gut them like a fish and pluck their teeth out to make a necklace with them, it’s not exactly unreasonable that they will start crying,” Dipper’s voice dripped with biting sarcasm. His eye twitched. When Bill pulled stunts like this, he was the one who ended up having to clean up afterwards and apologize to angry customers. The little boy’s mom was not pleased.
“He kept trying to play with the displays! The brat could've broken something!”
Dipper sighed, completely exasperated. “Would it kill you to just try being nicer to people? Especially when they’re not even old enough to read the “Don't Touch” sign?”
“They don't deserve it. Worthless meatsacks,” the demon snorted, rolling his golden eyes, “Humans are so stupid and useless. They get scared way too easily,and most are boring at best. They're not worth my ti- Pine Tree?”
Dipper’s face was flushed a furious scarlet, and - when Bill looked closer - were those tears in those brown eyes of his?
“Well, if that's how you feel about us humans, why do you even stick around me?” Dipper spat out, “Why even bother, if I'm just a waste of your time?”
Bill blinked. He didn't realize his words would have such an effect on his sapling. He put his hand on Dipper’s shoulder, but he shrugged it off. “P-pine Tree, I didn't mean-”
“Just don’t. Don't even try to tell me you didn't mean what you said. That's exactly how you see humans, and guess what, Bill? I happen to be fucking human.” By now, Dipper was choking back tears. He shoved Bill away and stormed out the door, into the woods, leaving behind a very guilty, sad dream demon.
“Shit!” Bill punched the wall, leaving a fist-sized hole. Another thing to make his Pine Tree angry. With a frustrated sigh and a snap of his fingers, the wall was whole again. He didn't need to give Dipper any other reason to be upset right now. Speaking of which, he needed to fix that situation. Quickly. He hated to see tears in his favorite person’s eyes, and he felt worse knowing he was the reason they were there. How could he, an omnipotent, all-powerful being, feel bad about anything? Sure, he thought most humans were useless piles of flesh to toy with. They were selfish and annoying, and he often got tired of them. But this one was different. Everything about him was fascinating: his big brown eyes that were so full of emotion, the way his brow furrowed when he was writing in his journal, his voice that got all squeaky when he was excited, even his kitten-like sneeze…...he really had it bad for the kid. But how did he show it? He made him cry. He loved him, and he made him cry.
“Argh, I'm such an idiot!” He growled, pacing around the shack. He really wanted to burn something.
“Aw, don't be so hard on yourself, Bill!” Mabel suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
“Oh, hey, Shooting Star,” Bill mumbled.
“Why so glum? Did you and my bro get into another lovers’ quarrel? Hmmm?” Mabel elbowed him in the side, and giggled, “How bad was it this time?”
“I-I made him cry.”
Mabel blinked. Bill never sounded so...sad. She was upset that he hurt her brother’s feelings, but it seemed like he really felt bad about it. “What did you tell him?”
Bill sighed, and related the whole story, from the argument over the customers, to when Dipper left the shack in tears. When he was done, Mabel shook her head.
“Bill, I don't want to make you feel worse about it, but you really fucked up this time.”
Bill groaned, “I know, I know. I didn't mean to hurt his feelings. But what do I do about it now?”
“Well, duh, apologize to him,” Mabel said.
“But how? He probably doesn't even want to see me right now.”
“I don't know…get down on your knees and beg for his forgiveness? Sing a song for him? Just do something really sweet to make him feel better.” She booped him on the nose and smiled. “Cheer up, he can't stay mad at you forever. Now, if you'll excuse me, Paz is coming to pick me up in a few minutes. We're going shopping.”
“Another date with Blondie?” Bill winked mischievously, “Have fun!”
Mabel flushed a dark pink, and she stammered out an “I-It’s not a date!” before heading for the door. Bill chuckled, watching her leave. She and Blondie really did make a nice couple. If only they'd both just admit their feelings for each other. Oh well. Time to get down to business. He paced up and down in the living room five minutes later, still trying to come up with a way to make his Pine Tree smile again. Hmmm. Dipper liked music, so he could play a song for him. But which one? He'd heard Dipper singing along to a really catchy song the other day...what was the name? Sorry? It seemed to fit in with what he was going to try to convey to his love. He took out his phone that Dipper bought him, because apparently, he, a powerful demon that has been alive for millennia, had a tendency to get lost when they went out. He never actually got lost, he just…misplaced himself sometimes. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Song. Right. He googled the lyrics (Dipper taught him how to use Google, too) then, with a wave of his hand, a guitar appeared next to him. He'd find a way to make Dipper happy again, even if it took all day.
About half an hour later, the dream demon had teleported to the edge of a small clearing in the woods, where he and Dipper often went to just sit and hang out, and occasionally, make out. “Pine Tree?” he called hesitantly. He heard sniffling near him, and when he turned, he saw a familiar blue and white cap sticking out from behind a large tree stump, a few feet away. He began walking towards it. “Hey, Sapling, I'm really sorry about what I said earlier.”
Dipper peeked out from behind the tree stump, still sniffling. His eyes were red and a bit swollen. He looked miserable. It broke Bill’s figurative heart to see his favorite meatsack like this. “Go away,” Pine Tree grumbled, but the words didn't seem to have much bite to them. He seemed tired.
“I'm not leaving until you feel better, love,” Bill moved to kneel next to him, “I didn't really mean what I said. Yeah, humans can be really stupid, and I don't like most of them, but you and Shooting Star are different. Well,” he paused, looking away as his cheeks were dusted pink, “you specifically.” Dipper looked up at this. Bill almost never blushed, except when they were engaged in…more intimate activities. He stared at his boyfriend. Where was he going with this? And what was he doing with a guitar in his hand?
“You fascinate me more than any human ever has, in all the millennia that I've existed. Your smile, your voice, that birthmark that looks like a constellation on your forehead,” he lifted Dipper’s bangs to show said birthmark, “Your determination, your curiosity...you just keep drawing me in. I've never felt this way about anyone before. You infuriate me, but I...I love you, Pine Tree.”
Dipper gasped softly. Since they started dating a month ago, they never said those words to each other. He figured it was sort of understood between them, but he never realized how much it meant to have Bill say it. He realized that Bill was still talking, and he perked up a little to listen.
“I'm angry at myself for hurting your feelings, and making you cry. And I wanted to make it up to you.” He picked up his guitar. “I know you really like this song, and I figured if I sang for you, it would cheer you up.” He began to strum.
You gotta go and get angry at all of my honesty,
Dipper's eyes widened. He never heard Bill sing before, and he was astonished. His voice was deep and mellifluous, smooth like honey, and seemed to fit the song perfectly.
You know I try but I don't do too well with apologies,
Bill was blushing again, but he looked straight at Dipper as he sang the next line,
Hope I don't run outta time, can someone call a referee?
Cause I just need, one more shot, at forgiveness,
Bill smirked, gaining confidence,
I know you know that I've made these mistakes maybe once or twice,
“And by once or twice I mean maybe a couple of hundred times,” Dipper began to sing along, his voice mingling with Bill’s in perfect harmony. Said demon only grinned wider.
So let me oh let me redeem oh redeem oh myself tonight,
Cause I just need, one more shot, at second chances,
Dipper smiled as he sang along with Bill. This song was his guilty pleasure, and he'd caught himself singing it too many times this past week. He watched in amazement as Bill’s fingers caressed the guitar’s strings. He had no idea that Bill knew how to play. But then again, he was a demon; he’d had centuries to learn things like this. As they came to the chorus, they looked into each other’s eyes.
Is it too late now to say sorry?
Cause I'm missing more than just your body,
At this line, Bill smirked at his boyfriend and winked lasciviously, making him flush scarlet.
Is it too late now to say sorry?
Yeah I know that I let you down,
Is it too late to say sorry now?
He changed chords, and Dipper moved closer to him. Bill’s smile softened, and he leaned his head against the other’s affectionately. They finished the chorus together, voices clear in the otherwise quiet forest.
I’m sorry,
Sorry,
Sorry,
Yeah I know that I let you down,
Is it too late to say sorry now?
Dipper’s voice broke at the last line, and Bill looked down at him worriedly, thinking he was going to cry again. But Pine Tree began to chortle, and soon, he was outright laughing.
“Oh my god, - hahaha - B-Bill! You absolute - haha - dork!” Dipper was practically rolling on the ground in a fit of giggles. It was an adorable sight, but Bill felt a little embarrassed.
“You...you didn’t like it?”
Dipper stopped short. “What do you mean? I loved it! That's my favorite song!”
Bill sighed, relieved. “I know. That's why I figured singing it would make you feel better,” he ran his fingers through Dipper's chocolate brown curls, “I really am sorry, Pine Tree. I never meant to hurt your feelings.”
Dipper laced his fingers through the other’s. “I forgive you. I probably shouldn't have lashed out like that, anyway. It’s just that, I'm always a little worried that one day you're gonna get bored with me and leave. And when you said that humans were boring and useless, it kinda validated what I was thinking.”
“Oh, Dipper,” Bill breathed. He set his guitar aside, and pulled his sapling into his lap. “I'd never get bored with you. You’re the most important thing in my entire existence.” Dipper looked down and mumbled something. His cheeks were turning pink again. “What was that?”
“I said...I-I love you too,” he buried his face in the other’s shoulder. Bill felt warmth spread through his chest at the words. He took Dipper’s chin in his hand, and gently tilted his head to mold their lips together.
“I know.”