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The screams echoed in the immensity of the forest, mixing with the roar of the wind, traveling around the bleeding sky and losing meaning from inside the madness that was arriving to the earth.
It was the end of the world.
Dipper felt close to hyperventilating, dread rose from the pit of his stomach making him choke and he ran between the tall and decaying pines that were scattered around the blank inkiness of the places that mocked him with the presences of night terrors that were waiting for him to fall, so they could devour every part of him.
The memory of strong jaws shattering bones and ripping skin came back to him and he almost was stopped by the surging anxiousness that assaulted his figure, the sight of mutilated people to fresh and grotesque to tolerate right now, still he shook his head and continued his racing from between the putrid trees, the monster gave him just a certain amount of time to run away and hide, and he needed to make every second worth, there was a lot in game for him to not do just that.
Dipper's legs screamed in protest for the constant movements and pleaded for a small break, the boy, however, just greeted his teeth and did his best to ignore the searing pain burning on his feet and travelling up into every fiber of his being; the brunette imagined his twin giving him support, and it was enough for him to keep stable and not stop for even a second. His steps faltered when he remembered the tragic end his other half suffered, Dipper fought the tears and didn't stop, because that would be unforgivable.
The human rounded a tree and looked around quickly to make sure there were no creatures in the proximities, reaching the Shack was what he needed to do, the memories of the place making him sigh in content, the Shack was a safe place where he would manage to find a refuge and, hopefully, some help.
The old edification finally greeted his eyes and he let out a small laugh of joy, pushing his legs to the top of their capabilities, and with a last ragged breath, he surged through the front door.
The sight on the other side made his blood ran cold.
"Peek-a-boo!" Bill cackled maniacally, his laughable excuse of a human body (too tall and perfect, to be real) ascending in glee while his mouth stretched in such a way, that was definitely painful "It seems like I won, Pine tree!"
Dipper gaped incredulously towards the towering figure, paralyzed for the shock of finding the monster inside the sanctuary that was his Grunkles home, somehow, that fact was what made the whole encounter so traumatic, his little piece of heaven was being tainted by the horrifying presence of the demon. Desperation clawed the edges of his brain in an attempt of making him succumb, but Dipper needed to remain focused.
"What's the matter, kid? An intergalactical eldritch horror got your tongue?" Cipher howled an obnoxious laughter, turning dead serious a second later "But seriously, does any of the others hurt you? Because if that's the case I'll need to remind them that what belongs to me, is off the limits" he grunted, his eye flashing a dangerous red.
"I'm not your property!" The brunette shouted with exasperation, taking shallow breaths.
"But you're! We bet and I catch you, so you are mine!" the demon cooed, smile becoming sharp.
"You cheated!" Dipper hissed in return, because how else does Bill managed to catch him? To know where he was going?
"Did I?" Bill chuckled and Dipper frowned, wanting to shout at the other for how he was brushing down his reclaims "I mean, it was pretty fucking obvious you were going to scramble into this place" the demon mussed and made the expression of a wolf "Anyone that knew you even just a single bit, would be able to tell," a shrug "I was expecting that you were not that obvious."
"What...?" And something moved inside of Bill for how big and confused the brown eyes got, the mind of the kid running a mile per hour, attempting to understand what he just did. He appeared to be so broken and confused... adorable, really.
"It was like you were trying to run directly into my arms" The tall figure sighed, opening the mentioned limbs like inviting the human into an embrace.
Dipper backed away "N-no, that's not true! I-I..." he stammered, looking for something to say, something to do, to prove that Bill was just telling lies.
" I-I " the blonde mocked, taking a step forward for every step Dipper took back, with how large his legs were, it didn't take long for them to reach the opposite side of the room. The small figure trapped between the wall and him "You, what, kid?" His eyes shined evilly and a gloved hand was extended and used to brush aside some of the chestnut locks that covered the curious birthmark of the teen, Bill's smile turned a little tender.
"You shouldn't be able to be in here!" Dipper flinched for the touch, interjecting the advances of the creature "The unicorn hair should have kept you out!"
The outburst took him slightly aback "Well, yes" he conceded, but a cruel grin crossed his features "It's a good thing someone accepted to help me with that."
Dipper swallowed thickly and furrowed his eyebrows "Who?" the teen wondered, needing to know who was stupid (or desperate) enough, to help the creature.
"It's incredible what a meat sack is capable of doing to see his loved ones again, don't you think?" Cipher answer cryptically, floating away from the brunette.
"Who was it, Bill?" Dipper almost demanded, with his hands turning into fists.
"Do you really want to know that?" Bill disappeared and reappeared on his back, Dipper jumped slightly but couldn't turn around for the two hands that were placed over his shoulders "Sometimes, ignorance is bliss, Little tree."
The words were whispered directly into his ear and the hands passed to be over his eyes, obscuring his vision and sending him at full force towards the panic, Dipper tried to get air to his lungs, gasping, tugging the hands so they will stop keeping him in the dark.
"Who?" He rasped from between the lump in his throat "Who was it!?"
There was a prolonged silence and Dipper was sure that he will just fall unconscious or that his heart will break through his ribcage, when the voice of the demon finally resounded.
"Brave and fierce, little Red" Bill made sure to give the certain amount of emphasis to every single word, and he felt giddy with the way Pine tree tensed up and began to thrash around, calling him liar and defending tooth and nail that Wendy would never accept anything he offered her. Bill shushed the distressed young man and continued his taunting "Poor girl was desperate to see his friends and family again, she practically begged to made a deal with me! And I couldn't just deny something like that" Pine tree made a strangled sound "Is that a good enough explanation for you?"
And the gloved hands finally uncovered his eyes.
Dipper let out a gasp when he saw the petrified bodies, it should have been a heartwarming sight (the relieved face of Wendy while hugging her brothers and father), but it wasn't, because that wasn't a mere statue, it was the trapped lives of people he knew, the brunette let out a dry sob.
"Beautiful, isn't it? So full of good emotions" Bill smiled like a fox and looked at the kid intently to catch his reaction "It'll be there to remind you how great things can be if you trust me! Red sure looks happy, hu?"
Dipper made a pitiful sound and ran towards the form of his friend, moving a shaky hand to touch the stone, he finally reached the destination and his fingers remained in it just a second, before he took them away like he was burned, a strangled sound left his throat and he backed up, his back suddenly touched the body of the demon and he jumped and turned to look at Bill with terrified eyes.
"You didn't like it?" Dipper shook his head vigorously, how could he like something like that ? Azure eyes feigned sadness "I see..." a macabre expression didn't delay to wipe any other emotion "It's a good thing I sorted out another surprise, then."
The Pines boy let out a yelp when he heard a strong flap from behind his back, the sound was similar to something heavy falling and got a small squelch to it, it resounded another good number of times and the stench of rot started to float around as well, it send a shiver down Dipper's spine and a nauseous sensation to the pit of his stomach, he shakily turned to look what exactly caused all this changes in the room and jumped once more when the horrifying imagine punched him directly on the face.
There, in the livingroom of the Shack, were scattered the mutilated bodies of every single person that bullied or mocked him, eternal suffering embed to their features, abnormally wide and revealing the terrors they suffered in their last moments of life, the teen stumbled with his own feet when he tried to avoid the large puddle of blood that was invading the wooden floor and he started to hyperventilate, brain to full and trying to hard to process everything that was happening to him. He gagged and almost fell but too wide arms catched him and pulled his body towards a chest dressed in yellow and black, his attention never leaved the grotesque scene.
"Nobody ever had the right to mess with you, sapling" Bill voice boomed, full of spite and possessiveness "Those skin puppets received the punishment they deserved, your suffering finally got justice. Are you happy now?" It was genuine question, not real malice behind it.
"I... I never..." he hardly managed to whisper, tears forming in the corner of his eyes and streaming down his cheeks, it was too much. I never wanted any of this to happen , he thought, and his frustration was let out in the form of a desperate wail, he tried to fought against the grip that was keeping him up but the only thing he got was a small sigh.
"Pine tree, Pine tree, Pine tree" Bill reprimanded "You're probably just overwhelmed, come on, sleep for a little bit.” his voice acquired a soothing tone and he gave a small kiss in the forehead of the human.
"No!" Dipper screamed and tried to leave the grasp of the monster, he tossed and whirled and tried to fought against the soothing aura that was invading his thoughts "No..." his vision got clouded and his hands went limp on his side, the last thing he saw before succumbing was the gleaming blue eye of the demon.
~*~
Bill played lazily with the soft locks of hair of his human, getting more comfortable over his throne of human agony before settling the smaller figure over his lap, he sighed contently and gave a small kiss to the exposed shoulder blade, seeing how his human flinched, Bill shushed him, but the trembling didn't stop "Are you comfortable, sapling?"
Dipper reclined his tired form against the chest of the demon, trembling despite the silks and furs that covered him, he nodded, Bill hummed in a pleasant way, apparently the punishments he was forced to give the boy were finally paying off, the blonde admired the vulnerable figure all covered in richness and gold, like the empress the kid was supposed to be "My beautiful, queen." Bill cooed and Dipper trembled more intensely.
Cipher sighed in delight "This is perfect, right? My little Pine tree, it's all for you."
Dipper whined "Why?" he inquired in a murmur, needing to know.
"Because you deserve it" Bill purred "Every single thing, every life that is doubling over while pleading for mercy, all the creatures that lavish your form. The whole existence and reality that bent over by the force of my hand, it's all to please you, because from the moment the stars collided and the Universe promised you to my form, you were granted my favor, my adoration."
Dipper sobbed, unable to deny the truth any longer.
"You represent everything to this planet, I destroyed everything on this earth so you can help me to built it all over into something that deserves our greatness."
Unable to deny his part in the destruction of everything he ever loved.
"Can you see it now, Pine tree? Can you understand? The world ends with you." and Bill turned the head of the human and kissed the soft lips of his queen.
Dipper let it happen, just to then hung his head in defeat and cry.