Wayfarer [Bill Cipher x Reader] [REVISED]

Chapter One: Northern Downpour

You hit the brakes. Then, as the car slowed to a crawl, you squinted, peering out into the darkness. There, you could just make out the shape of a person, their white shirt glowing softly in the shadows.

You frowned. Well, that must suck for them. Out here in this cold, damp place, rain thrashing them from every angle on a remote mountainside. Should you offer them a ride?

Your heart rate rose at the thought. Go up to a random stranger and interact with them? Here, in the rainy backcountry, with no one else around? They could be waiting for you to do that. They could be waiting, with a gun or a knife or a particularly large and sharp set of scissors, hoping for you to come closer, where no one could hear you scream. Oh, no. Oh no oh no oh no—

You shook your head, dislodging those thoughts from your mind. Well, maybe that could be true, but statistically speaking, serial killers were way more likely to pick up people than to be getting picked up, right? Right?

And anyways, it looked rather cold and lonely underneath that crumbling canopy. You watched as the stranger drew in on themselves, curling up into a ball for warmth.

Well, alright. You'd go ahead and ask them if they needed any help. But you weren't going in there unprepared! You fished the pepper spray out of your bag and tucked it into your cup holder, placing it within easy grabbing distance.

Then, with a sigh, you backed up and pulled into the gas station parking lot.

Stopping just outside the canopy, idling, you rolled down your window a hair and called out to the stranger, who sat a fair ways away. "Hey! You there! Need any help?" Your voice wobbled a little.

No response. The person simply sat there, still frozen in fetal position, a lock of blond hair peeping out from between their arms. They shivered slightly, and your heart softened.

You cleared your throat and tried again. "HEY! YOU THERE!"

The person's head shot up. Their eyes darted around before they locked onto your car. Then, grabbing a backpack beside them, they rose and made their way over to you. Within a few strides, they were right next to your window, leaning in to get a look at you.

You flinched. Partially at their proximity, and partially because... well, you hadn't prepared yourself for this! This person looked nothing like the grimy, shabby man you'd been expecting. Rather, his body was all long, slender limbs and sharp cheekbones, with his large black eyes gleaming in the little light afforded by the evening. You flushed as he gave you a small smile, revealing sharp, pearly white teeth.

"My bad." He chuckled. "Did I scare ya?"

"Oh, um... hi," you stammered out. "No. I, uh, was just wondering if you needed a ride?"

His eyes widened, gleaming in the twilight. "A ride? Sounds great! Mind telling me where you're headed?"

"Oh, sure!" you said. "I'm headed up to Lake Tahoe. Does it... does it matter which way you go?" you asked, frowning. "Because if you're headed towards the coast or whatever..."

"No, no, that's fine!" he said, waving a hand. "Heading much farther east after that?"

"Actually? Yeah! I'll be heading out to the Rockies and whatnot, but not for a while," you replied. "Why? Is there somewhere out east that you need to go?"

"Well, not a specific somewhere," he said. "Just—as far east as you can take me. In exchange, I'll make it worth your while." He held up a wallet. "How's $10,000 for your trouble sound? $5,000 now, $5,000 upon completion."

$10,000? You reeled a little. Holy crap. That was a lot. A lot of money. You could use that to pay for your tuition, your rent, your groceries... and the trip! You could easily pay for the trip with that. It would help you avoid another couple of weeks at your parents' house... but at the price of being in a car with a stranger for a couple of weeks? A complete and utter stranger?

"I mean, that sounds great, but... " You frowned. "There's the whole 'I don't know you' thing to worry about, so... "

"C'mon! Please?" He stood there, visibly trembling from the cold. His white dress shirt clung to him, damp with rain, as he clutched his arms for warmth. He fixed you with a pleading look, his eyes like pools of spring rain, warm and gentle and inviting. Oh, so inviting...

Under that gaze, all of your apprehensions suddenly melted away. Why on earth not? It couldn't possibly hurt, right? "Sure," you replied, the word escaping your mouth before you realized it. You moved to push the passenger door open.

"Aw, thanks... what was your name?" he asked.

"(Y/N)," you said. "(Y/N) (L/N). And you?"

The corners of his lips quirked up in a small smile. "Name's Bill," he said. "Bill Cipher."

Writer's reminder: Hey you guys, here's a friendly reminder that writers love feedback! Remember to vote or comment on this chapter to let me know how you feel about this chapter or the book so far. :)