The Simple Things (BillDip)

Chapter 2: Home Bound

Dipper stared at the cashier sitting before him. He leaned forward to look across the aisle to Mabel for help, but she wasn't even aware that Dipper wasn't alone. The man ran his fingers through his filthy, golden hair, stopping to rub the back of his neck softly. Although he deliberately chose to seat himself next to Dipper, he seemed to refuse to look him in the eye. Dipper turned away quickly, leaning into his bag to retrieve his gaming system. He switched it on, and began pressing buttons, rapidly moving his fingers. The man noticed, and moved himself closer to get a better look. "I loved that game when I was your age." He muttered.

"I- I'm older than I look!" Dipper squealed in a sense of panic.

The man chuckled before replying calmly. "That's not what I meant. I never said I stopped loving that game. I wasn't calling you childish."

Dipper's cheeks were painted pink in embarrassment. "S-sorry." He stuttered.

The man lifted his black briefcase onto his lap. He snapped open the clips sealing the case closed, and removed a yellow game system, similar to Dipper's. He flipped the on switch and revealed the screen to Dipper, showing his avatar in the game. It looked much better dressed than Dipper's default model. "You don't play much, do you?" He muttered.

"Oh, I ah..." Dipper couldn't think of a reply. "I just got the... The game..."

The man pulled a face that obviously looked like he didn't believe the boy. But he shrugged it off and continued to speak. "So, heading to Gravity Falls for the Summer Dip- I mean... uh, little boy?"

Dipper looked at him for a moment, debating whether he should tell his stranger where he was going or not. "Yeah... I- I am." He uttered.

"Great." The man spoke in a strong tone. "Then perhaps I'll see you again?"

"Oh, uh... Yeah. Maybe." Dipper replied softly.

The bus lurched forward before coming to a stop, causing Dipper to hit his head on the seat in front of him. The man calmly stood up to leave. But before he began walking down the centre aisle, the man looked at Dipper once more. "Oh, and by the way, my name is Bill."

He then turned away, and calmly left the bus. Dipper glanced at where Bill sat. The shiny black briefcase sat there. Dipper quickly snatched the handle and stood up and began to yell. "H-hey! Wait! You forgot your briefcase!"

Mabel looked at Dipper in astonishment. "Dip, who are you talking to? What are you talking about?"

"That guy- Bill I think- left his briefcase on the bus." Dipper replied in a panicking tone.

"Dipper? There wasn't anybody sitting beside you..." Mabel looked at Dipper like he was insane.

"Well I- uh, what?"

"No one ever sat beside you except me... Who are you talking about?"

"Th-the man! With the filthy hair, and the freckles! The guy with the top hat! And the pyramid coat thing!"

"Oh. Well, just leave it here. They have a lost and found at the station, I'm sure he'll come back for it sooner or later."

"Y-yeah. Sooner or later." Dipper whispered to himself.

He quietly sat back down in his seat, awaiting his and his sister's stop. Before returning his eyes to his game, he glanced out the window once more, to see Bill standing there at the station. "Why hasn't he left yet?" Dipper thought.

He continued watching him as the bus began to move along the road again. Dipper pressed his face against the window in an attempt to see more clearly. As the bus began to pick up speed, Dipper could just barely see Bill, but before he left his field of view, he watched him disappear from the very spot he stood, in an ordeal of inky black clouds, seeping into the concrete sidewalk that stood beneath where Bill's feet stood. As the black clouds cleared quickly, nothing of Bill's was left behind, except for a small grey pattern, engraved in the ground. Dipper removed his face from the glass as the bus stop transformed into a blur, sitting quietly.

He sat back in his seat with his back pressing forcefully against the torn, blue bus seats, before speaking aloud; "What is that man?"

Dipper, confused and worried, could not feel anything, except dreariness. His eyes faded shut, and he dozed off once again.