Don't Forgive Me

Chapter 21

Dipper is awoken by Bill’s coughing. He sits up in bed to look over at the demon on the other side of the room across from him. He’s leaned over the small can that the boy had left for him holding it in his lap loosely. This hacking fit had been particularly violent, it jolted the demon from his sleep just as much as the brunette. It appeared that he wasn’t able to make it entirely in time, as red is also on his shirt and sleeves.

Dipper gets up and flicks on his bedstand light which illuminates the room in a sickly orange hue. Bill weakly sets his cheek on the rim of the can wheezing breaths rattling softly from his throat. Dipper stands over him.

“Oh come on Bill.”, he said looking at the stains on his shirt and lightly taking the can from the demon’s loose grip. His head bobs slightly as dipper helps him to his feet. It was sort of awkward considering that Bill is a bit taller than him. The boy is annoyed, but not at Bill. Anyone would feel the same at two in the morning.

They eventually make it over past the hallway to the bathroom where Dipper eases the demon onto the porcelain throne. He places his hands on his knees to steady himself, head leaning forward sleepily. The brunette runs hot water in the bathtub and waits for it to fill. The demon looks up at dipper, squinting and making a disgruntled face.

“No…no”, the entity said trying shakily to get up and go back to bed.

“Yes.”, Dipper said easily sitting him back down after grabbing Bill’s shoulders.

He looked so sad and helpless just then like he wanted to do something so desperately but couldn’t. Dark soft eyes land on the demon; he knows that look. The boy wets a rag and lifts Bill’s chin. He carefully wipes off his poor face. His cheek rests in Dipper’s palm placing some weight onto it, taking some of the tension out of his hurting neck. It would almost be cute if he wasn’t in so much pain.

Dipper gulps and looks somewhat to the side.

“Everything’s going to be ok.”, he says softly, sleep had been evading him too nowadays. He might just be reassuring himself at this point, the universe knows he needed those words too. The tiredness showed under his eyes, but nowhere as near as bad as Bill’s.

Presently, the demon had accepted that the boy was just trying his best to care for him. He wasn’t going to give Dipper any more grief than he already had. His clawed hands find their way to the collar of his shirt and struggle with the buttons. He hated feeling so weak.

Dipper noticed and went to move the entity’s jittery hands away. The demon growled at him defeatedly.

“I can do it”, he said inevitably caving to the boy’s assistance. Luckily, Dipper is a saint when it comes to the patience department. Bill feebly laughs at his situation as dipper quietly unbuttoned the stained shirt.

“Wasn’t expecting this to be my first time undressing a man.”, the brunette said trying to make light of his awkwardness. Bill only gave him a chuckle and a fleeting frail smirk.

“Could be your last”, the way he said it made dipper think there was something deeper behind his words, which made him shiver; his face momentarily going hot. His eyes quickly dart over to the running water by which he goes to shut off.

Bill lightly shrugs the rest of his shirt off and dipper turns to let him get all the way undressed. He crosses his arms as he hears the shuffling in the water, a slight slip.

“You okay?”, the boys said, turning halfway. Looking over his shoulder.

“Yeah,” Bill responds, carefully taking his triangle-shaped earrings off.