Chapter Text
Dipper raced to the sandy, hot beach with his trusted journal in hand, smile blooming across his matured features as he nearly tripped over his own two feet. It’d been a few weeks since he’d met the dashingly charming mermaid known as Bill Cipher, the creature was stunning in every aspect and seemed as interested in him as he was of it, everyday he promised to return when the sun was setting and wasn’t so bright so the mermaid’s beautiful scales wouldn’t dry and his faire skin wouldn’t burn. It was explained to him that the sun was almost as damaging to his kind, if not more, once one was exposed for too long considering they hid in the murky depths of the salty water where temperatures were much cooler. The brunette took a turn by a rocky cliff face, slowing down his pace to seem as casual as he could but the wide smile was a dead give away to how excited he was, of course the entire town knew to beware of such divine looking creatures but Dipper was utterly ensnared by Cipher’s endless knowledge and looks, every sentence the yellow-scaled serpent spoke had him hooked like a fish on bait. He pressed himself close to the rocks and entered a small, shadowy cavern watching his feet as he hesitantly stepped over the slimy rocks, he was slowly but surely becoming accustomed to the path and soon he had no trouble in crossing.
Once done the Pine twin kicked his sandals off and dipped his legs into the cool water and waited, ever so slightly kicking his legs through the water, his mind focused on watching for any signs of his newly made friend. His mind was whirling with different questions and theories that he failed to notice the gentle grip on his ankle until he was being thrown into the water with a startled yelp, as a reflex, he kicked himself free and scrambled to perch himself back onto the stone as his heart raced. Looking for an answer to what had grabbed him he was met with the amused smirk of the mermaid, currently Bill was propped up on the very edge of the rocks by his elbows, one hand resting on his cheek as his slitted pupils met the teen's own and he soon relaxed.
“My, my someone’s a little jumpy today.” Came the soothe voice, it often reminded Dipper of a gentle coast breeze on a summer day, and the soft chuckle that followed soon after it made a fuzzy feeling settle down in stomach and rose up to take root in his chest. He could tell Bill was feeling a little more playful then his usual today. “Pardon the scare, Pinetree. I promise it was only half intentional.” The blonde backed down into the oceans waters only to turn himself around and push his human half out of the blue liquid, sitting down on a smoother slab of rock before returning his full attention to his company.
“Water under the bridge.” Dipper sighed in content, the ciphers and runes etched across the other’s skin was always a pleasure to see and try to decipher, it made Bill so mysterious. Like a puzzle just begging to be solved but the answers resting too far out of reach for him to grab and bring into the light, his eyes trailed down to the beautifully glittering tail that swished with the push and pull of the sea. It took away his breath every time he saw it, there was no mistaking the power that was held in that appendage, and whenever the sun hit it just right Dipper was certain Bill’s scales could go under one of the world’s most wondrous sights category. “How’re things down there? Find any good schools of fish to eat today?”
“Yeah, you could say something like that. But I’m more interested in what’s in that book you keep bringing here.” Bill leaned forward, his eyes glinting with mischief as he reached for the item but frowned when Dipper held it away from his reach with a small blush tinting his cheeks. “Aw, c’mon Sapling! Why can’t you just show me?” He complained, his cheeks hollowing and puffing out in a small, childlike pout, which only compliment his stunning looks.
“M-Maybe some other time Bill, really its nothing important, just some dumb human business. Honestly, you’d find it boring.” Dipper was quick to fuss, looking at his lap as he held onto the book tightly, though he missed the twisted smile that Bill flaunted for only a moment. When Dipper looked up after an odd moment’s silence he found Bill’s face only inches apart from his own and he froze, his eyes snapping to look at how close their lips were, noses almost bumping together at the close proximity.
“Nonsense, you know I’d never find anything of your’s boring.” He spoke low, a soft hum behind his words, his voice was a gift only bestowed to him. The blonde was a siren and was very good at manipulating people but this time around, he could never bring himself to bring this one to it’s end by drowning him with the promise of them being together forever as he’d previously done with past two legs. And the teen seemed to not know his true specie as a siren, but he was alright with that, he didn’t want to risk scaring the other off with that knowledge. Bill didn’t want to label it as love but a strong sense of fondness for the innocence the brunette seemed to carry, he was polite and clumsy unlike all the other’s who had tried to capture him or kill him, he knew it was incredibly out of character for someone of his status to fall for someone of a different world but he simply couldn’t help it, and with the way Dipper was allowing him to remain at such a personal distance proved that he most likely felt the same. His sharp nails hooked around the book before he moved back and slipped into the water with said item in hand, holding it above the churning sea as his mighty tail propelled him forward into deeper depths.
“B-Bill!! Hey, come back, that’s mine!” The human chirped in alarm, embarrassment flushing his face as he beckoned Bill to swim back to him and return his journal, the siren only grinned and opened up the cover page, eyes scanning over the writings. Each page was filled with notes Dipper had made, some sketches of Bill himself and comparisons with the occasional theory, the human seemed embarrassed for his work to be on display. He wasn’t quite sure as to why, the information was correct for the most part and the drawings professionally done, every scale was detailed perfectly it made the blonde feel flattered to be regarded in such an admired way. When he was done he motioned to the awaiting waters.
“You’ll have to come out here to get it!”
Dipper tensed but then shrugged, that was fine. He could do that no problem, he just prayed Bill wouldn’t use his tail as an advantage and keep swimming away. Shrugging his shirt off, he tentatively lowered himself into the water and paddled toward the siren, he dreaded the possibility of all his work getting ruined by the water but the blonde kept his upper torso above the water by churning his tail, the transparent light fins aiding in the action. The twin finally made it to the creature almost breathless, and pouted. “Are you gonna give it back now?” He asked with a small hint of annoyance that would die out very soon, he could never bring himself to be mad at the playful mermaid and thought it was near impossible for anyone to hold a grudge against something as majestic.
“If you say please, I just might.” The blonde smiled, clicking his tongue as he spoke his reply and cupped his free hand to his ear, simply waiting to hear the words. The brunette sighed but complied, repeating his last question and added the word as instructed, he beamed when he felt an arm snake it’s way around his waist to pull him back into the shore. When Bill glided through the water effortlessly, he guided the human towards their desired location to save time and this certainly was no different, especially considering the human was growing tired from keeping himself balanced and upright in the same spot in the cool sea. When the human’s fingers broke the surface to hold onto the cold stone again did he release his gentle hold on the other, allowing him to climb awkwardly onto dry land. Based off of muscle memory, Dipper stayed seated and patiently waited for Bill to join him so they could continue to talk, and that’s exactly what the creature did. Taking one look at how low the sun hung in the sky, he knew it was time he made his way back to the cooler depths. “As lovely as your company is, I’m afraid I have to get back to my shoal now. There’s an increase in activity along the surface and I’d hate to get caught up in it, but I promise next time I’ll stay for a bit longer. Sound good?"
Dipper nodded, offering a sheepish glance at his journal still held captive in his friend’s hand, Bill only chuckled and set the leather bound book on the twin’s lap. Before he knew it, the siren had placed a small kiss to his cheek while he was still close to him and without another word, the other had sunk back into the icy, cold layers of the sea. A broad and warm grin busted out across his face, meeting Bill had definitely been the best thing that had ever happened in his life. Hands down.