The God and the Thief

Caught(28)

Bill POV

Pinetree was leaning on the door with his bag sling over his shoulders and his eyes closing, he looked like he was sleeping, When I came back from the lake, the bird this morning was my morning reporter, only did he tell me about the girl but that the water serpent and island got in a fight again and it was frightening the nymphs.

"Pinetree," I called.

He peaked one eye open and smiled at me. "There you are." he hummed.

"Were you waiting long?" I took his hand as he stood from the door.

"No," he answered lacing his fingers into mine and squeezed my hand. "Do I have to leave now?"

"Yes."

"Fine- what was the earn you had to run earlier?" He asked as I guided him away from the house towards where the girl was last seen.

"The serpent and island were fighting again." I explained shortly.

"Oh? Oh, right the sea monster and that floating head? There wasn't much about them in the journals I read but Wendy told me a little about them, and to stay out of the lake." he laughed a little, his free hand clutching the shoulder of his bag.

"Sea monster? I guess that's how humans would see her, and it's true the island doesn't like humans in the lake. He does kinda look like a severed head mhm." he laughed again. I like his little laugh.

"What were they fighting about?" He asked swinging our hands a little as we walked, his eyes were glued to our interlocked fingers.

"No idea, they fight all the time." I said.

As we walked he started spit firing questions at me about some of the creatures in the lake, how they live, what they look like, and on and on. I was having a hard time keeping up. But still I enjoyed it, his little stutter when he couldn't the the words out from his brain fast enough, or the way his eyes would light up when I could get in an answer that would just lead to more questions, he dumped his fingers on his backpack strap and every time I would answer he squeezed my hand a little and would bump his shoulder into mine.

I felt eyes on us, not humans, but my families, they were in the trees and bushes watching us and listening to our conversation. I could almost feel the warnings they were glaring into me. Things about Milo and the fool they believe me to be, and his grunkles and so many more complaints they had pilling up.

"Dipper?" Called out a new voice.

"Oh shit that's Wendy," Dipper's voice dropped to a whisper.

"She is who we are looking for." I reminded him, glad that her presence spooked some of our judging eyes.

"She'll see you," He muttered.

"You don't want her too?" I asked. He took his hand from mine.

"I don't know how she will react. I don't want her to freak out." He mutters, eyeing the trees around us, looking for us. Though she didn't sound close enough to come through any of these trees.

"Ok, ok. I'll head back now then." I whispered giving in, "Goodbye kiss at least?"

He looked back over to me and smiled, taking a small step to close the distance he kissed me, I melted into him, but he pulled away quickly.

"We'll talk more about this later," he hummed stepping away.

Mabel POV

Wendy was acting strange, and with everything happening... I just couldn't sit and stew without knowing.

So a few minutes after she slammed the door in my face I opened it again and peaked out, I could see her walking away down the street. So I followed her. I know I shouldn't and after she took several turns towards the edge of town, I wondered if I should be following her at all. The idea of Wendy having a secret boy on the edge of town however was too enticing. A little escape from thinking about my family.

When she finally stopped, I was a little surprised at the meeting place, the old gas station. She settled her bag on both shoulders and hosted herself over the fence, landing on the other side on her feet. She made a beeline to the doors.

I crept up to the fence after she went in and closed the door, she had made the jump look effortless, but the fence itself looked like it was about to collapse, it shuttered and whined when I put my foot in one of the groves trying to climb it. But it was making too much noise so I stepped back and instead I went around, looking for holes in the fence, but I heard the doors open again. I froze for a moment then peeked around the corner to see Wendy leaving again.

This time she headed off to the forest, so I followed her. She didn't look like she had a set place in mind, she was looking for something- someone.

I felt on edge going near the forest, so when we got to the tree line. I can't explain why I stopped, and stood there, and decided to wait for her, instead of follow her.

Wendy POV

I didn't have to look too far into the forest for him, he wandered into me not to long after I entered the forest.

"Dipper!" I peaked up, when I saw him, his bag slung over his shoulder. He was in the same clothes I saw him in the other day and they were dirty, but not as covered in dirt as I thought they'd be.

"Hey, you come all the way out here for me?" he asked, Dipper always had this tone to him, felt like he was always looking for that underlying secret. It was a tone that made me want to spill my guts to him.

"Ya, did you sleep out here again? You know it's not safe, your grunkles are still going out everyday looking for you. And they have not cooled off yet." I laughed bumping my shoulder into his as we walked back to the gas station, "Hell, Mabel's still staying with me because those two are driving her up the wall, she's worried sick about you too though."

"I know she is."

"I hate lying to her about when I come see you, she's just sitting at home worrying that you're dead in a ditch somewhere" I pushed, not wanting to out right ask if I could bring her to the gas station or at least tell her I know where he is.

"I figured." he hummed but he avoided eye contact and I could tell that was the end of the sentence, the end of the conversation.

"Ya..." I muttered, giving up a little.

We walked the rest of the way in silence, when we made it to the edge of the trees I could see the gas station up ahead.

"I brought breakfast and some books, tho you read them already, sorry I couldn't find any you haven't read." I explained watching him hosted himself over the fence, I had to shout a little over the whine of the fence.

"I'm good," he huffed tossing his legs over and landing on the other side, I followed in his steps.

"Really? You were so bored last time?" I asked, a little surprised.

He readjusted his backpacked and walked the few feet to the doors, "Found something new."

"Oh, what'd you find out there?" I asked, skipping a little to catch him at the door. He was short handing his answers, and in Dipper terms that means something was on his mind. But he's not the only one who gets bored, So I caught the old door before he could close it and pushed my way in after him.

He looked over his shoulder at me.

"Wendy-" he started but his eyes went wide and his jaw dropped when his eyes must have caught something behind me.

A cold shock shot down my spine.

I spun quickly to meet eyes with the figure in the doorway.

"Dipper."

_____________________________________________

I know it's late and short. Sorry, but... shits gonna get good. (or at least I hope that's how it turns out.)

I guess we'll find out together.