Apprentice {Gravity Falls}

Scars

Requested by Willowiplier Enjoy!! I'm so sorry this took so long-

Ford hadn't seen Dipper all day. He knew the boy had days where he didn't feel like doing anything. When even getting up felt like too much work. Ford had those types of days as well. On days like those, the duo opted to play their favorite board game or watch TV.

But this was different. This was concerning. It was as if the child had just vanished out of thin air.

Unless... maybe he was with Stan? Yeah, that was a logical explanation! Stan likely had him working in the Mystery Shack. Nothing to worry about.

"Stan? Have you seen Dipper at all?" Ford called to his twin. Stan thought for a moment.

"Now that you mention it... no. I haven't. I thought he was with you!"

"No," Ford shook his head.

"I haven't seen him all day," Stan reminded, tapping his foot. "I wonder if he's with Soos or Wendy?"

The Stans glanced behind them to see Wendy at the cash register and Soos restocking the shelves. Evidently, Dipper wasn't with them.

"Did you check his room?"

"No, I haven't," Ford admitted. Stan rolled his eyes and Wendy gave a slight chuckle as Ford headed up the stairs and knocked on the door.

"Dipper-"

"No! Don't come in!" His voice was frantic.

Ford wasn't sure what to say to this, "Uh... alright..." Dipper didn't want him to enter his room and Ford was going to respect his privacy.

But half an hour later, Dipper still hadn't left his room. Ford knocked on his door again.

"No! Don't come in!" The boy repeated.

Ford signed, "Son, you've been in your room all day. Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine! Just... just leave me alone!"

That was odd for Dipper. Just leave me alone? It almost didn't sound like the child. Ford's hand hesitantly touched his door knob and after a few moments of internal debate he decided to peek inside the room.

"Dipper?" At first glance, the room appeared to be empty besides the usual furniture and decor. However, the elder soon spotted a blob under the blankets he could only assume to be Dipper.

"No, Grunkle Ford, please just... just get out of my room," a muffled voice whimpered.

"I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong. Are you hurt? Are you sick? Please, what's wrong, my boy?"

"I already told you," Dipper exclaimed, "Nothing's wrong. Everything's fine!"

Ford knew something was wrong. But, if Dipper didn't want to tell him, then he wasn't going to force out an explanation. "Alright," Ford began to leave the room, but turned around when he heard something fall.

Dipper's blankets fell from his bed. There was his nephew - shaking and covered from head to toe in different scars and scratches of varying degrees of severity.

"Mason-"

"It was Bill!" Ford flinched at Dipper's words, "Back... back when he possessed me at Mabel's puppet show. He... he..." Dipper let out a sob, "He... really hurt me, Grunkle Ford. Pushed me down the stairs, slammed my arms into the fork drawer, burned my eyes by pouring soda in them. And then Mabel had to fight him to get him out of my body."

Ford wasn't sure what to say. He knew of the impact Bill had on his family before now. He knew of the disastrous ordeal his great nephew had to go through - he read it for himself in the journal. But now he was seeing the damage. The scars were faded, but they looked painful. He wouldn't be surprised if they still hurt.

"I've been using foundation to cover it up," Dipper admitted, "I've, uh, I've been using Wendy's makeup. I told her I needed it to cover a scar - which is technically true! She just... doesn't know exactly how many I've really been hiding. But, she ran out today, so I couldn't and I didn't want anyone to see, so I've been hiding up here instead,"

Ford nodded solemnly. Dipper was shaking and avoiding eye contact. In an act of bravery, Ford pulled off his sweater to have just a tank top underneath.

Dipper glanced up, "Grunkle Ford, what are you..." Faded scars ran across Ford's arms and shoulders. Some of them looked a lot more painful than Dipper's. Others matched the sharp ends of the fork.

"I have them too," Ford sighed out, placing back on his sweater as quickly as he took it off. "It's not your fault Bill hurt you like that. You shouldn't have to bare his scars,"

Dipper sighed, looking in a nearby mirror. He couldn't help but cringe, "I know, but... I just... hate how I look with them! I wish I could just stay up here where nobody has to see them."

Ford thought for a moment. He hid his own injuries using his sweater - how could he help Dipper... Wait! That's it! "I might have an idea,"

Moments later, Ford returned with a red sweater in Dipper's size and a soft smile. Dipper placed it on over his usual t-shirt. He gave a small grin in the mirror then looked back at Ford.

He already felt better than before.