Little Dipper

Love

"So, this is a shapeshifter." Tad gently poked at the creature, who had reverted to his true form.

"Yes, we know THAT much. Does it have another name?" Bill asked.

"This is my first time seeing one." Tad admitted. "I'm sure there's an archive somewhere in the multiverse. But, how did this little one's egg even get here?" Tad asked.

"Dunno. To be honest, I didn't really know about this thing. Even back then, I was less focused on little things like aliens hatching from eggs and more focused on getting him to make the portal." Bill admitted.

"Were there notes?" Tad asked.

"Nothing important, just eating habits, notes on the shapeshifting ability, a picture of the egg; I feel like there might've been more in the Journal, but he ripped out pages after finding out I wasn't what he thought I was."

"Someone needs to talk to this man about his toddler-like tantrums." Tad remarked. "He is like a spoiled child who was told 'no' once in his life and didn't like it." He glanced at him. "Almost like you."

"Oh, come on. I'm not THAT bad. I could take 'no', I just couldn't take the injustice." Bill huffed.

"I wonder where the mama is?" Dipper asked.

"Maybe the mama is dead." Bill shrugged.

"Dead?" Dipper whimpered.

"However it got on this world, the egg was alone when Sixer found it." Bill explained. "It's likely the mother was dead long ago."

"Where did he get the parts for that portal?" Tad asked.

"No idea. Something underground." Bill sighed. "Honestly, he kept a lot from me. Probably because he didn't trust me as much as he claimed. If I had full access, I might've had warning before he sealed me away. I could've broken it off..."

"Let's not focus on the what could've beens." Tad suggested. "You get so depressed, and blue eyes don't suit you."

Bill brought a hand up to his eye. "Oh, shit, it's blue?"

"It's blue!" Dipper nodded.

"Oh, man. This is embarrassing." Bill chuckled a bit nervously. "Oh, fuck, I didn't want to show you that..."

"You shouldn't dirty your tongue so much." Tad remarked.

"Oh, fuck off. With all due respect." Bill groaned, covering his face fully.

Tad smiled, amused by his actions. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about, Cipher. Emotions are perfectly normal things to have, even if you show them a lot easier than other creatures."

"I'm not supposed to be so emotional, this is totally killing my image." Bill said through his hands. "I shouldn't be so fucking depressed about that asshole!"

"Well, we are hurt the most by those we grow fond of." Tad remarked. "At the same time, we always hurt the ones we love."

"Love?" Bill scoffed. "Fondness? For THAT guy?"

"At one time, you were fond of him. You enjoyed his company, and it hurt you when he sealed you away. It's okay to admit it, Cipher." Tad gently patted his shoulder.

"I did NOT care about him!" Bill snapped.

Even Shifty looked at him doubtfully. "I think your emotions are speaking for you, Cipher. And they aren't matching your words." Tad said, gently stroking the shapeshifter's back.

Bill huffed. "I have no love for that guy! I have had and do not have any form of affection for him! He was an asshole then and he'll be an asshole whenever he returns!" Bill snatched another slice of bread and took a bite. "This is good bread."