"Make A Little Birdhouse In Your Soul!" - Gravity Falls

[Chapter 3]-"Dream A Little Dream Of Me"

[Eris has trouble sleeping, so Bill attempts to comfort her]

Late in the night, about 2 am. Everyone in the house was fast asleep. Well, all except one, Eris.
Eris lay still in her soft pink bed with stars. Her eyes up to the ceiling. Eris has always been cursed with horrible nightmares. Something the doctors called "Sleep Paralysis," whatever that means.
Now, normally, Eris would get up and wake one or both of her parents, then stay with them for the night. However, one, Eris was still grounded, and the idea of bothering her parents was terrifying. (even though her parents would comfort her despite it)
Her other reason was, it was late, and Eris was completely convinced that a monster would come and eat her!

So poor Eris was trapped in her bed, facing the wall, sobbing softly. Trying to be as quiet as possible. However, her attempts fell falt as she heard the soft nose of a wooden drawer slowly creaking open.
Eris gasped softly, quickly pulling the covers over head. Eris could sence as the creature floated and landed on her bed.
Eris felt a small hand land on her shoulder, then she realized who it was.
"Jeez kid, think you can pipe down? I'm trying to sleep here!" Bill spoke in a whispery tone.
"Bill!" Eris turned to Bill and suddenly grabbed him, squeezing poor Bill into a tight hug. Incredibly thankful it was just him. This makes Bill jump in surprise. He froze, Bill didn't really know what to do here... so instead, he just chose to lightly pat Eris' head. Eris noted that Bill had a slight rock like feel.

Bill, feeling awkward, lightly pushes Eris away, trying to keep up his whole 'Good Person' mask. "Woah! Calm down there, Eyeball! Almost knocked me over!"
Eris glanced away. "Right... sorry.." rubbing her arm in disappointment.
Bill was even more confused now, Bill didn't know a thing about comforting kids... he usually only scared them.

But if Bill wanted his plan to work, he had to at least pretend. "Sooo, Eyeball, what's got your eyes sweating?"
Eris giggled, "My eyes don't sweat, Mr. Cipher! I was..." Eris goes back to looking distant. She continued, "I was crying... I uh, had a nightmare.."

Ah... nightmares... at least that was something Bill understood. Usually, he watched or created nightmares, but he's never really comforted someone about their nightmares. Bill sat down next to the kid. "Uh... if you don't mind me asking, what was it about?"

Eris glanced away for a moment before nodding. "Well, it started how it normally did, in my bed, drawing. Or writing? I can never tell... I'm in some house, I know it's definitely not mine, but it always feels familiar." Eris pulled her legs in, crossed her arms on her legs. Rested her head against her arms as she continued. "Before I know it, I'm frozen in place, watching as everything burns. I can't move, speak, or do anything. People are screaming, somethings happening, but I can't tell what. It only ends when I wake up."

Bill is quiet, what the actual fuck.  At most, Bill was expecting something chasing this kid or something basic like that. Not this crap! God damnit. "Right... and what do you normally do afterwards?"

Eris sighes. "Normally, I'd go get mom and dad... but I hate going when I'm grounded..." the kid starts to absentmindedly chew on her hair.
Silence fell between them. Bill twiddled with his tie, looking around the messy room. He eye landed on the book shelf. Now there's an idea!

"Say, Eyeball. How about I read to you until you pass out!" Bill offered with what could almost be described as a smile with his eye. Eris looked back at Bill with a huge smile, quickly nodding. "I'd love that!" She spoke in an excited whispery yell.
Bill nodded, floated over to the bookshelf and taking a quick look through the books. He's eye landed on some white book by some guy called... Silverstein? Whoever that guy was, Bill grabbed the book and floated back to Eris' pink bed.

Eris looked absolutely ecstatic as Bill opened the book up and started to read.

It took a while, but eventually, Eris passed out. Bill thought about entering Eris' dream to see what exactly the kid was talking about earlier, but Bill knew that Frills probably blocked at ability. So instead Bill went to put the book away...

He couldn't move.

Well Bill could move but he couldn't get up. The kid had apparently put Bill's arm into some choke hold. Bill attempts to pull away, but good god, this kid was strong. Bill attempts to pull away a few more times, turning a tad red from his annoyance. However, his attempts proved to be in vain. This kid just refused to let go...

Bill sighed, placing the book onto the floor and sitting back down next to Eris. Suddenly, Eris pulled Bill closer. Now he was being held hostage like a plushie. Bill rolled his eye, it wasn't worth waking this kid up. So, despite his utter hatred for this situation, he was now stuck in. Bill stayed in place unmoving, closing his eye and leaning back.

God... Bill felt like his mom, thinking back to when he was a small squishy triangle. His mother signing to him softly after a nightmare...
He could barely remember the words, it had been so long... and he would always fall asleep halfway through.

The kid mumbled something Bill couldn't understand but he could understand one word. 'Billy'
This made Bill freeze... it almost sounded like...

Bill realized he was absent mindedly humming the soft lullaby, only stoping when Eris twitched softly.
Bill patted her soft dirty blonde hair before looking away and humming the few words he remembered to himself once again.