(Not) Like You - Gravity Falls

Buckets

*After doing further research, it doesn't make sense for Mabel and Pacifica to go to Seattle for a night and come back in the same night. There's no longer a specific place that the park will be*

The promise of rain in the morning rang true as the pitter-patter of raindrops on the ceiling woke Bill up at six-thirty in the morning. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to fall asleep again, so he chose not to try. Instead, he stood up from his makeshift bed and stretched. The soft fabric of his pajamas stretched across the muscles of his back as he stood. Memories from last night filled Bill's head, and he looked at the sleeping form of Dipper. A gentle smile spread across his face, and he brushed the boy's bangs back to look at his birthmark. He ran his fingers through the soft, brown hair before turning toward the door.

He made his way downstairs, a few droplets of rain falling on his head. Downstairs, there wasn't anybody else awake. He wasn't sure how to cook, so he decided against possibly burning the house down. Instead, he went through the cupboards, looking for the rain buckets. He found them under the fish tank in the living room.

The soft padding of Bill's feet against the ground for the better part of half an hour woke Ford from his slumber under the floorboards. The elderly man made his way to the living room where the teenager was investigating the carpet for where any leaks were. Most of the leaks that Bill had found had been along the edges of the room.

"Morning person?" Ford inquired, startling Bill. The older male made his way to the yellow chair in the middle of the room as Bill sat on the little staircase that led to the attic.

"Not as far as I remember," Bill responded. He pointed at the ceiling. "I think the rain woke me up."

Ford nodded. "Well, you don't remember that far," he pointed out, making a brief smile appear on Bill's dark cheeks. "Has anything come back to you?"

The small sign of joy fell from his face. "Nothing that stands out, but I think that I'm from here. A few things seem familiar, especially..."

The words that he wanted to say fizzled in the air, and Ford leaned forward, his hands on his knees as his eyes scrutinized the boy. Bill shifted in his seat, looking away from him.

"Let me tell you something now, Bill," Ford spoke, and Bill's dual-colored eyes landed on him. "Those twins have been to Hell and back after the last war against the villain version of you. I will die before I let you hurt either of them."

Bill's eyes widened. "...The forest. That was the end of my sentence," he spoke. Ford blinked, sitting up straight. "But you're right. There's something about Dipper that sparks a memory in me; a feeling. And it's warm."

Another small, involuntary smile spread across Bill's face, and Ford felt a pang in his gut. It wasn't a bad feeling that erupted, but he couldn't exactly pinpoint what it meant.

Ford didn't respond, and Bill stood up. He shook his head, looking around the room. "That's crazy, right? I've known him for less than a week." He looked around before taking a deep breath. "I'm off to find some more holes in the roof. I'll be around."

The older man simply watched him leave, curious.

A few hours later, Stan begrudgingly gave the money to Bill for putting the buckets under the holes in the roof. Mabel called it unfair since Bill had been up earlier than she had, but her mood wasn't down for long.

Shortly after everyone went off on their own, Dipper and Bill were making their way to the gift shop when somebody grabbed one arm from each of them and tugged them to the side. They landed in a heap on the floor of a closet, the door slamming shut shortly after.