Chapter Text
"Bill?"
Silence. Dipper struggled against the metal that dug into his skin. He growled when it began to sting against the raw flesh.
"Bill!" He shouted once more, anger building as he struggled against the shackles. When it was clear the demon was nowhere around, he knew it was his only chance.
He clenched his jaw as he tried to again to slide his hand out. He felt his eyes tear up when it cut into his skin, and he felt something slide down his arms as the metal scraped against bone. Eventually he forced his hand loose, and he pressed it against the other binding that bit into his wrist. The metal was slick from his other hand, and he eventually wrenched himself free. He looked around, grateful his eyes had finally adjusted to the darkness of the room. His clothes were ragged and now bloody from his injuries, and his hair stuck to his face unpleasantly as sweat had gathered from his movements. He rushed forward and pushed open the door, glancing down the hallways before quickly running to the left.
Left, then turn past the third door. Keep going, turn right...what after?
Dipper pressed himself against the wall and looked around the corner quickly. He panicked. What was it after this? He heard footsteps approach and he pressed himself further against the wall. He felt blood slick the ground beneath his shoes and he grimaced. Suddenly a tall man walked past the hallway, and Dipper held his breath. The man stopped suddenly, and Dipper could only feel the pounding of his chest as he stared at the back of the blond man's head.
"Mm." And suddenly the man continued forward, his oxfords tapping against the cement floor as he disappeared down the hallway. When Dipper heard a door close he finally breathed, slipping past the hallway and bolting through. He noticed blood dripping behind him and ripped off his shirt, tearing it in half and wrapping it around his wrists until the blood stopped. He slipped off his shoes and tossed them down another hallway as his feet padded the ground. He thought he remembered this hallway before. Suddenly footsteps were running after him and he forced himself to go faster, his feet pounding harshly on the ground.
Round the corner, to the left. He remembered! He slipped into a small hallway then, pressing against the wall when he'd gotten out of the sight of the other. The blond man bolted past him then, looking around as he growled loudly.
"Pine Tree, you won't get far! Come back and save yourself the trouble!"
Dipper placed his hand over his mouth to muffle his breathing. He ignored the way a small amount of blood trickled down his arm. The man looked around angrily before storming down the hallway. Shit. That's where he needed to go. He stayed where he was, stiff against the wall as he thought over what to do. He heard footsteps come back his way and he pressed himself to the wall opposite of him, watching the blond man run past his hiding place to follow the blood trail that he'd left earlier. He held his breath as the steps faded into the distance. Now. He looked to see that the hallway was clear again before he darted down. He slid to a stop when he finally found it. A shooting star emblem was etched into a door and he reached forward, wrenching it open and slipping inside. A key hung by the entrance and he grabbed it before closing the door behind him. He slid off his hat and slipped the edge of it into the lock as he looked back to a girl who had been chained by her leg to the wall. She was sleeping against the concrete, but Dipper was grateful that she looked less battered than he was. He hoped this key was what he thought it was. He quickly stalked forward, wrenching the key into the shackle and forced it open. He gently shook Mabel, listening anxiously for the demon's footsteps.
The girl slowly opened her eyes. When she saw Dipper she smiled softly, reaching up and pulling him into a hug. Her movements were sluggish, and Dipper looked into her dilated eyes. She'd either been drugged or magically tranquilized. Dipper assumed the latter, knowing the demon had done his best to keep the twins apart. He pressed his lips into a thin line as he slipped one of her arms around his neck and forced her up. They pressed against the wall as Dipper peeked out the door again. The demon was nowhere to be seen, making him relax slightly. He gently closed the door behind them to hide any suspicion. He watched for any of his blood dripping on the floor, thankful it had clotted and the floor remained clear of the liquid or any markings. His heart was pounding, and Mabel was gripping on to him with weak strength. She tried to walk, but fumbled next to him as they rushed down the hallway.
"D...ipper..."
"Shh, Mabel. We're gonna get out of here, okay? Just focus on walking." Dipper's voice was just below a whisper. He heard footsteps approach them again and he whipped a hand over Mabel's mouth and his own as he pressed them into an unlocked room. He felt Mabel shake underneath him, his blood slicking her mouth as well as his own. He glanced around the room, grateful for it being some form of storage compartment. Nothing stood out, filled with useless boxes and objects that the demon must have obtained throughout the years. Something glowed in his peripheral and he looked to see a small glimmer of gold. He turned back to hear the footsteps slowly approach their room. He held his breath, trying to determine if said footsteps would pass them by. He strained his ears as he listened, feeling Mabel's tears trail down his hand. Eventually the footsteps faded as they passed the room, unsuspecting.
"Dipper, I know you can hear me." The voice growled from some ways away. "Reveal yourself and I'll pretend this didn't happen. You liked last night, didn't you?" Dipper shivered. "I'll take care of you, kid."
Mabel looked at him with sympathetic eyes. Her pupils were constructing as whatever was in her system slowly faded. He clenched his jaw as he looked at the glimmering gold across the room. He was hoping it was what he thought it was.
"I'll even let you see your sister more often. Isn't that what you want?"
Dipper slowly moved away from Mabel, putting a finger over his mouth to indicate to her to be silent. She nodded gently, watching him slowly tiptoe to the other side of the room. He held his breath, each movement slow and deliberate as he walked around large obstacles of priceless objects. He reached forward, gently grasping the book and pulling it to his stomach. His heart was pounding as he gently walked back, listening for more of the demon's taunt.
"Come now, Dipper. I know you wouldn't risk everything just to escape, would you?"
Dipper gently sat next to Mabel. Her hands were over her mouth and he could see she was choking back sobs. He slowly cracked open the worn book, carefully flipping through each page to find the spell that would help them escape.
"Dipper." The demon warned again.
Dipper found the page, scanning through it quickly as he memorized the words. Mabel's tear-filled eyes looked to her brother who began whispering the words. Footsteps were gaining on them quickly and Mabel's terrified eyes looked to the door. Dipper continued whispering them, feeling the air around them shift. Mabel grabbed onto him, clutching his arm as a shadow appeared in front of the door. Suddenly it was wrenched open, but the twins were lifted into the air. Then, darkness as they disappeared.
The last thing Dipper heard was Bill howling in anger.
And suddenly they were in the mystery shack, sprawled on the floor. Mabel let out a sob as she looked around in relief. Dipper blinked his eyes a few times, rubbing them. He felt tears run down his cheeks, looking at his sister.
"We're...we're..."
"We're safe." Dipper choked.
Mabel pulled her brother into a tight hug as Dipper began letting out strained sobs. She rubbed his back, knowing full well what her twin had gone through from the deal he'd made to protect her. He let his weight rest against her, his bloodied hands wrapping around her tightly as he pressed himself against her.
"...Kids?"
The twins looked up to see Stan, rugged and worn as he slowly approached them. Dipper wiped his eyes with his arm as he quickly stood, running to grip the man in a tight hug. The man wrapped his arms around him, holding him tightly. Mabel quickly ran up to wrap her arms around the two, letting out a stifled laugh as she held them tightly.
"Oh my god it's...guys! It's Dipper and Mabel!" Dipper looked up to see Wendy call out to others who quickly rushed into the room. Dipper was engulfed in tight hugs and cheering. People ruffled his hair and thanked him. Mabel held his hand through it all, feeling him clench it tightly with every touch.
"What happened in there?" Stan frowned and Dipper stiffened. All eyes were on him and he knew exactly what they were staring at. Pity and sympathy filled their eyes at the sight.
"Dipper made a deal with Bill to save me." Mabel turned to Dipper who was frozen, not looking either of them in the eye.
"What...did he do to you?"
Dipper's jaw clenched and he shook his head. The other Pines looked at each other. Mabel shook her head gently, telling Stan not to continue. The man only frowned further, resting a hand on Dipper's arm.
"You're going to be okay now, Dipper. You'll never see him again."
Dipper clenched his eyes shut. He knew it wasn't true. Bill was a part of him now, part of his very soul. His other half, his mate. Against his will, he was Bill's and no matter how much he ran, the demon would search the world for him. Eventually, the demon would find him and everyone he was with would be killed. How long did he have before this happened?
"Dipper?"
Dipper opened his eyes and looked at his twin who pulled on his hand. He followed, leaving their uncle and their friends to watch them solemnly. Mabel pulled him in another room, staring at his arms and swallowing hard.
"Did you...actually..."
"I had no other choice, Mabel."
"Can he track you? Through it?" She pointedly looked at it.
"I think so." Dipper felt nausea build in his stomach. How long could he run?
Mabel pressed her forehead against Dipper's.
"I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."
Dipper shook his head against Mabel's.
"Don't blame yourself, Mabel. There's no way either of us could have known."
"Dipper, it was my fault for shaking the damn demon's hand. I didn't think...I didn't think the statue..."
"Mabel, it's okay." He knew it wasn't. He knew it never would be, but nothing hurt him more than Mabel's panic.
Mabel rested her hand in Dipper's hair. He relaxed into her touch, feeling more tears slide down his cheeks. He could feel Bill's anger and frustration bubble in his stomach. He could practically hear the demon's angered growls, see the demon running through the halls frantically. Bill's thoughts leaked into his own as the demon listed off the various places the human could be hiding. Dipper flinched when the Mystery Shack was listed, though it only lasted for a moment before other locations replaced the thought. His heart clenched as the demon's own filled with fear.
"Can you...feel him?"
Dipper nodded gently.
"Can he feel you?"
"I don't...think so. He doesn't know where I am." Dipper closed his eyes, finding relief in the demon's growing frustration.
"Do you think Ford could fix this? Maybe he could break the bond?"
Dipper had a feeling that was impossible, but sighed instead of telling her. He and Ford had studied this when they stumbled upon a unexplored cave in Gravity Falls during one of their hikes. It spoke of demon mating rituals and those that had gone through them. Though their studies weren't complete and the hieroglyphics were near impossible to understand. But one picture was permanently burned into Dipper's mind.
'Ford, is this what I think it is?'
Ford had squinted at the wall drawing, rubbing his chin. Dipper was as tall as his uncle now, though he didn't sport the scruff of the older man. It had been five years since Wierdmageddon, and a year before now. He dreamed of following the man's footsteps, uncovering mysteries even Ford hadn't understood. He'd taken an apprenticeship with Ford after high school, enrolling in what Stanley joked as the 'University of Ford'. If Dipper was asked now, though, he'd wished he'd gone to an actual university instead.
'Well, it looks like a demonic sacrifice.'
'Yeah, I thought so when I saw the red paint splattered in that specific style. It's awfully gruesome.' Dipper had scrunched his face in disgust, eyes scanning over the painting. It was simplistic, though it showed a fairly translatable message of a demon hovering over a human who had jewelry wrapped around their neck and limbs.
'Demonic rituals were always through a sacrifice of some form. This one was through a superficial sacrifice.'
Dipper's own was through a sacrifice to save his sister, of heroism. His nausea built as he pushed that night out of his mind. Mabel removed her hands as she suddenly turned to the door. Dipper followed her gaze to see Ford stare at him in pity.
"Dipper..."
If Dipper's sacrifice wasn't known by word of mouth from the townspeople, the glowing blue markings on his neck and chest told the same story. Everyone knew what a demonic mate mark looked like and it was impossible to miss on Dipper's pale skin. Ford's eyes scanned over the markings, and Dipper stared at the ground in shame and disgust. He wanted to tear at his skin, to rip the markings off. But he couldn't, and there was truly nothing he could do to rid himself of them. If the demon ritual hieroglyphics that Dipper and Ford had translated were true, Dipper wouldn't die until Bill did and vice versa. He was stuck in his own personal hell, and his existence endangered everyone around him.
"Great uncle Ford, can't you do anything about this?" Mabel was on the verge of tears.
Ford only stared at the markings, defeat clear in his eyes. Dipper didn't even have to look to know what Ford was thinking.
"Dipper..." he only repeated solemnly.
"There has to be something!" Mabel demanded.
Dipper shook his head. Ford stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on his arm.
"We can find a way to fix this."
Dipper's eyes stung. The pain in his stomach only grew as he felt Bill become desperate. The demon was trying to penetrate his mind now and he screamed. His hands flew over his ears as he fell to the ground, clenching his eyes shut.
"Get out of my head!"
"Where are you, kid?" The voice growled.
"Get out!" Dipper screamed louder, clutching his hair tightly as his feet scraped the ground.
"I will when you return to me." Bill hissed, prodding through his mind for any evidence as to where he was. Dipper shoved back. "You can fight now, but no matter where you run I will find you."
Dipper clenched his jaw shut as he pressed his forehead against the floor. He finally forced the demon out, putting a mental barrier up over his mind. When he finally came to moments later, Ford and Mabel were staring at him in horror. He panted against the floor, closing his eyes as sweat from his face plopped onto the floor. His hands were bleeding again, spilling over his shorts and through his shirt. Mabel ran out of the room, and Ford had run up to him to feel the back of his neck as it glowed a dark red. He felt the man quickly wrench his hand back, air sucking in as if he'd been burned. Dipper looked up to see that the man had, in fact, been burned by his markings. He shook his head. It was just another thing to add to the list.
Mabel returned holding first aid supplies and carefully walked up to her brother. Dipper sat up slowly, reaching his arms out for his sister to grab. She began cleaning the wound, glancing at him anxiously as his eyes drooped. Exhaustion was building as his sister wrapped his arms tightly in gauze. It was strangely comforting, the cloth tight against his skin, and he leaned forward to rest against Mabel's shoulder. His eyes closed then, and he felt himself being lifted when the movement around his hands had stopped. He didn't know where he was being taken, but he was too tired to care. And then he was drifting. And as he expected, Bill had been waiting for him, seated in front of him in his dream. His eye was filled with anger, though he remained stoic as he stared at Dipper.
"Why did you run?"
Dipper didn't answer, instead sitting in a chair he manifested. He only stared at Bill in response, eyes narrowed slightly as he silently dared the demon to continue. The blond demon pressed his lips into a thin line.
"Pine Tree."
"Why me?"
Bill leaned forward. He waited.
"Why me?" Dipper repeated through clenched teeth.
"I like you, kid." Bill stated simply, shrugging.
"I'm not stupid, Bill. It takes more than 'liking someone' for a demon to choose an individual their mate. So why me?" Dipper hissed.
Bill leaned back, eyebrow raised as he folded one of his knees over the other.
"Why do you think?"
"I don't have any magical powers. I don't have knowledge like Ford. I'm not strong like Stan nor am I gentle like Mabel. The list goes on. So again, why?"
"There's more to you than you think." Bill rested his cheek between his forefinger and thumb. "You've just failed to see it."
"What does that mean?" Dipper glared at the blond as a single blue eye watched him humorously.
"It means you're special, kid. Whether you want to believe it or not. You have something that I want."
"And what's that?"
Bill smirked. It was both taunting and menacing, and it only angered Dipper further. The demon remained quiet as he folded his hands over his knee.
"Bill." Dipper growled.
"Your mark looks nice. I really look forward to spreading it."
Dipper felt nausea build again. Bill sensed it, chuckling.
"Surely you realize the honor of being a demon's mate, don't you? Didn't Sixer ever tell you that it was the highest honor humanity could ever receive hundreds of years ago?"
"It wasn't an honor I asked for."
"Come on, kid. You loved every minute of it." Dipper forced his eyes away when the demon pulled up the memory. He ignored the building heat in his stomach as the memory passed through him. Bill snickered.
"Don't worry, I'll find you. And when I do, I'll make sure you're so thoroughly pleased that you'll never want to leave again."
Dipper shook his head.
"You forget that you'll never find me. I won't let you."
Bill rested his head against his hand.
"Sure, kid. Tell yourself that to get you through the night. But you're mine now, Pine Tree. You won't last long without me."
"Won't last long?"
"Your body will develop a need, kid. A need only I can satisfy. I recommend you don't try to experiment with others to stop it, because you'll surely regret it." Bill's voice was serious then as the demon narrowed his eye. Dipper noticed even the stitched eye on the demon's eyepatch had narrowed.
"So what if I do?"
And suddenly Dipper was against the ground with Bill's hand around his neck. He gasped, hands clutching Bill's in panic as his legs scraped against the floor.
"Don't test me, Pine Tree. You won't like what you get."
Dipper growled as his legs suddenly pressed against Bill's chest and he kicked the demon off. The demon's eye was wide against his surprised expression, letting out a startled yelp as he fell onto his back. Silence filled the air between them before Bill started laughing.
"I can't wait to find you."
"Not gonna happen."
Bill stood then, towering over him as his eye glowed in a harsh contrast to the darkness around them. Dipper only stared back, his own eyes narrowed in challenge. And then he was jolted awake. Mabel's hand was pressed against his forehead as he panted, looking around the room wildly for the demon. He relaxed when realization hit, and his breathing finally calmed.
"Are you okay, bro-bro?"
Dipper nodded, closing his eyes and pressing the palm of his hands against them.
"Are you sure? You were kindof moving a lot in your sleep."
Dipper only gave her a weak smile in response as he nodded. It was the best he could do as he attempted to calm his nerves. His mind wandered to the demon's words...about a need. What need? And what did he have that Bill wanted? He groaned as his wrists stung from moving them. Bad idea.
"Dipper, just rest okay? You need it." Mabel patted his hair and he loosened the muscles in his body. Mabel was too much and not enough for him, being too close and not close enough. He wanted to hug his sister, for her to tell him it was all a nightmare and that they'd wake up soon. He wanted her to run his back and tell him they could go home, to Piedmont. But the city lines were a ways apart, and he couldn't leave everyone behind. He didn't know if he could leave now, with Bill's marking on him.
For now he just laid back in bed with Mabel running her hand through his hair soothingly. He drifted back to sleep, grateful Bill wasn't waiting for him. When he woke several hours later, he felt hot and groggy. He was sweaty and his mate mark ached as he tried to focus his vision. Mabel was gone, but a blanket was tucked securely around his torso. He yawned, pulling his legs up to his chest and resting his cheek on his knees. He was tired and hungry, but he was too on-edge to fall asleep again. Thoughts of Bill finding him crept into his mind and he sighed as he forced his legs over the side of the bed. Sounds of silverware against dishes told him where a majority of his friends were, and he followed in hopes of getting food as well. He was greeted by gentle voices and sympathetic smiles, and he relaxed when Mabel shoved a plate full of food into his hands. He sat down next to her and Stan, devouring the food instantly and earning a chuckle from his uncle.
"Eat as much as you want, kid."
Dipper froze for a moment but forced himself to continue eating to avoid the subject. It didn't go unnoticed by the older man, but Stan decided to say nothing to allow Dipper more time to heal. Dipper looked around the room at everyone who tried to joke and keep the mood light around him. He smiled slightly when Wendy winked at him playfully. Being surrounded by his friends gave him hope. Mabel rested a hand on his shoulder and he turned to her. His family gave him the will power to live.
He felt Bill's presence in his mind and he closed his eyes, shutting himself off from reality. His eyes met Bill's, and the demon cackled. Dipper knew Bill was aware of his location and he smirked back at the demon.
His enemy gave him the determination to fight.
Dipper Pines was a hero. He sacrificed to save others. He was a fighter and a lover. His determination knew no bounds and his love for others ran deep in his blood. Dipper Pines was unlike any other human in the history of humanity. And that was what Bill Cipher loved more than anything.