You jump to your feet on an instinct but there’s an immediate searing pain that comes from your foot and up your leg through your nerves. You hiss in pain and fall back down onto the couch, thinking quickly. “Bill, stop her and bring her back here, before she can get to Ford or Dipper!” You know it seems a bit harsh, but you can’t let Mabel tell anyone that Bill is alive. Otherwise, Bill will be compromised and all the Pines will go on a Demon hunt, not to mention, your half of the deal would be broken.
Bill acts as quickly as you do, nodding as the chain glows before he rockets out the door on the hunt for Mabel. You throw your head back and put your arm across your eyes, sucking in deep breaths through your teeth as you wait for the pain in your foot to go down since you just put pressure on your wound. That sure taught you a lesson about looking before you leap.
It only takes a minute and then Bill is back with Mabel thrown over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She is actively trying to escape, wiggling and pounding on his back though it obviously doesn’t seem to affect him. He walks over to you and stands there, considering there isn’t really anywhere you can put her. It’s not like you have a dungeon in your house.
You sigh and spin your finger to signal Bill to turn around so you can face her. He does so and Mabel finally stops struggling, looking at you with betrayal. You hold back a wince from the look, feeling a pit of guilt settle inside you. You understand her internal reasoning but you also hope she'll be a bit more understanding once you explain yourself.
"Mabel….I know this may look bad, but-" You get interrupted by her as she thrashes and speaks. "You called him Bill! As in Bill Cipher?! And he did magic?! And what was that thing with the chain?!" You actually wince this time, rubbing the back of your head as you subtly run your fingers through your scalp. This may take a while. "I'll tell you everything, but you have to promise to calm down. Bill will put you down only if you sit here on the couch and don't run off to tell anyone, ok?" Bill scowls while Mabel looks highly suspicious in a way only Mabel can be, but eventually, she nods and you give Bill permission to set her down.
Mabel huffs and puffs beside you on the couch, spewing questions out of her mouth before you can even consider asking them. Bill sits on your other side, scowling more with every question she asks. He clearly isn't a fan of how this is turning out. After another billion questions come at you, you raise your hands to get her to stop. "Mabel! Mabel! I can only answer one question at a time! You'll get all your answers, but please, be patient about it. I know you're confused." She takes a breath to stop and looks at you then Bill, her eyes flickering between the two of you.
"How is Bill still alive?" You know that is going to be the first question. You sigh. "I honestly don't know, and he doesn't either." You gesture to Bill. "About a week after Weirdmageddon, he appeared in my garden all burnt up and stuff so I healed him up and let him stay here with me." You vaguely reminisce in your memories, remembering when you had given Bill some potions and helped him inside the house to heal his burns. That feels so long ago even though its only been a month now.
"Okaaaaaay….So why didn't Bill just heal himself since he has magic?"
"Bill lost a lot of his power when he got nearly destroyed. He only has a little bit left, enough to keep him alive and do minor tricks like the one you saw earlier. He's nowhere near powerful enough right now to do any harm, and he wouldn't be able to if he had his power anyway."
"Wait, why wouldn't he be able to?" You hum slightly in acknowledgement to the question, wondering if you should answer or not. You know Mabel is gonna be angry that you made a deal with Bill, but you don't want to lie to her or withhold the truth either. Hesitantly, you begin to speak. "Bill and I made a deal when he first got here." You hold up a hand as Mabel opens her mouth, clearly about to protest until you stop her. "We agreed to protect each other and I would help Bill get his power back as long as he listens to everything I say and tell him to do."
Mabel blanches and jolts up from the couch, which causes Bill to do the same as he clearly thinks she's gonna try to make a run for it. "(Y/N), you know you should never make a deal with the dorito! Why did you even agree to get his powers back?! Once he has them, he'll try to start Weirdmaggedon 2.0! We have to tell Ford!" Panic was clear in her hazel eyes. You sigh exasperatedly, clearly seeing Bill 10x less of a threat than she does.
"Mabel, I've been spending a lot of time with Bill since he lives with me and he's super nice now. All I'm asking is you give him a chance. You've already spent time with him already as Mike and he's not any different as Bill, I promise!" You practically beg her, clasping your hands together in front of you with pleasing eyes. She looks highly skeptical and hesitant; you're not sure you've convinced her.
"....What do you plan to do to get Bill's powers back?" This question seems like a test almost. You have to give the right answer or you fail and she'll run off and tell Ford. But do you tell her the truth or lie? You've been honest so far, but Bill would obviously want you to lie about this since you're stealing from Ford for it. Mabel clearly won't like it either if you tell, which only leaves one option. "We….don't know yet. Bill already explained to me that demons don't really lose their powers often so the capability of getting them back is highly unknown. We're just working on it right now, so it'll probably be a long while before we even get close….See? You have nothing to worry about."
Mabel takes another few seconds of pause, contemplating your answer to see if you passed her test. After a while, she sighs and finally lowers her guard. You become hopeful. "I'm not saying I agree with this! But I guess I can give Bill a little time to prove himself….That he's not some evil dorito anymore!" You grin happily, taking Mabel and pulling her into a hug on the couch rather uncharacteristically. "Thank you Mabel! Thank you! I promise you won't regret it!" Mabel, never the one to turn down a hug, quickly does so back just as tightly. You two have a nice hug fest.
After some slightly awkward conversation is passed between Bill and Mabel (it's probably gonna take a while for those two to start liking each other), she leaves to head back to the Shack. You and Bill are left alone again and you are reminded of your new mobility issue. You look at your beaten up foot, the bandage already soaked in a bit of blood where the wound is but not enough to warrant a change of it just yet.
"So….you seem pretty keen on getting Mabel to like me." Bill suddenly starts a conversation with you. You shrug. "I mean, that's part of the deal, right? I have to make sure no one finds out about you still existing.. I kind of failed on the Mabel front but at least she won't go telling Ford. She's probably the most understanding of all of them." He sits down beside you on the couch, leaning back against the cushions.
"Yeah, but I mean, you really seemed worried about me. Don't tell me you actually like me now, hm?" He gains this smirk on his face, like he knows something you don't.
"To be honest Bill, I like the company you bring. It kind of sucks living alone out in the woods, especially when half the town thinks you're some witch that's gonna curse them." You sigh, bringing a minor insecurity of yours to the light for a moment. It really does get lonely out here sometimes, that's why you used to visit the Shack so often. Then, you suppose, you just got busy….
"I like your meatsack company too! Well, sometimes." You chuckle slightly at Bill's attempt of a compliment. "Thanks, I guess. You know, you can just call humans humans, you know? This 'meatsack' stuff is gonna accidentally get you caught one day." Bill puts a finger to his chin, serming to be thinking. "Hm, nah...It's more fun this way."
With a roll of your eyes, your stomach suddenly makes a grumble. Oops, you suppose you haven't eaten today given how busy you were all day. Bill seems to brighten and immediately gets up from the couch.
“I’ll make you food! Just stay right there.” You grab his sleeve before he can run off and you look at him. “Just...please don’t turn the kitchen into a disaster, ok? I can’t help clean in this state…” Bill smiles and gives you a thumbs up, signalling you to let him go. You watch him leave as he disappears around the corner into the kitchen, already starting to hear the clinking of dishes as he immediately gets to work.
Being left alone lets your thoughts roam, and roam they do. Most specifically to Bill, of course. It’s kind of strange, when you think about it. Bill has been especially caring today, and he seems nicer overall since you met him collapsed in your garden. Almost like he’s a completely different person when he’s a demon. You entertain the thought of Bill being two people, one that started Weirdmaggedon and then a nicer, human twin brother. Then again, there is also the possibility, a really high possibility actually, that he’s just acting this way to get you to trust him. The thought makes your chest hurt a bit, feeling it tighten. Bill backstabbing you the moment he gets his power back? It seems so likely yet unlikely at the same time. It’s oddly hard for you to imagine, giving his seemingly new leash on life. Kind, charitable, generous, handsome….Let’s just forget that last one. Is it really possible for someone like Bill to change?
YOU ARE READING
The Witch in the Woods (Bill Cipher x reader)
FanfictionA week has passed since Weirdmaggedon happened and Bill was 'defeated.' Everyone had already gone back to their normal lives under the 'forget-about-it' movement that was input. You did the same though it was less normal than everyone else's. You ha...
