Chapter Text
“Stop fidgeting,” Dipper growled as he pulled the restraints tighter around the demon’s ankles. There were sigils on the leather that made the straps indestructible even for dream demons older than humanity itself. Not that William Cipher was going to try something completely stupid such as attempt to escape. After all, Will was Dipper and Mable’s new demon plaything and Dipper called dibs to play with their toy first.
“I… I don’t… I don’t like this game. C-can we-” Will flinched as the other adjusted the straps on his wrists. The demon’s limbs were spread on the metal surface. The table was steady enough. Dipper made sure of it since some toys liked to thrash around. It was freezing in Dipper’s lab, but he was used to it. However, he did notice that the demon was not shivering despite wearing only a thin white button up shirt and black trousers. Will squinted at the florescent light directly above his body, blinking rapidly before turning his attention to the human who was undoing his button up shirt.
The brunet responded tersely, “no”. He rolled up the sleeves of his cyan dress shirt and flicked stray brown locks from his eyes. He had taken off his bolo tie earlier and safely hidden it away from the dream demon’s reach. The demon didn't appear to be a threat, but Dipper couldn't risk it in the very slim chance something dangerous happened. He nonchalantly strolled away from Will and towards a small table, running his hand on the deadly instruments that lay across. A lazy smirk crawled on his face as he pondered which he should use first.
“Dip… Dipper-“ Will sounded so small and vulnerable, like a tiny kitten about to be slaughtered.
“I said no,” Dipper picked up a butcher’s knife to examine it. He let out a grunt, noticing splotches of blood still stained it. He would have a little chat with his twin sister about borrowing his things later. Dipper settled for a scalpel and twirled it expertly in his hand. Will watched him return to his side, holding up the scalpel for Will to see. The demon inhaled sharply.
Dipper chuckled. With his free hand, he pushed away the blue locks that covered the other’s eyes. They were a captivating shade of blue; Dipper wanted to rip them out and display them in a jar. Will bit down on his bottom lip, eyes still on the scalpel.
“There is something odd about you.” Dipper had a wicked gleam in his hazel eyes like a mad scientist sneering at a lab rat. “According to the journal, you are one of the most powerful dream demons to ever exist.” The psychic raised an eyebrow at the sight of said demon tied up in his lab. He was still doubtful that this nervous wreck was the all-powerful being of pure energy with no weaknesses. “Frankly my sister and I were very disappointed to see you, all sniveling and teary-eyed on the floor. We have big plans for this town and we need a real demon for the job.”
“Please don’t-“
“I guess we’ll have to find another demon. But for now, I’m going to conduct a few experiments.” Dipper wanted to know more on the demon's human form and its healing abilities. In order to do that he would have to break said demon. It was to further his research, but that doesn't mean it can’t be fun. He made a small incision on Will’s cheek and Will’s leg jerked. A bit of blood spilled out from the cut. His face broke into an grin while Will controlled his breathing. Mischievously chuckling to himself, Dipper carved the Big Dipper on the left side of Will’s chest, right below the collarbone. He could practically hear Mabel whine about Will being their demon and not just his.
Dipper turned to his table, picked up a new instrument, and showed it to Will playfully. The latter licked his lips and crinkled his forehead. “This is going to hurt,” Dipper laughed as he smashed the hammer onto the demon’s left arm and laughed even harder at the crunching sound of bones breaking. The dream demon hadn't let out a cry for mercy yet. Curiously, he peered at Will’s face through his lashes only to see Will’s eyes shut tightly and exhaling though his mouth.
The psychic twin hammered on Will’s knee, irked at the lack of screaming and tears. It was as if the demon was mocking him, which infuriated him more. The only response he received were spasms and Will’s face turning bright red. Dipper gritted his teeth; he had done this several times before. He was supposed to be good at this! Why wasn't the demon begging for mercy yet? Dipper's pride took a huge blow at the demon's resistance. In his fit of rage, he took it out on the demon’s legs. Sweat was dripping from his face and his hair became disheveled. “Why,” Dipper smashed again with a more force. “Aren't,” his knuckles turned white as the hammer made an impact on Will’s skin. “You,” Dipper put in more power as he lost his temper. He was sure Will's limbs were swelling and would have been permanently damaged beyond repair if he had been mortal. “Crying?” Dipper flung the hammer to the corner of the room, ignoring the sound of breaking glass and metals colliding. He crawled on top of the Will, pulled him up by the shirt before slamming him against the metal.
Will panted, out of breath and eyes unfocused. He was a bit twitchy but Dipper didn't care. Instead, he punched Will in the face. He was grateful to his Grunkle Stan that the old man taught him how to throw a punch, even if it seemed rather useless at that time. The boy under him actually chuckled in delight, blood trickling down from his nose.
“Wha-“ Dipper sat back on the demon’s chest in surprise.
“That tickled,” Will let a giggle escape his lips, which annoyed the psychic even more than his weeping and begging. So he harshly grabbed Will’s blue hair and pulled his head up. “What the hell was that, Cipher?”
Will sobered and swallowed, “This… isn’t going to end well. L-let’s just end this game before I….”
Dipper glared at him until the other cowered visibly before dropping his grip completely. “You’re hiding something. I know it.” Will squeaked at the accusation. Scowling, Dipper leaned down on his elbows, arms at either side of Will’s head to remind Will who was in control. “Tell me or I’ll find out myself and rip your throat open,” he whispered maliciously, an edge in his voice. He didn't mean it suggestively, yet Will blushed like crazy. Blinking in bewilderment, Dipper’s ears reddened in slight embarrassment. If Mabel were there, she would have howled with laughter at how awkward her twin made the situation.
Dipper’s insides were churning because of his awkwardness. It seems that he hasn't completely outgrown it yet. So he did the only thing that popped in his lagging brain: he punched the demon again. As expected, the demon snickered at the sensation again. “S-stop it, please! N-no more! I can’t lose control over-“ Desperately, he tried to restrain himself.
“Over what?” Dipper demanded. “Tell me!” He clawed the demon’s throat, leaving angry red lines.
“Please,” his eyes were watering. Whether it was from pleading or giggling, Dipper did not know. He just knew it annoyed him. The psychic slapped him, Will’s head turned right. The slap echoed in the lab then the world was still and silent for a moment. A chill ran up Dipper's spine and his instincts were screaming at him that something was wrong.
Will broke. He broke down laughing.
To say it was unnerving was a huge understatement. It was unlike anything he expected from Will Cipher, the weak dream demon he and his twin summoned and tricked. This laughter was unhinged and twisted as it filled up the empty room. The eerie sound made his skin crawl and his throat tightened with unquestionable fear, an emotion Dipper taught himself to suppress over the years.
Dipper was stunned and unmoving from his place on top of Bill. It hadn't even occurred to him to get off.
“Why so silent, Pine Tree?” Will cooed in a sickeningly sweet voice. The dream demon's eyes started glowing yellow. He had a cocky smirk plastered on his bloody face and actually looked Dipper in the eye. Dipper stared stupidly at the demon, wondering what exactly caused the sudden change in behavior and-
“Like what you see, kid?” The demon flirtatiously licked the blood from his lips. He laughed as Dipper’s face flushed. “Got the best seat in the house, huh?” Dipper snapped out of it, realizing he was still on top of the dream demon. As quickly as he can, he hopped off the table and landed on his feet while willing himself to stop blushing. “Aww, why’d you leave? The show is about to begin!” Will stretched his (supposedly disfigured) limbs before relaxing to a more comfortable position on the metal table.
"What-"
"The name's Bill Cipher, kid! I'd shake your hand but I'm a little tied up here." Bill smirked at him and let out a low whistle. "So this is your dimension, huh? I've seen other alternative universes, kid, but none like this! But the Cipher in your dimension is so boring and gullible that it's embarrassing-"
Dipper’s eyebrows creased, deciphering the demon's (apparently from another reality) words. He crossed his arms over his chest and held his chin high to show dominance over his toy. “You’re in my lab and you’re my toy. So you listen to me-”
Bill shook his head slowly, “Tsk, tsk, Shooting Star wouldn't appreciate that comment. Pine Tree, you’re getting too attached to me.” Dipper was in between being intrigued and frightened by the demon's knowing smirk.
The brunet scoffed.
“Oh, yeah,” Bill chuckled darkly, blood still smeared on his face. “You and Shooting Star have that Tent of Telepathy or whatever, right? And what do they call you? Li’l Dipper? Do you have a song you sing about widdle ol you?” The demon roared with laughter at his own joke, his eyes glowing with more intensity as he laughed. Dipper did not share his mirth. Instead, he threw Bill a dark look that usually shut up all of his misbehaving toys. “You’re cute, Pine Tree, but that look isn't going to work on me.”
“I'm not a pine tree and I’m definitely not cute!” Dipper’s ears were red from anger and self-consciousness; his insecurities were bubbling inside him. His guts twisted unpleasantly, yet he stared the demon down. “And we’re not some stupid kid’s show. We do dangerous magic tricks using real magic. We’ve sold out international shows. Our merchandise is shipped world-fucking-wide! We’ve performed for the queen of England, damn it!” He pounded his fist on the metal table, stubbornly ignoring the pain. Absolutely no one was allowed to mock his achievements even mentally and emotionally unstable dream demons.
“Yeesh, kid, relax. I get it. You’re hot shit.”
Dipper exhaled, leaning his back against the surgical table and calmed himself. He shut his eyes and counted 1 to 10. Unlike Mabel, he usually prided himself on his self-discipline rather to blindly follow every whim and feeling. He could feel new Bill’s eyes scrutinizing him, possibly searching for more things to pick on.
“Pine Tree,” the blue-haired dream demon whined.
“Shut up,” Dipper went to the small table, picking up a pen and scribbled on a notebook. He hastily jotted down all the events of the experiment and his personal observations, leaving out that awkward moment on the surgical table, which he never wanted to remember ever again.
"You're such a joy to be with," Bill commented sarcastically. "How about we have a little deal-"
"No," Dipper cut him off. Forming a deal with Bill Cipher was going to be a bit more complicated because this one may be all jokes and grandeur, but there was something... unpredictable and chaotic about him. Dipper's senses were warning him not to underestimate Bill; He would need to observe more in order to devise a full-proof scheme.
Suddenly, Bill started violently struggling against the restraints like a caged animal. Flames erupted from his hands, although the straps remained intact. Acting quickly, Dipper dropped the notebook and pen in exchange for a long knife. He moved to Bill and positioned it to his throat.
“You…” Bill panted, pulling at the restraints. The glow in his eyes dimmed a bit but his grin widened. “You can’t hurt me.”
“I can rip your vocal chords out.” Dipper emphasized his point by pressing the sharp edge more forcefully.
"Ha! I'm a being of pure energy with no weaknesses!" He whipped his head to meet Dipper's eyes. Dipper was sure he would be seeing that face in his nightmares for at least a week. The yellow glow flickered in his eyes, like a light bulb losing energy. "I know lots of things, kid."
Dipper snarled, "If you're so damn smart, tell me how-"
With a wink, the demon purred, "A magician never reveals his secrets... Not for free."
The yellow glow faded completely before he closed his eyes. His whole body relaxed. When he did open his eyes, they were the normal blue color. Tensing up at the feel of a knife on his neck, Will stuttered, “I-I-… I’m so sorry. I... couldn't shake off the mental link and-”
Of course the first thing he says is an apology.
Dipper rolled his eyes, retracting the blade from Will's neck. “It seems that you’re going to be much more useful than I thought, Cipher.”