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' You know being out on the streets doesn't really suit a guy like you pal. You've got so much potential to make that money you need.'
What even was this weird triangle thing talking about? All he remembered was finally get out of a rough situation with some guys over a deal that seemed like they were trying to frame him for and he'd gotten just lucky enough to pull out. Hell knew he would do just about anything to get the money he felt he needed and owed not just his family, but his brother. That look he was given when he was kicked out hasn't exactly left his conscious since it happened.
How many years had passed since then? He's lost track with his days unfortunately melting together in a combination of stresses to just make it to the next morning. Sometimes he wanted to give it all up, to just lay down and let life win with lemons he kept being thrown at.
' You know if you keep thinking about lemons, you might as well make lemonade and feed it back to the public who ridicule you.'
" What do you want from me? The hell even are ya?" Things around them were all grayed out. The sheets of the motel bed, the dusty old curtains covering the window and what moonlight might peek into the little room he was calling home at the moment. A television across from the bed that hardly got any sort of channels, but he could still watch boxing so that helped whenever he was actually here long enough to rest.
' Your new best friend. Names Bill Cipher, absolute pleasure to meeting you.'
" Stanley Pines. That didn't answer my question though."
' Look pal I'm here to help you out of the situation fate put you in. I'll help you get that money and you know I can see your deepest desires.'
" My deepest..."
' You give me long enough and I can reconnect you with your brother, Stanford.'
" Do you know him? How is he doing...Wait how do you know any of that? What's in it for you?" It sounded almost too good to be true and anything like that meant it couldn't be real. He had to trust his instincts on this though a more illogical part of his brain wanted to throw that caution to the wind. He craved the reassurance of what he was doing would put him on the right path to redemption, in his mom's eyes and his brothers own. His father could rot away for all he cared about he thought.
' Focus Boxer, you're losing track of what is important here. Look all I want is for you to say in the future to not give up on a project that you're going to be working on. And maybe I'll need to have you take care of a few things for me. Little things out to get me from doing favors like this for folks I find interesting. No big deal I promise. It'll be things you can handle.'
Was he this desperate?
' As far as your dear brother, he's progressing nicely. He has been to college and digging into those odd things you and him both would find in your adventures as kids.'
He doesn't expect to get a vision of a man who looked similar to him but he can tell. It was his brother and he could almost weep seeing him look so happy. There couldn't be any better image this angel could show him.
" Fine, what else do you need in order for my success?"
' Just let me occasionally control your body and I'll make your success a guarantee.'
" That's not exactly something easy is it?"
' Oh no I get permission first and talk details like we are now. It helps get rid of the messiness that comes later. I've had people get upset with me because they fall off rhe path I put them on.'
He isn't sure he could trust it, trust this little triangle dude but what else did he have? This motel and hardly any money to his name.
' All you've got to do is shake my hand pal and the rest is going to fall into place for you.' This triangle, no, Bill extends a little hand covered in blue flames out to the desperate mortal before him. Was the corners of his eyes turned up in a smile? It was a weird thought left lingering in his mind.
" If this is all you really need from me...then what else do I have to lose?" He's cautiously reaching a hand out toward the smaller four fingered hand, worried that he was going to get burned. Those flames flickering off the smaller hand were surprisingly intimidating, but as he shakes his hand he finds it warms up his arm all the way to his chest. He hadn't felt this sense of comfort in so long that it really did add to the hopes he had started to feel form in the pit of his stomach. He could definitely get through this and this benevolent being was going to be the key to doing it.
' You get some sleep pal and tomorrow will be a new day to your path of success.' Bill grins and pats Stanley's hand with a radiate confidence that once more fills him with a hope that he thought he long since lost.
He didn't expect to find himself back into the simpleness of his dreams of a life he yearned for. Something easy without the worry of running from mobsters or not having enough money to pay for a simple sandwich with chips and a coke. He doesn't even realize whats missing is the more weighty nightmares about his family and his youth. Where did those dreams go isn't a thought that crosses Stanley's mind.
He doesn't even realize that with the handshake given he gave access to a dream demon who found an indulgence in eating those sort of emotion filled dreams. It only served to grow the power he already had in the mindscapes of mortal beings. Whats more is he doesn't know that Bill was taking the time to lay out the stones for his own plans.
The future was bright for everyone in the pine trees.