The Story of the Cipher Brothers

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Warning: Some gore and graphic violence in this chapter. Just so you know.

Bill didn't get scared. Ever.

Maybe once there had been a time where he'd desperately clutched onto his brother's elbow, burying his face in his shoulder so he wouldn't have to see the world. But now he was older, and he knew better than to let his emotions get the better of him.

Still, he couldn't exactly place what he felt as he lay in bed that night. It wasn't fear. It wasn't. Bill Cipher feared nothing, and wouldn't for as long as he lived. So why were his fingers shaking and his heart pounding at the thought of tomorrow?

It could be excitement. He loved a good mystery, and Alcor certainly was one. He was arguably the most famous member of the Ukrenium Council, and yet nobody had ever seen him in person. The other members simply passed on his messages, though that never stopped the circulation of gossip and rumors surrounding Alcor. He knew nothing about the demon, and had no idea what to expect.

So, sure. Excitement. That had to be it.

"You're going to do great, Bill."

"Mmm-hmm."

"He's going to love you."

"Yup."

"You already have the job, you just have to...you know. Find out what Alcor wants. I don't really know how this works. Do you know how this works, because I don-"

Bill grabbed Will's wrists, stopping him from fiddling with his suit and abruptly shutting him up. "Will. I don't know. I don't know what to expect, at all, so I would really appreciate it if you could not ask me a bunch of questions I don't have answers to."

His brother pulled his hands out of Bill's grip and put them up in surrender. "Sorry, sorry." He softened. "I wouldn't blame you if you were nervous, though. I would be."

Bill snorted. "Well, I'm not. Nervous. It'll be a piece of cake."

Will didn't look convinced, but decided to humor him anyway. "That's good. Did you sleep well last night?"

As a matter of fact, he had. When he finally managed to fall asleep, he had fully expected to have another bizarre, surreal dream that would haunt him the next morning. But he hadn't, and slept peacefully until dawn. It was a nice change of pace.

"Yeah, I did." He felt around his breast pocket, and his heart skipped a beat when he noticed something missing. "Where-"

Suddenly, Will held out Maximilian's business card, shooting Bill a reproachful look. "You left it on the table last night. Don't lose it."

He grinned. "I wouldn't." He tucked it into his pocket, and snickered when Will rolled his eyes. "What? I remembered, didn't I?"

The middle Cipher brother mumbled something unintelligible, then laced up his boots and straightened out his sleeves. "Well, I've got to get going. The Pools are expecting me to serve them and their guests this morning, so I have to be there early to set up."

Bill hummed, swallowing down his irritation. He knew it was wrong for him to be angry with Will when he was just doing his job, but that didn't stop him from wondering why his sibling put up with as much as he did. He had so much potential, and he wasted it all on groveling to monsters who didn't even deserve it. Isn't it time you grew a backbone-

He directed his anger at the right source at the last minute. "I'm going to make them pay, you know. Once I'm strong enough."

There was a moment of silence, and Bill purposefully looked out the window so he couldn't see the other's expression. Then Will got up, and fixed him a piercing stare. "Be careful while you're there. Don't do what they say just for more power or because you think you need to, and don't make promises you can't keep."