Dippers deal

A dark night

It had taken some time to calm Dipper down enough so that he was able to speak again. Hours full of soft sobs and tense silences had passed. Soos had made each of them a hot chocolate, in which Stan had added a dash of rum, while Soos had brought Dipper not just a cocoa but also another cup with green tea. Even when the sweet smell had brushed against his newly formed nostrils, his instincts had guided his hand to the tea instead. His nose was able to make out each different herb that was used for it, even the ones he couldn't name. Dipper kneaded the warm porcelain between his fingertips, while his face reflected in the golden liquid, so that he was able to watch his new muzzle twitch when he spoke up again.

"Bill came to me a few days ago, he knew that I'd been looking for a cure and he offered me a deal."

His Grunkle just sighed, taking another sip from his cocoa, shaking his head in frustration. "And you took it? After all the chaos, that- that thing had caused even without most of his powers after the curse?" He snorted skeptically. "Really, kid, I thought you be smarter than that."

"I am! I mean- I didn't want to at first, but-" Dipper bit his lip, taking a deep breath before he answered. "He told me that the only bad thing about the deal would be that it would leave me out, in order to turn you back. That I would stay like I was, a cervitaur, while the rest of the town would turn back. Everyone, but me." He whispered the last part.

"And you did it." Mabel's voice felt cold and distant in his furry ears. He swallowed, nodding slowly while his sister's stare seemed to burn holes through his skin.

"I thought that was it! The negative thing that was supposed to result out of Bill's deal. Me staying a deertaur in order to change all of you back." He choked.

"You did all of this for us?" Wendy looked at him skeptically, before she rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. "Really, dude, I don't know if this is sweet or just dumb."

"Dumb!" Came out of the other three mouths at once, making Dipper shrink even further into himself, turning his voice low.

"I know... but it was my mistake that turned all of you into monsters in the first place, so I thought that if I stayed like this in order to change you back, then that would be it."

"But it wasn't." his Grunkle confirmed. Dipper just nodded, he had a hard time swallowing, while his ears were laying tense on the side of his face, his tail twitching in distress.

"No..." He escaped their looks to search for the right word on the floor instead. "I- at first I thought that is was because I would stay like that, that my instincts got stronger, or the extra fur but yesterday the fur was nearly everywhere! And well, I went out to summon Bill to ask him what was going on."

"Woah, dude, that's not cool at all, you should have got someone to help you with that crazy triangle guy." Soos announced.

"Yeah, Dipper, someone could have helped you." his sister chimed in.

Dipper flinched underneath Mabel's words and Stan eyed the twins with a worried gaze, but before the boy had the chance to defend himself Wendy cut in, impatient, as any teenager would be.

"So what did he tell you, man? What did he do to get you looking like this?"

He could nearly hear the demon's cold, echoing voice again, his words struggled underneath his unsteady breath. "He said that he needs something to fill your humanity back in, in the attempt to change you back." Dipper could feel his throat go dry, he took a sip of his tea but the fear still clenched hard around his throat. When Soos questioned him to go on, while Stan face had already darkened, so that Dippers next trembling words just confirmed his thoughts.