Ink & Paper (A Gravity Falls AU)

Chapter 4: Talk

The next day around breakfast, Stanford placed a small stack of papers on the kitchen table, his final work, unfinished at the moment. It was a book all about Billy and the cartoon, facts, information and the creators journey through it all, his publishers had asked him to make one.

Billy stretched his arms and pulled himself onto the table, eye glancing at the paper, what was this his creator was making? He made a squeak noise and pointed to it, Stanford smiled "This is my new book, it's all about you! And me too" Stanford said, booping Billy's bow tie, the demon giggled and grabbed his finger "I really need to teach you to talk now don't I mister?" the demon sat down, placing his cane beside him and gazing up at him "How about we start with something easy, my name is Stanford, can you repeat that?"

Billy huffed, struggling for a second "San" he said, Stanford's eyes widened "Good boy! Keep going!" this was amazing! Billy had the vocal chords for it! "Foor? Sanfoor?" Billy said, looking frustrated, Stanford picked him up and hugged him "Such a good boy, well done" Billy hugged him back happily and Stanford set him back down "Now for your name, Billy"

"Bill!" Billy said, raising his hands and grinning, pointing at himself.

Stanford chuckled "Close, now add an 'e' sound on the end, Bill-y" Stanford said. "Billy" the demon echoed, Stanford gave him a butterscotch candy, and the demon ate it with a smile. The man smiled back "You and me buddy, forever" Stanford said, patting his hat gently, Bill smiled at those words.

~

That evening, Billy tugged Stanford's sleeve, the man was at the kitchen table, hunched over the book with a frustrated look on his face "Father!" Billy said. Stanford leaned down to pick him up. "What did you say?" Stanford asked shocked. Bill gently tapped Stanford's hand with his cane "Father"

Stanford smiled "Learning fast there bud, I'm proud of you" Bill nuzzled his hand and Stanford gently stroked his side, the demon purring happily, learning meant praise and/or treats and the demon liked those.

That night, Stanford tucked Billy into his shoe box bed, the little demon let out a yawn and closed his eye, sucking on his thumb contentedly. The man smiled as he turned off the lights "Goodnight son" he said, with a small smile, he turned on the lamp on his desk for Billy, in case he woke up and needed him, the pipes gurgled around him as he left the basement.

~

The phone rang, loud and scary the next day, Billy clung to Stanford's leg, whimpering, he still had ink around his mouth/eye from breakfast "Billy, it's okay, it's just the phone, someones calling me" the man said, gently patting Billy's back, the demon buried his face into his pant leg. Stanford picked up the phone. "Hello? A box you say? Sure send it over" he hung up and unwrapped Billy from his ankle, lifting him up, the demon clung to his wrist as Stanford showed him the phone "When people want to talk to me from far away, they use this, it alerts me when someones calling, there's nothing to be afraid of Billy, it's perfectly safe"

Billy looked up at him, then at the phone "Safe?"

"Yes, safe" Stanford said, Billy reached out a hand and poked it, it made no noise "Safe" the demon repeated, he still didn't like the phone, it was too loud, but not so scary anymore

~

Stanford took the box from the courier and brought it inside, placing it on the coffee table in the living room. Billy came racing over, using his cane so he could get there faster "Box!" the demon said, Stanford nodded "It's from my old studio"

"Dio?"

"It's where I created you, well the cartoon you" Stanford replied, using his house key to break the tape.

He opened it up; the demon stretching himself up to peer in. Inside were many old things, old merchandise, posters, books, lots of drawings, some cardboard cutouts of the demon, and even his old sketchbook from when he was a kid. As a boy he had wanted to do two things with his future, either become a Scientist, or a Cartoonist, he had chosen Cartoonist much to his parents' disappointment.

Stanford pulled out a Billy stuffie from underneath the large pile of art, slightly ink stained. He passed it to the demon, Billy flopped onto the carpeted floor and took it from him, looking at it in wonder before giving it a good hug "Mine!" the demon said happily, Stanford chuckled.