Archive of Our Own

Gazing out at a world he could hardly identify as the one he grew up in, Dipper reminisces on how it came to be.

—------------------

Twelve years ago Gravity Falls was thrown into chaos by the demon known as Bill Cipher. Weirdmaggedon, it was called then. (Bill calls it a new era, he named it Genisis from one of the human’s major religions. He had a real good laugh about that.) Despite the valiant efforts of the residents of Gravity Falls, Bill remained undefeated and the town went up in flames, citizens killed or frozen if caught out of hiding. The Pines family was the ring leader of the underground resistance and did their best to keep everyone, human and supernatural alike, safe in Stanford’s underground bunker.

It only had enough food for 30 years for one man and even with half the town and forest dead or captured, there was still less than a year of food left for everyone. They went hunting and rationed food to try and preserve their stores but it quickly became apparent that sooner or later they would starve. Everyone grew more nervous as time went on and more of their experienced hunters went missing. Something had to be done.

Dipper, newly 13 if the laws of time had still applied, knew he had to do something. Something no one else was willing to do. Having studied under Ford since his return, he had been told the equation to the barrier in confidence. With no idea how long Weirdmaggedon would last and people dropping like flies, Ford determined two people must know the equation at all times. The equation Bill so desperately wants.

After reading as many books as he could to learn how to negotiate, Dipper snuck out of the bunker and into a secluded clearing. With Bill in reality and ruling Gravity Falls, he wasn’t even sure a summoning would catch his attention, so he decided to go a bit more extreme than Ford’s summoning guide required. According to classical books on demons, the summoning could be intensified with a blood offering, the more the better with human sacrifice being the most powerful. Bill was noted to think animal sacrifices were barbaric so he would most likely only respond to human blood. Dipper was only 13 though, he knew he couldn’t kill anyone if he tried, so he gave the only blood he could. His own.

And, to Dipper’s dread and relief, Bill answered.

“Well well well, Pinetree. Blood, for little old me? I’m flattered! And a bit surprised, to be honest. And you don’t get much honesty from demons, let me tell you kid. So! What did you call me for?”

Dipper stared at Bill in his three-dimensional form, it was… odd. He had a hard time getting the words out, the words that put a pit in his stomach, those six terrifying words.

“I want to make a deal.”

There was quiet, even the perpetual screams that filled the air seemed to silence.

Then… laughter. Booming, loud, raucous laughter in that awful high pitch that Dipper has nightmares about.

“O-Oh! That was a good one kid! Ahahaha-! Sorry, one sec- heheheh… Okay, I’m good, I’m good. You want to make a deal with me? You, a thirteen-year-old human child, and me, an immortal, all-knowing, all-powerful, dream demon? I doubt you could do anything for me but sure, why not, let's hear what you got Pinetree!”

The boy paused again, nervous beyond belief and knowing it was obvious to the demon who found it amusing. “I have the equation. For the barrier,” he choked out.

And everything paused, yet again. Bill seemed to stop moving entirely, the whole world too seemed to still as his words rang out in the empty air. It was rare to catch the demon off-guard, a once in an eternity event most likely. Even though he was scared out of his mind, Dipper felt a stirring of pride in the back of his mind. He’ll remember this moment for the rest of his life. However long or short that may be…

“You have the equation? Memorized? I’ll admit kid… I’m impressed. But what makes you think I need a deal to get that out of you? Why couldn’t I just grab you right here and torture you until you give it up?”

“The binding rules of engagement.” He replied confidently. The same books that told him about the blood also mentioned rules that all demons must follow, no matter how powerful the demon may be. There was a lot and he can’t remember them all, but he got the gist of it. They protected the deal makers, both human and demon. Dipper didn’t even know if they would protect him in this instance, if there was any rule that could prevent Cipher from doing exactly as he threatened, it was a shot in the dark but he took a chance and said it anyways. Hopefully, if he was wrong, the demon would be impressed he knew about them at all. He didn’t even know if Ford knew about them, the information was so hard to come by since humans being intimidated by demons could be key to getting what they want.

Bill hummed, an odd thing without a throat, and said, “Well played, kid… Well played. Alright, you got me. What do you want for that equation?”

Taking a deep breath, Dipper opened his mouth and said the lines he’d been practicing for a week. “I will give you the equation if you do not harm this world and its inhabitants anymore… physically. And prevent any other demons from doing the same, outside of any deals made with said inhabitants… You can still capture and hold people, you just need to take care of their physical needs. You’d be the ruler of the world, but you need some… order. A way for humans to survive. What the fun in ruining a dimension when there are no people to torment, right?”

The young boy chuckled nervously, trying to play into a demon’s sadistic nature. Surely Bill could have fun torturing people psychologically? He’s a demon of the mind after all, Dipper hoped that rather large exclusion would satisfy him. “I’d be willing to discuss more terms with you, if you have any objections…”

Making himself seem desperate was a hit to his negotiating power but it would be worth it for the safety of the world.

After hours of negotiating, they came to a final draft that was written down as they spoke, edited with vocal commands. In the end, Bill took the deal. Of course he did, it was exactly what he wanted even with a few restraints. But he had a condition that surprised Dipper.

“Alright… this was a decent bargain session Pinetree. But I have one last request.”

Dipper was nearly sweating with nerves, praying furiously that he hadn’t slipped up anywhere in the agreements. “What is it?”

“I want this contract to remain… open to amendments. Both parties have to physically sign and agree to any additional concessions and or rules. But to make sure this is available at all times, I want you to live in the Fearamid. You’d be safe there, won’t die from any outside causes, not even illnesses. You’ll live a long, comfortable life as Earth’s little diplomat.”

It was… reasonable. Bill had been surprisingly open in this deal and this was the most reasonable, safe, and easy request he has made the entire time. And yet Dipper’s heart stopped. He’d be leaving his family behind. No doubt Bill would prohibit them from visiting so they wouldn’t try and sneak him out.

But… for the safety of the world? Dipper could suffer.

He took a steadying breath and prepared to say goodbye to everything he once knew, for good.

“Just to make sure you keep your end of the deal, your actions need to have equal consequences to mine. Any breach in my side of the deal means you get to go back to how you originally wanted to rule, you get to hurt people again. It’s only fair that if you breach my rules, you and every other demon will be kicked out of this dimension.”

Bill’s eye creased and Dipper couldn’t tell if that was a smile or a frown for the triangle.

“You drive a hard bargain kid… Can’t say I like it, but I respect it. You have a deal!”

Fire raced up his arms and even though they were harmless, heatless, light as air, Dipper felt constricted. Like his chest was being squeezed and his throat was tight.

He did it.

And he’ll never see his family again.

—-----------------

It was… jarring to say the least. The transition from squalor to luxury. Everything Dipper could have ever wanted growing up, everything he’d ever need, the most delicious food he’d ever tasted in his life, it was all his whenever he wanted. And yet he was still not happy. He felt ungrateful. It was a cruel battle with his psyche.

Dipper, wanting to be the best diplomat for Earth he could be, continued his studies. He made sure the knew the basics that would’ve been taught to him in school as well as studied law books, from various countries even. Whatever Dipper wanted, Bill provided. Except for his freedom.

The details on Bill’s takeover of Earth were vague for him, Bill never went over it in detail, and to be honest, Dipper was too busy to care. All the demon ruler said was that he held up his end of the deal and that.. had to be enough for him. It was.

Any human or supernatural representative that wanted to talk to Bill went through Dipper first and Dipper was not allowed to leave the Fearamid, so they met him in his new home. Specifically in the very large office that Bill provided for him. The office was so large, in fact, it only highlighted how young and small he was. (At least Bill also provided him with nice clothes that made him look some modicum of professional.) Fellow diplomats and even the rulers of countries were furious, thinking it was an insult to have to talk to a child instead of their new, forced leader. It wasn’t fun for Dipper either, thanks for the consideration, assholes.

And as if it wasn’t bad enough to be mocked by humans, the demons constantly teased him as well. With the newly implemented human servants in the Fearamid, not only did the demons mistake him for one, but the servants all regarded him with derision. He had no friends. Except for Bill and his inner circle of demons. It was pathetic, wasn’t it, for his only friends to be his captors. But it was all he had, all he would ever get, so he took it. Reluctantly.

As he grew up, literally in height, he felt more confident. Each year brought him closer to actual respect, not just with his age but his reputation of dealing with the politicians helped the most. He was exceptionally bright for his age and had a maturity to him that was only given to him through trauma.

And each year, he grew friendlier with Bill. The first year was the most difficult, of course, he was adjusting, they all were, and it was difficult for everyone, human, demon, and all others. But after being forced to work with him several times, they found a balance. Mutual respect. And from there the meetings began to soften around their tense edges and they were… calm? Lighthearted almost. They eventually became real friends. And then he introduced him to his inner circle and it was difficult all over again but somehow they managed to get along and later they were just as tight as him and Bill.

—-------------------

Puberty was… quite the experience. The demons firsthand got to see him shoot up in size and hear as his voice reached new highs and lows as it developed. They also got to experience the moodiness that came with all those raging hormones. They’d never admit it but Dipper is certain they were all scared of him and his mood swings, he’d heard whispers about him being ‘as bad as Bill’. That really helped him around the Fearamid.

The worst part though? Even though Bill was understanding of everything (all teasing aside), his temper was in fact, much worse than Dipper’s hormonal fury. After shouting at and disrespecting the demon one too many times, he finally slipped up and said something that really got Bill mad. He couldn’t even think about it, it terrified him that much…

Bill had turned red and large and scary. He never imagined a triangle to be scary but he was horrifying and Dipper had nightmares for months, even after Bill apologized and they were good again.

—--------------------

At some point, Dipper also became Bill’s PR manager. He not only made press conferences but he gave Bill advice on how to help his ruling go smoothly. And it was one such meeting that started a domino effect that changed the rest of his life…

Dipper, 16 years old now, planted his hands on Bill’s desk and leaned forward towards the triangle sitting behind it (another piece of advice Dipper had given him).

“Bill, I know it’s crazy to you and maybe even uncomfortable but I’m telling you, this will go a long way. You’re a demon, very visibly, the people can’t sympathize with you at all! How are they supposed to identify and feel for a floating triangle— pyramid thing that looks straight out of a carton!?”

Bill, mildly offended, exclaimed, “Hey! I look dapper, for your information!”

Pinching his nose and counting to ten, Dipper paused to get his bearings. He needed Bill to see his point.

“Bill… you know the human mind. You know better than anyone that humans respond to humans much better than faceless figures. You may have an eye but it doesn’t carry all the nuances that our brains look for! That’s why so many people try to make AIs a human body! It helps build trust and empathy!”

The demon scoffed and rolled his eye, “Yes, of course I know that Pinetree! I still don’t see how this will help!”

Exasperated, Dipper threw himself upright and his hands went flying through the air.

“Having a human body will make the people like you more Bill! Especially the future generations that will grow up under your rule! The people alive now will always be wary of you and they will try to teach their kids the same but with a human face, it’s more likely they’ll empathize with you and trust your judgment if they see you as similar to them!”
Bill huffed and crossed his arms, pouting, Dipper knew but also knew the demon would deny it.

Finally, he threw his hands out too, “What should it even look like!? This?!”

With a flash of light that nearly blinded the human, the pyramid once behind the desk was replaced with a tall human male dressed in an immaculate black and yellow outfit. Tan skin, golden hair, and a handsome face of about 25 years old. There were still features that denoted his true species, sharp fangs that made a wicked smile and unnaturally molten eyes with slitted pupils. And the floating top hat, of course.

Dipper stood speechless, shocked the demon caved and taken aback by his new appearance. It was… attractive. He didn’t know what he expected, he didn’t even think that he thought Bill would be unattractive, but it wasn’t… this.

He was thrown out of his trance when Bill frowned and groaned, “What? Not good enough? It’s my first human shell Pinetree, I couldn’t have done much better.”
Dipper hurried to placate him, worried he’d go back and never take human form again.

“No! It’s good Bill! Really good! You have all the important human features and the small bits of demon will intimidate people at the right times. Plus, you did a good job on the face, humans have a bias for attractive faces that will make them trust you more.”

The teen’s face flushed through the last point and was freaking out internally. It’s not as if he was unaware of how puberty made him crave… certain things. And he was well past the stage where he figured out that boys looked nice to him too. No, it was just… an entirely different thing to find the demon that kidnapped you as a child and was now your best friend and boss attractive.

“That’s- that’s perfect. Use this form around humans. Figure out how to move naturally in it too. That’s all I wanted.” He made a hasty exit and returned to his room to… work out these feelings.

—-----------------

And if he’s being honest, that wasn’t the first domino. The first domino was tipped long ago when Bill started being nice to him and they became friends. Trusting Bill was another couple of dominos. This was several dominos from the beginning and this one was tipped by Bill’s human appearance, even if he knew the sadistic triangle better than any human, that psychological bull shit still worked on him too.

And the dominos kept falling, more rapidly now, a steadily growing crush through his teenage years. There were many hiccups along the way to be sure, but once set in momentum the dominos were determined to fall all the way, even with some near misses and hesitations.

Another domino fell when Bill finally allowed Dipper to go outside for his 17th birthday. This was one of the only times he was allowed out, he got one wish for his birthday and besides seeing his family, it could be anything. For a long time, he wasn’t allowed out even on his birthday but that was due to safety and loyalty issues. At 17 Bill had finally decided that he was capable enough and loyal enough to go outside.

Dipper’s chosen location was a forest. It wasn’t Gravity Falls’ forest, but it was green and lush all the same. Wildlife roamed free, unharmed. When he threw Bill an accusing look because of some mutated animals, Bill explained that that was all they were, the weirdness didn’t do this to them, they mated with similar species that were already weirded out. Dipper’s betrayal then turned to curiosity.

The forest was almost as magical as the one at home and Dipper felt his heart soar, lighter than it was in years.

During their exploration, they came across a fox-like creature. It was much larger than any fox species he’d heard of, more in tune with its ancestors most likely and mixed with something else he’d yet to put together. It was hurt though, stuck in a bear trap, and Dipper couldn’t stand to see it in such a state.

With Bill’s help, they freed the fox and healed it (Bill had been teaching Dipper magic!) together. Dipper fully expected it to run away as soon as it was better, but to his surprise it walked up to him and nuzzled him, curling itself around him like an oversized cat. When they tried to leave, it just followed them. He hugged the huge thing’s soft furry neck and looked back at Bill, pleading with him to let him take it home. The demon was not impressed with their actions but agreed all the same.

It was to their equal benefit anyways, Farryn was a sweetheart that helped Dipper when he got lonely and protected him fiercely from any dangers. Bill was nearly glowing (literally) with pride when she nearly ate an attempted attacker. Dipper was not as pleased because… ew. But he was flattered Farryn liked him so much.

—------------

Being so isolated in the Fearamid, Dipper didn’t have many options on what to do about his crush. Though he treated the human servants well, they still could not bring themselves to forgive him for letting Bill out of the barrier, and as such, none of the people his age would ever consider being a distraction for him. Dipper grew more and more dependent on social interaction with Bill and with his new human body, he was much more receptive to his growing feelings than before.

Time spent together was… awkward, courtesy of Dipper’s anxiety and mild social ineptness. Bill didn’t seem to pick up on it much, he probably assumed that Dipper’s behavior was another effect of puberty and Dipper couldn’t help but feel relieved. Though he knew the heart wants what it wants, frivolous or not, it was another thing for him to accept his feelings. How could he have a crush (or more) on a demon who all but imprisoned him and took over his world, changing it into something he may never recognize again?
But that same demon has treated him nothing but kindly, has taken him under his wing in magical studies, has made him feel welcome and competent when he felt like it would be impossible. Bill has done everything he could to make Dipper comfortable.

It was an internal struggle that Dipper fought with himself for quite a while. But after nearly a year, he had finally accepted it. It was some time after he announced compensated blood donations specifically for demons that he made his peace with it. Bill was always logical but as the years went by, Dipper saw how reasonable he could be. It wasn’t the total chaos he had originally wanted but it was enough, something had made it enough for him.

They had, somewhere along the way, started creating a society where demons and humans could co-exist. The blood donations only concreted that in Dipper’s mind. He was hopeful that in the future demons and humans would no longer be enemies, like he and Bill managed to be. And this was what made him stop and look at Bill and hope he could see that future with him. Dipper also hoped Bill wouldn’t notice his blush.

He did.

Bill’s human body has also affected him oddly, he was capable of more human emotions. Not to say that his empathy has grown greatly, but he was capable of sensing it now, without help from magic or logic. These emotions allowed him to feel a connection with Dipper, his little Sapling that has grown into a proper Pinetree. All these years they’ve worked together and Bill could think of no one he’d rather debate with or simply annoy. Even causing havoc with his demon friends seemed less appealing than spending a quiet day in the library with his human companion.

One human emotion he gained was affection. It was confusing at first, he had no idea what the feeling could be, but he knew it happened around Pinetree. Whenever the kid was so engrossed with his studies and he would be lost to the world. When Bill showed him how to do magic and his eyes lit up. When he gets along with Bill’s friends and smiles, it warms his heart to see him looking like he belongs. And when he got older the feelings intensified yet changed in a way… It wasn’t difficult to understand for long when he caught himself wanting to hold him and fixating on his lips.

Bill also was not oblivious to the young teen’s feelings. It was hard to ignore when the kid stuttered and blushed around him more than others. But, Bill refrained from commenting. He was not yet ready, still too young by human culture and his body had not yet matured. His personality was blossoming but his body and mind were still budding. Soon he would expose himself to the sun, full of beauty and confidence. Bill could wait for that.

And he did. It became apparent by his 18th year, that Pinetree had feelings for him and he seemed more relaxed around him than before. He leaned into small touches and his eyes would linger on him from across the room at the yearly international ball. Even the Henchmaniacs noticed how they seemed to gravitate toward each other and lost themselves in conversations even when surrounded by friends.

After a few pointed conversations with Dipper and Bill, it was obvious that Dipper was much too shy and insecure to confess to Bill out of fear of rejection and Bill was waiting for Dipper to give him a sign that he was ready. It wasn’t until Dipper’s closest friend of the group, Pyronica, interfered that they finally confessed to each other. Bill could’ve kissed Pyronica if he wasn’t much more interested in kissing Dipper.

The two were happy, newly in love, and the world knew a peace that they never imagined possible at the beginning of the Genisis. Over a year flew by with short, secretive dates and stolen kisses behind mahogany desks and in barren halls. Dipper and Bill had already worked well together but now they were fully in sync, they often worked in one office and would have ideas at the same time, sharing their progress and being a soundboard for each other.

It was after Bill noticed their combined efforts made a large sudden increase in efficiency that he knew. Dipper was ready, the world was ready. Bill was more than ready.
They got married the spring after Dipper’s birthday, in a secluded forest with only its natural inhabitants and the Henchamaniacs present. The ceremony was beautiful, even without an officiant (because Bill found priests to be offensive and there was no true being of power to guide the worshiping of the Axolotl), instead, they said their own vows and performed a soul binding. The binding made Dipper immortal, sealing his body at the age of twenty, but he agreed nonetheless. He already hadn’t seen his family in so long, it was merely preparation for him to no longer have the possibility…

The world found out via press conference. Usually Dipper or another PR manager hosted them but Bill himself was going to co-host the event with Dipper, once news of this leaked, reporters from all over the world fought to gain admittance to the meeting. It was decided only one reporter from each country was allowed at any given press conference, which was left to the discretion of each country’s leader.

Bill, as dramatic as he is, started vaguely by saying there was going to be a change in his leadership style over Earth. This caused a tense moment that had the humans fearing a new stricter dictatorship or tyranny. But Bill simply smiled wide and grabbed Dipper’s hand, pulling him close and sweeping a foot out from under him, holding him in a graceful dip as he kissed him passionately (yes, Bill made them practice this move). Cameras were flashing and the room was full of roaring voices. After a few more poses that showcased their rings, including another carefully practiced pose that brought both their left hands elegantly together, as if they were about to dance together.

Sometime later, a video of their ceremony was released to the public but did not include the soul binding. Their friends may have been excitable and known to cause chaos, but a soul binding was intimate. It was meant to only be shared with those closest, seeing the two at their most vulnerable. Any videos were hidden, yet treasured. Earth may never understand a soul binding but they understood marriage and much of the Earth fawned over sappy vows and the hope of demons and humans being able to merge their lives together.

Bill and Dipper would be an immortal fairytale told to human and demon children alike, or so the tabloids said…

—-------------

Their relationship took a hit when Bill first made The Arena. Even the first proposal of the idea made Dipper furious at such a request. A stadium where humans were slaughtered? How could Bill ever expect him to agree to it?! But Bill was adamant, his people, the demons, were apparently starving. The number of corpses gathered from deals and the blood donations were not cutting it. Even with the influx of demon deals being made now that the world knew the supernatural existed, it was not enough for how many demons there were and blood was a poor substitute for an actual meal.

Dipper argued as best he could, they couldn’t just trade human lives for demons’, the deals were fair and the blood was given willingly but this would not be fair at all. His job required him to advocate for both species and even though he’s come to see demons in a new light, it was clear that that was an uneven trade and not to mention against their contract.

Except it wasn’t.

What Bill proposed wasn’t a human massacre, not entirely. Humans charged with murder, sexual assault, or treason would be sent to Bill’s dungeons from around the world where they will be held like real prisons. But in this one, they would have a choice, an option to have a chance at freedom.

It was against the contract for Bill or other demons to physically harm humans, directly or indirectly. It was not against the rules to give humans the option to fight each other to the death for their freedom. With eight billion humans on the planet and overcrowded prisons last he heard in America, he was hoping it’d be enough.

It was… a difficult press conference.

“Live from the Fearamid, Earth’s Human ambassador of twelve years and ruler of five, Dipper Cipher-Pines, makes an important announcement.”

Dipper stood solemnly on the stage, though he was only 25 years old, he was more weathered by life than any human on Earth. It brought him no joy to announce this.

“Inhabitants of Earth, I come to you today with a heavy heart. I would like to remind you all that I have done my best to keep you all safe from the young age of thirteen years old. It has been… challenging, learning how to take on the role of an adult while growing up in what some would call a house of horrors. It is my job to take care of not only your needs and safety… but also the needs of my other subjects. Demons.

“This is a responsibility I take seriously. I advocate for all under my rule. And demons are starving. They feed on humans and the bodies they gain from deals are not enough. Donated blood is only a fraction of what they need to survive. Demons need more and as my subjects, I must find a way to provide it to them.

“To be clear, demons will not be allowed to feast on the innocents. But your rulers, Bill Cipher, and I have come to an agreement. From now on, anyone charged with murder, sexual assault, treason, or any other crime resulting in a life sentence will be sent to the Fearamid’s dungeons, which will act in accordance with common prison regulations found on Earth. Those sent there will be given a choice. A choice to fight to the death for their freedom.”

He took a loaded pause as this decree weighed on him.

“The winners of each battle will have won their freedom and will be healed and set free on Earth, exonerated of their past crimes. Any further crimes committed will still make them eligible for transport and battle. The losers will be dead… and their bodies will be food for less fortunate demons.

“We ask that all countries of Earth please have your eligible criminals ready for transport by the end of the month. And a reminder, all rebellions led against Bill Cipher will be among those charged with treason at the highest court, the Devils Court, for a life sentence and thus are eligible for imprisonment in the dungeon and battle. All those sent to Devils Court will be appointed a demonic lawyer if they cannot make a deal with one. Rulings made at Devils Court are not eligible for appeal.

“I am… regretful of this decision. But after reviewing all other paths, this was the fairest and most humane. No one will be forced to battle, it is still a choice. Thank you for your time, stay safe.”

Dipper nearly collapsed when he made it off stage, lucky that Bill had appeared to catch him. It has been tense between them for a month now and it would still be tense for months to come, but Dipper allowed himself to slump into his husband’s arms and shed a few silent tears, shuddering in his hold. Bill stoically but gently held his Pinetree in his arms, cursing the world, the demons, himself for making Dipper so distraught. But there was nothing to be done. This was the only way.

—------------------

The first few battles were too difficult for Dipper to watch or even be around. He was emotionally distraught at the beginning of each month when a new arena was announced and Bill could do little to console him. As ruler of Earth, creator of the arena, and the husband of a human, he felt it was his duty to watch over each battle for any unfair treatment or cheating. When Bill explained this view to Dipper, it took some time but he eventually agreed to try and watch with him. He cringed with each final blow, tears streaming down his cheeks, but he watched.

Loathe to admit it though he was, Dipper… became used to the battles after a year. Bill had done his best to comfort him while also entertaining the demon populace, becoming the official unofficial co-announcer of the Arena. Dipper was not amused by this at first, he found it incredibly insensitive and he was just as furious at his husband as ever, but over time he came to accept the reality. After months of Arenas, reports showed an increase in demons’ life satisfaction as well as lower hunger statistics. It was working.
When it was clear that their solution was effective, that these… Gorey and barbaric killings were solving the problems of their people, Dipper— he accepted it. Dipper put aside his feelings about it and reconciled with Bill, continuing to help him host the Arena.

Bill’s sense of humor came back with a vengeance. The Arena was built with traditional Roman Colosseum architecture and Bill fully embraced the battles as gladiator fights, often dressing the part. After two years of hosting, Dipper was still embarrassed to say that he had been persuaded to join in, dressing in modern Roman-inspired outfits. He would never look forward to the Arena, but he found ways to tune out the blood and gore, only focusing on the fights and their integrity.

He was snapped out of his remembrance when he felt soft red fur brush against him. Turning his head brought Farryn into sight, the large fox simply sitting next to him and yet her ears met the top of his head. Yes, after her arrival Bill was much more agreeable to letting Dipper travel, the overgrown pet scaring even lesser demons into giving him plenty of space. He sighed, knowing what her appearance meant.

Dipper scratched her head between the ears softly and said a small, “Come on, girl.”

He walked back into his room from the balcony and headed for the walk-in closet. Plucking out one of his favorite outfits for the occasion, he dressed swiftly. White silk trimmed with gold covered him, a heavy necklace weighing on his shoulders but holding up his strapless top. It took a while to get used to the… freeing nature of a silk kilt but Dipper found himself enjoying it more each time he wore it. Wrist braces studded with sapphires were slipped onto his wrists (he swears that wearing these has given him more strength when carrying large items) and paired with the delicate gold circlet that substituted his traditional crown.

By the time he exited the closet, Farryn had made herself comfortable on his large bed. He laughed at the sight, “I didn’t take that long, get up you lazy bones!” Despite the light teasing, Dipper would never think of Farryn as lazy. She worked hard and had saved his life a couple of times over the years, always on alert and able to hear many faint or far away sounds. If she wanted to wait on his bed, she was welcome to.

As they padded down the halls on bare feet, Dipper couldn’t help but feel lethargic, taking slow steps toward his destination. Something in the air was heavy and he felt like it pressed down on him.

When they finally arrived at the door, he paused to take a deep breath, fingers around the handle. It would be fine, he was there to make sure everything was fine. And with that reassurance, he opened the door and strode out into the top box, where long ago a Roman emperor would sit and cast judgment. Bill was already sitting on his throne, an ostentatious affair that Dipper had given him a hard look over.

(The ones in the throne room were enough, he thought.)

As he sat in his own gaudy throne, Dipper couldn’t help but notice Bill’s tense frame and feel a wave of dread wash over him. He had seen this look before. Had seen it when he saw nearly forgotten red hair covered in blood and an old friend laying dead on the ground. Pale, freckled shoulders shaking with grief over the large body of what he once considered an older brother. He had to be excused from the rest of the battles that night and spent the rest of the evening sobbing while Farryn did her best to surround him with comfort.

Dipper slept in his old room that night.

And now, it would be happening again. Which of his old friends would it be this time? Dipper braced himself even if he knew nothing would ever prepare him for seeing those close to him die a gruesome death. Once he was seated, Bill spared a glance at him before standing and starting his announcements.

“Welcome, Demons and delegates, to the twenty-fourth Arena! This is our second anniversary! As always, out of respect for our Human visitors, we will have a minute of absolute silence to honor the lives lost in this stadium and those that will be taken tonight. Please remain quiet, starting now.”

It should surprise no one that this was Dipper’s little addition to their program. The demons he was friends with all seemed to hold a reverence for his human culture that he doubted most others shared and encouraged him to include it if it made him feel in any way at peace. Dipper had never held on to any spiritual beliefs in the past and will Bill as his husband, he knew the truths of the universe, there were no religious ties to this for him. But, it made him feel better and with each heavy silence, Bill seemed to further sympathize with how he felt. An intangibly weighted reminder to help him understand.

After losing Soos, it seemed most effective.

When the minute was up, Bill was back to being his cheerful self. “Thank you! We have a promising lineup today! Filled with the worst of the worst and the traitors from various organizations, they are sure to be quite the match! We had even caught some rebellious little scamps that thought they could overthrow me!”

Dipper was well aware of how Bill felt about people thinking they could take him. Rebel groups tended to get lots of crowd attention. But that tenseness was back.

“And last but not least, we have a rarity this evening! A… returning contender joins our presence tonight. Please be sure to give them a warm welcome when you recognize them.”

Fear was sinking in. No, it couldn’t be… there was no way she would get caught twice. She wasn’t that stupid, surely she had to of made sure to have backup? Dipper sat in silence, face blank as he watched the battles commence, waiting with stomach-turning anticipation for the shoe to drop.

For Dipper, the battles passed in a blur. He watched over each of them and made sure all the rules were followed, time seemed to move slowly and yet he couldn’t recall a single detail of the time since the event started. Bill sat there, hardly able to enjoy the show while he was watching his husband. He knew… this was going to be hard on him. This is going to strain their relationship to the max. They wouldn’t, couldn’t leave each other, but they may never be the same again…

See, Bill, despite his species, loves Dipper. So much. He doesn’t want to hurt him, he wants him happy. More than the world. But now he had the world and he could share it with the one he loves. It’s too late to give up Earth, it was still too late when he first realized he loved Dipper, but there was something Dipper didn’t know.

Dipper loves his job. He may think of it as burdensome and time-consuming, but he loves being in charge of everything. He’s the only reason there’s still reason on Earth and he’s been able to shape the world how he sees fit, who wouldn’t want that? Dipper will say he doesn’t want it but every human wants to change some aspect of the world and now he has the power to do it. He runs the world. And he was damn good at it, in Bill’s opinion. He’s never seen the planet in such good shape, not since humans started farming…

So Bill sat. He held his husband's hand as he focused on the matches. He waited with concealed joy and visible dread.

The real announcer continued on his usual droning, but this time there was something different. The crowd went wild after announcing the first contestant. Dipper waited to see them come out of the annex hall and he understood. Wendy. The girl he had a crush on at 12, the girl he came to see as an older sister, the warrior woman who fought her way out of this very arena once before.

The announcer continued, “And against her, we have another one of the rebellion’s top troops, a woman trained from a young age and who quickly rose in the ranks…”

His voice drifted off, not for a dramatic pause. It was different. He was… shocked, Dipper thought. He waited with bated breath.

“Our other fighter is— Mabel Pines.”

Briefly, before the mic cut, a coughing sound was heard. The clearing of a throat probably. The arena grew silent and tense. Bill’s hand would’ve been a vice had Dipper not been squeezing back harder. His… his sister.

His twin sister.

Murderous eyes were cast at Bill and he held onto a blank face sturdily, the only thing giving away his nerves was the biting of his lip. Dipper soon schooled his expression as well but the hatred could be cut with a knife.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked tersely. “Why didn’t you tell me she was here?”

Bill was the picture of indifference, having much better control over his face than he did a decade ago. “If you knew you would have gotten her out. The Arena may have strengthened my control over the rest of the demons but not enough that I can pardon one of the biggest conspirators against my reign.”

White knuckles shook as he gripped the arms of his throne, had he the strength of a demon, Dipper may have very well broken it. “There has to be something you can do. Anything. I’ll do anything Bill, I can’t watch her-”

His voice choked up and he had to stop at the threat of tears. He could not lose face in front of all these demons, he worked hard to gain their trust as a human ruler and he was on even thinner ice than Bill. If he showed favoritism to his family, his rebellion-leading family that wants to kick them out of this dimension, then they would revolt. It would be devastating.

Bill could hardly stand to hear his husband cry. He wanted to reach over and pull him into his arms, onto his lap. To rock him gently and soothe him with his fingers running through his hair, just like he likes it. But he couldn’t. Bill couldn’t hold him and Dipper couldn’t cry. So he settled on grabbing one of his hands, prying open its iron grip and slipping his hand inside it instead, Dipper couldn’t hurt him but he could feel that if he were human, the bones in his hand would break.

Quietly, enough so that his lips barely moved and no one but Dipper could hear, Bill whispered his last saving grace to him.

“I can afflict Red with a tiredness spell and give Star a boost in agility. Anything more and they’d suspect.”

And though it was a miracle, a soul-crushing relief, Dipper was hit with the implications. He could let fate decide who would leave this arena today and continue with grief but a clean conscious, or… Or he could set his sister up to win. Save his blood-bound, twin soul. But he’d live with the death of his old best friend by his command for the rest of his eternity.

The choice was sickeningly easy.

“Yes. Please.”

And with that, words were whispered, echoing hypnotically, flowing through the air to their intended targets. Dipper had never seen Bill use magic so discretely, he was always open about it, with a flourish most of the time. His heart, ice cold with dread and resentment toward his demonic husband at the moment, melted just the slightest bit.

The battle commenced moments after. Wendy and Mabel had both looked shocked and heartbroken to see each other at opposite ends of the ring but it seems they had come to an understanding, nodding with determination. When the announcer shouted at them to fight! it was surprisingly Mabel who launched forward first. She had picked a sword from the walls of weapons that surrounded them and swung at Wendy hard. The redhead was born and raised a lumberjack though and had picked up a sturdy ax that she used the thick hilt to block with. The two separated to recuperate before going at it again.

Blow after blow, the match went on for what felt like forever but had only been two minutes. It was still a long match, more than Dipper was comfortable with but at the same time relieved at every second longer with both of his important people alive. Most prisoners who sign up for battle, while experienced in physical assault, are not trained in combat the way these two are, their battles can last up to five minutes. Sometimes there will be an ex-soldier or someone who was part of some syndicate or another and they are well versed in fighting, but they are typically up against novices. Those battles last mere seconds.

It was a heart-pounding duel. Each swing of their blades made Dipper flinch ever so slightly, each bringing the possibility of death. Wendy had been slowing while Mabel continuously dodged all of her attacks, carefully timing her own thrusts and slices. In one last act of desperation, Wendy lunged at Mabel. But Mabel was too quick. She stepped out of the way just in time and Wendy was left sprawled on the dirt with her ax sliding nearly a yard away from her as she struggled to get back up.

A second is all it takes to lose in a fight to the death, and Mabel didn’t waste it. Mercifully, she swung her sword in a quick horizontal line, slicing Wendy’s throat clear across. She had enough time to look into her eyes and say something Dipper, nor anyone else in the crowd could hear. The life left Wendy’s eyes in a matter of moments as she choked on her blood. (Better than bleeding out through her heart, it leaves the victim in pain much longer from what Dipper’s seen.)

All too soon, the body lay still as Mabel panted above her.

Dipper nearly leapt out of his seat. Mabel had won. She was alive. She was pardoned of all crimes

Bill did not move a muscle except to pull his hand back, watching as Dipper ran to the medical room in the annex with Farryn only a step behind him.

Just in time to miss the next two fighters.

While Dipper went to attend to his sister, Bill had the absolute pleasure of watching this next match. He too stood up, but only so he could get a better view.

Leaning forward with his hands on the rail for balance, Bill giddily watched as the realization hit two identical faces. Both turned in his direction and he happily waved with his left hand, gold glinting in the sunlight and hopefully stinging their eyes. Yes, he proudly flaunted his ring, hoping to get one last rise out of one of them.

Contestants were free to withdraw their application to fight at any time before the Arena officially began, but once it starts they were stuck. Both would die if they refused to fight and no one knew who they were fighting until they entered the center of the Arena. All fighters are briefed on this when they sign up and reminded of this both the day before the Arena and when they are waiting for their battles in separate chambers.

What were the odds that the two would end up fighting each other?

Bill shamelessly cackled as he watched the old brothers fight, slow and reluctant. He could see them talking as they sparred, because that’s what they were doing, not fighting. Not for real. They were arguing over who would live. Watching their faces was all Bill needed to see though, telling enough to know what was said and, eventually, what was decided.

Though the duel lasted much longer than it should have, close to ten minutes, the demons ate it up. In the end, the two provided a great show, the loser felled entertainingly enough for the demon viewers. A spear plunged right through the chest, his brother kneeling above him, holding his hand as he took his last breath.

An insane grin, far too wide and sharp to be anything human, threatened to split his well-constructed face in two. He waved merrily yet again as the victor was escorted out to a separate medical room.

Bill sat back in his chair, finally completely satisfied with his takeover. You win some, you lose some, he supposed. He whispered, almost to himself, for no discerning reason.

—--------------

“Congratulation on your victory, Sixer,” drifted into his ears as he walked as if he was being mocked by the wind. But Stanford was no fool. He knew who said those words…