Blind Trust

8

Once the two boys were done with their snacks and energy drinks they returned back to the Mystery Shack.

"I know the whole point of getting Red Bull was so I was awake when we hung out but I'm getting pretty tired," Dipper said.

"And I don't think Great Uncle Ford is going to be too pleased about how long we were gone," Dipper added.

"Yeah...I'd rather not get lectured by your great uncle today. We can always hang out again tomorrow." Bill said. Dipper smiled.

"Sounds like a plan," Dipper said. Bill helped Dipper to the porch before saying goodnight and going back to his truck.

Dipper pushed open the door to the Mystery Shack, hoping Ford wasn't waiting for him. He hadn't really pushed the boundaries like this before, and Ford was very strict with Dipper.

"Where have you been?" Ford demanded as soon as he walked through the door.

"We just went to the store. I was tired and needed caffeine. Then we just...hung out." Dipper said.

"You should have asked Mabel or Soos or me to go and get you something. It's dangerous for you to go out there." Ford said. Dipper crossed his arms.

"I had William with me. We were fine." Dipper said.

"He's a stranger. He could be using you or-"

Dipper cut off Ford.

"I highly doubt he's using me. He didn't even realize I was blind when he met me. I had to practically spell it out for him." Dipper countered.

"It's still dangerous for someone like you," Ford said.

"Someone like me!? Why don't you just say it, Ford! You seem to avoid saying it." Dipper snapped.

Ford stayed silent.

"You seem to forget it was my plan that stopped Bill after yours failed," Dipper said. (Oh, btw in this AU dipper came up with the plan to get rid of Bill. Just thought you guys should know)

There was silence between the two. They rarely fought like this, but every once and awhile they got into it, it usually wasn't quite as bad as this though.

"And look at what that plan did to you." Ford finally said.

Dipper's unseeing eyes widened.

"If you would have listened to me we wouldn't be in this situation," Ford said.

"If I would have listened to you Mabel would have been dead! I don't regret what I did!" Dipper snapped. Ford sighed.

"Dipper, just...you need to be more careful. You can't trust anyone. I wouldn't be so hard on you if I didn't care about you." Ford said.

"I can trust William. He's been the only person I can trust since this happened to me." Dipper said, managing to gesture to his eyes.

"We've done nothing but help you since it happened!" Ford snapped.

"Being overprotective and talking about how I'm useless behind my back is helping me?" Dipper said.

Ford was silent once again.

"Yeah, I hear that. My eyes might not work but my ears do." Dipper said.

"Dipper..."

"And you can stop doing what you're doing in the basement. You aren't going to reverse it. Stop wasting your time." Dipper said. He pushed past Ford and made his way to the staircase to go up to his room.

Ford called after him but Dipper ignored him, going into his room and fumbling to lock his door.

Once he had it locked, Dipper flopped down on his bed, pulling his phone out, attempting to find Bill in his contacts but he remembered Bill hadn't given him his phone number.

Dipper tossed his phone aside, frustrated.

He heard the door open and close downstairs. Mabel must have been home.

Dipper heard hushed voices downstairs. Ford was probably filling in Mabel on what had happened. Maybe he was asking Mabel about Bill.

After a few minutes, he heard someone walking up his stairs.

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

"Dipper, can I come in?" Mabel asked.

"Why?" Dipper asked.

"I need help with my homework, " Mabel said. Dipper sighed. Even if she was going to talk to him about whatever Ford told her, he couldn't deny helping her with her homework.

"Yeah...hold on," Dipper said. He stood up and went to the door, fumbling with the lock once again.

Once he got it he opened the door, he stepped aside so Mabel could come in. She walked past him, setting her backpack on the floor, sitting next to it.

Dipper flopped back down on his bed, after shutting his door.

"So which class is it for?" Dipper asked.

"Math."

Mabel explained a complex set of problems, each of which Dipper explained how to solve without giving her the answer directly.

(Did you really think I was going to write out math problems? No way. I failed math. Or rather, I got barely passing in math anyway)

After a while, Mabel finished her homework and just decided to stay in the room and hang out. Dipper wasn't surprised though, he assumed Ford had asked her to hang out with him and talk to him.

"So...I heard you made a friend." Mabel finally said.

"Did Ford ask you to interrogate me?" Dipper asked.

"Not really, he just mentioned it and asked if I could hang out with you," Mabel said honestly.

"You haven't hung out with me in five years." Dipper pointed out.

"Yeah, but that's because you went all depressed and shut yourself away from everyone." Mabel countered.

"Because I suddenly developed blindness," Dipper said.

"You just didn't want to be around people back then. I tried to be supportive but you refused to let me in." Mabel said.

"I...I always just got th impression that you thought I was useless..." Dipper said quietly.

"Of course not Bro-Bro," Mabel said, using a nickname he hadn't heard in a long time.

"But why are you so mean to me?" Dipper asked.

"I'm not mean!" Mabel protested, "I just like to tease you."

"Ok, how about Waddles? You took Waddles from me." Dipper said.

"You said you didn't like him because he smelled funny." Mabel protested.

"Yeah, but I could have gotten over it. He was my seeing-eye pig after all." Dipper said.

"If you want, you can have him back," Mabel said.

"It's fine. He probably isn't trained properly anymore anyway." Dipper said.

"I'm sorry bro-bro. I'm sorry I haven't been here for you these last five years. I promise I'll to make it up to you." Mabel said. Dipper smiled in her general direction.

"Anyway, tell me about your new friend!" Mabel said excitedly.