Let Time Burn (Human Bill Cipher x Reader)

Hold My Hand? ~ 2

(Ignore how my limited art skills, sorry about that! /gen)

(Chapter word count: 1,575)

Insane, Black Gryph0n & Baasik

Sing Me to Sleep, Alan Walker

Immediately, the knife was between Y/n and Bill. Despite his human appearance, somehow—they wouldn't be able to tell you how—the recognition was instantaneous for Y/n.

Not so much, apparently, for Bill, who jumped back, eyes wide. "What–?!"

"The hell are you doing here?" Y/n practically growled.

"I'm– I– I don't know, I don't know!" Bill replied, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Drop the act! Don't think I can't recognize you!"

"What are you talking about?!"

His genuine confusion made Y/n pause for a moment, but they didn't let down their guard. This was a well-known liar and manipulator they were dealing with here. "I told you, drop the act!"

"What act?! Who are you? What is this place?" He took another few steps backwards until he was backed against a tree, eyeing the knife still pointed at him.

"You know damn well who I am. Unless two years can eradicate a memory?"

There was a spark of something in Bill's eyes, almost like interest or curiosity—but not recognition or remembrance. "Two years? How do you know me?"

"Knock it off!" Y/n insisted, moving their hand slightly so the knife glinted in their hand, reminding him that it was there.

"Would you– Would you please put that down?!"

"No! And stop lying!"

"I'm not lying!" He seemed frustrated, almost a little... desperate? "I guess you know me, apparently, but I have no memory of two years ago. Or... memory at all. I just know my name. I'm Bill Cipher. That's all I've got, okay?"

Y/n's eyes narrowed as they thought it through. He certainly seemed genuine, and this kind of thing had never been Bill's style before.... "Say I believe you. How have you been missing for two years? How'd you get here?"

Bill huffed, a little exasperatedly. "I just said, I don't know. I woke up here-ish a... a couple days ago, I guess, and since then I've been wandering around the forest, trying to find... I don't know what I'm trying to find. A person?"

He certainly looked the part of someone who'd been wandering the forest for a few days; his clothes were slightly torn, threads hanging off in a few places, splattered with mud. Subconsciously, Y/n lowered the blade just a little. "How do I know I can trust you?"

Bill's expression changed at that. He suddenly seemed tired, almost defeated, his gaze falling to the forest floor. "I don't know. I don't even know if I'm someone worth trusting."

Truthfully, that was the point where Y/n started to believe him. The Bill Cipher they knew would never be capable of this kind of defeat. After a moment's pause, they flicked the pocket knife closed, but didn't quite put it away yet. "Show me, then. Prove I can trust you."

The former dream demon looked up at them, his eyes searching theirs. "How?"

There was another pause as Y/n studied him carefully, watching his every move and taking in every detail. The slight nervous twitch of his left hand, the way he swayed a little with each strong breeze like it could knock him over, the mess of his hair, the red scratches on his ankles from little twigs and branches. "I don't know, either," they replied after a few long moments. "I'll give you the chance. Give me one reason not to trust you and you'll be gone. Got it?"