Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Bill, you can’t just go missing on your boyfriend’s birthday!” Mabel yelled at Bill Cipher over the phone, exasperation clear in the tone that she spoke in. Her brown hair was in an unkempt state. She didn’t have the time to fuss over it this morning, worrying about Dipper’s and her birthday instead of her hair upon finding out that Bill wasn’t at home. She spent half the day trying to call him, each call ending with a polite feminine voice saying, “Please leave your voicemail after the beep,”

Mabel left more than 30 voicemails for the obnoxious dream demon. More than once, she had angrily wondered why they had even decided to give Bill a mobile phone in the first place. Most of the time he didn’t even answer his calls.

On the other end of the line, Bill had an amused expression on his face as he calmly replied.

“Relax, Shooting Star. I’ll be back before you can say ‘all powerful demon’,”

Mabel huffed, “Where are you? Our dinner’s in an hour,”

“Collecting souls. It won’t take too long. Don’t worry too much, Shooting Star. You’re starting to sound like your brother. And besides, ain’t it your birthday too?” Bill snickered playfully before hanging up.

Mabel, with a loud and frustrated sigh, set the mobile phone down onto her desk. Finally able to get an answer from Bill, she took his advice and relaxed a little bit while stepping towards her large wardrobe.

It wasn’t that she was anxious about Bill missing her birthday; she already had Pacifica coming. It was that she was anxious about Bill missing Dipper’s birthday. She knew how much Dipper cared about Bill, however much he tried not to show it. And Bill had never missed their previous ones, so why this one of all birthdays?

Opening her closet, Mabel stepped closer to examine the extensive collection of dresses she owned. Frills, sequins, and bows. Normally on her birthday, she would go out to buy her own dress for the occasion. But she had spent too much time today trying to contact Bill that she had lost track of time.

Originally, Mabel had planned to host a party, like she did every year. But Dipper had silently gone along with her plans every year, and so she decided to let him make the choice for this birthday. Obviously, with Dipper being the introvert he was, only a simple dinner gathering was organized. No balloons, no confetti, just a plain and quiet dinner. At first, Mabel tried to convince Dipper to add a little quote, “dazzle” to it, but Dipper stubbornly refused. For him, a little “dazzle” always ended up a big mess, and he very much didn’t want that to happen.

After a few minutes of shuffling through her multicolored and sparkling dresses, Mabel finally settled on a light pink, strapless tea dress, with glittering sequins stitched to the waistline. A large applique golden star was embroidered onto the left side of her chest. The sequins looked magnificent, like they were raining down on her dress like a billion silver tears. She topped the look with a matching headband and flats. Overall it was a dress that just screamed Mabel. It was perfect for her, and Dipper’s, 20^th birthday.

Once she was done with her makeup, Mabel walked into the small apartment that all three of them (Dipper, Bill and Mabel) shared. To her surprise, she found her twin brother hanging upside down from the grey velvet couch that sat adjacent to the large, floor-to-ceiling window. Dipper was still in his pajamas, staring and contemplating the opposite wall. His eyes weren’t quite glazed over, but he definitely seemed like he had fallen out of this reality and entered a daydream. Walking over to her twin brother, Mabel squeezed his cheek between her thumb and forefinger, an entertained look on her face.

“Earth to Dipper!” Mabel laughed, “Are you there?”

After a few seconds, Dipper was startled back into reality, and as a result fell to the carpeted ground with a loud thud. Mabel burst out into a fit of guffaws and snorts before helping up her stunned brother. Dipper still seemed dazed, rubbing his face and blinking rapidly, as if he had just entered the world as a newborn puppy. Finally, he came to his senses and looked at Mabel with a confused look.

“Where’s Bill? Shouldn’t he be here preparing for the dinner?”

Mabel chuckled nervously and ran her hands through her brunette hair. She tried to hide her uneasiness about the possibility that Bill could be late, but who was she kidding? One thing that both the Pines Twins had in common were that neither of them could pull a convincible lie. Their body language always gave it away.

“Oh, y’know… your boyfriend’s off preparing something big for your birthday,”

“Mabel?” Dipper raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. Suddenly to Mabel, this felt like an interrogation.

“He’ll be back within an hour or so,” Mabel laughed some more. In all honesty, she had no clue whether the demon had lied to her or not, but she just had to go with it. Dipper couldn’t be upset on his birthday, after all.

“Mabel, where’s-“

“Your outfit!” Mabel suddenly blurted out, pointing a finger at Dipper’s creased pajamas and effectively stopping him from repeating his question. Puzzlement swept across Dipper’s face, who was a little shaken by Mabel’s unexpected exclamation.

“Dipper, you’re still in your pajamas! The dinner starts in an hour, and you’re in a mess. We have to get you cleaned up,” Mabel rapidly babbled on like a brook, relieved that she had successfully changed the topic. Repeatedly pointing out the time and the flaws in his appearance, she quickly hurried Dipper up to his room to get him changed. She slammed the door just after he got in, and slid down to the carpeted floor, the door acting as her support. Her tea dress fanned out around her like a glittering, upturned daisy.

Silence settled in the hallway for a few moments before Dipper’s holler broke it, asking what he was to wear.

“I don’t know, something that’s formal but not formal,” Mabel called back through the door.

Another moment of silence passed before Dipper hollered back again, clearly having had thought over Mabel’s vague response.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Dress pants or something,” Mabel groaned silently, “Dipper, you’re 20 and I shouldn’t be helping you with this stuff,”

“Yeah, but you always end up fussing over my outfit anyways, so I figured I would-”

Mabel snorted with laughter and cut him off, “Fine, wear what you want. I’ll try my best not to fuss over it this time,”

And with that, she sprang up from her sitting position and rushed back across the hall into her room. She took the phone from her desk where she left it and hastily dialed Bill’s number, trying to wait as patiently as possible. Her perfect teeth nibbled on her bottom lip, a clear sign of her worry.

“Shooting Star? What brings you to my cell phone again?” Bill greeted Mabel with his cheerful, slightly annoying, voice.

“Bill, Dipper’s asking where you are! What should I tell him?” Mabel exhaled frustratingly. With one hand still holding her cell phone, she started using the other to comb through her thick hair once again.

“Yeesh,” There was a hint of irritation in the way he exhaled, “Relax, kid! I’m almost done, and I’ll be back in a jiff,”

“That’s what you said last time,” Mabel said, her eyes darting to the door opposite her room. No suspicious noise had emerged from behind it, so she figured Dipper was still changing. Either that, or he was still deciding what to wear.

Bill laughed, “Time isn’t real,”

“Bill,”

“Fine, kid. I’ll be back as soon as I can. See ya!”

Grumbling, Mabel plugged in her phone and watched as the screen lit up with a white battery icon in the middle. She took a jittery glance at the embellished clock on her wall to check the time.

6:45pm.

There was only a quarter of an hour before the dinner started. Where was Bill?

Chapter Text

Dipper and Mabel sat by each other, and although close family were sitting all around them, they were each alone with their thoughts. Mabel shifted uncomfortably, keeping her eyes on Dipper while chewing on her spaghetti absentmindedly. Said brunet was chewing on the pencil he had brought with him instead of his food, releasing all his anger into the chewed up stationery. Anyone walking by would’ve seen the fury in his eyes and posture. And who could blame him? Bill still hadn’t shown up yet, and nearly an hour had gone by already.

Chatter filled the fancy, decked out restaurant, occupying any empty space with its noise. Dipper and Mabel’s great uncles were sitting opposite them, both of them laughing together, though Stanley’s laugh was more of a guffaw. Mr. and Mrs. Pines were seated together closely, their conversation lighthearted and cheerful.

Pacifica sat next to Mabel, their shoulders touching. She knew Mabel was uneasy, and the two shared concern for Dipper. It was his birthday as well, and even though Mabel was unhappy, at least she still had someone with her. Dipper’s own boyfriend hadn’t even shown up.

“Hey Dipper, it’s impolite to waste your food like that,” Pacifica said, in an attempt to direct Dipper’s attention away from Bill’s absence, if only to stop Mabel from being so distressed.

The brunet’s eyelids flickered a few times before he realized Pacifica was talking to him.

Still chewing on his pencil, he turned his head towards Pacifica, “What?”

The blonde’s sapphire gaze hardened, a little irritated, “You haven’t touched your spaghetti ever since it arrived,”

Dipper huffed, “I’m not eating until that damn demon gets here,”

Pacifica sucked in a breath, thinking about whether to tell Dipper that Bill probably wasn’t going to show up at all. Her hesitation drew Mabel’s attention, and immediately the brunette spoke what was on both of their minds.

“Dipper... We don’t think Bill’s going to show up,” Mabel faltered several times, her voice shaky and unsure. Concern showed in her hazel eyes, hiding how furious she was at Bill for showing Dipper up like this. Even if it technically wasn’t a date.

Dipper laughed, but it was harsh and forced, enough to tell Mabel and Pacifica that he didn’t find the situation amusing at all. Not one bit. A massive swirl of negative emotions were bubbling inside Dipper, as contained as an erupting volcano. He’d been dating Bill for 3 years now, had Bill stopped caring for him? Had he finally gotten bored of him? Dipper didn’t want to believe that the dream demon had, but he had come to realize that, to an immortal entity like Bill, the time they spent together could only be no more than a few minutes.

“Dipper? Are you okay?” Mabel asked quietly, furrowing her brow. She had never seen Dipper this stressed and upset, not even after the 5^th time he got shown up at the blind dates that Mabel set up for him.

The brunet saw the concerned look on Mabel’s face and his tense face softened up a little. He didn’t intend to make his sister sad, especially when it was on their birthday. He put a hand on her shoulder, his lips pulling into a smile.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” Dipper shook her shoulder reassuringly. Mabel smiled mildly back at him, and shook his hand off.

“Well, if you’re sure…” the brunette lingered on the last syllable, still slightly doubting her brother’s suddenly calm demeanor.

“Mabel, I’m sure,” Dipper winked at her, “Don’t worry about me, it’s your birthday too,”

Pacifica tapped on Mabel’s shoulder and pointed towards a smartly-dressed waiter making his way towards their table. A chocolate cake covered in edible pink glitter stood atop the silver platter that he was holding. Two candles, pink and blue, flamed brightly on top of the cake, one for each twin to blow out. A chocolate cake with pink glitter was what the twins got for their birthday each year. They never ever changed it.

“Looks like the cake’s here,” Pacifica smiled warmly at Mabel.

Everyone around their table gradually stopped their chatter and turned towards the cake, which was placed down in front of Dipper and Mabel, the candles now slowly starting to melt. Mrs. Pines grinned at Mabel and Dipper, taking out the old camera that she always took to family gatherings.

“Say cheese, you two!”

Mabel beamed and put her arm around Dipper’s shoulders, the corners of her mouth stretching from ear to ear. Dipper, on the other hand, groaned and rolled his eyes at his mother. Mrs. Pines loved to take photos, especially of her children. Dipper had gotten tired of it by the time he was 10.

“Show us a smile, Gabel,” Mrs. Pines grinned coaxingly at Dipper. She was the only person to ever call Dipper by his real name. Even his father started calling him Dipper after he heard Stan say the name on multiple occasions after Dipper was born. Heck, even his own father barely remembered his real name.

“Mom, you’re treating us like children,” Dipper huffed, crossing his arms.

“Come on, bro bro! Just this once?” Mabel nudged Dipper’s shoulder.

“You say that every year,”

“No, I don’t. Smile, Dip Dop!” Mabel flashed her teeth at him, leading him to turn up the corners of his mouth a little.

The camera flared, just catching the moment the cake before them all exploded, sending pieces of chocolate cake rocketing into the air and crash-landing onto people’s faces and nearby tables. Shocked gasps and angered hollers rang throughout the restaurant. Heads swiftly turned towards the Twins’ table, people confused and worried about all the screaming.

“Surprise, Pine Tree!” A tall golden haired man rose up from inside the cake, striking a pose like a model, “And good evening, mortal flesh sacks!”

Bill Cipher looked down at Dipper, his golden eyes filled with glee at the sight of his boyfriend, who stood gaping at him, his brown eyes wide with shock. The blond demon was clad in glittering golden and blue clothes from head to toe. A brilliant yellow cane materialized in his hand, and he used it to step out of what remained of the chocolate cake. He swiveled his head to look around him, greatly entertained by the stunned and frightened faces of the people around him. By now, the whole Pines family were familiar with Dipper’s... abnormal boyfriend, but they never got used to his antics.

“Bill!” Mabel was the first one to speak after the blond’s sudden-and very messy-appearance, “Why are you so late? Do you have any idea how sad you made Dipper feel?”

“What’s up, Shooting Star?” Bill smirked at the girl below him, “I can see you’re ecstatic to see me,”

“It’s Dipper’s birthday. How could you do this?” Mabel told off Bill like he was a misbehaving child.

Bill scoffed in response, “Well, looks like someone needs to learn some-“

“Where have you been?” Dipper screeched from beside Mabel. The screech was followed by a metallic crash as he hastily climbed onto the dinner table and pulled the demon into an embrace while covering his face in light kisses.

“Hey, hey! Easy, kid. Geez, I know I’m amazing but give me some space,” Bill teased his boyfriend, his tone streaked with coyness. In response, Dipper stuck his tongue out at him. Bill chuckled before he unexpectedly pulled Dipper closer and crashed their lips together in a tender kiss. The people around their table gawked at the two of them, still speechless from what happened just a few minutes ago.

“I’m still mad at you,” Dipper huffed and crossed his arms after Bill broke their kiss.

“I don’t care, you love me,” Bill retorted cheekily, daring to press another kiss to Dipper’s forehead, “Hey Shooting Star, wanna see what your present is?”

Mabel was just about to reply when someone called out Bill’s name in a low growl. Bill twisted around and met the angry eyes of Stanford Pines.

“’Sup, old man? How are you on this fine occasion?” Bill’s eyes shone with playfulness, not a bit afraid of Dipper’s grunkle.

“Cipher, that wasn’t funny,” Stanford spoke in a serious tone, not amused in the slightest, “You were worrying Dipper and you ruined the restaurant,”

“Hey, you know what’s funny? The present I got him!” Bill cackled with laughter, ignoring Ford’s last statement as he brought his cane down onto the table, producing a loud thumping noise. A few moments later, an unusual cat hopped out from the cake that Bill previously rose from. The cat’s fur was a bright magenta, its paws looked like they were dipped in a bucket of harsh yellow paint. The fur was spiky, and it didn’t appear to belong to any known species of cat. There was nothing on its face but a pink, spotted nose and a mouth. No eyes.

“Happy birthday, Pine Tree!” Bill chortled again, his voice ringing throughout the restaurant. He picked the cat up with uncharacteristic carefulness and then set it on Dipper’s shoulder. When Ford tried to speak again, Bill shushed him with such ferocity the whole restaurant turned silent.

“Heard you like cats, so I got you one,” The blond demon beamed at Dipper, obviously pleased and satisfied with himself for getting him such a thoughtful gift. However, Dipper wasn’t as thrilled. His face turned into grimace when he felt the cat on his shoulder kneading his shirt with its paws, tiny claws slightly pricking his skin. When he turned to face Bill, he was met with a gleeful look on the demon’s face.

“Well, do you like it?” Bill asked.

“It doesn’t have eyes,”

“So?” Bill was still smiling, completely indifferent to the fact that the cat was eyeless.

“It’s so unusual… And how can it see?”

“I don’t know, it just does! I found it in another realm, and guess what? No one has eyes there, kid! Can you believe it? I called out to someone and they turned and yelled at a tree,” The dream demon burst out laughing, his hands clutching his waist, “Try petting it, Pine Tree. It’s adorable,”

Dipper blinked and took a breath before he reached up and pet the cat on his shoulder. To his surprise, it purred and pushed against his hand. The spiky fur atop the cat’s head didn’t poke or hurt him. Instead, it felt incredibly soft despite its rough appearance.

For the first time that night, Dipper’s smile was genuine.

“I guess it’s kinda cute,” Dipper grinned sheepishly as he stood on tip toe to kiss Bill on his cheek.

“I’m glad you like it,” Bill kissed Dipper’s forehead then with a smile, ruffled his combed hair. Pulling the brunet closer, Bill wrapped an arm around him before snickering, “You can yell at me now,”

There was a brief moment before the whole restaurant burst into a mix of yells, hollers and accusations. All directed at Bill Cipher.