Blood Stains and Marigolds

》》THIRTEEN《《

Dipper began to cough pain shooting up his throat, in his lungs, blood began to drip from his mouth. The pain was so much more intense than he had ever felt.

He coughed more and this time, something came out of his mouth.

In the center of the bloodstains was a perfect yellow Marigold.

"P-Pinetree?" Dipper heard Bill say as he stepped closer seeing the flower in a puddle of blood.

"What...is this? What's going on?" Bill asked, panic edging in his voice.

Dipper was frozen.

"No no no...it's not supposed to be like this...it was supposed to stop." Dipper mumbled, his voice hoarse.

"Dipper please, tell me what's going on." Bill said, his panic more evident now.

Dipper managed to get his phone out. He pressed into Bill's hands.

"C-Call Ford....tell him the surgery didn't work..." Dipper managed, still staring at the perfect yellow marigold.

Bill stared for a moment at the phone in his hands, before nodding and opening the phone to call Ford.

Dipper knew Bill was talking, but he couldn't hear anything. He was too transfixed on the flower.

This...this is it. I'm gonna die. The surgery failed...Bill loves me...but it isn't enough. I'm going to die. Dipper thought. He could see Bill pacing and panicking in his peripheral vision but he could move to even look at the boy he loved.

"Pinetree, please say something. Tell me what's going on. Why did you cough up a flower? Please tell me this is some sick joke." Bill said. Dipper managed to meet Bill's eyes.

"I'm sorry."  Dipper said after a moment of silence. Tears now streaming down his face. Bill began to tear up as well.

Dipper looked away from Bill.

"I don't understand. What is this?" Bill asked.

"I'm...dying..." Dipper managed. Bill choked back a sob.

"It's a completely fictional disease anywhere else...but it's real in Gravity Falls. And it's going to kill me..." Dipper said in almost a whisper.

"All because I was too scared to tell you that I love you too." Dipper finished. Bill was now crouched down in front of Dipper, some of Dipper's blood staining his shoe.

"No." Bill said. Dipper met Bill's eyes.

"Huh?"

"I said no. I won't let you die. Not now, not ever." Bill said firmly. Through his tears, Dipper could see the look on his face, determination, like he actually believed Dipper would live just because he said so.

Dipper tried for a smile, reaching up to press a hand to Bill's cheek.

"I'm so sorry Bill...I should have just told you...I was too scared..." Dipper managed, "I'm not....I'm not scared anymore...not to confess anyway."

"Stop saying things like that. Stop talking like you're going to die. I told you, you are going to live. Ford is on his way, so hang in there." Bill said, "You can't die. I never even got to kiss you, or take you on a date, or hold you in my arms. You can't die yet."

Dipper tried for a laugh, but came up coughing.

"Don't...Don't order me around Cipher. We aren't even dating yet..." Dipper managed. Bill smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"You can...kiss me if you want, I don't blame you if you don't want to, the sight of me throwing up a flower and coughing up blood probably is a pretty big turn off." Dipper tried to joke. Bill slowly brought up his hand to Dipper's face, using his thumb to wipe off blood that lingered on Dipper's lips.

Then he leaned in and connected their lips.

Dipper didn't want to describe it as some magical kiss, though he would probably remember it like that. His inexperience kept him from trying to do anything more than slightly part his lips, while Bill did most of the work, moving his own lips against Dipper's, occasionally sucking on Dipper's lower lip and tilting his head to deepen the kiss.

When they parted Dipper was frozen for a moment, as was Bill.

"Well...I guess you can cross that off the list..." Dipper managed.

"Hmm..." Bill managed, "Subpar, at best."

"What?" Dipper said, confused. 

"Oh. I was rating your kissing skills, subpar, at best." Bill admitted.

"Wow, I'm dying and here you are insulting me." Dipper said.

"It's ok Pinetree, it was your first kiss, guess we'll just have to practice more." Bill said with a smirk, causing Dipper to both blush and roll his eyes.

"Better get it in now, since I probably won't see tomorrow." Dipper said.

"Stop saying things like that." Bill repeated, "I won't let you die."

Dipper smiled softly, though in pain, then began coughing up more flowers.

"Are those...Marigolds?" Bill asked, staring at the yellow flowers.

"Yeah, they're your favorite right?" Dipper asked.

"They were." Bill admitted, "But not so much anymore."

Dipper almost laughed.

"Yeah, I can imagine seeing your best friend throw them up with blood probably wouldn't make them your favorite anymore." Dipper joked.

Bill frowned and looked back at the school.

"Where is Ford? You're getting worse." Bill commented.

"You....you should probably go. I really don't want you to see me like this." Dipper said, looking away from Bill.

"What!? I can't leave. I won't leave. I'm staying with you." Bill said.

"I don't want you to be here when I die. I didn't want you to see me like this at all and have it be your sight of me." Dipper said, coughing up a few more petals.

"I don't care, I'm not leaving you." Bill insisted.

"Promise me something then." Dipper began.

"What is it?" Bill asked.

"Promise me you'll remember me, and not whatever it is I've become. And promise me you'll move on." Dipper said.

"Pinetree, I can't promise you that. I'm sorry, I can't promise you that I will move on, because honestly, there's nothing in this fucked up world that I care about more than you." Bill said.

Bill sighed, leaning close to Dipper so that he could lightly grab Dipper's chin and move his face so that he was looking at Bill.

"So you promise me this, promise me you'll try and live. Promise me you'll keep fighting. I know it hurts and I know you just want to rest but there are so many people care about you. So many people who want you to survive." Bill said.

The look in Bill's eyes almost made Dipper cough up more flowers. The pure love and caring in his eyes pierced Dipper like a thorn in the throat. Dipper suddenly found himself remembered why he had fallen for Bill in the first place.

Dipper managed to repress a cough before saying quietly,

"I promise."